Round 5: DisplayMate-based performance tests

For general computing tasks, both of these high-end monitors will perform admirably. But if you work with graphically advanced design programs, your livelihood depends on the sharpness and accuracy of colors on your monitor. We used CNET Labs' DisplayMate-based grayscale, color, and uniformity benchmarks to test the abilities of the UltraSharp 3007WFP and the Cinema Display in our most technical tests.

Text: Serif and sans serif text was legible on both monitors at 6.8 point and above, and Times looked clear at 9 point and above on both monitors. With Arial fonts, however, the UltraSharp 3007WFP looked clear and distinct at 7.5, while the Cinema Display's looked less clear below 9 point.

Grayscale: On our white-level saturation screens, the UltraSharp 3007WFP showed all degrees of gray, while the Cinema Display's was slightly less distinct. The Apple, however, did show better differentiation in the grays, with a smoother progression. The grayscale intensity screens showed similar results, with the Cinema Display again showing more variation, especially in the light areas.

Color: The monitors' color scales looked nearly identical. The Apple Cinema Display's blues and magentas looked slightly compressed--meaning that the monitor didn't display the very darkest or very lightest colors. Still, a close look at the full color ramp revealed the Cinema Display's slightly darker and more-vivid color pallet. The Dell UltraSharp 3007WFP's brightness seemed to have a negative effect on the colors, lending them a slightly washed-out appearance.

Uniformity: With monitors this big, we were nearly positive we'd see bright spots throughout the screens. To our pleasant surprise, both monitors showed nearly perfect uniformity, with the UltraSharp 3007WFP exhibiting a very small bright spot in the bottom-left corner.

Winner: Again, Apple takes this category by a hair. Its grayscale differentiation and more-vivid color pallet sealed the deal in round 5.