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13 inch Macbook Pro with External Display vs. iMac

Spiderbundy said:
I also bought a Mini Displayport to VGA to hook up my 13" 2.53GHz MBP to my existing 22" monitor,just because my PC was using the DVI input...and I have the 'blurry' problem as well....nowhere near as sharp a picture as had hoped for. I'm wondering if i buy the Mini Displayport to DVI will that make it noticibly sharper?
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Yes.
 
Spiderbundy said:
Great! .....So that was £20 down the drain! :mad:
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If you had both interfaces on your monitor, why did you choose VGA?

Its not a total waste, sometimes its the only connection there is, on some TV's and projectors.

Have you set the computer to the same resolution as the monitor? You should also bring up a high contrast image and make the monitor auto-adjust, this can help for VGA inputs. Also make sure the cable going from the adaptor is good quality and as short as you can buy - this can help the quality of a VGA image.

DVI is fully digital, so there no digital (computer) to analogue (VGA) and back to digital (LCD panel) conversion - which is where the blurriness comes from.
 
Bonsai71 said:
If you had both interfaces on your monitor, why did you choose VGA?

Its not a total waste, sometimes its the only connection there is, on some TV's and projectors.

Have you set the computer to the same resolution as the monitor? You should also bring up a high contrast image and make the monitor auto-adjust, this can help for VGA inputs. Also make sure the cable going from the adaptor is good quality and as short as you can buy - this can help the quality of a VGA image.

DVI is fully digital, so there no digital (computer) to analogue (VGA) and back to digital (LCD panel) conversion - which is where the blurriness comes from.
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I simply chose VGA as my PC was using the DVI input...in my ignorance I never realised there would be that much of a difference. One lives and learns!!
 
Generally you should be able to get a good picture with VGA as well. If your monitor doesn't automatically adjust the picture right, then you need to do it manually. The sharpness, phase etc settings make a big difference.
 
I used my 13 in 2.4ghz macbook with an external monitor for the past year and it was perfectly fine. the monitor i used was 2048x1152 and it handled it nicely.

i would recommend it
 
if you need the portability, get a mbp with an external. If you dont move your computer around, get the iMac, the new 27 inch screens are to die for :)
 
boatski said:
You could go with the MBP and buy a keyboard and mouse with your monitor.

I connected my 13" MBP to my 22" monitor via VGA, but the graphics are kind of 'blurry'. I'm thinking it's because of the resolution being blown up on a 22" monitor from a 13".

Maybe others can confirm this.
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Using an external monitor with VGA will always be somewhat blurry. DVI is far superior, go for this option if at all possible. The only thing with DVI is that you will need a separate cable to carry audio as DVI cannot carry audio.
 
JajoPGH said:
I'm sure plenty of these have been done before, but I am quite confused at this time.

I'm looking to move from PC's to a Mac, but am having a hard time figuring out which would work best for me.

I would love an iMac, but I have a weird feeling the new one is coming out soon. I just don't want to be outdated too quickly. The current one is absolutely beautiful and it has quite a presence on a desk, so I'm sure the next will be even better.

If I get a 13 inch Macbook Pro, I would get a 24 inch external monitor. Basically, I'd have a laptop and a desktop at the same time (portability and stationary at the same time). By the way, would the performance of the MBP significantly decrease once connected to a monitor?

I do all sorts of things on my computer, but more than anything else I use Photoshop.

So, which do you think will be best for me? I'm looking to buy within the next two weeks, but if there is good indication of a new iMac within a couple months, I can wait. I suppose deep down, I want an iMac, but would also benefit greatly with the MBP.
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In response to the Photoshop bit, I use Bridge, InDesign, Illustrator and Photoshop and CAD software daily on my MBP 13" (product design student)

Once I get down to work I don't even notice the screen size! Only when I use the 27" iMacs or MacPros with ACD in the studios do I realise the size difference.
 
Hey everyone.

Thanks for the posts...

I ended up getting a 15 inch MBP in September and in the beginning of November I bought the new iMac 27 inch.

So I got the best of both worlds, and am very happy!
 
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