Deals Dec 19: 27" Dell UltraSharp 2560 x 1440 LCD $699

roadrunner343Alidan,You are incorrect. As a professional photographer and someone who demands color accuracy out of his panels, the Dell u2711 has provided MUCH better color accuracy than the cheap knock off brands, especially when calibrated with a spectrophotometer. There are also plenty of independent comparisons that show this same fact.I'm not saying the other cheaper panels are a bad deal. But if you absolutely need color accuracy, this is a great panel, and a cheaper alternative to some of the better NEC models (Though, I suppose those too are just worthless overpriced panels). If you don't need color accuracy or wide-gamut, save yourself some cash and get a cheaper panel. Otherwise, there aren't many other options at this price point for graphics professionals.PS. I picked up two of these panels about a year ago for $799
you are talking about a 1-2000$ panels and yea they are higher quality, somewhat, you get more of a guarantee in quality than anything else. but look at the ipad 3 it has a 2,048 \00d7 1,536 screen which is estimated around 70-120$ and is 10 inches.

the screen alone is cheaper than my 1920x1200 monitor.

its things like that that make me call the current name brand 2560x1600 or 2560x1440 over priced

Alidan,

No disrespect, but these panels aren't designed for you and it is absurd to compare high end panels from Dell or NEC to the panel in an iPad or cheap Korean knockoffs. They are very different products for different segments.

If you need the resolution and nothing more, sure, go for whatever panel you want. But if you need color accuracy and wide-gamut, you don't have a choice. Are they over priced? Possibly, I'm not going to argue that point (It hurt my soul to spend $800 x 2 on nothing but my displays) but $800 is much better than the $1500-$3000 you could spend on NEC's and the $800 u2711 kicks the crap out of the cheap Korean models.

how big is the difference from well calibrated either of them. i don't have a store by me that shows off monitors like those, and its not really something i can look up online, as any picture would go through my monitor which i know isn't the best in the world.

Alidan,

Unfortunately, as for a comparison, I would be talking out of my butt if I were to try to give you an accurate comparison of the Dell's to one of the high-res Korean knockoffs. I can only go off of reviews found online (Which do show that color accuracy is better in the Dells, NEC, and Viewsonic high-end panels. HP has one too I believe).

I can only offer a comparison between the Dell u2711, Dell u2410, and two cheap (Sub $150) samsung and Asus panels. Color accuracy when calibrated is not even close between the Dell's and the others. The Samsung and Asus may look pleasing enough, as they are very contrasty and vibrant, which is perfect for gamers and multimedia enthusiasts, but terrible for someone who wants color accuracy.

The Dell 2410 (24" factory calibrated) is much better, but there is still a visible difference compared to the u2711. My u2410 had a slightly warmer color cast out of the box, and after calibration the two panels were very similar, but I would say the u2711 is ever so slightly more accurate. Matching prints to a cheap printer would be a nightmare, it's difficult enough to get them to match with a good monitor and calibrator setup.

Sorry, that's the best I can do for my own comparisons. I'm sure you can find better, more scientific and in depth reviews on the internet. Bottom line is, yes, for most people, there are cheaper alternatives out there. This is a niche product that only a handful of people really need.