Apple Cinema Display 27 for gaming?

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Pechendko

Limp Gawd
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Jan 18, 2012
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Can you recommend it for gaming? I'm looking for an upgrade over my current samsung 226bw 60hz. While i don't care the ACD has no 120hz/3d support, i'm still not sure if there won't be a huge downgrade in terms of ghosting/blurring/lag/movement reproduction and overall responsiveness of the screen.
Is here somebody with the experience of having the ACD27 next to a usual 60hz tn panel like the 226bw?
i'm also wondering if the ACD is 100% compatible with my Asus 580gtx dvi card (reference design). Is there still a chance it won't work hooked up through atlona at-dp 400?
Thanks for your input.
 
well i have a two multisync 20wmgx 2 , best ips ever made for color and gaming at the same time , but it slightly blurs a notch and it a 20 inch , alot of owners of this screen have went to the apple and said its a beautiful screen , but its blur in games is noticeable on high details . . . i guess if your not gaming always , then its a great screen , as for the 580 with the atlona at-dp 400 you should be fine , just turn the settings down your pushing alot of pixels there for 1 card
 
I upgraded to an ACD 27 from an NEC 20WMGX2 which, as the previous poster said, was absolutely outstanding for gaming. To me, the Apple display is just as good as the NEC in terms of performance. The color is stunning, the resolution is amazing and although there is some blurring, I wouldn't say it is a deal breaker. The only knocks I have against the Apple display is that there are no inputs, just the hardwired miniDP cable coming out of the monitor, which is SHORT. So plan on having either an extension or your computer close to the monitor. Secondly, there was slight backlight bleed on mine which initially I was very upset about considering this display was almost $1000. But it isn't noticeable unless you are looking for it on a completely black screen. As for the adapter, I am running an eVGA GTX 460 with the Atlona DP-400 and it works ok. However, I wouldn't expect on seeing your POST screen anymore, at least that is my circumstance. So have an old monitor on stand by in case you need to get into your bios. I also use the adapter with my Xbox, but it won't do anything above 720P for some stupid reason. I play a lot of shooters, and I haven't noticed a negative impact as far as ghosting or lag. The screen to me is more than responsive enough, but take this with a grain of salt because that is just my opinion. Unfortunately, the Apple is the only choice if you want glossy IPS at 27" and 2560x1440. The bottom line is that although this monitor can be a pain to get set up, it performs where it counts and I feel I got my monies worth in terms of visual performance and I would recommend it as a gaming monitor.
 
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Yeah I've used the older version of Apple 27" cinema displays for gaming via PC as well. It is mind blowing.... The colors are very vibrant.. but I hear that if get a U3011 it's so much more worth it..
 
the_real_7 said:
but its blur in games is noticeable on high details
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I suppose a high detailed textures gets smeared out if you move near them fast? Or is there something else?
Too bad i can't see the screen in action by myself before i buy it.
 
12ms response time......ghosting galore.

That alone would not make me recommend that monitor for gaming or high action video. While sure the colors would be great, the ghosting and smear would personally drive me nuts.
That, in and of itself, was the reason I didn't switch to a LCD/LED from my CRT until a few years ago. I can't stand motion blur for the same reason.
I used to be a CAL cs player and if I had any ghosting it drove me batty.

Personally, I'd say that 8ms response time is about the slowest you'd want for any sort of fast moving game/video and it still look good.
 
OmegaSupreme said:
12ms response time......ghosting galore.

That alone would not make me recommend that monitor for gaming or high action video. While sure the colors would be great, the ghosting and smear would personally drive me nuts.
That, in and of itself, was the reason I didn't switch to a LCD/LED from my CRT until a few years ago. I can't stand motion blur for the same reason.
I used to be a CAL cs player and if I had any ghosting it drove me batty.

Personally, I'd say that 8ms response time is about the slowest you'd want for any sort of fast moving game/video and it still look good.
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I beg to differ. I was very worried about this as well when I moved from a 23" LG 2ms monitor to the Hazro HZ27WD (same panel as the Apple Cinema Display) but I play Battlefield and other FPS games and I haven't noticed any ghosting at all. I used to play Xbox 360 on a Sony LCD TV and that thing ghosted like crazy so moving to the Hazro which had a high response time compared to most TN paneled monitors which are 5ms and lower, I was concerned.

