External Monitor with MacBookPro

[Huntn]

My G5 died a couple months ago which leaves me only with my MBP (see sig). Eventually I am planning on getting a iMac or a MacPro, most likely an iMac, next upgrade cycle.

However in the mean time, I have a nice large unused monitor on my desk, I play games and would like to use it. I've read this Apple Support Article and would like to know for those who do this is there any gotchas or things to look out for?

Is there any performance hit by running an external monitor?
Is there only one kind of cable to connect my MBP to the monitor?

Is a USB or a blue tooth keyboard better? I all ready have a USB keyboard. It's possible I'll be using both a Razer Naga and a Razer Nostromo and am concerned with available USB ports, although I do have a USB hub, my preference would be not to rely on it for this setup if possible. The USB Apple Keyboard has two USB ports although I have no idea if it would support both of the Razer devices. Would a blue tooth keyboard also offer USB connections and would it be able to handle two devices?

Thanks!

 

[SlickShoes]

The only performance hit you will see will be from playing the games at a higher resolution assuming you do play them at your monitors default resolution.

If you are going to be gaming for extended periods then leave the macbook open rather than in clamshell as it will dissipate the heat better.

You will need a mini display port to whatever connection your monitor has adapter, buy one from amazon rather than apple as they are about 1/10th of the price.

The USB ports on a keyboard will power a mouse but they won't charge something that needs charged very well, if its a bluetooth keyboard, connecting a usb device to it will just drain the batteries faster.

 

[Huntn]

The only performance hit you will see will be from playing the games at a higher resolution assuming you do play them at your monitors default resolution.

If you are going to be gaming for extended periods then leave the macbook open rather than in clamshell as it will dissipate the heat better.

You will need a mini display port to whatever connection your monitor has adapter, buy one from amazon rather than apple as they are about 1/10th of the price.

The USB ports on a keyboard will power a mouse but they won't charge something that needs charged very well, if its a bluetooth keyboard, connecting a usb device to it will just drain the batteries faster.

Thanks Slick! USB keyboard it is. In the past I seem to remember that daisy chaining USB devices sometimes does not work and I have had to rely on a USB hub. I have no idea how the Razer Nostromo compares to a mouse for power usage. I believe my monitor is a standard PC type connector. Looking on the back of my dead G5, I used an adapter to plug it into the G5.

 

[SlickShoes]

Thanks Slick! USB keyboard it is. In the past I seem to remember that daisy chaining USB devices sometimes does not work and I have had to rely on a USB hub. I have no idea how the Razer Nostromo compares to a mouse for power usage. I believe my monitor is a standard PC type connector. Looking on the back of my dead G5, I used an adapter to plug it into the G5.

No probs, is it a blue vga connector to the monitor or a white DVI? you can get them on amazon anyway for cheap, my dad got one the other week and it works great connecting to his TV.

I think a USB keyboard would be the safest bet, do you have a lot of USB devices connected? I have one of the full size apple keyboards and it works fine with any brand of mouse plugged in to the USB port, its only when I plug other devices in to the keyboard they have some problems and will work but only sometimes, which isnt ideal!

 

[Huntn]

No probs, is it a blue vga connector to the monitor or a white DVI? you can get them on amazon anyway for cheap, my dad got one the other week and it works great connecting to his TV.

I think a USB keyboard would be the safest bet, do you have a lot of USB devices connected? I have one of the full size apple keyboards and it works fine with any brand of mouse plugged in to the USB port, its only when I plug other devices in to the keyboard they have some problems and will work but only sometimes, which isnt ideal!

In my case I'd have two USB devices plugged into the USB keyboard, a Razer Naga & Nostromo. The former a mouse, the latter a game input device.

 

[SlickShoes]

ahh that thing looks totally bananas! I have a razer mouse but its the most basic one you can get!

 

[Huntn]

The only performance hit you will see will be from playing the games at a higher resolution assuming you do play them at your monitors default resolution.

Got the external monitor going. Part 2 is to see how this all shakes out when I launch Windows and start playing Planetside/GW on it. I'm curious to see how much tweaking it will require if any.

I added a blurb to a Mac Rumors MacOSX Tip guide.