Macbook Pro 13'' + External Monitor

[tomdelay]

I am going to buy the new low-end 13'' Macbook Pro (2.4GHz) for work. Its basically just word processing, pdfs and web-research.

I want to get 2 external monitors, one for home and one for the office. I really don't want to spend a lot of money on them: 21-24 inch.

- What kind of resolution would be best for word processing?
- Is DVI the best way to connect to the monitor?
- Should I get a monitor with usb ports to connect a mouse/keyboard, or should these be connected to macbook?

Is there anything else in particular that I should be looking out for?

Thanks!

 

[spinnerlys]

1. Depends on the number of documents and their sizes.
1920 x 1200 should suffice, that's what you get with 24" monitors.

2. Yes, as it stays digital. VGA is analog, and HDMI might be overkill, unless you have a TV and want to use the adapter for that too.

3. That's entirely your choice, but know that at least one USB port on the MBP will be used to transmit the USB signal to the monitor.

 

[harmonica01]

My ex 13" unibody macbook 2.4 has been running my 25" hannspree through HDMI for a year or so just fine at 1080p and monitor is supposed to be 1920 resolution

Never had any issues with it, with word processing screen real estate should be a determining factor more than resolution especially between 1680 and 1920 where either would be more than sufficient on a 24" screen to have two pages side by side.

 

[tomdelay]

Thanks guys, thats great help. But just to be clear, does it make any difference at all whether I route the mouse/keyboard through the monitor, or is it better to connect them straight to macbook?

 

[harmonica01]

Thanks guys, thats great help. But just to be clear, does it make any difference at all whether I route the mouse/keyboard through the monitor, or is it better to connect them straight to macbook?

I had best results connecting mouse and keyboard and all other peripherals to a powered hub, then connecting it and the miniport-hdmi cable while laptop was closed then using the keyboard from there to spacebar awaken the cpu.

 

[gnasher729]

I am going to buy the new low-end 13'' Macbook Pro (2.4GHz) for work. Its basically just word processing, pdfs and web-research.

I want to get 2 external monitors, one for home and one for the office. I really don't want to spend a lot of money on them: 21-24 inch.

- What kind of resolution would be best for word processing?
- Is DVI the best way to connect to the monitor?
- Should I get a monitor with usb ports to connect a mouse/keyboard, or should these be connected to macbook?

1920 x 1200 is the best, but 1920 x 1080 monitors seem to be a lot cheaper (about half the price of 1920 x 1200), and there are one or two 2048 x 1152 monitors at reasonable prices. DVI and HDMI are equally good for connecting; DVI would be more common. It doesn't really matter much where you connect keyboard and mouse; I wouldn't pay much extra for a monitor with USB.