Surface and 30 inch cinema display

By Stealthy_Singh
in Hardware Hangout

 Share

Recommended Posts

Proficient

Stealthy_Singh

Posted
Posted

Hi all. I'm considering getting a Microsoft surface. My question is this. I know it has a display port connection, but given it's specs will it be able to push out an image to a 30 inch apple cinema display or not. As this is my current monitor this is what I would use at home as an external display.

Thanks.

Link to comment
https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1131756-surface-and-30-inch-cinema-display/
Share on other sites
Proficient

Stealthy_Singh

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Yes sorry my fault, I do mean a Surface Pro. Held out even though I was temped to get the RT because I wanted it in my hands!

I don't remember what GPU it uses but iirc MS said that the Mini DisplayPort (can drive an external display up to 2560 x 1440 resolution).

Does this mean it won't drive a 30 inch cinema display or just not at full resolution?

Grand Master

xendrome

Posted
Posted

Yep, if you can connect the device to it than you can drive any monitor up to a max resolution of 2560 * 1440.

Kind of annoying that it fell short of the 1600 but not the end of the world

But the CInema display Supports 1024 by 600, 1280 by 800, 1920 by 1200, 2048 by 1280, and 2560 by 1600 (optimal).

your ppi/dpi isn't going to look as crisp at 2560x1440

Proficient

Stealthy_Singh

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Yep, if you can connect the device to it than you can drive any monitor up to a max resolution of 2560 * 1440.

Kind of annoying that it fell short of the 1600 but not the end of the world

I can live with that. I'm thinking of passing my computer to my brother when I get it as I rarely need to use it for any heavy tasks. Then I'll be using the Surface Pro as my primary computer hooking it to my monitor when I'm at home. Could work sweet!

Proficient

Stealthy_Singh

Posted
  • Author
Posted

But the CInema display Supports 1024 by 600, 1280 by 800, 1920 by 1200, 2048 by 1280, and 2560 by 1600 (optimal).

your ppi/dpi isn't going to look as crisp at 2560x1440

You posted this at the same time as I was writing my post. Is there any to see what it would look like? When I try and change screen resolution it doesn't give me the option for 2560x1440. I've tried the other allowable options and it just looks poor.

Grand Master

Osiris

Posted
Posted

Yeah I agree most monitors don't look great outside of their native resolution but this article seemed positive about it and mentions some scaling the surface does to the output monitor. I think its really going to be a case of wait and see:

http://www.pcadvisor...ace-pro-review/

Anyway the question was if it can, and yes the surface pro can drive any monitor it can connect to...the visual experience and resolution you are forced to use is the variable.

Proficient

Stealthy_Singh

Posted
  • Author
Posted

"We also ran Surface RT with an external display, driving a behemoth, high-res monitor via the Pro's Mini DisplayPort adaptor. OK, that was a revelation. When attached to an external monitor, the Surface Pro really does become a full PC"

That sentence is encouraging especially as they had a unit to test. I just wish the said exactly what res they used. I'll just have to wait and see.

This topic is now closed to further replies.
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Posts

    • Bypassed Windows 11 shows surprising stability on ancient, completely unsupported hardware

      By thartist · Posted

      0 chance of that happening, forget it. Get it installed by some tech guy or do it yourself with the bypasses, that's how MS is being lenient and looking the other way to give users a chance.
    • Google reportedly limited Meta's Gemini access over limited AI compute

