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2011 13" MBA - Thunderbolt display OK ?
- Thread starter udflyer
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I have a 2011 MBA with a Apple LCD and I have had no problems with it. I'm not sure I've heard the fan running on my MBA and it stays nice and cool.
Current setup: see signature.
Fans do spin up very loud when watching any Flash video in fullscreen (YouTube, for example). CPU usage is normal, but I think the iGPU is working hard.
Everything else runs perfectly smooth, in silence.
Thunderbolt graphics?
What's the chance that we will see a thunderbolt display with built in graphics card do you think?
What's the chance that we will see a thunderbolt display with built in graphics card do you think?
Why? This would seem like the perfect combination: iGPU while on battery, powerful GPU while docked.
Even Anand Shimpi thinks it's likely to happen. He talks about it in his video review of the TBD.
As I understand it, the bandwidth provided by the thunderbolt PCI connection is not sufficient to take advantage of an external graphics card. It's also another expense on top of an already expensive display, and another part that has the potential to break. I think it's safe to assume that if you're buying an Air, you're probably not buying it with gaming in mind.
The HD3000 will be sufficient for most, for people that need that sort of power, they won't skimp on hardware. Not that the Air is skimping, I love them, but if you're editing uncompressed AVCHD files you probably aren't using an Air.
@NutsNGum
Thanks for having expanded on this.
Good point. I didn't consider the PCI bandwidth issue.
I don't think a GPU would cost that much: if they choose the same mobile GPUs as in iMacs and MacBook Pros, the bulk price should be quite low.
It does add complexity to the hardware but nothing Apple can't do gracefully. On the software side, it should be supported already (graphics switching). So I wouldn't see the added GPU as having the potential to break any more than in iMacs and MBPs.
Today, with the current lack of options for external GPUs, yes I too would assume people are buying their MBAs with no intentions to play games, but I think that introducing external GPUs would create demand for such a setup. The dual core ULV CPUs are more than capable of driving a powerful GPU.
Thanks for having expanded on this.
Good point. I didn't consider the PCI bandwidth issue.
I don't think a GPU would cost that much: if they choose the same mobile GPUs as in iMacs and MacBook Pros, the bulk price should be quite low.
It does add complexity to the hardware but nothing Apple can't do gracefully. On the software side, it should be supported already (graphics switching). So I wouldn't see the added GPU as having the potential to break any more than in iMacs and MBPs.
Today, with the current lack of options for external GPUs, yes I too would assume people are buying their MBAs with no intentions to play games, but I think that introducing external GPUs would create demand for such a setup. The dual core ULV CPUs are more than capable of driving a powerful GPU.
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