First-gen BlackBook needs monitor for photo editing

[epicwelshman]

Hey all,

So editing photos on my BlackBook screen is getting rather tiring. Editing portrait shots at 16% of their real size is not doing it for me.

I'm looking for a good, but affordable widescreen monitor. Firstly, what size monitor can the integrated GMA950 handle? I'm thinking of 20"-22" - is this doable?

Secondly... what monitor should I get. I'm not terribly anal about color reproduction or response time. I.e., I'm not gonna pay ridiculous money for that, it's not like I make much money off of my photos

So... suggestions. Here's a Dell I'm looking at - should I go better, could I make do with something lesser... hellllllp

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=9047541&type=product&id=1218012053333

 

[dmcvay85]

That is the exact monitor that I picked for my Blackbook. It was kinda hard to pay that much knowing that it didn't have any reviews...anywhere! The colors on the Dell is very very good. I calibrated it with a Huey, but it really wasn't necessary. The colors are pretty much on the mark. I still can't get the Dell to 1920x1080 in mirror mode so I just use it as the main monitor in extended mode...just moved the dock over to it through the display settings. I would definitely recommend this!

 

[Demosthenes X]

The MacBook will drive a 22" monitor fine. IIRC the maximum resolution the MB will do is 1920 x 1080 - the same as the Dell you're looking at. I'm running a 22" Acer monitor at 1680 x 1050.

For the price, the Dell sounds like a good choice. I've been doing some editing on my 22" and the real estate is nice... couldn't imagine doing it on the 13" display.

 

[Demosthenes X]

I still can't get the Dell to 1920x1080 in mirror mode so I just use it as the main monitor in extended mode...just moved the dock over to it through the display settings. I would definitely recommend this!

1) Mirroring uses the best available, shared resolution. Since your MacBook display won't do 1920 x 1080, the monitor won't when you're mirroring desktops.

2) Why would you want to, anyway? Extension is far more useful... mirroring is only good for doing presentations, really.

 

[dmcvay85]

1) Mirroring uses the best available, shared resolution. Since your MacBook display won't do 1920 x 1080, the monitor won't when you're mirroring desktops.

2) Why would you want to, anyway? Extension is far more useful... mirroring is only good for doing presentations, really.

When in Mirror mode, I usually turn the Macbook screen off. When in Extended I keep having the finder or other programs pop up on the Macbook screen, which is turned off. It's a little frustrating. I've, by some mishap, actually got the Dell monitor to display 1920x1080 & the Macbook to display at native resolution, but it only happened one. So now I just use extended mode. & have to deal with dragging applications opening on the Macbook to the Dell.

 

[Demosthenes X]

Go into Display Preferences > Arrangement and drag the menu bar onto your external display. That should solve the problem of things opening on the MB's screen.

Took me forever to figure that out when I got my external... thought I'd lost my menu bar for a good ten minutes!

 

[funkyc]

Go into Display Preferences > Arrangement and drag the menu bar onto your external display. That should solve the problem of things opening on the MB's screen.

Took me forever to figure that out when I got my external... thought I'd lost my menu bar for a good ten minutes!

omg i've been using my macbook with external 24" screen for a few months now and never knew i could drag the menu over - it's so much better this way with everything opening on the bigger screen!
thank you! hahahahaha