Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

MBP Retina with Multiple Monitors Attached

M

mattmikulla

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Apr 25, 2009
19
3
Ok. Let me know if I'm reading this right. From the tech specs the new MBP can support 2 additional displays plus the laptop retina display at once?

Also, can you not use the HDMI for an additional display? There is no mention of it in the following Graphics and Video Support:

http://www.apple.com/macbook-pro/specs/

Intel HD Graphics 4000

NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M with 1GB of GDDR5 memory and automatic graphics switching

Dual display and video mirroring: Simultaneously supports full native resolution on the built-in display and up to 2560 by 1600 pixels on up to two external displays, at millions of colors

Thunderbolt digital video output
  • Native Mini DisplayPort output
  • DVI output using Mini DisplayPort to DVI Adapter (sold separately)
  • VGA output using Mini DisplayPort to VGA Adapter (sold separately)
  • Dual-link DVI output using Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI Adapter (sold separately)
 
Yes, the laptop display and two external displays. I guess that means you can use two mini-displayport (or Thunderbolt) displays or one mini-displayport and one HDMI.
 
That was my biggest problem too.. I purchased the retina display and currently have the 24" cinema display that I use as my primary monitor. Now I'm not sure what to use as my primary monitor. The retina display is clearly better technology but I like the size of the cinema display.

I also wanted to add on another another TBD to equal 2 external monitors but now I'm thinking I should wait to see if they release a TBD retina. :eek: I'm thinking if I get a TBD display I'm not going to like it compared to the MBP retina.
 
I'm also hoping that we can attach any display and not just apple displays for this to work.
 
mattmikulla said:
I'm also hoping that we can attach any display and not just apple displays for this to work.
Click to expand...

Yes, you should be able to do that no problem. Just use two Mini-Displayport to VGA or DVI adapters, or an HDMI cable. No need to use Thunderbolt-capable displays unless you need the extra docking functions.
 
MacPro: Four Screens?

So, in theory, you could hang one 2560x1600 Monitor off EACH of the two Tb ports (total two), plus the native 2880x1800 Retina screen AND an external 1080p HDMI TV? All running different images. Right?
 
rdav said:
So, in theory, you could hang one 2560x1600 Monitor off EACH of the two Tb ports (total two), plus the native 2880x1800 Retina screen AND an external 1080p HDMI TV? All running different images. Right?
Click to expand...

We'll have to wait for people to try it.

Apple only says that it supports the internal display plus two external displays.

On the other hand, the non-retina 15" MBP states that it only supports the internal display and one external display, but it can actually support two externals in practice (as long as the first one is a Thunderbolt display).
 
Last edited:
Great now I'm going to have to go buy a Thunder Bolt Display to add on to my Cinema Display.... I wonder when they will be updating the thunder bolt display to retina.
 
Mweston said:
Great now I'm going to have to go buy a Thunder Bolt Display to add on to my Cinema Display.... I wonder when they will be updating the thunder bolt display to retina.
Click to expand...

I doubt there will be a retina Thunderbolt Display for a year or two, and even still they might keep selling the non-retina one because of the potential price difference.

Also you wouldn't need to get a Thunderbolt display to have two monitors hooked to your Retina MBP, that only applies to the non-retina models.
 
I was trying to figure out the same thing. I might get the retina mbp if I can use it to replace my desktop pc. I'm thinking maybe I could go thunderbolt to one dvi, hdmi to the other, and the other thunderbolt for ethernet.
 
Does anyone know how I would attach two 24" Dell U2410 Monitors?

Doesn't seem like HDMI will push the full resolution.
 
So does that mean I can just plug them both in using mini display plugs into both thunderbolt ports?
 
mattmikulla said:
Does anyone know how I would attach two 24" Dell U2410 Monitors?

Doesn't seem like HDMI will push the full resolution.
Click to expand...

HDMI should push full resolution. Also, doesn't that monitor have Mini displayport? Mini displayport fits right into the thunderbolt port.
 
I can confirm you can run 3 external displays plus the Retina screen. I hooked up two Apple 24" LED displays to the TB ports and a Samsung TV to the HDMI.

1030241.jpg
 
aliennerd said:
I can confirm you can run 3 external displays plus the Retina screen. I hooked up two Apple 24" LED displays to the TB ports and a Samsung TV to the HDMI.

Image
Click to expand...

This amazing! Is there any kind of lag when doing this? Seems like it would be very taxing on the video card.
 
b0blndsy said:
Have you tried multiple display and not just duplicate display?
Click to expand...

Yes, duplicating is pointless. It says up to two 2560x1600, obviously these have to be tb or DP or dual dvi. The hdmi will only support hd. I'm assuming there's no mini DP port, so we have to us a tb to DP adaptor?
 
tillsbury said:
Yes, duplicating is pointless. It says up to two 2560x1600, obviously these have to be tb or DP or dual dvi. The hdmi will only support hd. I'm assuming there's no mini DP port, so we have to us a tb to DP adaptor?
Click to expand...

Looks like that's gonna be the way to do it.

I wonder if these would work too...
1. tb > hdmi > hdmi splitter > hd outputs
2. tb > dp adaptor > dp splitter > dp outputs

Either way, it's still gonna be duplicates only.
 
tillsbury said:
Yes, duplicating is pointless. It says up to two 2560x1600, obviously these have to be tb or DP or dual dvi. The hdmi will only support hd. I'm assuming there's no mini DP port, so we have to us a tb to DP adaptor?
Click to expand...

Thunderbolt ports ARE Mini DP ports, and it works fine. See my post here: https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/15098215/

And no, none of those displays are duplicated, they're all their own unique desktop areas.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back