Computer monitors are like speakers. You upgrade the source components all the time, but monitors can last a long time. Until you need bigger. Or more of them.
Apple made a splash late last year with their LED lit monitors, both desktop & laptop. My sister’s MacBook Unibody looked leaps and bounds better than her original MacBook (white). Apple’s desktop version looks great, but at $900 and super narrow in what it supports (Mini DisplayPort), it is not meant for the many, only the few. But it put in my head to watch for others to source such panels.
My good friend Alex put me onto Dell monitors a bit more than three years ago as a well supported, high quality and cost effective solution. My 2405FPW is just about to go through its warranty period of three years. I told my sister to get a panel from them for her Mini to drive. It is good stuff in a non-fancy frame.
I noticed on Engadget they mentioned Dell had new energy efficient monitors, the G2210 & G2410. 18 & 20 watts respectively (I think my current 24 is about 50-60 watts). LED lit. $239 & $349. Sweet!
The only thing I see limiting on the monitors is the stand. It looks to only pivot. My current stand rotates, pivots and just about any other way you can get it to groove. I wonder if there is aftermarket stands (it has a VESA mount) that sits on a desk (I have an arm, but won’t work with my current desk). But there is bolting the arm to the wall and have the monitor float over the desk. These panels don’t weigh very much, even with their built in power supplies.
But my whole point here is that if you want 90% of Apple LED monitor goodness at a third the cost, the Dell’s look very, very good.
A Public Service Announcement to those seeking Energy Efficiency without breaking the bank.
-Mike M.
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