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Author Topic: Using a MacBook as a desktop  (Read 20760 times)

Ronski

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Re: Using a MacBook as a desktop
« Reply #15 on: September 16, 2017, 07:43:25 PM »

As you may recall I don't particularly like Apple  >:D But you're reasoning above sounds pretty sound to me, and if that 5k display takes after my 27" Dell which I'm pretty sure has the same display panel which Apple used some years back then I'm sure it will be amazing if not total resolution overkill.

I'm seem to recall that the display doesn't have much adjustment,  but I'm sure someone on here said it's possible to order with vesa mount, which when used with a decent desk mount will give all the adjustment you could need.

https://www.apple.com/uk/shop/buy-mac/imac-vesa/27-inch

Nice to see that Apple allows some things to be upgraded by the end user.
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sevenlayermuddle

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Re: Using a MacBook as a desktop
« Reply #16 on: September 16, 2017, 09:06:36 PM »

Thanks Ronski   I think "resolution overkill" might suit me down to the ground.  I wear glasses for most things but have always found that if I sit close enough to a screen I can focus without glassses, which is a treat for my nose and ears.   But it does mean that even with fairiy high resolutions, sitting that close,  the individual pixels can become noticeable, particularly with text rendering.  Not so, with 5K.

Agreed, I'd expect any panel with the same spec to be pretty identical, and probably come from the same factory.   But Apple are also pushing a stand-alone LG 27" 5K monitor in their stores, having abandoned their own monitor branding a while ago.   I looked at two of the LGs, one connected to a Mac Mini, one to a Mac Pro.  Whilst impresssive, the iMac display definitely beat them both in terms of text clarity which is what matters to me.   I can't explain why.   Even tried fiddling with brightness and then calibration settings on the demo setups, but was unable to make the LG look as good as the iMac.

If I had a criticism, it is that the iMac display was a bit 'glossy'.   Whether that will translate into annoying reflections will remain to be seen.

I'll also miss my old 2009 LG's height and tilt adjustments which, given my 'up-close' viewing habits were very welcome.
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sevenlayermuddle

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Re: Using a MacBook as a desktop
« Reply #17 on: September 18, 2017, 02:23:58 PM »

iMac on order, 2017 model, 27" 5K display.   

Deciding factor was that that, even though you don't often see Apple stuff being discounted,  a few retailers seem to be currently price-matching one another with a £150 discount on that particular system.  Better still, one of them is John Lewis, who enhance the deal even further with a 3 year guarantee.    ;)

Anxiously awaiting the postman, now, and for the next few days.  :)
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Dray

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Re: Using a MacBook as a desktop
« Reply #18 on: September 18, 2017, 02:29:43 PM »

Quote
just a couple of USB-C ports (one of which would be 'lost' to the charger), and no ethernet.
Hopefully, you will be pleased to learn that USB-C adapters are available which give ethernet, power and USB connections
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sevenlayermuddle

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Re: Using a MacBook as a desktop
« Reply #19 on: September 18, 2017, 02:48:37 PM »

Hopefully, you will be pleased to learn that USB-C adapters are available which give ethernet, power and USB connections

Yes I know, but it's still extra cost, and extra wiring clutter.   And I'd want to avoid cheap stuff, if it plays any part in charging interface.    If I'd bought the LG monitor sold by Apple that would have given me a similar 27" 5K, and a few more USB ports too but wow, that's another £1179 - 75% of the cost of the iMac.   :o

Any roads, having just placed the iMac order, this is not the best time to persuade me I should have gone for a MacBook Pro.  Please don't succeed in that, at least not right now.   :D
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sevenlayermuddle

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Re: Using a MacBook as a desktop
« Reply #20 on: September 20, 2017, 09:09:45 PM »

And new toy arrived today.  And oh boy, it's good. ;D

For photo processing, sheer bliss.  Even with my current 20 Megapixel camera you can keep things scaled to full pixel size most of the time and still see enough to be useful, vs constantly zooming and shrinking as you process with an 'ordinary' monitor.  Plus of course, it's a pretty accurate colour gamut too, far superior to my old LG.

For development, I can have a generous sized window of the Xcode IDE, alongside a full-sized iPad simulator, with no overlap.   On an 'ordinary' monitor, I'd have to settle for less editing space and/or scaling the simulator back to a fraction of size, maybe 1/3, whereupon nasty artefacts surface when rendering (say) a line that is meant to be one or two pixels in width.

Feeling very pleased indeed.   And I don't mean to appear ungrateful for all the encouragement I received re the MacBook Pro.   I'll always be a little envious of the other benefits a portable has, but in the end, the big iMac proved ideal for me. :)
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Ronski

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Re: Using a MacBook as a desktop
« Reply #21 on: September 20, 2017, 10:43:49 PM »

Acre's of screen real estate makes a lot of difference. I have my 27" Dell  running at 2560 x 1440 along with a 23" Samsung which runs at 2048 x 1152 (bit of an odd resolution), you could always use that old LG as a second screen, although it would look rather small and pale in quality to the 27" 5k screen.
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sevenlayermuddle

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Re: Using a MacBook as a desktop
« Reply #22 on: September 20, 2017, 11:04:43 PM »

Aye, maybe the LG could be used as second monitor.    Not sure if/how Mac OS supports that, never tried, but I think it probably does work.  Good idea.
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