-
Left: Dell 2407WFP-HC. Right: 2408WFP.
Tip: If you’re going dual-monitor, get two identical models.
It’s nearly impossible to get these to look similar, even though the 2408 is just one generation ahead of the 2407 HC. I was only able to get them to this point with the help of Tiff’s new calibrator and a lot of manual settings tweaks, but both are still nowhere near accurate or balanced.
The 2408 isn’t actually very good. It has embarrassing input lag (my 2407 HC doesn’t), the backlight is too eye-burning bright at nearly every setting above “0”, and the color reproduction is worse than the 2407 HC.
But the 2407 isn’t perfect, either: its USB hub is unreliable, and its power button has an annoying habit of rotating out of position and failing after less than a year. Mine does this, and frequently needs a good 30 seconds of prodding to turn on, but the process of cross-shipping it from a Brooklyn apartment with no car and awful UPS/FedEx drivers is so prohibitive that I’m waiting until it becomes so bad that I can’t turn it on at all before sending it for repair. It’s pretty sad that Dell can’t make a power button that lasts more than a year of being pushed twice per day on a $400+ product.
The Tumblr office recently got a pair of the new model in this line, the U2410. They’re not mine, so I can’t tell you how good they are, but they’re garishly decorated with bright blue LEDs that would be nearly impossible to tolerate in anything but a brightly lit office.
All of this has made me realize that Dell’s monitors aren’t as good as they used to be. The standard good-value practice for the last few years has been to buy computers from Apple but everything else — monitors, keyboards, RAM, hard drives — from third parties. Dell was always the first choice for monitors, offering top-quality panels with great connectivity and convenience features (USB hubs, card readers) for much less money than nearly anyone else, especially Apple. But I think I’ve bought my last Dell monitor.
If Apple puts LG’s magical 27” panel into a standalone monitor for a reasonable price ($1200?), it will be difficult for many people to resist. And if anyone else with any semblance of quality and design offers it in matte, I might dump one of these Dells on Craigslist, give up any hope of color-matching between my pair, and replace the primary (left) screen with something that doesn’t look, feel, and work as well as a GM car.
When I was looking to buy a monitor for my laptop, I was trying to decide whether I should get the Dell or the Apple. Dell’s monitors are much cheaper, but I ended up buying a 24” from Apple because it’s designed to go with my laptop (I don’t have to mess around with mini display port adaptors or power cables).
I’m very happy with my choice, this monitor is fantastic, but the cables are probably too short for using with a MacPro, but I believe you can make it work. I expect that Apple will announce a new line of LED display pretty soon. The 30” needs an update, and maybe they will make a 27” and a 20” or 24” that’s not just designed to be plugged into a laptop (the USB, magsafe, and display port cords are attached to the display…).
My only real complain about this monitor are the speakers, which aren’t bad, but could be better. As soon as Apple starts selling the Creature III speakers (They have an exclusive deal with JBL), I’ll have to take a serious look at them.
