Apple has a rich, if checkered, history of releasing new Macs for hardcore computing professionals. Now that the Mac Pro has had a long-awaited revamp to Apple Silicon, let’s remember the days when pro Macs were towering beasts using more metal than the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao and more plastic than a nursery full of Lego bricks.

Today some pro Mac users are happy with a flimsy bit of aluminum like the Mac mini. Wimps. We demand something that looks like it contains a nuclear reactor. It needs to be bigger than a suitcase with warning stickers all over it, hotter than a barbeque and noisier than a drag car. Yes, something like the old Power Mac G5. Here’s a look at Apple’s beefy, bodacious, and behemoth pro Macs over the years.

Apple I (1976-1977) 

Apple’s first computer wasn’t technically a “Mac,” of course. The Apple I’s users didn’t work in Final Cut, Aperture or Adobe Creative Suite. Indeed they would have fainted at the very thought of MacPaint. And it’s hard to call them “professional”. Some of them looked like they’d lived wild in a forest for the previous half of their lives—and that was just the guys from Apple.

The Apple I was no slouch, but it wasn’t pro by today’s definition. It was invented by Homebrew Computer Club members Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs—and we all know that “homebrew” is by definition not professional. These computer hobbyists weren’t pioneering pro machines, they were turning pro machines into personal computers for the home.

So we’re including it here as an homage—and plus, the Apple I was certainly big enough to qualify for tower status. It was so open to user tinkering you had to build the case yourself from bits of wood.

Apple III (1980-1983)  

While the Apple I looked like a Victorian dressing table, the Apple II looked like a smart electric typewriter. While used professionally, it doesn’t quite pass the grade at looking powerful enough for true Pro status. The Apple III, on the other hand, looked much more impressive and cost at least $4,000. Rather than allow users to install upgrades within its case you could buy extras that stacked on top of the computer increasing its height to the extent that you had to put extra cushions on your chair.

The Apple III Plus featured a built-in clock but even that advanced feature was not enough to save it from the scrapheap.

Lisa (1983-1985)

At $10,000, the pre-Mac Lisa was Apple’s most expensive computer and aimed at large businesses. So far, so pro. Sadly, that’s where its pro credentials fade away as it was a closed all-in-one system that looked like ET’s head rather than an imperial Walker from Star Wars.

Just before it was driven off to the landfill, Apple rebranded the Lisa as Macintosh XL, which is certainly a more Pro name.

Apple IIgs (1986-1992)

1986’s Apple IIgs was the first Apple computer to nail the deep-box look (it had learned well from the Mac) and allowed you to swap in and out various third-party expansions, including 8MB of RAM and a processor upgrade that pumped iron at 18MHz. With an M.

Mac II  (1987-1990)

The original Mac looked way too friendly to be a professional machine. It had a goofy smile and said “Hello.” We had to wait three years before we got the super-expandable Mac II that came in a case the size of a Christmas hamper.

It didn’t say Hello. It barged past you, knocking you to the floor, and it didn’t look back to apologize. It boasted six (six!) NuBus slots for extra bits and pieces, such as a new graphics card that could display colors. If you wanted one with 1MB of RAM and a 40MB hard disk it would set you back $5,500.

The Mac II had many iterations before it was retired. The Mac IIx and Mac IIcx were in a smaller box with just three NuBus slots but still cost a small fortune. 1989’s Mac IIici was a box so high that it was nearly a cube. If Steve Jobs had still been at Apple I’m sure it would have been. It was the first Mac to have built in-color video circuitry and despite costing $6,700 was one of the most popular Macs ever.

Finally, the Mac IIfx was the Daddy of the pro Macs, costing a minimum of $12,000 and accommodating two floppy drives and eight high-speed 64-pin RAM slots. It also had a range of cool codenames, including Stealth, BlackBird, F-16, F-19 and Weed-Whacker. If that’s not pro, we don’t know what is.

Quadra (1991-1994)  

Frank Casanova, who sported a curious Brian May-like head of hair, was the brains behind the IIfx and his Quadra range continued the pro features. This time around, the case expanded vertically in proper tower fashion, starting with the Quadra 700. The name Quadra was in part chosen from the major quadriceps muscle group to show off its strength. We’ll ignore the wimpy-looking Quadra 605/610, but bow before the 700, mini-tower Quadra 800, and mighty $7,500 Quadra 900/950 machines, which had three internal bays and stood 18.6 inches high—a sequoia among computer saplings.

