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Cassady

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jul 7, 2012
568
205
Sqornshellous
Hope I can get some advice, to confirm I am not missing something obvious!?

New entry-level MBP 14" has just arrived (16/512), upgrading from mid-2015 15" MBP 16/1TB.
I now need to work out how to connect my old-skool external monitors.

All the posts/Youtube videos I have researched are, understandably, advising people on how to connect UHD/4K/5K "modern" monitors of various shapes/sizes/DPIs and what not.

That's not what I need for the foreseeable future.
At home, 1x 23" 1080P Dell that can connect via DP/DVI – and a Samsung 22"(?) (solely) VGA monitor (the 90s have called – I haven't returned it yet!).
At work, 2x 23" Dell monitors, also 1080p – one that is limited to DP/DVI, and the other to DVI/VGA as connection options.

Thank you in advance to all those who might feel inclined to suggest I "solve" this problem by upgrading my monitors. Let's just assume that isn't going to happen for now.

Question regarding what is then preferable here?

Option A: Purchase 4x cables (I think most configurations are available on Amazon?) that are then either of/combination of DVI<>USB-C or DP<>USB-C or VGA<>USB-C – that I then plug directly into 1 of my 3 USB-C ports, and ensure I convert one of the DP/DVI cables to HDMI to then use the HDMI port?

Option B: Simply purchase 1 x converter to take up one of the 3 USB-Cs (DP/DVI<>USB-C), along with the DVI/DP<>HDMI cable for the HDMI port;

Option C: Purchase a cheap non-thunderbolt (as opposed to Caldigit/OWC/Belkin etc.) USB-C hub, that offers the closest to what I need (i.e. with DP and VGA support), to then have 2 USB-C ports still available? Regardless, will most likely still have to combine this with either converters or cables, for one of the monitors – through HDMI (to get the proper extension of the screen, as opposed to mirroring on both).

Am I correct in that the advantage of Option C, is that I still have 2/3 of my USB-C ports available. But other than that, I am still unplugging 2 things (HDMI and hub-cable when going home/moving around work). And if I go for the cable option, then I'm no worse off?

Lastly, going with Option A or B will guarantee proper extension – (Screen A = MBP, Screen B = 1 External, Screen C = 2nd External), as opposed to my not necessarily getting that over the hub (which will then require 1 monitor in via Hub, and 1 monitor in via HDMI in any event)?
 

joevt

macrumors 604
Jun 21, 2012
6,968
4,262
You can only connect one display to USB-C dock.
You can connect two displays to a Thunderbolt 4 hub or dock or Thunderbolt 3 dock. The least expensive is a Thunderbolt 3 to Dual DisplayPort Adapter. The next least expensive is a Thunderbolt 4 hub.
 

Cassady

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jul 7, 2012
568
205
Sqornshellous
You can only connect one display to USB-C dock.
You can connect two displays to a Thunderbolt 4 hub or dock or Thunderbolt 3 dock. The least expensive is a Thunderbolt 3 to Dual DisplayPort Adapter. The next least expensive is a Thunderbolt 4 hub.

Thanks. This helps. I think a combination of connectivity is probably inevitable.
 
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