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Is your Laptop on the left and LCD on the right, or vice versa?

  • Laptop Left, LCD Right

    Votes: 47 51.1%
  • Laptop in front of the LCD and i peak over my laptop to see the LCD

    Votes: 4 4.3%
  • Laptop Right, LCD Left

    Votes: 41 44.6%

  • Total voters
    92
  • Poll closed .

j3tang

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 19, 2006
180
0
Toronto, Canada
i've seen many laptop/lcd setups and there are really only 2 different positions to set them up: laptop on left and LCD on right, or laptop on right and LCD on left.

these are the same pics that i've posted in the setups, past and present thread:

2007.05.05dark.JPG
2007.05.05bright.JPG


I'm just wondering how people have their setup, and if there's a reason for having whichever item on which side. Maybe indicating if you're left or right handed might help too?

feel free to post pics of the setup too :)
 

koobcamuk

macrumors 68040
Oct 23, 2006
3,195
9
I don't have a camera on me right now, but I am right handed and have the laptop on the right and the LCD in the 'middle' of my field of vision.

It's just more natural for me to look to the right for a second monitor. Having said that, I might try changing to see if it does even change my opinion.
 

Angrist

macrumors 6502
Mar 11, 2005
335
0
MI or NJ
Depends.

On my desk at school I have an iMac, PowerBook, two Studio Displays, and somewhere close at hand a TV. Every time I move it gets set up slightly differently. It usually gets a little crazy, like three mice sharing an extra large pad, and keyboards stacked on top of each other like an old organ.

But generally I like the secondary display on the right.
 

macOSX-tastic

macrumors 6502a
Jan 9, 2005
853
3
At the Airport. UK
i have my powerbook as my primary display (i have downsized my setup as it was very complex and im going through a minimalist phase) and am using the PB's keyboard as input, along with a logitech MX1000. i have a 4port USB hub on the floor somewhere, and have my LCD next door to the left. often, it is unplugged and dormant when i am not using it.....i mainly turn it on when using photoshop or using my DVD / eyeTV...and sometimes to spread my workload. i just plug in the DVI cable when i want to use it.

s
 

j3tang

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 19, 2006
180
0
Toronto, Canada
It's setup this way because the mag safe is on the left, I sometimes switch sides. :p

the reason why i have mine on the left is similar. and because of that i've put my UPS under the desk on the left side of the desk. Makes the cord travel shorter so that i don't see as much of it :)

also since my bed is to the left of my desk, it makes watching something as i fall asleep much more convenient than to have the laptop over on the far right side :D
 

j26

macrumors 68000
Mar 30, 2005
1,718
605
Paddyland
My MB sits on a locker beside my desk out of sigt and wired to a hub, and I have a bt keyboard & mouse and an lcd on the desk.

I don't dual screen with them.
 

Mackilroy

macrumors 68040
Jun 29, 2006
3,906
539
My laptop is to the left, my external to the right. I'll put up a picture later.
 

iCheddar

macrumors 6502a
Apr 30, 2007
662
13
South Dakota
I keep my laptop on the right, and my display on the left.

I actually think its due to being left handed. Its easier to look to the right to the laptop screen than look to the left at it.
 

TaylorB

macrumors regular
Oct 13, 2006
216
1
I use my 2407WFP all the time when I am home so I keep it in the center of my setup. That leaves the only space for my MBP to go if I want it on top of my desk is to the right of my display. I don't mind it and it is plugged in to a place where I don't have to switch plug-ins if I want to just be using my MBP while laying in bed.
 

rogersmj

macrumors 68020
Sep 10, 2006
2,161
1
Indianapolis, IN
I don't use any extra display with my MacBook, but I do on my iMac. My iMac is in the center, the 20" Dell is on the left of the iMac, and the MacBook is on the right of the iMac. Why? Because the iMac's DVD slot is on the right side, and if I put my monitor over there then I can't access it easily.
 

iBookG4user

macrumors 604
Jun 27, 2006
6,595
2
Seattle, WA
I used to have my laptop on the left and LCD on the right, but after I started using a projector I had to switch the projector to the left and laptop to the right.
 

Gordy

macrumors 6502a
May 22, 2005
663
0
Bristol, UK
what did you have on the right originally? the LCD or the laptop :confused:

just to clear things up :)

I didn't make it particularly clear did sorry.

My old setup:

DSCF4571.jpg


I've changed things around today in fact and it is much better, I recently got a new 24in lcd so I need to move things a bit for that.

I'll try to get some updated pictures done tomorrow when the light is better.
 

AliensAreFuzzy

macrumors 68000
May 30, 2004
1,561
0
Madison, WI
I prefer the LCD on the right. I dont' know why. It just seems right.
I'm guessing it may have something to do with the fact that I keep my adium list on the left of my laptop screen.
 

j3tang

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 19, 2006
180
0
Toronto, Canada

i now have the same keyboard/mouse combo :)

I'm assuming that the dongle is plugged into your Macbook Pro?
I'm not exactly sure how the USB ports are arranged on the Macbook Pro, but for my Macbook, they are side by side. When i plug in the dongle, it's wide enough that it actually gets into the way of plugging in another usb device right next to it. that dongle has essentially used up both of my USB ports :mad:

the only option i guess is to use that extention they give you in the box so that the dongle isn't taking up the space in the USB port's area. That's kinda lousy.

and back on topic ... Gordy, I love how your desk fits perfectly into that little tucked in area. Was that desk custom fit to it? or it juts so happened to fit so nicely? And the backboard below the desk is awesome! it covers up what I believe could a big cable mess :eek:
 

Legolamb

macrumors 6502a
Nov 27, 2006
627
0
North of where I'd like to be
Lappy left, LCD right.
I wonder whether this has to do with a) being right handed; and/or b) using a language (Eng) that reads left to right, so that the laptop, in a sense, controls the big screen.
 

Koodauw

macrumors 68040
Nov 17, 2003
3,951
190
Madison
This is how I had mine set-up back when I had a 12'' PB and a 20'' LCD.
 

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munckee

macrumors 65816
Oct 27, 2005
1,219
1
Mine's laptop left, LCD right. Though it makes little difference now since I don't keep the laptop open when it's connected to the LCD. I stopped when I began using a tablet full time (the laptop was throwing off the tablet mapping and it got annoying). I also just upgraded to a 23" LCD which makes it easier to ignore the laptop LCD.
 
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