Mac clones (1995-1997)

Apple made the decision to let other manufacturers make and sell Mac hardware too late to stop crappy Windows PCs from taking over the world. And it then made the mistake of letting the Mac clone makers produce pro computers—such as the Power Computing PowerTower Pro—more powerful than Apple’s own and with a proper Pro Power name. On his return to Apple Steve Jobs took one look and quickly killed off the clones, and we were back with a not-so-brilliant range of professional Macs to choose from. (But not for long.)

Power Mac (1994-1998)  

The first Power Macs looked much like the Quadras they replaced but packed new PowerPC processors. The Power Mac 8500 was big but, at a mere 15 inches in height, no match for the near-19-inch Quadra 900. Even the Power Mac 9500 measured just 17 inches tall, but it was the most expandable Mac yet, with six PCI slots and seven internal drive bays. Seven! Unlike today where Apple hates the thought of users tinkering under the bonnet, the 9500 didn’t even ship with a graphics card. You had to add your own.

The later Power Mac 9600 came in a new-look case, which at 9.7 inches was the widest Mac tower ever, and was the easiest to get inside to add up to six drives, 12 memory chips, and six PCI cards.

Power Mac G3 (1998-1999)

The Blue & White Power Mac G3 came in easy-to-open iMac-like colored polycarbonate. The Apple logo was squeezed in between the giant “G” and “3” and reminded many of a child’s toy. And it kind of was. The G3 had just four RAM slots, no SCSI, and a very forgettable keyboard and mouse.

Power Mac G4 (1999-2004)

Predictably, Apple followed up the Power Mac G3 with the Power Mac G4. (We’ll ignore the very non-tower Power Mac G4 Cube.)

Apple went a bit nuts with the Power Mac G4, launching several variations on its tower design, starting with Graphite, moving to QuickSilver, and ending up with Mirrored Drive Doors with faux air holes. However, the Power Mac G4 looked more impressive and boasted internal FireWire, two separate USB buses, and up to 1.5GB of RAM. And some models were so noisy they earned the nickname “Windtunnel”, giving it extra pro points. Finally, in 2000, it became the first PC to feature Gigabit Ethernet as a standard feature.

Power Mac G5 (2003-2005)

The Power Mac G5 really looked the part of a proper professional Mac. Its industrial aluminum case screamed Pro and it looked as good with its door off as on.

Want more Pro cred? The G5 ran so hot, that the case was divided into four separate thermal zones, each with its own cooling system—in case it melted your desk. Its nine fans occasionally allowed you to pretend that you worked on the deck of an aircraft carrier in a state of emergency.

Mac Pro (2006-2013)

At last, a pro Mac actually named Mac Pro. Apple had already started calling its skinny laptops Pro instead of Power, so it was long overdue for the far-sturdier desktop behemoths.

The Mac Pro’s aluminum-enclosure design was little changed from 2003’s Power Mac G5 and, at 20.1 inches, was the tallest Mac tower yet. You could take the side off and use it as the roof for a small building. The Mac Pro dumped the G5 processor for Intel’s more pro-sounding dual- and quad-core Intel Xeon chips, with city-sized names such as Woodcrest, Clovertown, and Harpertown.

But, aside from the speedy chips and cheese grater design, it was barely updated and lacked then-current technologies such as SATA III, USB 3, and Thunderbolt, despite some of these being available in punier non-Pro Macs.

Pro Mac history: 17in MacBook Pro (2006-2012)

Apple had been calling its top-end MacBooks “Pro” since 2006, but it was the frankly giant 17-inch model that truly deserved the title. While all the other MacBook Pro models could be used by amateurs who hog tables at Starbucks, the 17-inch MacBook Pro was a beast fit only for the professional—specifically one with a big backpack and strong shoulders.

Its “unibody” enclosure was a single piece of aluminum, roughly the size of a jumbo jet’s emergency exit door. It had an option for a matte anti-glare display, for pro designers who flinched at the sight of a glossy screen that everyone else would have cooed over. Proper.

