Hey guys,
I have the high res display on my MacBook (1680 x 1050) so does this mean I'll have to buy a monitor with the same resolution to get the best out of it?
Many thanks
No - if you were buying two new monitors for a Mac Pro/Mini it would be sensible to have them the same size/resolution so you could line them up side-by-side, but with a MacBook, whatever you do, you'll have two different (physical) size screens.
Its perfectly possible to have a dual-display setup with different sizes/screen resolutions both running at their max resolution - you can go into preferences to set their relative orientation (so its easy to mouse between them) and choose which is the primary display (with the menu bar, dock etc.).
...or you can close down the lid of your MacBook, attach an external keyboard and just use your new big monitor.
The only time the resolution is an issue is when you want to "mirror" the displays - i.e. have the same picture on each - in which case you'll get the lowest resolution of the two displays, and the image may look a little stretched or blurry on the larger screen - but the only time you usually want to do that is if you're demoing software on a projector.
I'd recommend getting an external keyboard & mouse or trackpad and something like a Griffin Elevator stand to lift your MacBook up to the same level as the monitor, then use the MacBook display as a secondary screen for reference material etc.
NB: Do check that the monitor you get does actually work with your intended connection method - some monitors with DisplayPort don't work properly with 2011 Thunderbolt Macs and a mini-displayPort-to-full-displayPort cable (e.g. HP LP2475w, although that also has DVI-in which works fine with the Apple DVI adapter.) Hence my query elsewhere in this forum about other HP monitors.
If you're only going to use this display with your MacBook then the Apple 27" displays are things of beauty (unless you are allergic to glossy screens) - I use a 27" Cinema display at work - but they lack the flexibility of being able to connect other computers.
(HP LP2475w - 24" 1920x1200 - when I got it was v. cheap for an IPS panel, which gives good viewing angles but at the expense of "white" light leakage in black areas. DisplayPort input no good with 2011 Macs, but with 2xDVI and 1xHDMI + composite that's not a big issue. Whistling noise when you turn the brightness down. Anti-glare slightly "sparkly" until I got used to it - but I'm spoiled by the ACD at work. Overall: so-so).
