Well, I never thought it would be so hard to purchase a new monitor for graphic and web design purposes, but I was wrong.  Recently I started researching new monitors to connect to my Macbook Pro (early 2008 model).  I needed a monitor that has great clarity and color support.  After all, in graphic and web design, you want your display’s color to match the color of your printer.

After countless hours of research, I ended up purchasing the 24″ Wide-screen (1920 x 1200) Dell UltraSharp U2410 monitor (pictured above).  At a price tag of $499 (plus tax and shipping), this seemed to be an expensive purchase.  However, this monitor is said to be perfect for graphic design… so I jumped in and ordered it.  I received the monitor, hooked it up, and the first thing I noticed was it’s size.  But that was the least of my problems.  Upon using it, the resolution was great and it had awesome screen real estate; however, this monitor was not “UltraSharp“… When viewing websites with white backgrounds, there is a faint color sparkle all throughout the screen.  I did some research, and it seems that this is caused by the anti-glare coating.  After using the monitor for a couple of hours, the “sparkle” got to me and became extremely unpleasing to the eye.  I used the monitor for less than 24 hours, called dell, and had a return authorized.

The next part of the saga is I purchased the UltraSharp U2211H 21.5″ Monitor (1920 x 1080), as a replacement to the U2410, with the hope that the smaller screen would make the “sparkle” less noticeable.  It is important to note that the color support in comparison to the U2410 was less, but the cost was less also ($229).  I received this monitor in exchange for the U2410, hooked it up, and immediately noticed the sharpness of this monitor was worse then the U2410.  The worst part is, the “sparkle” was still there and seemed to be even more noticeable.

I stuck out again!

As I write this post, I have contacted dell once again and had a return authorized.  I am now using my old setup.  Macbook Pro connected to a Samsung 17″ secondary monitor. Both the U2410 and the U2211H’s color, clarity, and sharpness does not match the display on my Macbook Pro.

So, what is next?

Well, I am now researching other monitors, and so far the most promising candidate would be the Apple 27″ Cinema Display.  Yes, the cost of this display is high, but it should match the color, clarity, and sharpness found in my Macbook Pro’s display.

In conclusion, when deciding as to which monitor to buy, if you like a crisp, clear, and vivid image, do not purchase a screen with an anti-glare coating! Most likely, you will be very disappointed with the purchase.

References:

Dell UltraSharp U2211H 21.5″ Monitor
Dell UltraSharp U2410 24″ Monitor