Review van Apple 30” Cinema HD Display

Nederlandse versie van review (klik op het vlaggetje)

Apple launched the 30” display in 2004, which is now more than 6 years ago.  Why writing a review on these display such a long time after it’s launch.  Well, the reason is:  some time ago, I wrote a review on the 24” LED display and for this summer Apple announced the 27” display.  Therefore I found it necessary to make reviews of the complete range of Apple displays.

Packaging
As we are used from Apple, this display arrives in a clean, large box with a large picture of the display.  Opening the box is just as we’re used from Apple: on top the familiar small box with the guidebook, the warranty specifications, the duster and 2 Apple stickers. After removing the first protection polystyrene foam, we can already see the display although it is still carefully wrapped up.  After removing the display from the box, the protecting foil can be taken away and then the display is there: 30” tall and what a design!  The electric cord can be taken out and the cable to connect the display with the computer is fixed to the display.  I can also take an extra small box of which I will tell you later more in this review. There’s also an extra small box included in the package, I will tell you more about further down in this review.

Connecting the display
Connecting the display is very simple.  There is the cable for the electricity and 1 other cable, which splitts up into 1 DVI connector, 1 USB port and 1 Firewire 400 port.  There is also 1 connector to link the extra small box.  The electricity cable must not be connected to your display but to the small box.

So that is the reason that there aren’t 4 cables leaving from your display, but only 1! Typical Apple: an eye for design and a necessity to group as much cables as possible! Very smart!

One extra point: the cables are quite long, so your computer doesn’t have to be near the display.

Extra small box
As explained before, an extra small bow is delivered together with the display.  This box will provide the electricity of your display. 
There are 2 connections: 1 for the electricity cable and 1 cable for the display.  Everything is clear and easy, really can’t miss.

USB cable
The second part of the cable is the USB cable.  Connecting this cable gives us the possibility to use 2 USB 2.0 gates at the back of the display.  As a test, a cabled keyboard and a Wacom tablet have been plugged in and they were accepted without any hesitation.

DVI connector
The last part of the cable is the DVI connector.  This connection is the replacement of the old VGA.  At the time the display was launched a display port didn’t exist yet, nowadays it does.  As this connection is still the standard today, you will immediately understand how well in advance this connection was at the launching of this display.

Size and resolution
The display has a very slim design.  In order to be able to install and use it properly you will need a space of at least 55cm high, 59cm wide and 23cm depth.  But then you have a 30” display with a diagonal of 75cm!  The resolution of this display is entirely within the standards:  2560 x 1600 px!

Reaction speediness
The reaction speediness is 14ms.  This is rather slow! 
Gamers will therefore not be willing to buy this display and the film enthusiasts will even consider this as most inconvenient.

Mat / Glossy
The display is foreseen of a mat top coating.  This really is a pleasure to work with! Nowadays all factories manufacture glossy displays and, personally, I sincerely regret that.  On a mat top coating you can much better adapt your pictures.
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Ergonomics
The display can be capsized from -5° to 25°, but it remains a pity that Apple never thought about possibilities to adapt the display in the height as foreseen in the European ergonomic guidelines.   But as it is of course a huge display the problem is not really presenting.  I myself am quite tall (1,94 m) and I did not have any problem with this point.

Price
The display costs 1.799 Euro which is, of course, still a lot of money.  Still it has to be said that the competitors remain on the same level. 
The prices of the 27” displays are much cheaper but you can never compare two entirely different products.

Conclusion
If the size of the display is essential for a potential user, the purchase of this display must certainly be considered.

Best regards,
Sven Michiels