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Macbook Pro Into Desktop?

B

Batnut

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Nov 16, 2010
13
0
Hi All

I know questions like this have been posted before and I have searched and read the answers, but frankly I am still bewildered. I am a complete novice when it comes to things such a this, so frank advice would be much appreciated.

I have a macbook pro 17 (three years old) which seems to be working well. However I am finding it to heavy to carry around and am planning on buying the new macbook air. Therefore, I was wondering how easy it would be to turn my macbook pro into a desktop mac?

I have read so much about this, how I may need a special heat stand and special cables ect. It's incredibly confusing! Currently it seems like this is what I need to do:

A) Buy a good HD monitor
B) Buy the apple wireless Keyboard and Mouse
c) Buy a book arc or henge dock (can anybody confirm whether these actually do anything?
D) Buy an external set of speakers.

Is that it? Any help would be greatly appreciated. I use my Macbook pro for Final Cut, Final Draft, Word, Motion, Outlook ect.

Thanks!

Batnut
 
Batnut said:
Hi All

I know questions like this have been posted before and I have searched and read the answers, but frankly I am still bewildered. I am a complete novice when it comes to things such a this, so frank advice would be much appreciated.

I have a macbook pro 17 (three years old) which seems to be working well. However I am finding it to heavy to carry around and am planning on buying the new macbook air. Therefore, I was wondering how easy it would be to turn my macbook pro into a desktop mac?

I have read so much about this, how I may need a special heat stand and special cables ect. It's incredibly confusing! Currently it seems like this is what I need to do:

A) Buy a good HD monitor
yep.
B) Buy the apple wireless Keyboard and Mouse
Buy any ones you are comfortable with. I prefer the logic tech keyboard myself.
c) Buy a or henge dock (can anybody confirm whether these actually do anything?
Yep. They keep it a little cooler, and look nice.
D) Buy an external set of speakers.
Agreed.
Click to expand...

Also you will need an adapter for whatever monitor you decide on. I also use a usb hub for my many devices.
 
Thank you!

Can anyone recommend a good monitor for under £200?
 
The screen on the 17" is so huge*, the only thing you really need to turn it into a Desktop computer is a desk!






*at least a few years ago a 17" desktop monitor was a good size. Now that is a bit small. I am on a 21" now.
 
I'm planning to do the same with my 13" MacBook Pro, except I will continue to use it as a laptop as well :) Meaning I get both a laptop AND a desktop out of one computer.

I will do the same as your setup, with a Samsung 23" monitor, apple keyboard and magic mouse. However the monitor I'm getting will have speakers built into it, so there is no need for external ones.

Good luck!
 
Batnut said:
Thank you!

Can anyone recommend a good monitor for under £200?
Click to expand...

I bought a Samsung 1080p 24" panel from overclockers.co.uk for under £200, i think it was about £150-170 if I remember rightly.

They have some pretty good deals sometimes if you wanna head over there.

The monitor needs a little calibration, but once it's set up I really appreciate the big screen, even next to my 15" MBP running at almost the same res (hi-res)
 
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