Mac Pro (2013-2019)

Every now and again Apple design legend Jony Ive would tire of refining the same old Mac cases and enclosures, and demand to be allowed to show off with something so wacky that everyone would resume bowing at his Clarks Wallabees shoes.

In 2013, Apple gave him a shot at making the Mac Pro look like nothing else ever designed by anyone on Earth, and he came up with something like a shiny trash can from space. Making it just 9.9 inches tall and just 6.6 inches in diameter—less than an eighth of the size of the old Mac Pro—Ive had outdone himself. Even the silly Power Mac G4 Cube looked sensible next to it.

Its very noncylindrical and massive Mac Pro predecessor boasted four hard-drive bays, two optical-drive bays, and four PCI Express slots, and you could even add a RAID card to set up an internal RAID array. Its cylindrical predecessor, on the other hand, had none of these professional expansion muscles, just a handful of slots at the back so the rest of your desk was ruined by a multitude of ugly, non-Apple boxes (that all, of course, cost a whole bunch extra).

In our Macworld review we described how the new Mac Pro “may be exactly what you want (a state-of-the-art, multi-core-processor, workstation-GPU computer that doesn’t waste space and resources on expandability you may never use), or nothing like what you need (a workhorse tower with tons of bays and slots for expansion).”

Even Ive walked away from the design with nary a glance back at his wonder-child, with the unloved cylinder holding the record for the least updated Apple product of all time at a staggering 2,182 days—just short of the duration of World War 2. 

Pro Mac history: iMac Pro (2017-2021)

In April 2017 Apple held its hands up about how useless the cylinder Mac Pro design was and promised us a totally redesigned Mac Pro. At the time, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineer, Craig Federighi admitted that “we designed ourselves into a thermal corner.”

In the meantime, Apple rolled out the iMac Pro—which looked just like a 27-inch iMac but in a highly attractive Space Gray color with accessories to match. Some (very wealthy) people bought the iMac Pro just to get their hands on the shiny Space Gray mouse.

Sadly, it suffered the same non-expandability as the alien wastebasket. Its solid-state drive was non-user-replaceable as the SSD modules were paired cryptographically with Apple’s T2 chip. It never received an update before it was retired in 2021. There are rumors, however, that a new iMac Pro might be in the works.

The iMac Pro was certainly powerful, but despite its name, it was still really just a powerful iMac.

Mac Pro (2019)

Embarrassed by its cylinder Mac Pro, Apple went back to the drawing board—actually 2006’s original Mac Pro drawing board, which itself was just the drawing board used for the Power Mac G5. Apple didn’t waste its drawing boards.

The new Mac Pro was again a hulking metallic beast. Like 2006’s Mac Pro, it had holes at the front; this time with the cheesegrater side for really hard cheese, unlike the 2006 soft-cheesegrater look that could handle only crumbly cheddar. Fully loaded, the new Mac Pro cost nearly $55,000, an expense claim even a banker would choke on, although that does include a set of $400 stainless steel wheels.

Mac Studio (2022)

It might not have the word Pro in its name, but with an Ultra processor and a dull case, the Mac Studio is every bit a pro device. In 2023, the M1 Ultra was updated to an M2 Ultra.

If it followed Apple’s other loose naming conventions it might be called a Mac mini Pro or a Fat Mini Pro.

It’s the fastest processor Apple makes and performs even better than a maxed-out 2019 Mac Pro costing 10 times as much. Until the Mac Pro got its Apple silicon makeover, the Mac Studio was Apple’s fastest Mac and the best option for pros.

Mac Pro (2023)

Apple took years to update its 2019 Mac Pro with its Silicon processor technology—I pray that no one recently forked out $55,000 for the old one with ye olde Intel inside.

Armed with a 24-core CPU, 76-core GPU M2 Ultra processor and 192GB of RAM, Apple says that it is 3x faster than the Intel version that it still looks like—but costs just $12,299 fully equipped as a rack mount or $100 cheaper with stainless steel frame with wheels. Find out more about the new Mac Pro here.

Mac, Mac Pro

If you have a Mac laptop or iMac with a display that’s been damaged or no longer turns on, but you’re sure the computer is still functioning, a repair may not be required to extract all its data or continue using it.