But anyway, that is just my opinion that the ACD and the Hazro panels are fast enough.
 
CIB24 said:
I beg to differ. I was very worried about this as well when I moved from a 23" LG 2ms monitor to the Hazro HZ27WD (same panel as the Apple Cinema Display) but I play Battlefield and other FPS games and I haven't noticed any ghosting at all. I used to play Xbox 360 on a Sony LCD TV and that thing ghosted like crazy so moving to the Hazro which had a high response time compared to most TN paneled monitors which are 5ms and lower, I was concerned.

But anyway, that is just my opinion that the ACD and the Hazro panels are fast enough.
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Perhaps. But I'm REALLY particular on this aspect of monitors. As I eluded to earlier, I absolutely CANNOT stand motion blur. It's just a "cheap" way of trying to make things seem seamless, but in reality, make it look worse (IMO). I mean when you turn your head does everything blur? No.

However that may have to do with my eyesight. I have 20/15 vision in my right eye and 20/13 in my left, so my visual acuity is considerably better than most peoples' , therefore, I tend to notice even the slightest hint of ghosting or smear. It's an absolute MUST for me to have a crisp image at all times.
 
OmegaSupreme said:
Perhaps. But I'm REALLY particular on this aspect of monitors. As I eluded to earlier, I absolutely CANNOT stand motion blur. It's just a "cheap" way of trying to make things seem seamless, but in reality, make it look worse (IMO). I mean when you turn your head does everything blur? No.

However that may have to do with my eyesight. I have 20/15 vision in my right eye and 20/13 in my left, so my visual acuity is considerably better than most peoples' , therefore, I tend to notice even the slightest hint of ghosting or smear. It's an absolute MUST for me to have a crisp image at all times.
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Ummm, motion blur exists. I've seen it. Especially when you're not focused on an object.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motion_blur#Biology
Biology
When an animal's eye is in motion, the image will suffer from motion blur, resulting in an inability to resolve details. To cope with this, humans generally alternate between saccades (quick eye movements) and fixation (focusing on a single point). Saccadic masking makes motion blur during a saccade invisible. Similarly, smooth pursuit allows the eye to track a target in rapid motion, eliminating motion blur of that target instead of the scene.
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On any account, I've just gotten my ACD27 hooked up. Eventually, I'll get into some games, but the text/2D does look pretty good, I have to say. That'll come in handy for those of us that don't have the luxury of using our rigs as a strictly gaming platform. ;)
 
Webhead said:
Ummm, motion blur exists. I've seen it. Especially when you're not focused on an object.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motion_blur#Biology
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I've done all sorts of racing, from motocross to auto racing, and at the speeds that I have traveled, up to just shy of 200MPH, there is no motion blur that I see. Perhaps my ability to "lock-on" to a target is also faster as the targets I can lock-on to are much further away.
In addition to that, when I move my head quickly, I still don't see it.
shrug.gif


Perhaps that's the same reason that I get almost instant headaches from 3D on televisions.
JC-thinking.gif


Webhead said:
On any account, I've just gotten my ACD27 hooked up. Eventually, I'll get into some games, but the text/2D does look pretty good, I have to say. That'll come in handy for those of us that don't have the luxury of using our rigs as a strictly gaming platform. ;)
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If you're doing work where color accuracy is an actual must then yes, an ACD is a good choice, as are some of the Dell monitors. My brother codes, does web-design, picture editing, etc. so he got one. However, conversely, he doesn't game at all.

And just because I mainly use my rig for gaming, doesn't mean that I don't want good picture quality. But I'll be damned before I pay $1k for a monitor when I can get an almost as good Samsung that is 120Hz for $400 less. Too bad it's got that 3D crap built in to it.
 