      By KMilenkoski1202 · Posted

      Ooooooh, now we got the big tech corps fighting
    • Segra 1.6.3

      By Copernic · Posted

      Segra 1.6.3 by Razvan Serea Segra is a free, open-source OBS-powered game recorder offering fast gameplay capture, instant clips, AI highlights, deep game integration, and seamless uploads—perfect for gamers, streamers, and content creators. Lightweight, fast, zero bloat. Segra key features: Automatic Game Recording: Begin capturing gameplay the moment your game launches, with zero manual setup. Instant Clipping: Save important moments instantly using a customizable hotkey—perfect for highlights, montages, or quick shares. Segra AI Highlights: Let Segra automatically detect kills, assists, deaths, and key events to generate polished highlight reels without manual editing. Gameplay Uploads: Upload recordings and clips directly to Segra.tv for fast sharing and cloud access. Deep Game Integration: Enjoy advanced game-data tracking across hundreds of supported titles, enabling smart highlight generation and stat-informed clipping. High-Performance Capture: Record up to 4K at 144 FPS using OBS-powered technology with minimal performance impact, supporting NVENC, AMD VCE, and custom quality controls. Segra Editor: Edit recordings easily with timeline controls, segment management, and event-based navigation to build the perfect clip. Customization Options: Adjust hotkeys, output formats, storage paths, codecs, capture quality, and performance settings for a tailored recording experience. Segra 1.6.3 changelog: Recording: Reworked the whitelist/blacklist into per-game recording with individual setting overrides. Settings: Added Windows Game Mode and Startup window mode options. Audio: Improved noise suppression for microphone capture. Clips: Added a separate export mode for segment clips. Updates: Fixed pending update state not showing by replaying it when the frontend reconnects. Recording: Fixed an issue where audio could break or sources could linger between recordings. Stability: Fixed a rare crash that could happen when a game closed. Settings: Fixed settings not applying correctly on some non-English systems. Download: Segra 1.6.3 | 74.5 MB (Open Source) View: Segra Homepage | Github | Screenshot Get alerted to all of our Software updates on Twitter at @NeowinSoftware
    • The future of Samsung's AI-powered education system

      By KMilenkoski1202 · Posted

      So, recently, I saw on the news (yes, on this website) that Samsung is introducing features where it can provide education using AI-powered sets, and because of this, I got concerned about whether the AI gives out wrong info during education sessions, causing controversies in the process. What are your thoughts on this? 
    • TCL's Bang & Olufsen soundbar is 40% off on Amazon

      By Ivan Jenic · Posted

      TCL's Bang & Olufsen soundbar is 40% off on Amazon by Ivan Jenic The TCL Design Series A65K is currently $299.99, down from $499.99. That's 40% off and $200 saved on a soundbar tuned by Bang & Olufsen, which is not a combination you'd normally expect at this price point (purchase link below). Bang & Olufsen doesn't typically show up in the sub-$500 category. The Danish audio brand is known for speakers that cost several times more, so having their acoustic tuning on a $300 soundbar is very appealing. TCL handles the hardware, B&O handles the sound engineering, and the result is what the company calls "accessible luxury." Still, accessible luxury isn’t full-fledged luxury, so don’t expect wonders. But this is a decent soundbar, nevertheless. The A65K is a true 3.1.2 channel system with nine physical drivers, including genuine up-firing height speakers for Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. Many soundbars at this price simulate overhead effects through virtual processing, rather than actual hardware. So, you’re getting the real deal. The design is unusually slim for a system with Atmos compatibility. The bar is just under 2 inches deep and should fit beneath most TV screens. The wireless subwoofer is also compact at roughly 14 x 14 x 5 inches. Total output is 460W, and you can connect to the soundbar via HDMI eARC, Bluetooth 5.3, or USB. There are also eight sound modes through the TCL Home app and an AI calibration capability. Although it’s worth mentioning that AI capabilities in most of these devices are inconsistent, to say the least, and that shouldn’t be the biggest selling point. Still, at $299.99, the A65K is a strong buy for anyone who wants a soundbar that sounds and looks noticeably better than what this price range usually offers. And the Bang & Olufsen branding surely sounds nice - pun intended. TCL Design Series Bang & Olufsen A65K - $299.99 | 40% off on Amazon Good to know This Amazon deal is U.S. specific, and not available in other regions unless specified. We only use first-party seller links (at the time of article publishing); ensure that you purchase from a first-party seller link only. Check out Today's Deals on Amazon | or our recent tech deals. Become a Prime member (for Students or SNAP) via Neowin Get Prime Access - Prime for half price (for qualifying Medicaid, EBT, SNAP) Subscribe to Prime Video, Audible Plus, Music Unlimited or Kindle Unlimited via Neowin As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

  • Recent Achievements

    • Apprentice
      jahara21 went up a rank
      Apprentice
    • Reacting Well
      NovaEdgeX earned a badge
      Reacting Well
    • Week One Done
      NovaEdgeX earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • One Year In
      BA the Curmudgeon earned a badge
      One Year In
    • Conversation Starter
      rosiecharles earned a badge
      Conversation Starter

  • Popular Contributors

    1. 1
      +primortal
      529
    2. 2
      +Edouard
      263
    3. 3
      PsYcHoKiLLa
      148
    4. 4
      Steven P.
      96
    5. 5
      macoman
      59
    Show More

  • Tell a friend

    Love Neowin? Tell a friend!