(In fact, without a paid AppleCare+ for Mac plan, repair costs for a display often far exceed a Mac’s value unless a repair shop can find a refurbished or salvaged display. It may be cheaper or not much more expensive to simply buy a used Mac of the same vintage with a working monitor.)

Use an external monitor to keep it alive or extract data

All Mac laptops and iMacs of the last many years support an external monitor, though the particular adapter and type varies based on the vintage of Mac:

1. Determine your Mac model and the kind of monitor and cable you need.

2. Shut down the Mac if it’s running. (If you can’t see the display well enough to select Shut Down, press and hold the power button until it powers down, which is about 10 seconds.)

3. Attach the monitor.

4. Start up the Mac. If you’re lucky, the monitor is enabled with display mirroring, so you see exactly on the monitor what would appear on the internal display.

If the external monitor shows the image of a second screen instead of a mirror of the internal display:

• See if you can bring up the Displays preference pane and check the Mirror Displays box in the Arrangement tab. Even if you can’t see it, you might be able to grab the top of the window with the cursor on the monitor that’s invisible to you and drag it to the monitor you can see! It’s a little like those terrible claw toy machines—but without being able to even see the claw or the toy.

• With a Mac laptop, shut the computer’s lid, which may transfer the display to the external monitor. You’ll need an external keyboard, too.

• Try restarting the Mac and then reset its NVRAM or PRAM per Apple’s instructions at startup. This might switch to mirrored displays.

If any of that works, you can continue to use the Mac normally, or use the second display to manage transferring data from it.

Also see: How to connect an old Apple display to a new Mac. We also have a guide to the best Mac monitors and displays.

Connect via Screen Sharing or VNC

macOS allows remote screen access via a local network using Bonjour, but only if you enabled Screen Sharing in the Sharing preference pane. If you might have done so, follow these steps:

1. Power the Mac up.

2. Go to another Mac that’s on the same network. In the Finder, look in the Locations section in the sidebar in any window. Does the Mac’s name appear?

3. If so, click the Mac’s entry. Does Share Screen appear in the upper-right corner of the Finder window?

4. If that appears, click it, and enter the account information in the Screen Sharing app that launches. You should now have access.

With Screen Sharing enabled, if you also clicked Computer Settings and enabled a password for VNC viewers, you should also or instead be able to use standard VNC screen-sharing software from any computer on the network (including a Mac), or one that can reach the network remotely.

Use Target Disk Mode

If all else fails, Target Disk Mode may save the day. This allows a Mac to mount like a hard drive on other Macs. Apple has a detailed set of instructions on its site, but the outline is:

1. Power down your damaged Mac.

2. Plug it in with the appropriate like-to-like cable with the Mac you want to mount it on.

3. Start up your damaged Mac while holding down the T key.

If all is well, your Mac with a broken display appears as a mounted drive on the Mac to which it’s attached.

Note that Target Disk Mode is a bit different on M-series Macs, but is can be done, see: All the new ways of doing things on M1 Macs.

This Mac 911 article is in response to a question submitted by Macworld reader Meredith.

Ask Mac 911

We’ve compiled a list of the questions we get asked most frequently along with answers and links to columns: read our super FAQ to see if your question is covered. If not, we’re always looking for new problems to solve! Email yours to mac911@macworld.comincluding screen captures as appropriate, and whether you want your full name used. Not every question will be answered, we don’t reply to email, and we cannot provide direct troubleshooting advice.

iMac, Mac, MacBook, Monitors

Plug your MacBook in and out of a multi-port docking station to swiftly add devices and external displays to your laptop. We tested a bunch to find the best Thunderbolt 3 and 4 and USB-C docks available to owners of the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro.

Thunderbolt 3, 4 or USB-C

The connectors all look the same, but there are significant differences, particularly on speed—with USB-C maxing out at 10Gbps (usually 5Gbps) compared to the 40Gbps of Thunderbolt 3 and 4. That extra bandwidth allows not just for faster data transfer but higher frame rates to external displays, plus some other smart benefits.

Of Apple’s current laptop range, the M1 and M2 MacBook Air and 13in M1 MacBook Pro feature two Thunderbolt 3 (TB3) ports, while the 14in and 16in M1 Pro or M1 Max MacBook Pro models come with three Thunderbolt 4 (TB4 ports.

