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bobsybob

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 11, 2017
2
0
san d
Hi, I need to buy an external monitor for my MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016). I will be using it for graphic and web design mainly. I was looking at the 34" curved wide screen options online. Can anyone steer me in the right direction on whether I should go for a monitor with a USB-C connection? they seem to be quite expensive and not that widespread. Or will the connectivity and performance not be that much effected if I just go for a non USB-C monitor and get an adapter to to pair with my MacBook Pro....??? any suggestions would be much appreciated...
 
My opinion only:

I would get a display that is, first and foremost, a "good display", and wouldn't worry about USB-c capabilities. There are many more choices if you don't absolutely require USB-c connectivity.
I prefer a display that is... "just a display".

Having said that, I would be wary of curved displays. For some uses -- such as photo editing -- I understand that they can distort the image, etc. Since you mentioned "graphic design", this could become an issue for you. YMMV...
 
IMO, it makes no sense because you can get a USB-C to DisplayPort, USB-C to HDMI, or USB-C to DVI cable for about $15-20...consequently, this cable + a display that uses HDMI or DisplayPort is often a more economical solution.
 
Any sort of display port offering be it USB c or display port or mini display port will give you better results than HDMI so go for that.
 
My first thought on this topic echoed other people here: just get a good monitor and don't worry about the plugs. You can get adapters or cables to attach any monitor to your Macbook Pro.

But then I realized the biggest reason to get a USB-C monitor... power.

If you want to plug one cable into your laptop... to provide video and power... you will need a USB-C monitor.

Granted... there aren't that many monitors that provide laptop power... and they are rather expensive.

That kind of functionality might not be high on your list... but it is very convenient.
 
The advantage of a USB-C monitor is charging + data over the same cable. I am far from being the display expert, but if I understand correctly, in higher-end market (4K etc.) USB-C monitors are not that bad. I'd certainly not pay a premium for it though...
 
I suggest you read this article before making a decision : https://bjango.com/articles/macexternaldisplays/ This article really helped me chose a screen (Dell U2518D).

I would stay away from curved screen though. Even if I'm not a pro in display technology, I guess they suffer from the same problems as curved TV which are poor screen uniformity.
 
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