Is the 14" MBP really the 'cheapest' model to support two external screens?

[gctwnl]

At some point I will have to replace my ageing MacBooks. I am using a 13' because that is the size that makes it portable. And at home it is used in clamshell mode with two external screens.

It seems however that Apple, even with all that massive extra GPU horsepower, only starting with the 14" Pro supports attaching two external screens. The mini (same power, it is a laptop without a screen/etc after all) can handle multiple screens. This I find crazy. A MacBook Air M2 (or even an M1) should easily be capable of driving something like two 2560x1440 screens, but this is simply blocked.

So, this would mean maybe buy a Mini and a MacBook, but that would double much of the software cost.

I am amazed. Why does Apple block this?

 

[salamanderjuice]

The reason the base M1/2 Mini can drive two screens is because it doesn't have a built-in screen. The base M1/2 chips only have two display controllers, on the laptops one is used for the built-in screen so you get one for external use. The Pro, Max, Ultra variants all add display controllers so they can handle more displays.

Is it ridiculous? Absolutely. My Steam Deck can handle more external displays than a MBA that's triple the price and has double the USB C ports.

Apple probably knows there's enough people that don't care about external displays and those that do and still want macOS will pony up for a 14" or better.

 

[Wokis]

I dislike the fact that I had to buy a DisplayLink adapter to make an Air work for me in my daily life, but I have to say that the solution has so far worked really well for me. Have to do some really extreme stuff to notice any delay or compression on the second monitor.

I only get reminded that the Air doesn't support two displays when I read these forums

 

[tstafford]

Yep. Annoying as heck. I waited for the announcement of the M2 MBA and when its specs were available immediately bought an M1P MBP.