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2014 rMBP 3 monitors?

shaunvis

shaunvis

macrumors member
Original poster
May 26, 2009
66
63
Illinois
I haven't been able to find a clear answer on this one.

Does anyone know if I could hook up 3 1980x1200 monitors to a new rMBP? I was thinking 2 via TB>DVI and one HDMI.

I'm looking for a replacement for my desktop (hakintosh) and am considering a laptop if I can do 3 monitors. If they can't, maybe wait and see if a new mini comes soon that can.

Thanks!
 
In theory yes

However I think the 13 inch ones only support 2 external screens while the 15 inch ones support 3.

I can't see a use case with 3 external screens where you would want the dual core of the 13 inch over the quad of the 15 inch though.
 
MagicBoy said:
13" or 15"?
Iris or nVidia graphics?
Click to expand...

Ideally the cheapest solution that would do 3 monitors. I'm not opposed to 15". this is mostly going to be used at home and not traveling much.

Would I need the nvidia to drive 3?
 
I looked into this

The 13 and 15 with iGPU only officially support 2 extra screens but there are ways round it, with active DVI and daisy chained thunderbolt displays being just 2 options.

The High end 15 with Nvidia supports 3 as is although 1 runs exclusively on the dGPU if I understand it correctly.
 
Thanks for the info guys.

So basically my options are:
1. Get the 15" with Nvidia and I can use my monitors
2. Buy the 13" and get 2 Apple Thunderbolt displays.

Does that sound about right?
 
shaunvis said:
Thanks for the info guys.

So basically my options are:
1. Get the 15" with Nvidia and I can use my monitors
2. Buy the 13" and get 2 Apple Thunderbolt displays.

Does that sound about right?
Click to expand...

13" and 15" iris pro can run 2 external displays, but they don't have to be Apple Thunderbolt ones. You can just as easily buy a couple dells or use two of the ones you have.
 
Freyqq said:
13" and 15" iris pro can run 2 external displays, but they don't have to be Apple Thunderbolt ones. You can just as easily buy a couple dells or use two of the ones you have.
Click to expand...

I want to keep and use the 3 I have, that's the issue.

I don't intend to use the Macbook display, just close it and set it aside when working in my office so I have the 3 big monitors.
 
Hmm, I think if the built-in display is closed, you can use three external monitors. But do wait for someone who's tried it to confirm/refute that.

Of course, sans daisy-chaining with Thunderbolt, you'd be using both your Macbook's Thunderbolt ports for mini-Displayport-to-HDMI or something like that, and then the HDMI port.

Really the Mac Pro would be better for this type of setup, not necessarily the Trash Can (Late 2013) one, since that's $3k+.
 
Its kind of ghetto, but you could always use a Displaylink adapter for the 3rd display. It will support 1920x1200 although the refresh rate will be the limiting factor. It might be an option as long as you aren't planning to have video or anything else with a high refresh rate on that screen.

I used one for a couple years without issue.
 
shaunvis said:
I want to keep and use the 3 I have, that's the issue.

I don't intend to use the Macbook display, just close it and set it aside when working in my office so I have the 3 big monitors.
Click to expand...

if you don't want to 15" with 750M, you can always get a USB 3.0 display adapter or try one of those matrox display extenders. It would work fine for office work as a third screen.
 
Are you open to buying two thunderbolt monitors? If so, then daisychaining 2 and adding a third via usb3 display link was my setup at my office until I moved on yo a Mac pro config.
 
Ah, thanks for the reminder about the USB adapters. I've used those in the past and didn't even think of it. I think I'll go the 13" route with the adapter & see if that works.

I do plan on getting an iMac or Pro eventually but right now I need a new laptop more. My 8 year old black Macbook is just not cutting it anymore. It served me week for a long time though. :D

Either way, I HATE buying something this time of year. I know if I wait for the September announcement and them buy something they will release something better in October, lol
 
shaunvis said:
Ah, thanks for the reminder about the USB adapters. I've used those in the past and didn't even think of it. I think I'll go the 13" route with the adapter & see if that works.

I do plan on getting an iMac or Pro eventually but right now I need a new laptop more. My 8 year old black Macbook is just not cutting it anymore. It served me week for a long time though. :D

Either way, I HATE buying something this time of year. I know if I wait for the September announcement and them buy something they will release something better in October, lol
Click to expand...

They just updated them recently, and Intel announced that it is not coming out with new processor updates to current chips in the rmbp until 2015.
 
Yes

I have the setup you are describing:
15" 2014 rMBP, dGPU
3 1080p monitors, 2xTB, 1xHDMI
Also able to use the internal display which is nice to have open for gestures and such ...