I use my Apple display for a ton of gaming and its the best monitor I have ever used. Coming from a 30" Dell 3008wfp, then Eyefinity 3xDell 24"s, to my current Apple display, I couldn't be happier. The gloss makes everything pop, colors look great, and I don't notice any lag or ghosting.
 
elvn said:
They do look gorgeous, but after using mine for the better part of a year I found that on the most extreme graphics ceiling settings I'm capable of on the most modern PC games, the response time pixel blurring is obnoxious on FoV movement. The extreme texture detail, depth, and "3d" depth via bump mapping gets smeared out, and with the physical FoV of my eyeballs vs the size of the panel it can give an "IMAX-like" almost seasick effect when the extreme detail textures smear. This happens on most 60hz LCDs to one degree or another. I think the ACD has a 10.x - 12ms response time which prob makes it worse than even a low response time 60hz TN though.
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In simpler textured games like L4D2 its not a big deal, and starcraft is isometric/overhead so that prob wouldn't be bad either. The witcher2 has some extreme graphics detail but its 3rd person gameplay is usually more of a "set" design(like a play) rather than an open world type so I'm not sure how it would fare. I'll have to test it (bought on steam over the holidays). Some people don't mind the blurring on FoV movement so I'm not trying to speak for everyone. I have very acute vision and it does bother me (on the most extreme detail games), especially with the monitor filling much of my own eyeball FoV. It wrenches my eye's focus "lock" away, and my eyes always try to focus away blur. I tend to be a fast FoV "looker" in games rather than a slow turret turning look type which doesn't help.
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Still, I would not sell my ACD and I have no real regrets as it is awesome for what it is best at - goregeous desktop imagery, desktop/app real-estate, high ppi +high rez + size, color quality, screen uniformity, (and less extreme detail games). However for gaming I am going to test out my 22.5" widescreen crt at 1080p 100hz + borrowing a 21.5" 60hz lcd for each side in LLL eyefinity, and I have a 27" 120hz input samsung TN on order to test as well. I'll end up having the ACD as my desktop monitor, and one of the other two setups as my gaming monitor (on the same pc at the same desk). It might end up being the 27" ACD and the 27" samsung, both are 27", 16:9, and glossy so physically they should pair up nice. I'll have to test out the 120hz performance and see how the FoV blurring compares , and how the eyefinity setup fares before I make a decision.
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This from the other thread is exactly how I view it.
 
Light1984 said:
I upgraded to an ACD 27 from an NEC 20WMGX2 which, as the previous poster said, was absolutely outstanding for gaming. To me, the Apple display is just as good as the NEC in terms of performance. The color is stunning, the resolution is amazing and although there is some blurring, I wouldn't say it is a deal breaker. The only knocks I have against the Apple display is that there are no inputs, just the hardwired miniDP cable coming out of the monitor, which is SHORT. So plan on having either an extension or your computer close to the monitor. Secondly, there was slight backlight bleed on mine which initially I was very upset about considering this display was almost $1000. But it isn't noticeable unless you are looking for it on a completely black screen. As for the adapter, I am running an eVGA GTX 460 with the Atlona DP-400 and it works ok. However, I wouldn't expect on seeing your POST screen anymore, at least that is my circumstance. So have an old monitor on stand by in case you need to get into your bios. I also use the adapter with my Xbox, but it won't do anything above 720P for some stupid reason. I play a lot of shooters, and I haven't noticed a negative impact as far as ghosting or lag. The screen to me is more than responsive enough, but take this with a grain of salt because that is just my opinion. Unfortunately, the Apple is the only choice if you want glossy IPS at 27" and 2560x1440. The bottom line is that although this monitor can be a pain to get set up, it performs where it counts and I feel I got my monies worth in terms of visual performance and I would recommend it as a gaming monitor.
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After I read what you wrote and pm ing elvn , i purchased one of these online , I trust any owner who owned a nec 20wmgx , Im sure if i went to a 120 hz screen i would notice blu on the apple . but im coming from a screen that plays pretty much the same from what im reading , hopefully my 7970 will run this screen native
 
I still can't decide. I'm satisfied with gaming performance of my current screen (samsung 226bw 60hz), i don't even play any competitive fps except for bf3 on rare occasions. Will i be able to notice the blurring on acd even while playing a slow passing games? I fear it will be noticeable even for general desktop use, such as fast scrolling pages or dragging windows. Can you confirm it won't?
Otherwise, maybe i just have to buy the glossy 120hz s27a950?
 
