Monitor Ports on Macbook Pro Mid 2012

Hi,

I have recently purchased a MacBook Pro mid 2012 edition, and I am looking to get a monitor for when I am working at my desk.


However, I am currently struggling to get my head around the difference between the Mini Display Port and Thunderbolt port. Which one do I have? There are two ports that look fairly similar, one with a lightning volt symbol, and one with three lines, then a circle then three lines going left and right (I hope I have given a good enough description!).



I also cannot find anywhere Thunderbolt monitors! Can you recommend a monitor that is compatible with my MacBook?


Thanks!

Posted on Jan 14, 2017 2:38 AM

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4 replies

Jan 26, 2017 6:36 AM in response to alf202

Possibly, but I would be careful about anything sold on Amazon, as there have been a number of very cheap counterfeit items sold for Apple Products. It also states that this item doesn't ship to the US, so you might need to hunt a little further, and it would be wise to stick with a reputable brand.


Here is something similar from OWC for more money:


https://eshop.macsales.com/item/Macally/MD3N14K/


OWC stands for Other World Computing, which you can see under the heading MacSales.com. It is a great supplier for Macs, and their customer support is stellar. If you have a particular display in mind, you can certainly call them up and they can tell you for certain which adaptor(s) would work for you.


Another option might be to look for a used or refurbished Apple Display. OWC sometimes has these and so does Apple on the Refurbished and Clearance section of the on line Apple Store. I have a 27" 2011 Display and a mid-2012 rMBP. The display comes with a power cable (with a MagSafe 1 to MagSafe 2 adaptor if you need it) to power the MBP as well as a Thunderbolt cable for the display, and it works perfectly. Really very elegant setup.


I believe that Apple has decided to no longer make these displays, so they go quickly so if you want to go this route you'll have to haunt these two sites and any others that might exist.


Good luck!

Jan 14, 2017 10:17 AM in response to alf202

You might want to consider something like this adaptor:


https://eshop.macsales.com/item/NewerTech/CBLMDPHDMI/


Be sure to check for compatibility with whichever mid-2012 MBP you have, as there is both a unibody model and a retina model. OWC can help you with this.


Once you have HDMI, all you would then need would be a standard HDMI cable, which should work with any display with a HDMI connection.

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Monitor Ports on Macbook Pro Mid 2012

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