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mac notebook newb: can it be used with an external monitor with the lid closed?

Only when the power adapter is connected. This is known as "clamshell mode".
 
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I don't see the appeal in clamshell mode when you could simply use the monitor as a secondary display. Multitasking is so much easier with more than one display.

Plus, that Retina display is amazing, don't shut it away!

I've just gotten around to getting a cheap monitor to use with my rMBP, and I'm really loving having the 2 screens again. Admittedly, I do use clamshell mode when playing CoD2, as I can't get the game to launch on the secondary display otherwise.
 
yep-sure said:
I don't see the appeal in clamshell mode when you could simply use the monitor as a secondary display. Multitasking is so much easier with more than one display.

Plus, that Retina display is amazing, don't shut it away!

I've just gotten around to getting a cheap monitor to use with my rMBP, and I'm really loving having the 2 screens again. Admittedly, I do use clamshell mode when playing CoD2, as I can't get the game to launch on the secondary display otherwise.
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I need all the power I can get for Logic Pro X. Also, I won't have that fancy display - I think I'll be getting a used macbook pro with quad core i7 instead of a new dual core i5. The quad will be cheaper and, afaik, blow the i5 out of the water. I'd get a new quad but you can get an (older) used quad for half the price.
 
Really???

pixeltarian said:
I need all the power I can get for Logic Pro X. Also, I won't have that fancy display - I think I'll be getting a used macbook pro with quad core i7 instead of a new dual core i5. The quad will be cheaper and, afaik, blow the i5 out of the water. I'd get a new quad but you can get an (older) used quad for half the price.
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Call yourself pixeltarian then not get the retina, what madness is this???

In all honesty though get the 2012 retina you can pick them up fairly cheap and they have a decent graphics card and a great quad core prcessor and the screen is worth it.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odk...acbook+pro+retina+15+2012&ghostText=&_sacat=0
 
So I just read that the reason that the lower-end MBPs don't have quads is because intel is not making quad core broadwell chips yet. Perhaps it's best to just wait until that happens and get a new 15" MBP quad that will hopefully be in the $1300 range.
 
Just use InsomniaX and turn on 'Disable lid sleep" to use in clamshell mode without power adapter plugged in all the time.
 
pixeltarian said:
So I just read that the reason that the lower-end MBPs don't have quads is because intel is not making quad core broadwell chips yet. Perhaps it's best to just wait until that happens and get a new 15" MBP quad that will hopefully be in the $1300 range.
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It's not so much the lower end MBPs that don't have quad core, Apple has split it by size. They use a different processor for the 13" version and as you noted Intel does not make a quad core version of that chip. All the 15" models have quad core.

As for $1300, you'll either need to pick up an older 15" model or wait for Intel to make chips suitable for the 13" model that are also quad core.
 
Agent-P said:
It's not so much the lower end MBPs that don't have quad core, Apple has split it by size. They use a different processor for the 13" version and as you noted Intel does not make a quad core version of that chip. All the 15" models have quad core.

As for $1300, you'll either need to pick up an older 15" model or wait for Intel to make chips suitable for the 13" model that are also quad core.
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Intel will (supposedly) be releasing a quad broadwell midyear.
 
yjchua95 said:
That depends on whether Apple chooses to skip Broadwell-H entirely (like Dell) and go straight to Skylake-H (which should be around Q3 2015 as well).

I'd rather Apple skipped to Skylake-H.
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Is it just me or does Apple seem to perpetually leave you feeling slightly unsatisfied with hardware and what you really want is perpetually around the corner?
 
pixeltarian said:
Is it just me or does Apple seem to perpetually leave you feeling slightly unsatisfied with hardware and what you really want is perpetually around the corner?
Click to expand...

The jump from Haswell to Broadwell is tiny, but the jump from Broadwell to Skylake is massive.

The reason what you really want is around the corner is because of Intel delaying Broadwell-H.
 
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