Advice for running 3 monitors on Mac Mini M4

[Wetcoast]

Hi:

I am currently in an iMac 2019 (27 inch 2k) with two external monitors and am thinking of getting a new set up.

Specifically, I am thinking of a Mac mini M4, but want to make sure it will handle my intended set up, which will involve 3 x monitors. My main monitor will likely be the Apple Studio Display (5K). As for the other two monitors, I am considering various different options, i.e.
(a) 1 x Asus ProArt PA27 JCV (5K) + 1 x BenQ MA27OU (4K); or
(b) 2 x BenQ MA27OU (4K); or
(c) 1 of either the Asus ProArt PA27 JCV (5K) or BenQ MA27OU (4K), and 1 of LG 24MD4KL-B (4K).

I already own the LG, but would be buying any of the others that I am considering.

The Apple Studio Display and the LG both have TB ports. The Asus and BenQ do not have TB ports, but have USB-c and HDMI ports.

According to Apple, the Mac mini M4 can handle 3 monitors, with two up to 6K (at 60 Hz) over TB and one with either 5K (at 60 Hz) over TB or 4K (at 60Hz) over HDMI.

Question 1: Does this requirement mean that the *monitors* must have a TB port to work with the Mac mini M4? If so, then it would seem I could only run one of the Asus or BenQ at a time as they would need to be connected via HDMI, and they couldn't connected otherwise since they don't have any TB ports. Or, does this requirement only mean the monitors must be connected into the TB port *of the Mac mini M4* such that I could connect the Asus or BenQ by connecting between their USB-c ports into the TB ports on the Mac mini M4?

Question 2: Assuming I can connect the Asus via its USB-c port to the TB port of the Mac mini M4, then if I wanted to run 3 x 5K monitors (e.g. 1 x Apple Studio Display, 2 x Asus) that would mean I need to connect them all via the TB ports of the Mac mini M4, according to Apple's above requirements. But that would then use up all of the Mac mini M4's three TB ports, and that is seemingly a problem since most hubs for the Mac mini M4 seem to connect to a TB port of the Mac mini M4, and I want/need a hub since I have some USB-A peripherals that I'll need to connect. What are my solutions for this if I want to run 3 x 5K monitors with the Mac mini M4? Are there hubs that can connect to the Mac mini M4 via something other than one of the TB ports?

Question 3: Notwithstanding what Apple says, is it a good idea to run a Mac mini M4 with 3 x 5K monitors (or 2 x 5K monitors and 1 x 4K monitor)? Can the Mac mini M4 effectively handle running those three, or is that pushing its limits and it will affect performance?

Thanks for any input and advice!

 

[PaulD-UK]

@Wetcoast
1. The M4 mini's TB4 ports can connect to a monitor either using Thunderbolt 3/4 cables or USB-C Alt-Mode DP1.4 cables, that can be connected to a USB-C monitor input, or it can connect to a DP 1.4 input with an adapter cable.

Alternatively a USB-C to HDMI adapter cable can be used, but the downside of that is that it needs to be a powered active adapter, and there may be power management problems with an M4 mini if all ports are used.

2. If you want to use less M4 mini ports to connect multiple monitors, then you can connect two monitors to the output TB4 ports of a TB4 hub, (it must be a TB4 hub/dock) and that only needs a single TB4 connection from the Mac.

If you use a TB4 dock, then you can buy one with additional USB-C 10Gbps ports, or card readers etc.
You can find TB4 docks with DP1.4 or HDMI output ports, but beware that only one of either of these is likely to work at the same time with MacOS.

Note: The LG 4K monitor is a Thunderbolt 3 monitor, and it works differently to USB-C Alt-Mode DP monitors.
It will need probably need its own dedicated TB4 port on the mini, and most likely won't share bandwidth connected to a dock.
It has a downstream TB3 port, so can be daisy chained to another TB3 monitor.

3. I suspect you were 'pushing its limits' much more on the 2019 iMac than you will with an M4 mini. 😉