Apple’s older 12in MacBook features one 5Gbps Gen 1 USB-C port, while the later Intel MacBook Air (2018 and later) and MacBook Pro (from 2016) boast either two or four 40Gbps Thunderbolt 3 ports.

If your MacBook is equipped with Thunderbolt 4, then you really should buy a TB4 dock if you need more ports than those 14/16in laptops already possess.

Buying a Thunderbolt 4 dock is a wise decision based on future-proofing even for owners of TB3 Macs as the standard is backwards compatible with TB3 and USB-C. That said, there are still some great—and often more affordable—TB3 docks available, and most Apple users won’t see much difference between TB3 and TB4—the Thunderbolt 4 standard was mainly about getting Windows laptops up to speed, although there are technical benefits for MacBook Pro users, such as smarter daisy-chaining and faster PCI hard-drive connections.

We have included some cheaper non-Thunderbolt USB-C docks. If you don’t require the ultimate bandwidth for the fastest data transfer and best screen frame rates or resolutions, a USB-C dock might suit your purposes and save you money. 

Add external displays to your MacBook

If you use your laptop as your principal computer, you would do well to consider attaching at least one larger display to create a hybrid desktop/laptop setup (with a keyboard, mouse and printer all available via a single connection to your MacBook). You can turn that 13in laptop screen into an iMac-sized 27in or even larger monitor by adding an extra display—or connect two large screens to extend your screen across your whole desk.

If you want to connect more than one external display to your MacBook you’ll need a Thunderbolt dock, rather than a USB-C dock. Natively over USB-C, Macs can only connect to one external display in Extended mode (where the screen extends beyond what you can see on the laptop screen, as opposed to Mirrored mode that replicates exactly what you get on the laptop screen) but you’ll get two Extended mode screens over a Thunderbolt connection.

While Apple’s MacBooks featuring the company’s own M1 or M2 Silicon chip are super speedy compared to the models sporting Intel processors, early models come with an incredible limitation: they don’t support more than one external display in Extended Mode even via their Thunderbolt 3 ports. This means that when using any docking station, M1 MacBook users cannot extend their desktop over two or more displays, and will be limited to either dual Mirrored displays or one external display—although there are software workarounds and dedicated docks that allow you to add more than one external monitor to an M1 or M2 MacBook.

Thankfully, the superior M1 Pro and M1 Max MacBook Pro models can support multiple displays.

Do I need a docking station?

The new M1 Pro/Max MacBook Pro models boast a wider range of built-in ports, so lighter users might not need a docking station at all.

With three TB4 and an HDMI port, a MacBook with an M1 Max could connect to up to four external displays without the need for a dock, although such a power user would likely require extra Thunderbolt ports for other devices to make up for using all the laptop ports for multiple monitors.

These MacBooks also have an SD card reader. Although this is rated as UHS-II (312MBps), Apple has pegged it back at 250MBps, so for the fastest speeds (and a microSD slot if you need one), a dock will likely be a better choice for memory-card use if it is rated at UHS-II rather than UHS-I (104MBps).

MacBooks also lack wired Internet access via a Gigabit Ethernet port, so if you want to escape flaky Wi-Fi, buy a dock with at least Gigabit Ethernet, although you could add a Thunderbolt-to-Ethernet adapter if you have a spare TB port. Some later docks include faster 2.5Gb Ethernet but you’ll need a 2.5GbE router or other device to get the benefit. As Gigabit Ethernet’s speed is 1Gbps, a cheaper 5Gbps USB-C to Ethernet adapter will work just as well.

If you just need a few extra ports, a USB-C hub or Thunderbolt 4 hub might be your best choice. If you require a bunch of fast ports including Gigabit Ethernet, then look for a docking station that fulfils your needs.

USB-C and Thunderbolt speeds

Thunderbolt vs USB-C dock compatibility

Plain USB-C runs at either 5Gbps or 10Gbps, while Thunderbolt (TB3 and TB4) hits speeds of 40Gbps. You can hook up a Thunderbolt laptop to a USB-C dock but you won’t access the faster speeds unless you buy a true Thunderbolt dock.

