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Thunderbolt 3/USB-C to DisplayPort (or HDMI) cable

invincible-guy

invincible-guy

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 11, 2017
5
1
India
I have MacBook Pro 13" with Thunderbolt 3/USB-C ports. Yesterday, I received a new Dell monitor. Monitor has 2 input ports - HDMI and DisplayPort.

I am looking for cable (not adapter) to connect my MacBook Pro directly to Dell monitor.

Please provide few suggestions and if you have first hand experience with any particular cable, please provide short summary of it as well.
 
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robvas

robvas

macrumors 68040
Mar 29, 2009
3,240
630
USA
I have the 6 ft Startech one. Wish I had bought the 3 foot because it's annoying long, but it works perfectly and it was only $33 on Amazon.
 
JPGR_Fan

JPGR_Fan

macrumors regular
Apr 5, 2003
188
29
St. Louis
I am using this from Amazon. I would read the reviews of the product to see if others have had success with Dell monitors. My monitor is LG, and they try to insist you use the included cables, but they didn't work with USB-C adapter.

Plugable USB-C to DisplayPort Adapter Cable (6'/1.8m) for 2016/2017 MacBook Pro, MacBook 12" 2015/2016, Surface Book 2, Thunderbolt 3 (Supports 4K/UHD Displays up to 3840x2160@60Hz)
 
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D

danbalsh

macrumors 6502
May 7, 2003
317
477
JPGR_Fan said:
I am using this from Amazon. I would read the reviews of the product to see if others have had success with Dell monitors. My monitor is LG, and they try to insist you use the included cables, but they didn't work with USB-C adapter.

Plugable USB-C to DisplayPort Adapter Cable (6'/1.8m) for 2016/2017 MacBook Pro, MacBook 12" 2015/2016, Surface Book 2, Thunderbolt 3 (Supports 4K/UHD Displays up to 3840x2160@60Hz)
Click to expand...

I'm using this exact cable with my MacBook Pro 2016 and Dell monitor and it's perfect :)
 
bcbickers

bcbickers

macrumors member
Jan 13, 2011
50
21
Katy, TX
I use two Startech USB-C to HDMI cables to connect my 22" displays to my 13" tbMBP. This cable will only do 4K @ 30Hz, but my monitors are 1080p so everything works perfectly. It causes cable hell with two external displays, power, my Plantronics headset, and my Logitech kb/mouse receiver, but the cables work well. I am holding out for the Henge horizontal dock hoping that it will solve my docking woes. :p

Anyways, here is the link. Hope this helps!

https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com...&sr=8-3&keywords=startech+usb-c+to+hdmi+cable
 
parseckadet

parseckadet

macrumors 65816
Dec 13, 2010
1,495
1,277
Denver, CO
bcbickers said:
I use two Startech USB-C to HDMI cables to connect my 22" displays to my 13" tbMBP. This cable will only do 4K @ 30Hz, but my monitors are 1080p so everything works perfectly.
Click to expand...

I think the 30 Hz restriction is due to a limitation of HDMI. I have Dell and Acer 4K displays, and both of them require DisplayPort for 4K @ 60Hz.
 
doitdada

doitdada

Suspended
Oct 14, 2013
946
557
can confirm
there may be options for hdmi 2.0 out there, but mostly you will have to use a DisplayPort to get 4k@60HZ.
 
whg

whg

macrumors regular
Aug 2, 2012
236
153
Switzerland
doitdada said:
can confirm
there may be options for hdmi 2.0 out there, but mostly you will have to use a DisplayPort to get 4k@60HZ.
Click to expand...
Can confirm this too. I tried a Thunderbolt 3 to DisplayPort cable with my ASUS Notebook. With this I could drive my 4k monitor with 60Hz. I have not yet tested this with a Macbook.

Other options are Thunderbolt 3 docking stations. The more expensive ones do have DisplayPorts. Unfortunately, the OWC dock only delivers 60W charging. Other docks with 85W lack some other features. I need 87W for my Macbook Pro 15".
 
parseckadet

parseckadet

macrumors 65816
Dec 13, 2010
1,495
1,277
Denver, CO
whg said:
Can confirm this too. I tried a Thunderbolt 3 to DisplayPort cable with my ASUS Notebook. With this I could drive my 4k monitor with 60Hz. I have not yet tested this with a Macbook.

Other options are Thunderbolt 3 docking stations. The more expensive ones do have DisplayPorts. Unfortunately, the OWC dock only delivers 60W charging. Other docks with 85W lack some other features. I need 87W for my Macbook Pro 15".
Click to expand...
Just curious what the OWC does that you need. I'm looking at the CalDigit, the full size one not the lite. The only advantage the OWC has over that as far as I can tell is it gives you more USB-A ports.
 
whg

whg

macrumors regular
Aug 2, 2012
236
153
Switzerland
parseckadet said:
Just curious what the OWC does that you need. I'm looking at the CalDigit, the full size one not the lite. The only advantage the OWC has over that as far as I can tell is it gives you more USB-A ports.
Click to expand...
I think the CalDigit has no SD card slot and the eSata ports are useless to me.
 
airlied

airlied

macrumors 6502
Jul 8, 2011
382
59
invincible-guy said:
I have MacBook Pro 13" with Thunderbolt 3/USB-C ports. Yesterday, I received a new Dell monitor. Monitor has 2 input ports - HDMI and DisplayPort.

I am looking for cable (not adapter) to connect my MacBook Pro directly to Dell monitor.

Please provide few suggestions and if you have first hand experience with any particular cable, please provide short summary of it as well.
Click to expand...

for displayport, trust me just get this one:
https://www.amazon.com/CHOETECH-Thu...mi+cable&qid=1536130882&sr=8-2&ref=mp_s_a_1_2


for hdmi, get satechi:
https://satechi.net/collections/usb-type-c/products/aluminum-type-c-to-hdmi-cable-4k-60hz
 
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