TL; DR :
Is there a technical difference between using any of the below?
1) Apple multiport -> HDMI to HDMI
2) USB C to HDMI
3) USB C/ Thunderbolt to Displayport
It would appear that 3 should be the best option as Thunderbolt is supposed to have native displayport - but is it that straightforward?
Background: After years of maintaining a separate desktop and a laptop, I finally decided to let go of the desktop
While I have tried docking older laptops to my 4K60 monitor (and a couple of USB peripherals ) in the past, the excessive heat and performance drop (esp in the more recent MacBook Pros) with external monitors would get me scurrying back to the comfort of my desktop
With the new M1 MBA, I finally decided to go all in and sold off the ageing Mac mini as well !
Mostly happy with the decision as I get a 2 in device with no performance penalty from foregoing the desktop.
However there have been a few hiccups:
What I want to accomplish:
1) A single or at most 2 wire solution that reliably drives an external 4k60 monitor (A Samsung 27" 4K with DP, HDMI but no C/TB)
2) Other connections include charger and a few USB peripherals (ethernet adapter, external camera, Audio Dongle for a headset, external mic)
3) I would also like to have the ability to connect a windows laptop with Thunderbolt (LG Gram 2020) to the same setup (on a relatively rare basis)
What I have tried
1) Apple Multiport Adapter (A2119) - Works great most of the time , drives monitor at 4K60, single wire solution
But - sometimes I get display corruption after a sleep/resume
This happens on the internal display (incorrect scaling/ flickering - text gets too large ) which requires a reboot so that is not acceptable
2) USB C to HDMI adapter + Apple multiport Adapter - 2 wire solution but seems to work more reliably than (1) above...
The Apple MP adapter works fine for PD charging and USB peripheral duties on port 1 while leaving port 2 empty for a dedicated USB C to HDMI cable (Uni 4k60 USB C to HDMI cable)
4k60 works fine, sleep / resume is more reliable - although the external monitor takes 4-5 seconds to establish connection..
In the event of a failure (which is a lot rarer than with 1) , a replug of the C cable fixes that as the internal display remains stable with this
However - this does not suit the LG gram as it has only one TB port so I need to plug in 2 more extra cables to that - Inconvenient but not a deal breaker
Untested Option 3) Now I have read that Thunderbolt has native support for Displayport (but not HDMI) and the MacBook specs also say the same.
I presume that with 1 and 2, there is active conversion happening on the Multiport Adapter or the C to HDMI adapter which may possibly explain the sleep/resume handshake issues
Is it correct to presume that buying a USB C to thunderbolt cable would yield a more direct/stable connection with no conversion process involved?
Worth noting that all the C to displayport cables I see listed on amazon seem to have some kind of active converters on them rather than being a passive cable alone (based on pictures and gleaning from the reviews)
If there is an active conversion process involved then wouldn't the experience end up being the same as (2) above?
Should I just stick with 2 - or would it be worthwhile to purchase another cable (converter?) to try?
Is there a technical difference between using any of the below?
1) Apple multiport -> HDMI to HDMI
2) USB C to HDMI
3) USB C/ Thunderbolt to Displayport
It would appear that 3 should be the best option as Thunderbolt is supposed to have native displayport - but is it that straightforward?
Background: After years of maintaining a separate desktop and a laptop, I finally decided to let go of the desktop
While I have tried docking older laptops to my 4K60 monitor (and a couple of USB peripherals ) in the past, the excessive heat and performance drop (esp in the more recent MacBook Pros) with external monitors would get me scurrying back to the comfort of my desktop
With the new M1 MBA, I finally decided to go all in and sold off the ageing Mac mini as well !
Mostly happy with the decision as I get a 2 in device with no performance penalty from foregoing the desktop.
However there have been a few hiccups:
What I want to accomplish:
1) A single or at most 2 wire solution that reliably drives an external 4k60 monitor (A Samsung 27" 4K with DP, HDMI but no C/TB)
2) Other connections include charger and a few USB peripherals (ethernet adapter, external camera, Audio Dongle for a headset, external mic)
3) I would also like to have the ability to connect a windows laptop with Thunderbolt (LG Gram 2020) to the same setup (on a relatively rare basis)
What I have tried
1) Apple Multiport Adapter (A2119) - Works great most of the time , drives monitor at 4K60, single wire solution
But - sometimes I get display corruption after a sleep/resume
This happens on the internal display (incorrect scaling/ flickering - text gets too large ) which requires a reboot so that is not acceptable
2) USB C to HDMI adapter + Apple multiport Adapter - 2 wire solution but seems to work more reliably than (1) above...
The Apple MP adapter works fine for PD charging and USB peripheral duties on port 1 while leaving port 2 empty for a dedicated USB C to HDMI cable (Uni 4k60 USB C to HDMI cable)
4k60 works fine, sleep / resume is more reliable - although the external monitor takes 4-5 seconds to establish connection..
In the event of a failure (which is a lot rarer than with 1) , a replug of the C cable fixes that as the internal display remains stable with this
However - this does not suit the LG gram as it has only one TB port so I need to plug in 2 more extra cables to that - Inconvenient but not a deal breaker
Untested Option 3) Now I have read that Thunderbolt has native support for Displayport (but not HDMI) and the MacBook specs also say the same.
I presume that with 1 and 2, there is active conversion happening on the Multiport Adapter or the C to HDMI adapter which may possibly explain the sleep/resume handshake issues
Is it correct to presume that buying a USB C to thunderbolt cable would yield a more direct/stable connection with no conversion process involved?
Worth noting that all the C to displayport cables I see listed on amazon seem to have some kind of active converters on them rather than being a passive cable alone (based on pictures and gleaning from the reviews)
If there is an active conversion process involved then wouldn't the experience end up being the same as (2) above?
Should I just stick with 2 - or would it be worthwhile to purchase another cable (converter?) to try?
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