Pechendko said:
I still can't decide. I'm satisfied with gaming performance of my current screen (samsung 226bw 60hz), i don't even play any competitive fps except for bf3 on rare occasions. Will i be able to notice the blurring on acd even while playing a slow passing games? I fear it will be noticeable even for general desktop use, such as fast scrolling pages or dragging windows. Can you confirm it won't?
Otherwise, maybe i just have to buy the glossy 120hz s27a950?
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Do you have an apple store nearby? If yes, just stop on by and take a look at the 27" iMacs, which have the same exact panel. You can even install stuff on them like games if you want to be really through in your inspection.

Most of us here will assure you that you won't have any complaints with the display. But the only sure way to know that you're going to be satisfied with your purchase is to take a look at one before you buy it.
 
Surprised that people aren't bothered by the ghosting. Main reason I don't want one.
 
Liekomg said:
Do you have an apple store nearby? If yes, just stop on by and take a look at the 27" iMacs, which have the same exact panel. You can even install stuff on them like games if you want to be really through in your inspection.

Most of us here will assure you that you won't have any complaints with the display. But the only sure way to know that you're going to be satisfied with your purchase is to take a look at one before you buy it.
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I have one and i already went there. There were no movies or games to try the screen out.
Anyway, i was amazed at the clarity and uniformity of the glossy acd when i saw it, that's why i don't even consider any screens with coating as an upgrade.
 
Gazoozles said:
Surprised that people aren't bothered by the ghosting. Main reason I don't want one.
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this one they say has the least amount of ghosting because of not having no osd or scaler , so i mean for realestae i guess oyu gotta pay or take a tn , but like someone one told me , you take a loss one way or another
 
Pechendko said:
I have one and i already went there. There were no movies or games to try the screen out.
Anyway, i was amazed at the clarity and uniformity of the glossy acd when i saw it, that's why i don't even consider any screens with coating as an upgrade.
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im getting mine thurs from apple , or you happy with yours so far ?
 
Pechendko said:
I have one and i already went there. There were no movies or games to try the screen out.
Anyway, i was amazed at the clarity and uniformity of the glossy acd when i saw it, that's why i don't even consider any screens with coating as an upgrade.
Click to expand...

The Apple stores in my area are loaded with movies on the hard drive for your viewing pleasure. And even if they aren't, just head over to apple.com/trailers, and try any of the 1080p trailers there and see what happens.

You can also bring games loaded on a USB stick or portable hard drive and run it on the macs in the store, as long as they will run on OSX :D I've done this several times, and they have no problem with it.
 
Just curious as to why the Korean 27" monitors are advertised as 6 ms panels, whereas the Apple Cinema is 12 ms. Is this a case of false advertising, or are the Korean panels acutally more responsive?
 
zazzn said:
just to bring a thread from the dead

check out this

I think i'm going to buy one of these yamakasi's apparently same LCD as the apple cinema just a cheesy bezel and a fraction of the price.
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thats half right. same panel, but lower quality compared to the 'name brands'
basically the rejects that the other company doesnt accept. but its half the price so people dont really mind a little imperfection :)
 
zazzn said:
just to bring a thread from the dead
Click to expand...

No need to necro this thread, there is already a very active discussion here on [H]


loafer87gt said:
Just curious as to why the Korean 27" monitors are advertised as 6 ms panels, whereas the Apple Cinema is 12 ms. Is this a case of false advertising, or are the Korean panels acutally more responsive?
Click to expand...

Response times quoted by manufacturers are invariably BS and indicate more about smearing/ghosting than they do "responsiveness". The Koreans can get away with more aggressive claims because nobody is gonna sue them for being wrong. Apple needs to be more careful.

That being said, the Korean panels have less internals and so are actually quite a bit more "responsive", but the real measure of this is input lag.

illli said:
thats half right. same panel, but lower quality compared to the 'name brands'
basically the rejects that the other company doesnt accept. but its half the price so people dont really mind a little imperfection :)
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I'm sure you work for LG and have inside info on how panels are graded. lol.

The panels in the Korean monitors are "A-" or "A" grade, in general one step down from "A+" panels sold in dell/apple/HP monitors. These particular monitors use the panel apple uses, as previously pointed out. How the panels are graded are closely guarded company secrets, but presumably it is somewhat similar to how GPU's are binned. A- screens have reasonable chances to be flawless (like mine is).
 
i never said as such. but obviously there is a reason you can buy a lcd with that panel for half price.
but sure, your comment from 1 sample convinced me that theres a 'reasonable' chance of perfection.
 
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