M3 Max Macbook Pro external display capability

[Mr Rib]

So I pulled the trigger on M3 Max - I bought the 16-core CPU / 40-core GPU version with 64 GB RAM (damn it's fast btw..I'm quite impressed).

I will be getting a Cintiq Pro 27 tablet display soon, which operates at 4K @120Hz with 10-bit color depth.
After that, I will be looking into getting a 4K+ 120Hz 10-bit color depth external display (hopefully Apple XDR successor) - I would like to be able to use them both simultaneously (with my Macbook being pretty much just a computing unit that I have the luxury of using outdoors and take with me when I meet my clients). So will it be possible to use both of them or would I need two Displayports on my Mac for that kind of bandwidth? From what I understand, 4K 120HZ 10-bit with lossless compression needs 40 Gbps bandwidth, which is what Thunderbolt 4 port is capable of - so in theory I >SHOULD< be able to run my Wacom Cintiq on a Thunderbolt 4 port and keep the HDMI port available for something that needs more bandwidth (as I said, 4K+ - my dream monitor would be a non-OLED 30" 6K 120HZ 10-bit display by Apple, but I know they will f*ck up and come up with something silly / no pro really needs...)

I'm aware Apple gave some display configuration examples in their tech spec but this doesn't include my (a bit particular / peculiar) case.
Thanks

 

[chabig]

Apple’s tech specs tell all. Your machine will easily support that.

M3 Max

• Simultaneously supports full native resolution on the built-in display at 1 billion colors and:
• Up to four external displays: Up to three external displays with 6K resolution at 60Hz over Thunderbolt and one external display with up to 4K resolution at 144Hz over HDMI
• Up to three external displays: Up to two external displays with 6K resolution at 60Hz over Thunderbolt and one external display with up to 8K resolution at 60Hz or one external display with 4K resolution at 240Hz over HDMI

MacBook Pro - Tech Specs

See all the technical specifications for the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro with the M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max chips.

www.apple.com

 

[Basic75]

Bandwidth limitations aside, if you want to run two displays from a single USB-C port then the first display must be connected via Thunderbolt because Apple only supports daisy-chaining via Thunderbolt, not via DisplayPort due to lack of MST.

 

[Mr Rib]

Apple’s tech specs tell all. Your machine will easily support that.

MacBook Pro - Tech Specs

See all the technical specifications for the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro with the M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max chips.

www.apple.com

Does it? It states:
"Thunderbolt 4 digital video output
Support for native DisplayPort output over USB‑C (M3 Pro and M3 Max)"
Ok but WHICH DisplayPort version output?

"Up to two external displays with 6K resolution at 60Hz" is a bit vague as well - they haven't mentioned color depth. So, fact that it can run 6K at 60Hz doesn't necessarily translates to 4K 120Hz 10-bit capability (I think, I'm not an expert -it sounds it should handle it but who knows- if it was 6K 60Hz but 8-bit color, Apple wouldn't state it - they prefer to hide that sort of stuff from customers, it's their bad habit)

Bandwidth limitations aside, if you want to run two displays from a single USB-C port then the first display must be connected via Thunderbolt because Apple only supports daisy-chaining via Thunderbolt, not via DisplayPort due to lack of MST.

I am not planning to do that. And by the way all 3 USB-C ports in M3 Max are Thunderbolt 4.

 

[Basic75]

I am not planning to do that. And by the way all 3 USB-C ports in M3 Max are Thunderbolt 4.

Right, your "will it be possible to use both of them or would I need two Displayports on my Mac" sounded like you wanted to just use a single port. And yes, that is correct.

 

[Chancha]

The short answer to what you asked is : yes, what you plan will work, and yes 4k120 10-bit absolutely consumes one whole port’s bandwidth.

4k120 has worked even for a base M1 Air as long as you do it with type-C DP alt-mode.

Then the HDMI “2.1” on MBP has gotten HBR3 since last gen I think. Matter of fact I am outputting 4k120-10 from my M3 Max 16” to an LG OLED CX right now. I can even spot the slow response ghosting issue of the 16” display when comparing it to the OLED.