Ok, next step would be to use SwitchResX on macOS or CRU in Windows to create 5120x2880 timings between 30Hz and 38Hz using CVT-RB timing. And test each one. Maybe CVT-RB v2 might give an extra frame per second.
I don't see any reason for audio to be affected. It's a USB device. Probably USB 2.0 so it doesn't require much bandwidth (check macOS System Information.app's USB tab).
Connecting the 24MD4KL via USB-C (doesn't matter what you connect it to) limits its downstream USB ports to USB 2.0:
4K60 + USB 3.0 requires Thunderbolt connection which Sunix cannot do.
That explains why the connection appears through a USB 2.1 hub when connected via USB-C. So that's another shortcoming of solution 2. If Thunderbolt is the only option here, then perhaps I should remove the requirement for USB 3.x. In that case, the Wacom Link Plus might actually be the best solution, if the crackling audio can be fixed.
Right. So other than possibly fixing the crackling audio, there would be no advantage over the Wacom Link Plus.
I wonder if drivers from Mac firmware could be used. There has been some success in this direction:
www.tonymacx86.com
As far as I known, there are no USB 3.x EFI drivers compatible with the Mac Pro 5,1. I'm fine with not having USB at preboot. It's just unfortunate that a reboot is required to get brightness and audio controls.
If you have a 10th-gen CPU, you can hook up two external displays (three if the laptop display is off). The UltraFine 5K already counts as two 2560×2880 displays, so you won't be able to also hook up the UltraFine 4K unless you disable the laptop display.
True. Code exists for UEFI USB 3.x drivers but it needs modification to work with EFI 1.x and even then there are some issues. It's a work in progress.
Each Thunderbolt 4 port of the Dell can have 2 displays connected to it. But what is the total number of displays that can be connected? I think Intel graphics is limited to 3 displays?
I think the camera is a normal USB camera so you don't need extra drivers for that (just like audio is a normal USB audio device). If it's not then you would need to install the Boot Camp drivers. You should probably do that anyway for brightness control.
The first M1 Macs had two DisplayPort connections to the Thunderbolt controller but the second connection can only be used by a dual link SST display such as the LG UltraFine 5K or Dell UP2715K.
If you have the older UltraFine 5K (27MD5KA) that requires Thunderbolt 3 input: You need an HDMI to DisplayPort converter (like this one) and a Thunderbolt 3 add-in card (like the Gigabyte GC-TITAN RIDGE), installed in e.g. a powered riser. You'll be limited to "4K" resolution, if it works in the first place.
Thank you very much for your detailed response. I am really impressed with your knowledge about monitors.
Windows can do 5K60 on the LG UltraFine 5K with a 40 Gbps Thunderbolt 3/4 cable if it's connected to a Thunderbolt 4 port or a Thunderbolt 3 port that supports two displays.
Which USB function? Did you test any other USB devices with the Sunix UPD2018?
I think you need the boot camp driver. Search for other posts where people have tried it.
Right. The Boot Camp drivers I mentioned would more useful for Apple's displays.
Thanks. I’ll look into those options. (I did read that egpu thread before.) Though, I use the MacOS app Lunar to control an external monitor’s brightness level through DCC, like the Windows app mentioned in the first post in this thread. It works really great for my existing external monitor.
