The problem is that your MBA doesn't have Thunderbolt 2, so you only have DP1.1. Is there any chance you have a friend who has a 2013 MBP Retina? The Late 2013 13" and 15" Retina books have Thunderbolt 2 which supports DP1.2. I want to pull the trigger on 2x U2414H displays, but won't until I know the Thunderbolt daisy chain will work. I also wonder if there an issue using adapters to daisy chain: MBP Retina --> mini displayport cable (thunderbolt cable) --> U2414H MDP input. MDP output --> mini displayport cable (thunderbolt cable) --> U2414H #2 MDP input
Why not just use both Thunderbolt ports on the MBP to connect to two external monitors? Or 1 Thunderbolt and 1 HDMI?
The best I could find was a 2012 MBP with Retina.
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Anyone feel free to correct me where I'm wrong, I known it's actually way more complicated once you get into the weeds, but:
Display Port
- Display Port (DP) 1.1
- 1, 2, or 4 lanes
- One of 3 fixed rates can be used
- 1.6 Gbps per lane
- 2.7 Gbps per lane
- 5.4 Gbps per lane
- To get this last fixed rate (5.4Gbps), DP1.2 must be enabled
- Once enabled, 1 lane = 5.4 Gbps, 2 lanes = 10.8 Gbps, 4 lanes = 21.6 Gbps (actual throughput is less after overhead is taken off)
- Display Port (DP) 1.2
- Up to 21.6 Gbps
- Daisy chaining / multiple monitor support is only supported on DP1.2
- Backwards compatible with DP1.1 (however, 1.1 devices, if daisy chaining, need to be at the end of the chain)
- No difference between mini-DP or DP except for smaller form factor plug on one end
Thunderbolt
- Combines DP + PCI Express
- 2 Channels: 1 channel @ 10Gbps (each direction) for display
1 channel @ 10Gbps (each direction) for device I/O
- Thunderbolt 2 = Same as Thunderbolt 1, but now you can aggregate both channels for 20Gbps in each direction.
The push for DP1.2 (21.6 Gbps) and/or Thunderbolt 2 (20Gbps) is to support 4K. You need these ports just to connect/run 1 4K monitor.
As for the Dell U2414H's, the max resolution is not quite "Ultra HD" (3840 x 2160 - 8.3 Megapixels), it's still only "Full HD" (1920 x 1080 - 2.1 Megapixels).
How much bandwidth you need depends on set resolution, bits per pixel, refresh rates, compression used, etc.
Assuming 24bits per pixel at 60Hz, two Dell U2414's would at most (theoretically) need around 7.5 Gbps - well within the spec of DP1.1 and Thunderbolt 1.
In many cases, support for DP1.2 is simply a firmware and/or driver update(s).
Personally, I'm using these monitors to hook up my PC. But I thought I'd give it a shot by hooking up my MBA, only to discover it doesn't work. My guess is that the physical pieces are there. And it just needs an update to support. Of course, since it's Apple, I'm sure it'll technically be supported but there will be some restriction on it to get one to buy a 2014 MBP with Thunderbolt 2 or a pair of Apple Thunderbolt 2 displays or some proprietary cables or, most likely, a combination of all of the above.