• USB and Thunderbolt speeds explained

Docks with a Titan Ridge or Goshen Ridge chipset will work with both Thunderbolt and USB-C laptops. Other Thunderbolt docks won’t work with USB-C laptops, such as the 12in MacBook. With Titan Ridge and Goshen Ridge, you get all the benefits of a Thunderbolt dock, but can use it with non-Thunderbolt laptops, too.

In the review list below, we state at the top which type of laptop (USB-C or Thunderbolt) each docking station is compatible with.

Our sister website Tech Advisor has separately tested all the best Thunderbolt 4 hubs and docks.

USB PD: Power Delivery for your laptop

Look out for a dock with USB PD. The PD stands for Power Delivery. 

Charging the laptop: The M1 and M2 MacBook Air require a PD charger with at least 30W power. You’ll need 67W for the 13-inch MacBook Pro and 14-inch MBP (with M1 Pro with 8-core CPU), 96W for 14-inch MBP (with M1 Pro with 10-core CPU or M1 Max), 96W (preferably 140W) for the 16-inch MBP. 13in MacBook Air. The older 15in MacBook Pro requires a 87W PD charger.

An 85W/96W MacBook Pro can be charged by a 30W or 60W charger, but slower than it would be with its native charger. A larger MacBook with a heavy workload might start fading on a lower wattage charger and not last all day even when plugged into a power source.

If you own a larger MacBook Pro, buy a dock with a PD (Power Delivery) potential of at least 90W if you can. More portable hubs are usually rated at lower power.

Charging the docked devices: Some docks don’t feature an external power supply but actually use your laptop to draw power from. Add too many devices to one of these docks and you may well experience power issues, as USB-C can handle just 7.5W bus-device power while Thunderbolt can pass back 15W.

If you just need a spare charger, we’ve tested the best MacBook chargers for you.

Whole lotta ports

You need one (“upstream”) Thunderbolt port for connecting to and charging your laptop (although the 14/16in MacBooks can also power via the MagSafe port), and likely at least another (“downstream”) to attach further devices (hard drives, external display, and others).

There are many cheap adapters that let you add more devices to a USB-C or Thunderbolt MacBook (see our roundup of the best USB-C adapters for Macs), but for maximum flexibility check out these docking stations that take care of all your extra port requirements, and allow you to simply attach it to your laptop with just one cable when you get to the office or come home.

Here we concentrate on Thunderbolt docks, but also include cheaper USB-C docks—which Thunderbolt MacBooks can use, but at the cost of reduced bandwidth and display limitations. For more non-Thunderbolt USB-C-only docks check out Tech Advisor’s roundup of the best USB-C docking stations for laptops. Tech Advisor also reviews all the available Thunderbolt 4 docks.

Docks aren’t just for MacBooks. Mac mini (2018 and later) and iMac (2017 and later) owners may also consider expanding their ports with a Thunderbolt docking station.

The inclusion of an SD or microSD card reader isn’t just for camera buffs. It’s a convenient and affordable way to add storage to your laptop setup. We found a 512GB Samsung Evo microSD card on Amazon for around $100 in the US and under £100 in the UK. That’s a very cheap way of adding half a terabyte of portable storage. For more details read up on our best microSD cards.

Now think about a stand to go alongside the dock

These MacBook docking stations look and work great with a laptop stand, and we’ve also tested some
MacBook-friendly stands that lack all the extra ports but keep your MacBook/Air/Pro upright and out of the way: further saving valuable desk space, reducing clutter, keeping your laptop cool, and saving it from spills.

Read our best MacBook accessories feature for more essential laptop gear.

Accessories, Computer Accessories, Laptop Accessories

Best Prices Today: CopGain Dual Laptop Screen Extender

MacBooks can quickly and easily hook up to external displays for greater desk-based screen space. While the plain M1/M2 MacBooks support just one extra screen, the 16-inch MacBook Pro (M2 Max) supports up to four monitors.

On its own, the built-in 16-inch screen is gigantic compared to that on the 13-inch MacBook Air, but rather poky when you’re working on a complex spreadsheet or wanting to enjoy a big-budget streaming movie in more glory than in-flight entertainment.

