Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Thunderbolt display
- Thread starter Nclee
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I'm using Apple Thunderbolt Display with my M1 MacBook Pro. It works fine. Of course, as with previous generations, you need the Thunderbolt 2-3 adapter. And you need to use another port for charging the MacBook (if you do want it to charge), so you won't have any free ports (except for ones on the display itself).
I doubt it. Apple officially does not support more than one external monitor on the M1 MBPs. Some people found a way to get up to 5 monitors working, but it uses displayport tech and third party software:
Here's my M1 Mini connected to a 27" Thunderbolt display (center) using Apple's TB3-TB2 adapter and 27" Asus (right) connected straight to HDMI, and my 16" MBP it was replaced (left) due to heat and small screen:
You can't with the M1 Macbook.
Supports only 1 display.
I have the M1 Mini and it supports 2.
You would need to find a DisplayLink hub that supports Thunderbolt displays. Most of the new ones that I have seen are HDMI and/or Displayport only.
You may be able to do this with a PCIe Thunderbolt card. But it will not be simple.
I believe if you get the Gigabyte Titan Ridge PCIe Thunderbolt card, which has DisplayPort inputs and Thunderbolt 3 outputs - you can connect this to your M1 MBP (via a DisplayLink-> DisplayPort adapter).
The only issue is powering the PCIe card. As far as I know, you do not need to have it connected to a computer, only powered up. So it could work in a PCIe external enclosure. Some have them working with basic slots powered by a small PSU.
You would end up with:
MBP -> thunderbolt out -> TB2 adapter->TB monitor 1
MBP -> thunderbolt out -> DisplayLink adapter (DisplayPort out) -> Gigabyte card DisplayPort input -> Gigabyte card thunderbolt output -> TB2 adapter-> TB monitor 2
It may be easier to buy a (non-thunderbolt) 2nd monitor?
You can have 2 displays (maybe more) by using a DisplayLink capable Dock. I do this with a Dell D6000 dock, but there are plenty of other options.
Do your Thunderbolt displays have other kinds of inputs (HDMI, DisplayPort, DVI)?
Most docks will have HDMI and/or DisplayPort outputs. If your display only has TB inputs, you may be able to find an adapter to make it work. Presumably the TB port is actually using the DisplayPort protocol, so chances are good.
The Apple Thunderbolt display only accepts Thunderbolt 2 over a DisplayPort plug.
That's what I suspected. However TB just uses DisplayPort as a protocol (AFAIK), so you should be OK with a DisplayPort to TB 2 cable, which can connect a Dock (many have DP outputs) to your display.
Mini DisplayPort to DisplayPort(Mini DP to DP) Cable, GANA 4K Resolution DisplayPort to Mini DisplayPort(Thunderbolt Compatible) Cable 6 Feet - Black
Mini DisplayPort to DisplayPort(Mini DP to DP) Cable, GANA 4K Resolution DisplayPort to Mini DisplayPort(Thunderbolt Compatible) Cable 6 Feet - Black
www.amazon.com.au
That probably won't work. The Thunderbolt Display is a hub as well as a display. I'm fairly certain it requires a Thunderbolt connection.That's what I suspected. However TB just uses DisplayPort as a protocol (AFAIK), so you should be OK with a DisplayPort to TB 2 cable, which can connect a Dock (many have DP outputs) to your display.
Mini DisplayPort to DisplayPort(Mini DP to DP) Cable, GANA 4K Resolution DisplayPort to Mini DisplayPort(Thunderbolt Compatible) Cable 6 Feet - Black
Mini DisplayPort to DisplayPort(Mini DP to DP) Cable, GANA 4K Resolution DisplayPort to Mini DisplayPort(Thunderbolt Compatible) Cable 6 Feet - Blackwww.amazon.com.au
Ah, OK. That is quite limiting if true.
There must be some Macrumors users with this display who could test it for you. Try posting on Mac Accessories
I actually have a thunderbolt monitor. I don't think I have the appropriate cables and if it really needs to be tested with a DisplayLink hub, I don't have that either.
I bought the apple adapter usbc to thunderbolt 2 and the apple cable thunderbolt 2 to use my imac end 2012 as a monitor ,,,used the command and F2,,,,does not work,,the imac become black for 2 secondes and come back with is own screen,,,,someone have a solution?
Unfortunately it won't work. Target Display Mode - which you are trying to use by hitting CMD + F2 - is not enabled on M1 Macs. I also have a 2012 27" iMac so can confirm this doesn't work.
There's a few options, but none are ideal:
- You can use 'screen sharing' (VNC) to remotely access your M1 Mac from the iMac
- Buy a USB-C Luna Display adapter, which plugs into your M1 Mac, so you can access it from the iMac
- Teardown your iMac and remove the computer parts from the case, buy a driver board - to connect to the LCD panel from the iMac - turning it into a monitor only.
Thanks for all the feedback. I have a Plugable USB-C 4K Triple Display Docking Station with Display Link, using 2 Mini DisplayPort to DisplayPort Cable connected to my 2 Apple Thunderbolt displays. The Display Link Manager software says "no monitor detected"
I have old TB 27” monitor. Just got new MBP13” M1. Bought the TB 3-2 adaptor. MBP does not recognize. I plugged it into my old MacBook Pro and it works fine. Help!!!
I 100% can use my M1 MacBook Air with my Thunderbolt Display via the Apple TB2-TB3 adapter. Works great.
I had same problem, though with a 2009 iMac and display port. Solution was to open colorsync utility, select devices->display and on the dropdown next description on the lower profile, select standard. If standard is not an option, you are likely already running standard and my solution doesn't work for you. But you could try selecting another and reverse back again. In my case it didn't seem to detect the native resolution of 2560x1440 (which I think is the only option) and trying a lower resolution.
There's no reason why it shouldn't work. But if you're on an M1 MacBook, be it Air or 2-port 13" Pro, you'll consume both ports just to get both the display and power, assuming you aren't using a Thunderbolt 3/4 Docking station as an intermediary.
All that to say that it's probably not the best solution out there considering the ports on the back of the Thunderbolt display are all antequated (save for the Gigabit Ethernet port). You'd have a much better time with either the 27" or the 21.5" LG Ultrafine displays, let alone a Thunderbolt 3/4 dock with a monitor that has a built-in web-cam and speakers (of which there are now quite a few).