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CLS727

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Feb 5, 2018
255
374
Hello, I’ve recently decided that instead of a high-spec 15” MacBook Pro, I might as well just spring for the base 6-core trash can. I’ve had laptops the past 10 years, but these days I’m a lot less mobile than before and I’m at my desk 95% of the time. Last tower I had was pre-2007 iPhone days when I still ran a Windows PC.

Also, I just got the 49” 32:9 Samsung ultra wide screen monitor which is awesome, but won’t run with my current i7 8GB ram MacBook Air.

My only worry is that they’ll replace it with something radically different this year and I’ll just have spent $3k for what will then just become the 2013 model.

I’m hoping that they will want a year or so of the new iMac Pro to have the limelight.
 

h9826790

macrumors P6
Apr 3, 2014
16,656
8,584
Hong Kong
Hello, I’ve recently decided that instead of a high-spec 15” MacBook Pro, I might as well just spring for the base 6-core trash can. I’ve had laptops the past 10 years, but these days I’m a lot less mobile than before and I’m at my desk 95% of the time. Last tower I had was pre-2007 iPhone days when I still ran a Windows PC.

Also, I just got the 49” 32:9 Samsung ultra wide screen monitor which is awesome, but won’t run with my current i7 8GB ram MacBook Air.

My only worry is that they’ll replace it with something radically different this year and I’ll just have spent $3k for what will then just become the 2013 model.

I’m hoping that they will want a year or so of the new iMac Pro to have the limelight.

According to what Apple said so far, the upcoming Mac Pro 7,1 should be radically different than the 6,1. And highly likely will arrive this year.

Anyway, I have that same monitor. Why it won’t work with your MacBook Air? Black screen? Did you try set the DisplayPort version to 1.2 (or even 1.1)?
 
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tomscott1988

macrumors 6502a
Apr 14, 2009
709
683
UK
I cant see the Mac Pro being released this year but will probably be announced with a early 2019 release.

Just for comparison.

The 6 core mac pro benches 3811 single 17781 multi £2999

The mid 5K i5-7600 iMac benches 5089 single 14869 multi £2219 with a 16gb ram upgrade and 256gb ssd to match the mac pro. You also get Thunderbolt 3 and a 5k display worth £1000.

The mac pro doesn't make sense, its old and its expensive.

The iMac isnt ideal, but neither is the mac pro its essentially the same set up without a screen. Granted you can upgrade the CPU but thunderbolt 3 allows better graphics cards down the line etc thunderbolt 2 is essentially now useless. Neither have good internal storage options so external raids are the way to go... I wouldn't want to spend essentially the same money for an older technology.

The Mac Pro also has graphical issues... the cards are old etc etc Super expensive to replace direct from apple roughly £350 per card.

Unless you can get a crazy deal I would skip it completely.
 

CLS727

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Feb 5, 2018
255
374
Anyway, I have that same monitor. Why it won’t work with your MacBook Air? Black screen? Did you try set the DisplayPort version to 1.2 (or even 1.1)?

I posted about it here:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/49-chg90-qled-monitor-not-working-with-2014-air.2106422/

Basically, my Air is 2012 or 2013 model and cannot support that resolution. And what's more frustrating is I have a newer (2014) MacMini that has lower specs, but for some reason is able to support the resolution.

My MacMini is late 2014... 1.4 GHz Intel Core i5, with 4GB of RAM. (new screen works great via display port)
My MacBook Air is 2012 or 2013 (?)... 1.7 GHz Intel Core i7, with 8GB of RAM. (black screen via display port, but works with HDMI down-scaled to 1080p and stretched 2-wide)

So now I'm stuck with this big screen that I love.... but my "good" computer won't work with it... and the extra MacMini that I had runs slow as a dog on it. I even bought new 16gb of ram to stick into the Mini to try to speed it up, but didn't realized Apple prevented that with the 2014 model. :(

My old setup was using the Air with my Apple 27" Thunderbolt Display.... that's worked great for the past few years but I wanted more screen space for work/multi-tasking.

My thought was to just sell my Air, Mini, and TB display.... and roll it all into just a new MacBook Pro or a Mac Pro.... both ones in my 'shopping cart' are right at $3k... but the rumors are that both are at risk of being replaced/updated this year.

My first thought was for the new 15" MacBook Pro, but since as I said I'm 95% of the time just at my desk, I don't mind the idea of a tower if I'm getting higher specs for the same money.

The mid 5K i5-7600 iMac benches 5089 single 14869 multi £2219 with a 16gb ram upgrade and 256gb ssd to match the mac pro. You also get Thunderbolt 3 and a 5k display worth £1000.

The mac pro doesn't make sense, its old and its expensive.

The iMac isnt ideal, but neither is the mac pro its essentially the same set up without a screen. Granted you can upgrade the CPU but thunderbolt 3 allows better graphics cards down the line etc thunderbolt 2 is essentially now useless. Neither have good internal storage options so external raids are the way to go... I wouldn't want to spend essentially the same money for an older technology.

