A real LCD monitor with good color.

To point; if you have not experienced computing with a 30" monitor then your missing one of the essentials of life. A 22" is tiny and a 24" is dismal compared to the real estate a 30" LCD monitor provides. Never mind the less expensive LCD TV's that some use as a computer monitor with low resolution, this units sold purpose is to impress. Now on to the specs.

For comparison I have the older none HC 30" Dell LCD and picked this one up for my new gaming computer build. HC=high color.

First, if you have the older non HC (High Color) version and are thinking of stepping up to this HC versions you may want to sit back and wait. Yes the color is slightly more accurate on the HC but just a tad better vs. the older version. What is dramatic however is the brightness level as the HC version is only 300 NIBs vs. 400 for the older version and the difference is telling as I have both side by side on my setup. In other words this newer monitor is not as bright as the older version it replaced though color is better.

In terms of aesthetics this thing is a looker for sure. Hung on the wall with a LCD TV mount (not included) it used very little place and even with the supplied adjustable stand the real estate used is minimal. The stand is solid with an adjustment range of around 10' though it only locks at the top and bottom locations. The stand takes up little room so it would fit well in most environments.

Color accuracy is very good which is important as I edit HD AVCHD video as well as photos. Color accuracy is of concern to me and this monitor does not fail in execution. Adjustments are made through your video card software though and not on the monitor itself.

Gaming: One does not run 2 qty 8800GTX cards in SLI for just surfing the internet. At full blown 2560 resolution with everything cranked up games are simply breath-taking on this monitor including Crysis. No ghosting or any other artifacts while playing at high frame rates. A great monitor for gaming.

The unit does sport 2 USB ports on the left side though I did not use these as I prefer hidden wires but for temporary use such as camera, etc. this would be handy I suppose. It also has several flash card inputs on the side which could be handle for some. CF, SM,SD,MS, MMC are supported. In order for these to work you must plug the supplied USB cable to your your computer.

Unit weights in at around 40lbs so ensure that your desktop can hold it securely. The included stand is stout with little vibration. No issues here. Dell did a good job with the stand but do not expect it to rotate as it doesn't.

Ensure that you have a dual capable video card as well as a stout one to push this monitor. The native resolution is 2560 and text and graphics are very sharp though lose a bit of both when scaled down as with most LCD monitors.

The 3007WFP-HC has a 1000:1 contrast ratio versus the 3007WFP of old at 700:1. Again, do not get wrapped up in contrast ratio as manufacturers often misinterpret them. Just the same as a 12megapixel camera is seldom better than a 8 megapixel camera, think of contrast ratio in the same manner.

In addition, this new panel also sports a slightly faster pixel response time at 8ms grey-to-grey and 12ms black-to-black, versus the 11/14 specs of the older standard model. Again, not very noticeable as anything under 12ms is pretty good to the eyes.

Finally, the new 3007WFP-HC comes capable of reproducing 92% of the NTSC color gamut, while the 3007WFP, as well as many standard LCD panels on the market today, are only capable of 72% reproduction.

To be honest I notice little to no difference between the two myself but for those that are really into photo editing or publishing this could be crucial.

To compare to the Apple 30" screen, the prior Dell 30" had the identical LCD screen just with different electronics. This newer version has the supposed higher rated contrast ratio and better color accuracy but the Apple LCD is known to have better color than the prior Dell so it is probably a wash at this point though the Apple is brighter and more expensive.

Last; Dell products are not exactly known to be the Lexus of computers. As long as your expectations are not high Dell will not dissapoint. This is why I highly highly recommend the Dell extended warranty which cost around $59.00 each year up to 4 years for this LCD-a bargain. This way when your LCD does give you grief Dell will overnight another (or in my case it took them 8 days to overnight one. This is a very pricey monitor and you want to keep it for some time so do not regret the decision later and get the extended warranty from the get go.