Surface and 30 inch cinema display

[Stealthy_Singh]

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.

[George P Global Moderator]

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).

[jordanspringer]

I assume you mean Surface Pro? If you are thinking about Surface RT I would strongly avoid it and recommend the Pro. The RT has trouble doing 1080p Youtube onto a 1920x1080 display (TV)

[Stealthy_Singh]

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?

[Osiris]

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

[xendrome]

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

[Stealthy_Singh]

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!

[Stealthy_Singh]

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.

[Osiris]

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.

[Stealthy_Singh]

"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.