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Apple 27" LED Cinema Display — Short Cable Means Useless Toy
About two months ago, I bought an Apple Cinema Display 27" (the new one), thinking I would use it on my test Mac Pro.
Because I have been using two loaner test displays (a new NEC 30" display not yet released, and an Eizo CG303W), I had not actually tried to hook up the Apple 27" until today.
There is no way I can connect the Apple 27" display to my Mac Pro, which sits under my desk— the cable is two feet too short.
The connecting cable on the Apple 27" LED Cinema Display is permanently attached to the display, so it’s not like you can buy a longer replacement cable.
I don’t have this issue with the NEC displays I use, or the Eizo, or anything else.
Only Apple has the poor design sense to supply a monitor with a built-in non-swappable cable that is too short for an under-the-desk Mac Pro. No doubt a greatly restricted positioning of the two might work for someone. And it would work with a Mac on the desk (really obnoxious with a Mac Pro). But it won’t work for me.
Possibly some kind of extender cable exists, but that’s not a good idea with a digital video cable, which has no error correction in the data stream. Not going there.
Even if it could be connected, it’s a horrible display: unless it’s a dark room and you wear a black shirt, you can see everything behind yourself— it’s a mirror. And it cannot be adjusted for height or rotated vertically, so the ergonomics are awful as well. I haven’t seen a monitor before so rife with poor design choices. Eye candy it is, a turd in terms of functionality. Skip the toy, and get the far superior NEC 27" display.
I’m going to call Apple and ask for a return, but at 2 months out, who knows.
Update!
Reader Jeff H writes:
I bought a Kanex Extension Cable for $11 @AMAZON and am very satisfied with the
performance.
