Anyone using a new macbook air with a 27in cinema display??

[yellowmuffins]

Hi Guys,

I'm thinking about ordering fully loaded macbook air 13inch from the online store, the only thing that's holding me back is the question of whether or not it'll play well with the apple cinema display 27inch. I know the RevA mba didn't do so hot driving that many pixels on a secondary display. Has anyone used the new one with a cinema display yet? Any guess or takes on how it'll be able to drive the external monitor. I just want a completely seamless/fast experience...no lag anywhere and the option of playing 720p and 1080p on the cinema display.

I'd like to hear everyone's thoughts.

 

[ranxoren]

i am using a base 11" 1.4ghz 2g 64gb with a 24" LED ACD and it runs smooth as butter. you'll be fine and youll love it!

 

[Gordy]

i am using a base 11" 1.4ghz 2g 64gb with a 24" LED ACD and it runs smooth as butter. you'll be fine and youll love it!

Out of interest, what sort of things have you used it for? As I've got a 24in acd and I'm seriously considering getting a 11in mba to go with it. Instead of a mac mini and iPad.

How are you finding the cable lengths etc?

 

[ender21]

Hi Guys,

I'm thinking about ordering fully loaded macbook air 13inch from the online store, the only thing that's holding me back is the question of whether or not it'll play well with the apple cinema display 27inch. I know the RevA mba didn't do so hot driving that many pixels on a secondary display. Has anyone used the new one with a cinema display yet? Any guess or takes on how it'll be able to drive the external monitor. I just want a completely seamless/fast experience...no lag anywhere and the option of playing 720p and 1080p on the cinema display.

I'd like to hear everyone's thoughts.

I went ahead and got the miniDP to DVID adapter and connected it up to my Dell U2711 (very similar to the 27 Cinema Display), and things ran just fine at 2560x1440. I was very impressed, though I played no 720p/1080p video. I did load iMovie and its responsiveness seemed adequate.

 

[Blazer5913]

I would also REALLY appreciate the answer to this. currently, I have an insanely old 15" MBP (Pre-unibody design) that is terribly sluggish, but hooked up to a Samsung 23" Glossy display. I also have an 16gb wifi iPad and just haven't really felt that it's uses have justified the $500 it costs. so what i was thinking is using my iPhone as my portable mobile device and run most of the apps I have on my iPad (basically all of my "essential apps" will run fine on my iPhone). Sell my iPad and hopefully my display as well (but won't get that much for a 3rd party monitor, I'm assuming they lose value quickly). So sell both of them and use that money, plus already saved money, to purchase a 13" MBA 1.86ghz with 4gb ram, and a 27" Apple display. I love the smooth connectivity that it would offer the MBA, literally only 3 plugs and its almost like I have an iMac (obviously slower) when I want, and an ultraportable laptop when i want. But anybody ACTUALLY have the 27" Apple display hooked up to the new MBA? Appreciate it

 

[kenwalton]

I used my new MBA 13/2.13/4/256 with my 27 inch cinema display all day yesterday and it was smooth as silk. It even felt a little snappier than my 2009 15" MPB. No delays or hiccups whatsoever, even when viewing 720p video on VLC enlarged to fit the 27 inch screen.

The built-in three-pronged cable fit fine, even though it has to be plugged into both sides of the MBA.

YMMV if you've got a slower model MBA, by I'd guess that it will work fine.

 

[Blazer5913]

I used my new MBA 13/2.13/4/256 with my 27 inch cinema display all day yesterday and it was smooth as silk. It even felt a little snappier than my 2009 15" MPB. No delays or hiccups whatsoever, even when viewing 720p video on VLC enlarged to fit the 27 inch screen.

The built-in three-pronged cable fit fine, even though it has to be plugged into both sides of the MBA.

YMMV if you've got a slower model MBA, by I'd guess that it will work fine.

