I recently ordered the HengeDock (so I can dock my MBP for convenience). For now I already have a desktop solution (Windows), but I'm wondering if my MBP could eventually be an all in one solution down the road. Has any MBP owner here thought about getting an iMac but then decided the MBP had enough power for everything? I use MS Office apps and Aperture (soon to be replaced by Photos) but it always seems like my MBP could use a little more... oomph? (I have an early 2013 2.4 Ghz, 8GB model).
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Using a MacBook Pro as a faux iMac
- Thread starter LincolnsiPod
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Nice! Do you use dual monitors? I have a 24 inch now but considering duals now that they're better supported (I'm seriously amazed at how much more work I get done with two jumbo monitors).
Nope, I just use the laptop screen in both cases. I have an external monitor but never found it too useful.
Thanks, I found it more helpful in my case, also tend to use it as my entertainment center as well so I get a lot of Netflixing/Huluing out of it.
I've used mine mobile and desktop bound since I got it in November 2008, (13" MacBook) and it has served me very well, only getting a new Mac this month. I use a Rain Design mStand and plug in my 2 external HDDs, 23" monitor, speakers, Apple keyboard/trackpad, and whatever USB devices I'm using and primarily use it for web, iTunes, lots of Aperture (on 4TB drive), Adobe CS5 suite, Office, Parallels VM (Win 7 and 8) and more.
Seeing as all this was on and old Core 2 Duo MacBook with a 9400m, the newer models are like butter. And I had no issues with my old one other than the aging GPU running 1080p screens + internal on 256MB of shared RAM.
The henge dock is a great solution, and it makes it easy to keep a fast USB 3 or Thunderbolt drive and monitor at the desk, while still allowing you to go portable quickly and easily. Easily a desktop replacement.
Not sure what more oomph your rMBP would need, other than the HD4000 isn't that great at retina resolutions, but using an external monitor it should be perfectly acceptable, if a 6 year old card I was using was pushing apps fine, this should be great. Aperture is pretty much laggy no matter what mac you're using I've found. Our 2007 iMac has it and my new rMBP doesn't run a whole heck of a lot different than the iMac. It's just the way it's coded unfortunately. We'll see how Photos goes.
Seeing as all this was on and old Core 2 Duo MacBook with a 9400m, the newer models are like butter. And I had no issues with my old one other than the aging GPU running 1080p screens + internal on 256MB of shared RAM.
The henge dock is a great solution, and it makes it easy to keep a fast USB 3 or Thunderbolt drive and monitor at the desk, while still allowing you to go portable quickly and easily. Easily a desktop replacement.
Not sure what more oomph your rMBP would need, other than the HD4000 isn't that great at retina resolutions, but using an external monitor it should be perfectly acceptable, if a 6 year old card I was using was pushing apps fine, this should be great. Aperture is pretty much laggy no matter what mac you're using I've found. Our 2007 iMac has it and my new rMBP doesn't run a whole heck of a lot different than the iMac. It's just the way it's coded unfortunately. We'll see how Photos goes.
I think that's what it is, I use Aperture a LOT, and thus it's colored my impression of my MBP's performance.
I was thinking of locking it into using the nVidia card only when docked, but if it's really the retina resolution the Intel graphics struggles a bit with, then I'm guessing using that for an external monitor should be fine. I'm not a gamer or video editor so I really shouldn't need that much power.
I've only started using the MacBook Pro as a desktop. Actually, I was inspired by this post since my keyboard stopped working:
http://thesweetsetup.com/shawn-blancs-sweet-mac-setup/
I really like it because the heat from it used to bother me. It's at the very back of my desk, so I can't notice the small hum it makes either.
I did think about getting an iMac, but I don't have that kind of money at the moment and I want to get at least one more year out of this current model.
http://thesweetsetup.com/shawn-blancs-sweet-mac-setup/
I really like it because the heat from it used to bother me. It's at the very back of my desk, so I can't notice the small hum it makes either.
I did think about getting an iMac, but I don't have that kind of money at the moment and I want to get at least one more year out of this current model.
I was big into gaming and I've replaced my entire desktop with a 13" RMBP.
Now I do my gaming on my 13" rMBP, is it as fast? Kinda, if you factor the size into it, but I can still squeak 50-60 fps out of most of the games I play with lowish to mid range settings. I actually took my desktop out and it's in the closet right now because I wanted more desk space. I'm using an external monitor as well though. This is currently how I have it set up.
http://i.imgur.com/lUrFAgU.jpg
with my external HDD sitting beneath the external monitor the top of my 13" comes right up to the bottom of the screen on my external monitor when I sit normally. I still do most of my work on the laptop itself and usually keep the external monitor for auxiliary apps such as messages, steam, itunes, etc. Also the audio is routed through HDMI and into the speakers via a 3.5mm jack in the back of my external monitor.
So far I love this set up. I can take my entire workstation anywhere with me and no be dealing with 2 different setups (especially since I only have one mac, switching back and forth between mac and windows all the time is not ideal). Plus I just got tired of windows.
Now I do my gaming on my 13" rMBP, is it as fast? Kinda, if you factor the size into it, but I can still squeak 50-60 fps out of most of the games I play with lowish to mid range settings. I actually took my desktop out and it's in the closet right now because I wanted more desk space. I'm using an external monitor as well though. This is currently how I have it set up.
http://i.imgur.com/lUrFAgU.jpg
with my external HDD sitting beneath the external monitor the top of my 13" comes right up to the bottom of the screen on my external monitor when I sit normally. I still do most of my work on the laptop itself and usually keep the external monitor for auxiliary apps such as messages, steam, itunes, etc. Also the audio is routed through HDMI and into the speakers via a 3.5mm jack in the back of my external monitor.
So far I love this set up. I can take my entire workstation anywhere with me and no be dealing with 2 different setups (especially since I only have one mac, switching back and forth between mac and windows all the time is not ideal). Plus I just got tired of windows.
That's the kind of nice clean setup I'm looking for. Funny thing, I'm exactly where you were before, switching back and forth between my MBP (which has become my portable office now) and my Windows PC, and it's starting to get too cumbersome. You should see my desktop PC too. A 747 could land on it and there would still be room to spare.
Just got a new stand for my monitor, and monitor speakers. Free from the office, can't beat that. Here's how I've got it set up for day to day usage.
Got an Apple keyboard and Magic Trackpad (Bluetooth), 23" HD monitor (HP 2310m), Rain design mStand, M-Audio AV-40's, and my desk. Also got 2 external HDD's behind it (top right).
While it's shut in the picture, I'll open it for dual screen use when needed. Some day I plan on getting either a super wide monitor or matching dual monitors. But my Mac's up till now could only run one anyway so that'll be in the future.
Got an Apple keyboard and Magic Trackpad (Bluetooth), 23" HD monitor (HP 2310m), Rain design mStand, M-Audio AV-40's, and my desk. Also got 2 external HDD's behind it (top right).
While it's shut in the picture, I'll open it for dual screen use when needed. Some day I plan on getting either a super wide monitor or matching dual monitors. But my Mac's up till now could only run one anyway so that'll be in the future.
Nice setup, and yeah I'm really glad there's support for dual monitors now. I wasn't a believer until I saw how much work I was getting done when I had the chance to try two monitors on for size.
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Dang that was an awesome post. He's really thought his setup through.
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Dang that was an awesome post. He's really thought his setup through.