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thriii

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Feb 14, 2007
366
0
Is there anything I should know before I buy a 2nd monitor? I have a 24" right now but I want to get something smaller and it will be used mainly to increase productivity


any suggestions for monitors while im here? looking to spend under $100
 
Is there anything I should know before I buy a 2nd monitor? I have a 24" right now but I want to get something smaller and it will be used mainly to increase productivity


any suggestions for monitors while im here? looking to spend under $100

All depends on the type of work you are doing, the desk configuration, what apps, etc....
 
All depends on the type of work you are doing, the desk configuration, what apps, etc....

im not sure how i will use it yet.. but its goin to be on the right on the side and my main screen will still be in the middle.. im a marketing so i want to use it to see tasks/stats sometimes and the other times im not sure yet since ive never used 2 monitors..I don't need to have a similar monitor size do i?

I just noticed in the back of my mac pro theres 1 monitor port and a small squarish connector next to it.. does this mean i cant connect a 2nd monitor?
 
Personally, I find a larger monitor MUCH more productive than two smaller ones. I have a 30 inch Apple ACD and a 27 inch NEC (which is also attached to my laptop).

As your monitor is the window to your system, go larger.
 
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The small squarish port is most likely a Mini-DP, so you can run a second monitor using that. While not absolutely necessary, I recommend getting a second monitor that is the same size as your original (if not the same exact model for cosmetic reasons). I've often found when moving the mouse between two monitors that are different sizes, the mouse will occasionally get hung up on the edge due to the different number of vertical pixels between each monitor. It's maddening.

If you do go for a smaller monitor, try to find one with roughly the same number of vertical pixels. For example, if your 24" monitor runs at 1920 x 1200, then you might be able to find a smaller 21" LCD running at a more square 1600x1200 that would work nicely.

Enjoy the second display though… Once I added a second display to my setup, there was no going back. The productivity increase is amazing.
 
im not sure how i will use it yet.. but its goin to be on the right on the side and my main screen will still be in the middle.. im a marketing so i want to use it to see tasks/stats sometimes and the other times im not sure yet since ive never used 2 monitors..I don't need to have a similar monitor size do i?

Depends on your work.

Myself, I like two paired monitors, so the color and brightness are the same. Critical for graphics work.

For yourself, if you are doing documentation and lists on that second monitor, you might want one that can be turned vertical, to accommodate traditional page sizes.
 
Depends on your work.

Myself, I like two paired monitors, so the color and brightness are the same. Critical for graphics work.

For yourself, if you are doing documentation and lists on that second monitor, you might want one that can be turned vertical, to accommodate traditional page sizes.

yea thats a feature i wanted.. im in marketing so the color/brightness isnt as important but it would be nice to keep it as similar to what i currently have. the main thing i want is to be able to adjust the height, smooth mouse transition to the 2nd screen, and to also be able to turn it vertically.. is that possible under $150?

My current monitor is a EIZO CG241W if that helps any
 
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