I am not interested in any iMac or iMac Pro as the whole point is I want to use the ultra-wide screen. I have Apple's 27" Thunderbolt Display now that I was using previously with my Air.
 
Last edited:

tomscott1988

macrumors 6502a
Apr 14, 2009
709
683
UK
So... basically your total would be 4k including the display... just so you can use the display... doesnt sound that economical to me...

Why not save some money and buy an 5,1 mac pro and stick a decent graphics card in it? The spec of both mine and h9826790 would be able to drive your monitor and you might be in total £1250 and wait for the new version.

I bought mine as my sig 3 years ago for £950. Since I have put a second PCI SSD so have a two 250gb 850 EVOs in raid 0 running 800mbs reads and writes and I recently added a RX 580 8GB because I found one at retail for £280.

With the W3690 your benching almost the same as the nMP 6 core for 1/3rd the cost and you can add another 6 drives, ive got 20TBs currently in mine.

It benches at 3100 single and 15500 multi.
 
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steveOooo

macrumors 6502a
Jun 30, 2008
743
89
UK
My 2010 MacPro runs a lg 34" ultra wide monitor 3440x???? Fine using a amd r9 380 bare PC Card, editing 4k raw files comfortably in fcpx so something similar may work for your larger monitor

I'd get a £300 second hand 2010 mp and spend a couple $Gs on something fun like a giant trash can filled with jello and ice cream
 

CLS727

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Feb 5, 2018
255
374
Please don't pay retail for a Mac Pro that 1. is ancient and 2. Apple has admitted is trash.

I'd get a £300 second hand 2010 mp and spend a couple $Gs on something fun like a giant trash can filled with jello and ice cream

Lots of love for the current Mac Pro here. I see how's it's earned it's trash can nickname! :D

I really appreciate the feedback though... I'll stay away from it.

That just pushes me back to my initial idea of a new 15" MacBook Pro which would still run my screen in the office... but give me the portability when I want it.

There is a "want shiny new toy" factor here, so an older model wouldn't fit the bill. I don't edit 4K video or anything... so what I want is probably over-kill anyway.
 
Last edited:

ActionableMango

macrumors G3
Sep 21, 2010
9,612
6,909
3840x1080x60 should work, hardware-wise, for a GPU that supports 2560x1600x60. The pixel clock need is almost the same. I think there's just a setting or software limitation in your way somewhere.

You haven't answered h9826790's question. Did you try changing the display port version in the monitor's settings? My ultrawide monitor didn't work with my old Mac either. I got a black screen until I switched it from Display Port 1.2 to Display Port 1.1. You should give that a try.

Also, that monitor is a really oddball resolution. In the Display Preferences pane you should try holding down the "Option" key while clicking "Scaled" so that you could see custom resolutions. Hopefully the one you need is listed.

If it is not there, try SwitchresX software to force custom resolutions. There is a free trial period so you don't have to pay for it if it doesn't work for you.
 

h9826790

macrumors P6
Apr 3, 2014
16,656
8,584
Hong Kong
My MacBook Air is 2012 or 2013 (?)... 1.7 GHz Intel Core i7, with 8GB of RAM. (black screen via display port, but works with HDMI down-scaled to 1080p and stretched 2-wide)

Did you try the monitor DP setting? System -> DisplayPort Ver. -> 1.1

I know a guy who is a tech magazine editor. He tested his MacBook Air with the CHG90, and need to set the monitor to DP 1.2 in order to get display properly. If he leave the monitor at default setting (1.2+), he said he can only get black screen (same as yours).

I don't know which year's MBA he has, but you may try DP 1.2 or even DP1.1, then see if you can get the MBA display on the CHG90 properly.
23222934_10155986323410209_1671030866_o-2.jpg
23140611_10155986384285209_1296581840_n.png
 
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h9826790

macrumors P6
Apr 3, 2014
16,656
8,584
Hong Kong
If it is not there, try SwitchresX software to force custom resolutions. There is a free trial period so you don't have to pay for it if it doesn't work for you.

For this particular monitor. ResXtreme works really well. And this is completely free.

http://resxtreme.com

Just double click the resolution OP wants, then the software will do everything for him. I can even use 3840x1080 HiDIP to make the text looks smoother on the screen (of course, I know that I can still only see 3840x1080, but not 7680x2160. But I can clearly see the difference due to different in rendering), or better zoom, better screen capture, etc.
Screen Shot 2018-02-24 at 02.56.33.jpg
 
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CLS727

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Feb 5, 2018
255
374
Did you try the monitor DP setting? System -> DisplayPort Ver. -> 1.1

I know a guy who is a tech magazine editor. He tested his MacBook Air with the CHG90, and need to set the monitor to DP 1.2 in order to get display properly. If he leave the monitor at default setting (1.2+), he said he can only get black screen (same as yours).

I don't know which year's MBA he has, but you may try DP 1.2 or even DP1.1, then see if you can get the MBA display on the CHG90 properly.
View attachment 752172 View attachment 752173

HOLY CRAP THAT WORKED!!!!

Thank you sir!!!!!!!!!!

Such a simple thing.... didn't know that existed.

This was all I wanted in the first place. This has been making me crazy for a week.

