Should I use an ultra-wide monitor with this MacBook Pro?

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Lucas1948 Author

Level 1

116 points

Should I use an ultra-wide monitor with this MacBook Pro?

I recently bought an LG ultra-wide monitor to use with my mid-2009 MacBook Pro. It works fine, for the most part. The image does not fill the screen—leaves about a 4-inch black band on the left and right edges. Even so, I like the bigger screen, and I'm thinking that one fine day I'll spring for a new laptop anyway.

I connect the monitor via a mini-display-port to HDMI cable that I bought at a local major electronics retailer. I use no additional adapters.

However, I recently started noticing the LG monitor flashing black. Sometimes it's just a short burst—a nuisance. Other times, the flashing repeats frequently enough to be more than a nuisance. Restarting the laptop seems to help for a while. Today I read this article (Using 4K displays, 5K displays, and Ultra HD TVs with your Mac - Apple Support) that says an MBP the age of mine won't support an ultra-wide monitor.

My question: Does using this monitor put a dangerous strain on my laptop's resources? Will this flashing damage something in my older MBP?

MacBook Pro, OS X El Capitan (10.11.6)

Posted on Feb 28, 2017 9:40 AM

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Answer 1

Courcoul

Level 6

18,684 points

Feb 28, 2017 10:27 AM in response to Lucas1948

On the bigger MBP that sported both the integrated and a discreet GPU for better graphics performance, that chip was prone to failure in some models and since driving a large display perforce necessitates the big GPU getting in the action, its use could conceivably accelerate a failure. My Late 2011 eventually had its logic board replaced for free under a recall, but don't remember if your model also fell within the cursed roll call. IFF yours does have the discreet GPU, the main limitation is how much dedicated VRAM is inside, which limits the max size of the external display it can drive.

If it does NOT have a discreet GPU, then it will get worse; memory used to store the screen buffer is taken from the main RAM, which impacts all aspects of system and applications performance.

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Answer 2

Lucas1948 Author

Level 1

116 points

Feb 28, 2017 4:08 PM in response to Courcoul

Thanks for your very informative response. It sounds like I might be overloading my GPU. I may have to limit the use of my shiny new monitor.

One more question: How do I know whether my MacBook Pro has a discreet GPU?

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Answer 3

Courcoul

Level 6

18,684 points

Mar 1, 2017 8:55 AM in response to Lucas1948

You can always consult the System Information app for all aspects of the computer. Besides rummaging around in Utilities, you can also do an About This Mac... in the Apple menu, then click on System Report... The Graphics/Displays section will list all you have.

And you can also download and install MacTracker, which will regale you with whatever you want to know of all Apple products

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