What the large built-in laptop screen does offer, of course, is portability. You can’t lug that 32-inch 4K Samsung display to your local coffee shop or fit it on your airplane-seat foldout tray. You can buy portable external displays at up to 17 inches—not much larger than the laptop’s own. The INNOCN Portable Monitor 15.6-inch USB-C Laptop Monitor is one of the best.

But the CopGain Dual Laptop Screen Extender is something different: it’s a screen that physically attaches to your laptop, rather than just linking by USB cable. You can then carry around your very own dual-screen laptop in one simple if rather bulky package.

Function over form

The CopGain Dual Laptop Screen Extender isn’t a looker, but it’s quite a head-turner. With this second screen extended, I’ve had people walking past stop and gape with curiosity at my two-headed mutant MacBook. It takes some getting used to and Jony Ive would probably attack it with a claw hammer, but it would be wrong to say that this Frankenstein’s monster is ugly or doesn’t at least try to fit the Apple aesthetic.

The second screen measures 12 inches diagonally for 13-inch and 14-inch MacBooks and 14 inches for the 16-inch MacBook model. (I tested it with a 14-inch MacBook Pro.) Attaching the screen isn’t difficult but the instructions could be a lot clearer, as most people have no doubt experienced when constructing flat-pack furniture. Basically, it attaches to the laptop with a bracket that can be firmly affixed to your MacBook with a removable nano-adhesive.

The screen is nowhere near as sharp and clear as the MacBook’s own—available resolutions range from 960×540 to 1920×1080 at 60Hz. While the higher resolution offers a lot of virtual screen space, at 12 inches it is difficult to make out much. Using the lower resolution means you can see details more easily. Working with a complex Excel sheet on the second screen was a real help during video calls, or you could set it to play a movie while you work on something on the laptop’s screen. However, you wouldn’t want to work solely on the second screen or use it for editing in Photoshop.

The screen can be folded back into its special case and protected with one of two included magnetic covers—a metal cover that matches the MacBook’s own coloring, and a gray faux leather cover. This makes it easy to carry, although it significantly bulks up the otherwise slim MacBook at over half an inch and 1.87 pounds (850g). The height of the MacBook more than doubles from 0.61 inches (1.55cm) to 1.38 inches (3.5cm), and weight increases massively from 3.5 pounds (1.6kg) to 5.4 pounds (2.4kg). That’s the same heft as the original PowerBook G4 in 2001.

As with an external display, you can control the brightness, contrast, sharpness, hue, dynamic contrast ratio, color temperature, and other aspects via a small onscreen panel. How to use these functions is not obvious—you’ll need to work it out yourself by tapping and double-tapping the small scroll wheel on the screen mount.

The screen rotates about 200 degrees (less than the 270 degrees that the manufacturer claims), and will work even when folded back, meaning you could work on the MacBook’s own screen while showing the second screen on the back of the laptop—ideal if you want to show off what you are doing to someone (in mirrored mode) or let your kid watch a movie while you work (in extended mode).

Like an external display, you can set the second screen to either mirror your laptop’s screen or extend it for extra real estate. For example, in Slide Show mode presentations can be split across the two screens—one showing the full-screen slides and the other for the presenter with the next slide and notes. Just click Swap Displays in PowerPoint, depending on how you want it. This mode works best if you’re presenting to people in front of your Mac, with the screen folded back to face them.

Should you buy a CopGain Dual Laptop Screen Extender?

The CopGain Dual Laptop Screen Extender ranges from $299 to $339 depending on the size of the MacBook it will be attached to. That’s expensive for a second screen—especially one this small—but you are paying for portability and convenience rather than screen acreage.

It’s not a desktop solution. This dual-screen MacBook solution is perfect for small-group presentations and other specific on-the-move and in-meeting screen space extension needs. If you want a permanent larger screen at home or in the office, simply buy a bigger external display.

If you don’t mind bulking up and weighing down your MacBook, and have a real need for a foldable, portable second screen or want to share one laptop between two people at the same time, the Dual Laptop Screen Extender may well be your solution. It fits well and doesn’t disgrace the MacBook’s looks. But if you just need occasional extra screen space, we recommend a larger portable screen or a more permanent standard external display.

Laptop Accessories, MacBook