Do you use your 15" rMBP with an external display?

[terriyaki]

Just trying to get an idea of how many 15" rMBP owners use their laptops with an external display when sitting at their main desk.

Before I got my rMBP I was rocking an old plastic non-unibody MacBook as my main machine paired to a 20" Dell 2005FPW LCD. With my old setup I had the Dell central on the desk with the MacBook off to it's right side and that worked fine.

But now that I have the rMBP I have since removed the Dell from the desk because the rMBP's screen quality is just so good compared to the LCD. Plus it was a lot easier to get away with a 15" screen than a 13" screen as my only screen.

Every now and then though I wish I had more screen real estate. Just wondering what you other rMBP owners have set up at your desks and what do you find works for you?

Also, if you do use an external display with your rMBP do you have your external display centred on the desk with your rMBP off to the side? Or vice-versa? In the past when laptop screens weren't as good in quality as desktop LCDs it made a lot of sense to use your external display as the main display.. but now that these new retina displays are out it's not as clear anymore how to setup a laptop + external display desk setup. Well, at least to me anyways.

I'm looking forward to hear your responses. Thanks guys.

 

[crowbar77]

I have a 24 inch cinema display I haven't touched for anything other than movies since I got the rMBP. For me reading on the retina is just so much better its hard to go back and for the most part I can survive at 1680x1050. It's kind of surreal really because I remember getting it 2 years ago thinking there's no possible way they can top this, somehow they did. Even on the new iMac's the display looks pixelated to me. It's literally ruined every other display for me.

That said at some point I will probably use it during exams period, other than that though I just have it off to the right and mostly use it as my charger/for movies. If I didn't have one already, I wouldn't likely buy one if that is what you are asking.

 

[gotzero]

The entire reason I bought another Mac after promising myself I would switch to windows is that I can run two 30" panes and a 20" external from this laptop. I use the laptop in clamshell mode at my office and home office and only use the internal display when traveling.

 

[Mabyboi]

I have a 27" Thunderbold display connected to mine, I use it as a primary-iMac like display. Otherwise I run my 15" Retina at 1920x1200

 

[stevelam]

Definitely use an external at work and at home. A single tiny 15" screen is not enough no matter how extremely tiny you can make the screen go. Higher resolution does not equal more screen real estate.

 

[do1984]

For my personal stuff, like browsing, chatting, email and some iTunes I just prefer to use it by itself. When I need more space I just connect it to my 27 thunderbolt display. I know I could use the scaling options but I don't like how it looks and the thunderbolt 27 is still unbeatable for my Autocad stuff. When I'm at the thunderbolt display I just close the lid of the rmbp because I really hate the multi monitor management of OSX. By the way, I guess the multi monitor management is the thing I miss the most from Windows.

 

[wlossw]

Use it with Thunderbolt Display.

 

[RexTraverse]

Rarely. I occasionally hook it up via HDMI to an HDTV, but that's more for presentations or videos, etc. The ability to use the retina display in a 1920x1200 equivalent mode (I keep in in 1680x1050 normally) provides plenty of real estate for my regular computing needs.

I'm still debating whether to go with a Thunderbolt Display (with the convenience of being a Thunderbolt dock), downgrade to a 24" Ultrasharp, or go without an external. I know a lot of people say they can't go back after using the 27", but for my needs, it's just too much real estate. Perhaps my office space is too small or my desk is too shallow so I can't push the screen far back enough, but 27" was always excessive for me.

paired to a 20" Dell 2005FPW LCD

I still have a 2005FPW too - bought in September 2005 and I use it with my work ThinkPad. This thing is just such a trooper - testament to the high quality LG Philips IPS panel inside.

Haven't connected the retina to the 2005FPW primarily because I haven't gotten around to buying the appropriate dongle.

 

[IGregory]

I've been spoiled by the retina display. The print quality on external displays, including Apple's 27', comes nowhere near that of the retina. I am hoping either Apple or other manufacturer will come out with a higher dpi monitor in 2013. Until then I will wait.

 

[nurivo]

I get back pain when I work with just the MacBook Pro on my desk, I guess from constantly looking down at it.

For now I connect a Dell 2711 to it, which I hope to replace next year with a updated Thunderbolt display to a) make my desk look nicer (that Dell really is ugly) and reduce the cable clutter more (e.g. no more USB cable from the rMBP)