WOW.... thank you again.
 
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h9826790

macrumors P6
Apr 3, 2014
16,656
8,584
Hong Kong
HOLY CRAP THAT WORKED!!!!

Thank you sir!!!!!!!!!!

Such a simple thing.... didn't know that existed.

This was all I wanted in the first place. This has been making me crazy for a week.

WOW.... thank you again.

Good to know that work, enjoy your screen. I really like it :D
 

CLS727

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Feb 5, 2018
255
374
Good to know that work, enjoy your screen. I really like it :D

Yes, thanks... never knew there was such a thing between display port 1.2 and 1.1 or that it was something I could even change.... or why that would be different between a 2013 MacBook Air and a 2014 MacMini...... I spent quite a lot of time in the Air's display preferences trying everything to get it to work.

Cheers!
 
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CLS727

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Feb 5, 2018
255
374
Hello all, just an update. I ended up buying a used trash can today 3.7ghz, 16gb ram. Found one for $2k which I thought was OK. Got it for $1500 after trading my old crap MacMini and my Cinema Display (that's been well used).

I figure after the new iMac Pro... they won't release a Mac Pro until 2019.
 

Yahooligan

macrumors 6502a
Aug 7, 2011
965
114
Illinois
Hello all, just an update. I ended up buying a used trash can today 3.7ghz, 16gb ram. Found one for $2k which I thought was OK. Got it for $1500 after trading my old crap MacMini and my Cinema Display (that's been well used).

I figure after the new iMac Pro... they won't release a Mac Pro until 2019.

I currently have an nMP, 3.7GHz quad-core, dual D700s, 32GB memory, and 1TB flash. I've been waiting patiently for news on the new "mMP" and will probably end up moving to one at some point after launch.

Anyway, getting to my point...used/refurb CPU upgrades for the nMP have come WAY down in price if you avoid places like OWC. The 10-core 3GHz Xeon had been going for around $2,000 for a while now, even for used ones. I just ordered one for $300. Not a test/engineering sample, not a grey market, but a proper retail SR1A5 chip. This will definitely help me get by until the mMP is out and should definitely help when it comes time to upgrade, if I decide to sell it. If you find yourself maxing out that quad-core then definitely look into a CPU upgrade as they have become quite affordable.
 
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AidenShaw

macrumors P6
Feb 8, 2003
18,667
4,677
The Peninsula
If you find yourself maxing out that quad-core then definitely look into a CPU upgrade as they have become quite affordable.
Yes, obsolete CPUs definitely fall in price. ;)

A factor in that is that "server pulls" flood the market - as rack servers from 2012-2013 are sent to eWaste, the CPUs and memory DIMMs are pushed into the eBay and other markets. The "refurbished" prices depress the retail price for new stuff.
 

Yahooligan

macrumors 6502a
Aug 7, 2011
965
114
Illinois
Yes, obsolete CPUs definitely fall in price. ;)

A factor in that is that "server pulls" flood the market - as rack servers from 2012-2013 are sent to eWaste, the CPUs and memory DIMMs are pushed into the eBay and other markets. The "refurbished" prices depress the retail price for new stuff.

Wasn't suggesting otherwise, and unless "non-obsolete" CPUs can be installed then I'm not sure what you're getting at. Places like OWC are still asking top dollar for nMP CPU upgrades and many eBay stores are as well. When I looked last time, a few months ago, they were all consistently about $2,000 for used chips. $2,000 -> $300 in 4 months time is impressive. For those of us with the nMP that want a boost in multi-core performance it's hard to beat $300 to more than double it (If looking at Geekbench scores).

These CPUs were obsolete 4 months ago, too...
 

AidenShaw

macrumors P6
Feb 8, 2003
18,667
4,677
The Peninsula
Wasn't suggesting otherwise, and unless "non-obsolete" CPUs can be installed then I'm not sure what you're getting at.
You must have missed the winking smiley on the "obsolete" line....
[doublepost=1521585094][/doublepost]
Places like OWC are still asking top dollar for nMP CPU upgrades
OWC is reknowned for "top dollar" pricing. ;)
 
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Yahooligan

macrumors 6502a
Aug 7, 2011
965
114
Illinois
You must have missed the winking smiley on the "obsolete" line....
[doublepost=1521585094][/doublepost]
OWC is reknowned for "top dollar" pricing. ;)

No, I saw it. I just figured you were being sarcastic like "Duh, they're obsolete, no wonder they're cheap." :D
 

AidenShaw

macrumors P6
Feb 8, 2003
18,667
4,677
The Peninsula
No, I saw it. I just figured you were being sarcastic like "Duh, they're obsolete, no wonder they're cheap." :D
Actually, I'm watching the CPU prices closely as well.

As I've mentioned, my home workstation is a Dell T3610 with an E5-1650 v2 - essential the same CPU/chipset has the hex MP6,1 (except that I have eight DIMM slots, a bunch of PCIe slots, and a 600+ watt power supply). Wondering whether to add some cores - although since it's still under warranty for another year I may just start planning for a 2019 replacement.
 
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