Why are Apple monitors so pricey? Let’s have a look. Apple’s cheapest option, the 24-inch LED Cinema Display, comes at 899 USD. Two PCs can be bought for that price. Apple’s second child is 30-inch Apple Cinema HD Display, which costs 1799 USD. Samsung or HP displays with similar sizes can be bought for hundreds of dollars less. But many consumers are buying Apple displays. Why? Are the displays just pleasantly designed? Or is there more here than meets the eye?Stephen Barker, vice president of industry analysis for The NPD Group has cleared the situation. He said that Apple’s monitors use high-quality parts and are focused on working well with other Apple products. Notebooks are most of Apple’s computer sales. And consumers almost never attach monitors to notebooks. So in this segment monitors don’t have an opportunity. Only Mac Pros, which are positioned more like workstation, clearly appeal to folks with high graphics sensibilities and the high quality of the Apple display is good to match. Basically, Apple doesn’t seem interested in competing in the low-end monitor space.
So let’s have a look beyond the Elegant Style. Apple’s 30-inch display boasts a 2560 x 1600 pixel resolution, 16, 7 million colors, brightness of 400cd/m2, and a contrast ratio of 700:1. It includes 2 USB 2.0 ports and 2 FireWire 400 ports. A strong graphics processor is needed just to drive it. Apple’s 30-inch monitors also have great reviews. The online reviews on the Apple Store and both feature an enviable 4.5-out-of-5.0 star rating
For comparison, the cheapest 30-inch monitor is the Gateway XHD3000 goes for 900 USD. HP’s LP3065 goes for 1071 USD, Samsung SyncMaster 305T for 1105 USD, an LG W3000HBN for 1224 USD and Dell 3008WFP sells for 1339 USD. As for the Apple 30-inch Cinema HD Display sells for 1683 USD.
The 24-inch LED Cinema Display takes a more tactical turn. It includes a built-in iSight camera, speakers, a mic, three self-powered USB 2.0 ports and one cable with three connectors: a Mini DisplayPort(new display port standard), a MagSafe power connector and a USB 2.0 connector. The 24-inch display boasts a 1920 x 1200 pixel resolution, 16, 7 million colors, a 330 cd/m2 brightness rating and a 1000:1 contrast ration. The screen is glossy and uses LED-backlit technology.
Apple's 30-inch display
Apple's 24-inch LED Cinema Display
Consumers can find cheaper options, but one-to-one feature comparison would do the trick.