Thanks for the quick reply. Hmmm, I didn't realize you would have to plug in on both sides, that is somewhat of a bummer. Does it bother you doing that at all, or still a pretty seamless transition from laptop to desktop? Thanks

 

[kenwalton]

Thanks for the quick reply. Hmmm, I didn't realize you would have to plug in on both sides, that is somewhat of a bummer. Does it bother you doing that at all, or still a pretty seamless transition from laptop to desktop? Thanks

It's no big deal. At work I set my laptop on a riser, plug in, and then spend my day on an external keyboard and trackpad. The process of plugging in is no more cumbersome than it was on my MBP, and takes no more than 7 seconds. I was worried that I'd have to get an extender to fit the cables into both sides, but there's just enough slack for them to fit nicely. It's not quite as clean as having them all fit into one side, but it's still a lot nicer than separate cables strung all over the place.

 

[Blazer5913]

It's no big deal. At work I set my laptop on a riser, plug in, and then spend my day on an external keyboard and trackpad. The process of plugging in is no more cumbersome than it was on my MBP, and takes no more than 7 seconds. I was worried that I'd have to get an extender to fit the cables into both sides, but there's just enough slack for them to fit nicely. It's not quite as clean as having them all fit into one side, but it's still a lot nicer than separate cables strung all over the place.

If its not too much of a hassle for you, would you mind taking a picture or two of your setup with the 27" screen connected to the MBA via those three cables, just to visualize what the connection would be? if you can't, don't worry about it

 

[Gordy]

I used my new MBA 13/2.13/4/256 with my 27 inch cinema display all day yesterday and it was smooth as silk. It even felt a little snappier than my 2009 15" MPB. No delays or hiccups whatsoever, even when viewing 720p video on VLC enlarged to fit the 27 inch screen.

The built-in three-pronged cable fit fine, even though it has to be plugged into both sides of the MBA.

YMMV if you've got a slower model MBA, by I'd guess that it will work fine.

Thanks that's just what I wanted to hear.

 

[Mechinyun]

I used my new MBA 13/2.13/4/256 with my 27 inch cinema display all day yesterday and it was smooth as silk. It even felt a little snappier than my 2009 15" MPB. No delays or hiccups whatsoever, even when viewing 720p video on VLC enlarged to fit the 27 inch screen.

The built-in three-pronged cable fit fine, even though it has to be plugged into both sides of the MBA.

YMMV if you've got a slower model MBA, by I'd guess that it will work fine.

I have this same setup coming in the mail any day now, this is just what i needed to hear too... was my only small concern. Awesome.

 

[ranxoren]

Out of interest, what sort of things have you used it for? As I've got a 24in acd and I'm seriously considering getting a 11in mba to go with it. Instead of a mac mini and iPad.

How are you finding the cable lengths etc?

cable length is just fine i use my 24" back and forth between my 21.5" and the air

 

[thinkdesign]

Would you please be more specific?

"...you have to plug in on BOTH sides..." (emphasis mine).

The minidisplay port is not the sole connection to the Apple monitor?

What's the 2nd connection?

 

[Jaro65]

"...you have to plug in on BOTH sides..." (emphasis mine).

The minidisplay port is not the sole connection to the Apple monitor?

What's the 2nd connection?

The power cable. The USB is optional.

 

[rkmac]

"...you have to plug in on BOTH sides..." (emphasis mine).

The minidisplay port is not the sole connection to the Apple monitor?

What's the 2nd connection?

there are 3 plugs on the 27inch cinema display: a magsafe connector, a USB and a mini display-port.
On the MBA the magsafe is on the left side, and the mini display-port is on the right side. There is a USB port on both sides.
However, if you dont want to charge your MBA while it is using the 27" Cinema Display, you dont HAVE to plug in the magsafe, and the USB is just for driving the USB ports on the back of the cinema display I believe, so that does not have to be plugged in either.

 

[nebulight]

The built-in three-pronged cable fit fine, even though it has to be plugged into both sides of the MBA.

Great! Just what I wanted to find out. I knew that it would have to go on both sides, but I was concerned if it would actually reach. Thanks again!

 

[Jaro65]

Great! Just what I wanted to find out. I knew that it would have to go on both sides, but I was concerned if it would actually reach. Thanks again!

This is Apple....