[OS X TeX] TS with Retina and 2nd monitor

[Scot Mcphee]

I use text shop with two monitors all the time, but my MBP 15" late 2011 model is not a retina display model. There is no real issue using it with two monitors; the Mac works flawlessly with two monitors, you can drag windows between either display as necessary. I tend to use the second display mostly when I am hooked up to it, as the external monitor is both larger in dimension and pixel count that the MBPs monitor.

However, one thing I have to say about the Retina display. Having seen them in store they are *gorgeous*. People say (on the internet, as I know no one personally who has bought one), that once you go retina its hard to go back. Personally however I don't want to buy one ... because I use a second monitor a considerable amount of time. No external monitor will live up to that Retina display. It seems like a helluva step backwards to have a small Retina display on the laptop and a huge, but non-Retina, external display. Personally I am waiting until they release a Retina-resolution Thunderbolt Display!

Oh if you get the thunderbolt display you won't need any display adapters. I use a BenQ 24" monitor which was a very good monitor 2 years ago and the Thunderbolt->DVI adapter. Because of its size, I use the external monitor as my main monitor; I only use the MBP monitor to drag secondary windows onto, except when I am photo editing then I have Aperture display the currently selected photograph in full screen mode on the MBP screen - its colours are calibrated better. If I had the money I'd get the thunderbolt display.

hope this helps


On Monday, 19 November 2012 at 21:40 , Vamos, Peter wrote:

> I am contemplating buying the new 13" MacBook Pro with *Retina* display and using it as my *only* computer (home and away) with a second monitor. I have a number of questions below relating to this, advice, comments are also most welcome.
>  
> I currently have an early Intel iMac (Core Duo 2006) desktop which cannot run Lion and and a 13" MacBook Pro (2.53 Ghz Core 2 Duo 2009) which is already running Mountain Lion. I am planning to sell both and buy the 13" MacBook Pro with *Retina* and a 21" external display. (Yes, I know, I'll need to buy adapters as well...)
>  
> 1) Is TS optimised for the retina display? Does this question makes sense at all? I've read that applications must be optimised for the retina display lest they look *worse* than on a standard screen. On the other hand I surmise that TS uses Apple's own text engine and Pdf kit so this likely will be OK ?
>  
> 2) The 13" MacBook Pro with Retina comes sans HD, instead it has 128GB or, optionally, 256 GB flash storage. The 256 GB version is an extra (GBP) £216 (~ $ 344) with educational discount. Is it worth this extra money? I am usually a believer of not skimping on things which cannot later be (easily) upgraded. I should add that I use Aperture for my largish and growing photo collection and have a fair amount of ripped CDs in my iTunes library, but I also have a NAS (my wife also has a Mac laptop) to hold the bulk of these libraries.
>  
> 3) Any advice, comment on how to set up and use TS with two screens: laptop + external display. Any monitor recommendations