Considering Thunderbolt Display but..

[mattkidd]

Hey Guys,

Looking for a little advice really..

I currently have a 2011 iMac Base model which i have upgraded the memory for, fantastic machine wouldn't fault it serves me very well. Until recently I also had a 2010 MacBook Pro 13".

I recently decided to sell the MacBook Pro as i know the new generation is not far away and my plan was to continue with two machines.

However I have recently become convinced a thunderbolt display with the new generation Macbook pro would be the answer, opposed to having two Macs. I would simply use the Macbook Pro when out of the house and then dock it to the display once i return to use it as a desktop. My plan would be to purchase the highest spec MacBook Pro (new generation 2012) so it would be capable and comparable to the iMac and sell my current iMac.

The thunderbolt displays just look stunning, not only this i previously found it a little awkward having two systems and somewhat neglecting one of them as a result.

I would like to know your opinions on this? My concern lies with the performance of the machine, would the new thunderbolt display noticeably effect the performance ? especially graphics? I know we don't know the specs just yet... ill wait beforehand obviously... but how do the current top of the range 15" pro's manage? Also would it be likely to see another refresh of the thunderbolt display this year? USB 3, Retina... ?

 

[waw74]

what do you use it for?

seeing as the current top of the line MBPros are quad core, and the current base iMacs are pretty similar in specs, it shouldn't be a problem.

 

[mattkidd]

what do you use it for?

seeing as the current top of the line MBPros are quad core, and the current base iMacs are pretty similar in specs, it shouldn't be a problem.

I use some intense tasks at times.... my basic tasks are browsing the internet, reading emails, listening to music...

however my more intense tasks are running two or more Virtual Machines (VMware Fusion), Encoding BluRay into iTunes, Photoshop, Final Cut, Programming, Oracle..... list goes on also play the odd game? Im just hoping they choose a decent graphics chip

If i was to purchase the 2012 model, i would go for SSD, i7 and probably upgrade the RAM to 16GB or whatever the new Pro's will support...

 

[nutmac]

I would like to know your opinions on this? My concern lies with the performance of the machine, would the new thunderbolt display noticeably effect the performance ? especially graphics? I know we don't know the specs just yet... ill wait beforehand obviously... but how do the current top of the range 15" pro's manage?

I have Thunderbolt Display and high-end 15" MBP.

With both 27" (at 2560x1440) and 15" (at 1680x1050) running, GPU needing to render more pixels with 1GB memory. That causes UI to become less responsive and jerky (especially Mission Control) from time-to-time. Since I rarely use both displays, I normally close MBP for maximum UI snappiness.

That said, MBP supposedly dissipates heat better opened, but I rather have smoother UI.

 

[mattkidd]

I have Thunderbolt Display and high-end 15" MBP.

With both 27" (at 2560x1440) and 15" (at 1680x1050) running, GPU needing to render more pixels with 1GB memory. That causes UI to become less responsive and jerky (especially Mission Control) from time-to-time. Since I rarely use both displays, I normally close MBP for maximum UI snappiness.

That said, MBP supposedly dissipates heat better opened, but I rather have smoother UI.

Hmmmm I thought that may become the case with two screens running, its likely i would just use the one most of the time and buy one of those ARM stands or whatever they're called, I'm sure the cooling shouldn't matter too much with the new ones hopefully not.

Im a little stretched between deciding between the cinema display and the thunderbolt also, I'm a little concerned with the future of it, i know eventually PC's and desktops may support it, I would like to purchase a gaming machine in the near future to hook up. I know that with the cinema display you can easily buy a mini display port graphics card. My concern is just regarding whether there ever will be a thunderbolt option..

 

[nutmac]

Im a little stretched between deciding between the cinema display and the thunderbolt also, I'm a little concerned with the future of it, i know eventually PC's and desktops may support it, I would like to purchase a gaming machine in the near future to hook up. I know that with the cinema display you can easily buy a mini display port graphics card. My concern is just regarding whether there ever will be a thunderbolt option..

FYI, 27" Cinema Display isn't ideal for hooking up gaming consoles. You will want to buy a converter (for upscaling 1080p to 1440p, for instance), possibly a switch for connecting multiple sources, and it lacks brightness adjustment.

 

[auero]

I don't use my 17" screen when I'm using my thunderbolt display. I've seen two run from a macbook pro just like mine and didn't notice any issues off hand.

I was in your situation at one point and opted for the mbp + display combo. It's terrific especially since everything on my desk is connected to the display so I only need to plug in two cables to go into desktop mode.