I’ve been using at iMac 27-inch as an external display for my new Macbook Pro for over a month. I’m here to report that as beautiful as the high-resolution LED screen is, this machine is not made to use as an external display.
Why?
More pixels, that’s why. If you’re a designer and you’ve had the luxury of working on a 30″ display, it’s very hard to go back to anything smaller (in terms of pixels). Despite not being updated in six years, Apple’s 30-inch Cinema Display (2560 pixels wide) is the only (Apple) display option if you want more that 1920 pixels wide. And they are still charging $1800 for that beast. For $1700, you can purchase the base model 27-inch iMac, which has an amazingly brilliant LED backlit display with the same pixel width as the 30-inch display, 2560, just at a higher pixel density (108 dpi on the iMac 27-inch vs 100 dpi on the 30-inch Cinema). The 30-inch Cinema has more pixels in height, 1600, while the iMac 27-inch has 1440.
Even with less total pixels, I prefer the iMac screen to the old Cinema LCD screens. They are so much brighter and vibrant.
Apple has been very slow to update the LED Cinema Display line to any size other than the 24-inch. MacRumors reports on why. Sounds like we’re due for the 27-incher next month.
What’s the Deal?
Here’s a list of the issues you will find when using an iMac as an external display for a Macbook:
- The iMac must be awake and fully booted into OSX in order to function as an external display. This mean lots of wasted power and fan noise.
- When waking the Macbook, if you don’t first wake the iMac, the only way for the Macbook to recognize the display is to unplug and re-plug in the mini display cord.
- The above issues make having a dedicated mouse and keyboard for the iMac a requirement. Thus, I have 2 mice and 2 keyboards on my desk. This sucks.
- Can’t make use of the built-in iSight camera, mic or speakers on the iMac (like you can with the 24-inch LED Cinema Display).
- Can’t control the brightness on the iMac display, either from display controls or from the keyboard. Must switch the display back to the iMac’s OS and adjust there. Command+F2 on the iMac’s keyboard.
- Can’t make use of the USB ports. This mean more cord management with using your Macbook on the desk.
Overall, you don’t get any of the plug-and-play features that make using an LED Cinema Display so nice. But you do get that amazing screen.
I only DREAM of being able to have a 27-inch iMac. I’ve got my circa 2007 MacBook hooked into a 17-inch LCD from 2006. I can’t even see a full site mockup without scrolling in Fireworks.
Nice post. Have u heard about the iPad hack? Kinda random but lol why not.