One caveat:

This thing gets HOTTTT -- If I leave the stock fan speeds, I can regularly see 80-90C while watching netflix (and the fans never go up past 2000rpm)

Reason is because the heatsink for the dGPU and CPU are physically connected, but the fans seem to do sort of an average (or predictive control) against temperature AND CPU utilization (neglecting GPU utilization).

I contacted Apple about this and generally the response is "we only officially support 2, but you should take it in to get looked at" -- which is similar to the discussion you'll see here on macrumors.

Not good enough for me, I want 4 and I can do it -- So I use iStatMenu to bump up the fans to about 4000 rpm while I'm working and never really have a problem and can barely hear them.

I'd say buy it, work with it for a while and if you don't like it then take it back. I love mine though!
 
drmoorevt said:
I have the setup you are describing:
15" 2014 rMBP, dGPU
3 1080p monitors, 2xTB, 1xHDMI
Also able to use the internal display which is nice to have open for gestures and such ...

One caveat:

This thing gets HOTTTT -- If I leave the stock fan speeds, I can regularly see 80-90C while watching netflix (and the fans never go up past 2000rpm)

Reason is because the heatsink for the dGPU and CPU are physically connected, but the fans seem to do sort of an average (or predictive control) against temperature AND CPU utilization (neglecting GPU utilization).

I contacted Apple about this and generally the response is "we only officially support 2, but you should take it in to get looked at" -- which is similar to the discussion you'll see here on macrumors.

Not good enough for me, I want 4 and I can do it -- So I use iStatMenu to bump up the fans to about 4000 rpm while I'm working and never really have a problem and can barely hear them.

I'd say buy it, work with it for a while and if you don't like it then take it back. I love mine though!
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info, exactly what I was looking for.

Of course I can't buy anything when they have the announcement coming in a week and a half. I've got my fingers crossed for Haswell MacBooks. That should make them run a lot cooler too.

Plus the specs on yours make it a total desktop replacement which I kind of like. One Mac I can do everything on and take with me wherever I go.
 
We already have haswell

shaunvis said:
Thanks for the info, exactly what I was looking for.

Of course I can't buy anything when they have the announcement coming in a week and a half. I've got my fingers crossed for Haswell MacBooks. That should make them run a lot cooler too.

Plus the specs on yours make it a total desktop replacement which I kind of like. One Mac I can do everything on and take with me wherever I go.
Click to expand...

We are actually on the second generation of haswell processors in rMBP with the recent refresh, the announcements in sept will concentrate on iphones and iOS, expect no computer announcements ( a new mac mini is a remote possibility as is an iwatch, we may get a processor speed bump on imacs in the next month or so as well).

Broadwell will not be available for macbook pros until mid 2015 (see intels release strategy for details) we may get a new retina macbook air before christmas with ULV Broadwell but that seems to be the only incoming Broadwell computer possible before christmas.
 
shaunvis said:
Thanks for the info, exactly what I was looking for.

Of course I can't buy anything when they have the announcement coming in a week and a half. I've got my fingers crossed for Haswell MacBooks. That should make them run a lot cooler too.

Plus the specs on yours make it a total desktop replacement which I kind of like. One Mac I can do everything on and take with me wherever I go.
Click to expand...

It's an iOS event. Aside from maybe a Yosemite date I wouldn't expect any Mac hardware news.
 
Now is a good time...

I've been looking to buy a mac for years and finally bit the bullet on this one. I think this is a good time to buy for a couple of reasons:

1) Apple just bumped up the processor speed 200MHz
2) They made the 512gb SSD standard
3) They just decreased the price $100
4) Back to school sales are in full effect (I got a student discount)
5) Broadwell for desktop replacement class laptops wont be out until Mid-2015
 
drmoorevt said:
I have the setup you are describing:
15" 2014 rMBP, dGPU
3 1080p monitors, 2xTB, 1xHDMI
Also able to use the internal display which is nice to have open for gestures and such ...

One caveat:

This thing gets HOTTTT -- If I leave the stock fan speeds, I can regularly see 80-90C while watching netflix (and the fans never go up past 2000rpm)

Reason is because the heatsink for the dGPU and CPU are physically connected, but the fans seem to do sort of an average (or predictive control) against temperature AND CPU utilization (neglecting GPU utilization).

I contacted Apple about this and generally the response is "we only officially support 2, but you should take it in to get looked at" -- which is similar to the discussion you'll see here on macrumors.

Not good enough for me, I want 4 and I can do it -- So I use iStatMenu to bump up the fans to about 4000 rpm while I'm working and never really have a problem and can barely hear them.

I'd say buy it, work with it for a while and if you don't like it then take it back. I love mine though!
Click to expand...

I have the same setup. If you use a $20 cooling pad, it's not so bad.
 
I meant broadwell.

Either way, we'll see what they come out with soon. Otherwise I'll be plunking down my cash on a new MB.
 
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