Apple Cinema vs. other LCDs

I'm still in the process of trying to track down a good, inexpensive LCD (for both graphic design and gaming) to replace my aging CRT. The thing is, I use an Apple Cinema display at work and I think that's spoiled me.

I've tried out several LCDs here at home (Samsung, Viewsonic, Dell) and have been bothered by them all, most often because of the viewing angle issues: anything past dead-center on each produces too much color or brightness variation for my sensitive eyes, especially compared to the Apple monitor's near-lack of that problem. Sure, its brightness changes slightly if you go far to the left or right, or up or down, but I can stand almost next to the Apple monitor looking at it perpendicularly and the colors are still exactly how they should be-- the same can definitely NOT be said for these others I've tried at home.

So my question is: what is it about Apple's cinema displays that somehow avoid those viewing angle issues? Is it how they're manufactured? A hardware thing? Different construction methods? I know comparing a $250 Samsung monitor to a $2,000 Apple monitor is oranges and apples (wah-wah), but I'd like to be able to narrow it down so at least I'm not constantly buying, testing, and returning monitors like this.

m19

 

I believe the Apple flat panel monitor you're talking about is an LED (Light Emitting Diode) display not LCD (Liquid Crystal Display). LED's emit their own light (hence the name LED for Light Emitting Diode) and thus don't require the back lighting around the edges of the screen that conventional LCD's use -- fluorescent lights mounted around the sides and in back of the LCD screen. I believe this accounts for the problems you describe and aren't likely to be much improved no matter which brand and model of LCD screen you buy.

If there are any other manufacturers of LED monitors that would probably give you the quality of display you're looking for but will also be much more expensive I suspect.