Battle of the 30-inch monitors: CNET tested the monitors side by side on identical PCs running Windows XP Pro, with a 3.5GHz processor, 1GB of RAM, and a high-end Nvidia 7800 GTX graphics card with 256MB of VRAM. All tests were run at the monitors' 2,560x1,600 native resolution.

Apple trumped the Dell in our DVD-playback test, displaying less digital noise and more-realistic skin tones, and it won the more technical rounds, with more-vivid colors and better grayscale differentiation. This is the monitor of choice, especially if you own an Apple computer, since the Apple OS provides additional configuration options.

That said, if adjustability is important to you, the Dell UltraSharp 3007WFP has a lot more going for it; in fact, Apple doesn't really compete in this category. Dell also delivers a better variety of input options and better text performance for everyday tasks. Finally, at $300 less than the Apple, the UltraSharp 3007WFP may be the better deal, dollar for dollar.