Macbook with Cinema HD Display

[Unrealmac1988]

Hi,

I am thinking about buying the new 12 inch Macbook and using it about 70% of the time as a work station with my cinema hd display (1920 x 1200). I have done this with my white Macbook for years and it worked great but the time has come the 2,4 core 2 duo processor doesn't get things as fast as I want them to be.

I have always been using the macbook for work and surfing the web. So Chrome and Office are my best friends.

Can anyone tell me their experience how the 1,1 Macbook performs with my configuration or if it would be a bad choice to buy a macbook with my usecase? Talked with the guys in an apple store and they recommended me a macbook air instead. Thing is that I have been waiting for about 3 years for the MBA redesign and now the Macbook is so much prettiere..

Thanks

 

[unixunderground]

For chrome and office, it'll work perfectly fine.

What I am more unsure about, is how to actually connect it to your screen.

None of the modern Apple laptops are equipped with dvi-d or Apple display adaptor connectors. So the first step would be to find if you can find a way to go from USB-C to either of those connections, depending which one your display uses.

I have had all iterations of the Macbook Air, both the 1st gen, and 2nd gen both 13" and 11", and in my opinion you should definitely get the Retina Macbook instead, if price isn't a major concern for you.

 

[RUGGLES99]

From what i've read in the forums, chrome drives the rmb nuts, and most users advise against using chrome, flash and other apps that tend to overpower it. You'd have no problem with the 11" mba. You'd also be facing the one-port situation requiring dongles if you needed to add usb acceccories unless your monitor has a workable hub. Moreover, It just seems a costly waste to hook up an rmb which is really a carry around tablet with a keyboard and osx. The air is much more substantial and is just about the same weight and dimensions. And is far less expensive, and for what you do i'd go with a base 11" . I bought mine new 2014 base at bb for $720. I do not use it as stand alone but rather as an adjunct to my mac mini desktop and to my android tablets, mainly for browsing, research, movies, tv, so i'm not tied to my desk. Because of how i use a small laptop, i 'll probably be getting the rmb, maybe 2nd iteration, because of the screen..right now its an experiment in progress and needs an additional port, a bit more power, a better camera, and probably some other tweaks as its first generation. Go with the mba, you wont regret it.

 

[unixunderground]

From what i've read in the forums, chrome drives the rmb nuts, and most users advise against using chrome, flash and other apps that tend to overpower it. You'd have no problem with the 11" mba. You'd also be facing the one-port situation requiring dongles if you needed to add usb acceccories unless your monitor has a workable hub. Moreover, It just seems a costly waste to hook up an rmb which is really a carry around tablet with a keyboard and osx. The air is much more substantial and is just about the same weight and dimensions. And is far less expensive, and for what you do i'd go with a base 11" . I bought mine new 2014 base at bb for $720. I do not use it as stand alone but rather as an adjunct to my mac mini desktop and to my android tablets, mainly for browsing, research, movies, tv, so i'm not tied to my desk. Because of how i use a small laptop, i 'll probably be getting the rmb, maybe 2nd iteration, because of the screen..right now its an experiment in progress and needs an additional port, a bit more power, a better camera, and probably some other tweaks as its first generation. Go with the mba, you wont regret it.

I strongly disagree.

The 11" MBA's screen is a nightmare to use, the touchpad constrained and objectively worse (no force touch). The only advantage is a slightly cheaper price if you are tight on budget.

Also, if connecting and disconnecting it often, it's a huge pain in the ass. 2 USB to plug in each time, plus speakers, mini display port cable and a charger. That's 5 cables to plug/unplug every time you want to connect the machine to display, or take it with you. It may not sound like much, but doing it every day is annoying to say the least and you'll most likely end up not bothering with it most of the time.
Been there, done that.

With the rMB, all that would go through a single cable.

I get that we all want to justify our purchases.

But having myself had both, I can say without the shadow of a doubt that the rMB is a much better choice for most people.

 

[Unrealmac1988]

Thanks you guys very much!

Yes after thinking about the usb type c port a bit I think in my case its even to have this port instead of thinking what ports I do not have.

I am especially interested in how it performs with an external monitor! So if you guys could hook up your rMB to one and tell me I would be very thankful lag when browsing the web or playing youtube videos on an external monitor would be a deal breaker for me and it would be clear that the rMB is no choice for me.

..but now I have to ask: Chrome with flash = lag or not? I usually have about 10 tabs open and Power Point/Excel.
(not to forget that the performance of chrome will surely get a lot better in the future because they are testing to freeze not shown tabs in the background just like Safari does..)

Thanks!

 

[RUGGLES99]

buy them both and test the set up. you have 14 days to return. do some of your own research.

 

[unixunderground]

Chrome with flash works fine, even with other apps running. I use mine with an external monitor everyday (at a much higher resolution than you are going to) and it still works just fine.

buy them both and test the set up. you have 14 days to return. do some of your own research.

But yeah, if you have a credit card with enough funds available, this would be the very best choice.

Buy both the rMBP 13" and the rMB 12" with some dongles and adaptors, test them out both, and then return the one you liked the least. That's what I often do too when buying screens, TVs, camera equipment, smart watches, and so forth.

 

[Unrealmac1988]

I always felt like there is an unspoken law that apple products can't be returned

Any experience in Germany with that? If this works so easily. Sure I will buy this week a rMB

 

[unixunderground]

I always felt like there is an unspoken law that apple products can't be returned

Any experience in Germany with that? If this works so easily. Sure I will buy this week a rMB

Nah, I've returned hundreds of things over the years, Apple is no exception.

EU law dictates that all retailers in all EU member states must offer at least a 14 days return window, so they don't really have much of a choice anyways.
http://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/shopping/shopping-abroad/returning-unwanted-goods/index_en.htm

Here's a link to Apple's Germany page about returns: http://www.apple.com/de/shop/help/returns_refund