External Display Purchase Help!

[MatthewConnelly]

Just a little background info. I have a black MacBook, and i'm very satisfied with it. However, i'm trying to break into the web design industry, and I really feel the need for more screen space to do my work. The MacBook is great for my day to day use, but I need a 20"+ monitor to work comfortably.

I have a few questions I would like answered!

1) At first I was considering a 20" iMac, but a friend recommended that I just buy an external display. I know the MacBook is capable of running in closed lid mode, but is it healthy for the machine (Heat coming from the fans damaging the screen, limit machine life)? Would it not make more sense to just get a stand alone Mac?

2) Can anyone recommend me a good 20" monitor that will work well my my MacBook? Ideally from a well known UK store (online preferably) for around £350.

3) Is there anything else that I need to buy to get this to work?

 

[Blue Velvet]

I can recommend the Dell 20in (2007WFP TCO99) Wide Aspect UltraSharp.

Received mine a couple of weeks ago and it's fine, maybe not in the class of the Apple displays but substantially cheaper.

£261.60 including delivery if the sale is still on at www.dell.co.uk. Also includes 3 year panel guarantee.

 

[mattcube64]

I know you mentioned "closed-lid mode" which shouldn't hurt your Macbook (It *was* designed to do that). However, don't forget you have the option of using "desktop extension" when working with another monitor. I have an external monitor (19" Gateway wide LCD), and I use it with my Macbook open to the right. When writing reports, I can have some webpages open on one screen, and a Word Doc on the other. I'm sure that would really come in handy when doing web design.

 

[MatthewConnelly]

I can recommend the Dell 20in (2007WFP TCO99) Wide Aspect UltraSharp.

Received mine a couple of weeks ago and it's fine, maybe not in the class of the Apple displays but substantially cheaper.

£261.60 including delivery if the sale is still on at www.dell.co.uk. Also includes 3 year panel guarantee.

Damn, that is a sexy looking monitor!
Just found it on their site: http://accessories.euro.dell.com/sna/productdetail.aspx?c=uk&l=en&s=dhs&cs=ukdhs1&sku=59233

Can anyone who uses closed lid mode tell me how well it works? I just wondered if the fans get louder if you're displaying the image on an external display? Just little details like that could get annoying!

Edit:
Thanks mattcube64, I didn't realise you could do that. That'd probably work out better for me.