Triple monitor setup - Displaylink?

[petew89]

Hi all. My current set up is a 2018 Intel Mac mini connected to:

- 1x Apple 27" Thunderbolt display
- 2x BenQ 1080p HDMI monitors

I'd like to swap out the Mac mini for an M2 Air but need a dock/hub that will allow me to maintain the 3 monitor setup while laptop is in clamshell mode. I understand DisplayLink might help make this happen, but don't really understand all the ins and outs..

Any recommendations?

Also FWIW I'd ideally love to swap out the Thunderbolt display for a Studio Display, but I'm guessing the 5K display plus 2x 1080p monitors might not be doable with DisplayLink?

 

[Amethyst1]

The M2 Air can only drive one external display (which can be a Studio Display), so your second and third display will have to use DisplayLink. As long as you have a display connected directly to the Mac, you can use DisplayLink in combination with clamshell mode.

 

[petew89]

The M2 Air can only drive one external display (which can be a Studio Display), so your second and third display will have to use DisplayLink. As long as you have a display connected directly to the Mac, you can use DisplayLink in combination with clamshell mode.

Thanks for the reply!

So I'd just need to plug something like this into the back of the Studio Display to connect up the second and third displays?

OWC USB-C Dual HDMI 4K Display Adapter with DisplayLink

Easily add two HDMI displays up to 4K to any Apple M1, M2 & M3 Mac or computer with a USB-C or Thunderbolt port. Includes a 1-year OWC warranty.

eshop.macsales.com

 

[salamanderjuice]

I think if you're going to be using 3 monitors on the regular you should either strongly consider paying more for a M1 Pro or better MBP to get native support. Or consider buying a PC that can do it (most for the price of an M2 Air can)

DisplayLink has some limitations. I don't believe HDCP works, so no Netflix, etc. on those displays. It's a software solution that eats CPU cycles although 2 1080p monitors might not be that noticable on a modern machine and 3D content doesn't work well on DisplayLink connected monitors either. Since it's a software problem you could run into issues like the driver for your dock not being compatible with a new version of MacOS down the line. Last time I used DisplayLink (admittedly a few years ago on Windows) I had to uninstall the driver to play any 3D game on my Laptops display because it borked something.

You have to get a DisplayLink compatible dock or hub too. Something like that OWC would work although you can't daisy chain. Must be directly connected.

 

[Wokis]

The dock doesn't need to know squat about DisplayLink if you have a separate DisplayLink compatible adapter connected to it that does the job. Either the OWC you linked or this one from startech . You can connect such adapters to the dock, don't need to go directly into the laptop.

I've been running 1x 1440p display on DisplayLink (other one native) since I got my M2 Air and it's been pretty good. I was expecting more issues tbh. Though be aware that if you completely tax out the M2 (constant renders etc) you'll start seeing lag and other odd things happen. High motion content will also cost more CPU-cycles.

I am especially impressed with the DisplayLink teams' ability to specifically target their drivers for Mac. They had Ventura support ready day one and have been working on a HiDPI mode for 1440p monitors (currently in beta). I would highly recommend going with DisplayLink rather than other alternative solutions where you see just one two-year old soggy driver available.