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Dual Monitor solutions for 2010 MBP?

A

aperturevx

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 27, 2011
4
0
Hi there, I am currently using a mid 2010 MBP (15", 2.67GHz Intel i7, 4gb RAM etc) and I'm looking to add a second external monitor to my setup. I currently have a HP ZR22w widescreen monitor running at 1920 x 1080 and was hoping to add a second identical monitor (mostly cause it would look awesome). I know that the Mini Display Port doesn't natively support two independent external displays, so I was wondering what solutions you would suggest? I've been looking at several graphics expansion modules and I guess my biggest concern is whether or not I need one that has a built-in video card. It seems that most GXMs out there (such as the Matrox DualHead2Go module) are USB powered and use your computer's GPU... while I have no shortage of processing power, I'm using the stock video card (nVidia GeForce 512mb) and I'm not sure if it'll be able to run things smoothly across 3 displays (including the laptop screen.) I don't do a ton of gaming or video editing etc but I like to have the option of playing Starcraft etc without lag. That being said, all the gxms with a built in video card that I've seen are outrageously expensive ($1400+)

Any recommendations?
 
aperturevx said:
Hi there, I am currently using a mid 2010 MBP (15", 2.67GHz Intel i7, 4gb RAM etc) and I'm looking to add a second external monitor to my setup. I currently have a HP ZR22w widescreen monitor running at 1920 x 1080 and was hoping to add a second identical monitor (mostly cause it would look awesome). I know that the Mini Display Port doesn't natively support two independent external displays, so I was wondering what solutions you would suggest? I've been looking at several graphics expansion modules and I guess my biggest concern is whether or not I need one that has a built-in video card. It seems that most GXMs out there (such as the Matrox DualHead2Go module) are USB powered and use your computer's GPU... while I have no shortage of processing power, I'm using the stock video card (nVidia GeForce 512mb) and I'm not sure if it'll be able to run things smoothly across 3 displays (including the laptop screen.) I don't do a ton of gaming or video editing etc but I like to have the option of playing Starcraft etc without lag. That being said, all the gxms with a built in video card that I've seen are outrageously expensive ($1400+)

Any recommendations?
Click to expand...

You won't be able to game using a MatroxDualHead2Go, the USB connexion is much too slow and you'll get horrible lag.

There is currently nothing that would suit your purpose if you intend to game as well.
 
Maybe you will need a wifi monitor connected to a client...

MBP 2010-)Wifi-)Other Computer running a screen sharing program-)Monitor
 
aperturevx said:
Hi there, I am currently using a mid 2010 MBP (15", 2.67GHz Intel i7, 4gb RAM etc) and I'm looking to add a second external monitor to my setup. I currently have a HP ZR22w widescreen monitor running at 1920 x 1080 and was hoping to add a second identical monitor (mostly cause it would look awesome). I know that the Mini Display Port doesn't natively support two independent external displays, so I was wondering what solutions you would suggest? I've been looking at several graphics expansion modules and I guess my biggest concern is whether or not I need one that has a built-in video card. It seems that most GXMs out there (such as the Matrox DualHead2Go module) are USB powered and use your computer's GPU... while I have no shortage of processing power, I'm using the stock video card (nVidia GeForce 512mb) and I'm not sure if it'll be able to run things smoothly across 3 displays (including the laptop screen.) I don't do a ton of gaming or video editing etc but I like to have the option of playing Starcraft etc without lag. That being said, all the gxms with a built in video card that I've seen are outrageously expensive ($1400+)

Any recommendations?
Click to expand...

Something like this might be better (USB2 displays are definitely not game-able): http://www.startech.com/AV/Displayp...Port-to-DVI-Multi-Monitor-Adapter~SP123DP2DVI

The best solution for your current macbook IF it has an expresscard slot might be one of the VillageTronic solutions or something like the above at reasonable resolutions. An ideal solution that's claimed to be worked on would be a Thunderbolt -> expansion chassis, possibly with discrete video card, but I'd expect it to be $$ and doesn't apply to earlier models regardless..
 
snaky69 said:
You won't be able to game using a MatroxDualHead2Go, the USB connexion is much too slow and you'll get horrible lag.

There is currently nothing that would suit your purpose if you intend to game as well.
Click to expand...

Can you game on a 27" ACD (Thunderbolt) connected to a 15" MBP... (in other words is there any lag on the external monitor?)

(any lag on dual 27" ACD's (Thunderbolt) for that matter?)
 
Titanium81 said:
Can you game on a 27" ACD (Thunderbolt) connected to a 15" MBP... (in other words is there any lag on the external monitor?)

(any lag on dual 27" ACD's (Thunderbolt) for that matter?)
Click to expand...

I've never had lag issues gaming on my 22" external monitor that's currently hooked up. I imagine it wouldn't be a problem with a slightly larger screen. That being said I go out from the mini display port to a VGA adaptor. (don't have thunderbolt)
 
Last edited:
Titanium81 said:
Can you game on a 27" ACD (Thunderbolt) connected to a 15" MBP... (in other words is there any lag on the external monitor?)

(any lag on dual 27" ACD's (Thunderbolt) for that matter?)
Click to expand...

I don't see why you couldn't game on one, apart from the fact that your graphics card would be pushing nearly twice the resolution, so any lag would be coming from that, not the fact that you're connected to an external.

Dual ACD's would work just fine using thunderbolt, though I wouldn't expect good gaming performance at all using that setup.
 
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