Dock/Hub for 2 External Displays w/ M2 MB Air- Owners Thread

[davekro]

If you have already purchased and installed a Dock or Hub to allow the use of two external displays on your new M2 Macbook Air, please post:
1) What brand & model of Dock (or Hub) you went with?
2) Why you chose it?
3) How easy to connect and get working?
4) How it is performing?
5) Does it support 60hz for at least 2 displays?
6) What display model and pixel resolution(s) are your monitors?
7) Any issues also using the MBA's native display along with the two external displays?
** Extra Credit for pictures of your set-up!

Thanks in advance for us folks who are still awaiting delivery and/or just need more information before choosing a solution for us to run two monitors with our 2022 M2 Macbook Air.

 

[4sallypat]

I am looking for a dock for my M2 MBA - need dual DP or dual HDMI outputs for 2 external displays.

Anyone have any suggestions ???

 

[satcomer]

If you go to 10G business and some are 25G you need something like the OWC Pro Dock!

if you want to use old das drives the go with Thunder 4 Dock!

 

[kecinzer]

I had on my MacBook Air M1 this adapter -> https://i-tec.pro/en/produkt/u3dual4kdp-2/ with DisplayLink technology. Worked with 2 23" fullHD displays.
But after some time a switched it with one 28" 4K display and I was very satisfied.

DisplayLink is very limited and some security features in macOS doesn't work (like sudo with touchID). I can also see performance degradation.
And another major think - playback of DRM videos (like from Apple TV+) didn't work on this connection - https://support.displaylink.com/kno...nt-protected-video-does-not-play-on-mac-while

 

[4sallypat]

Thanks!

I just ordered OWC dual HDMI bus powered hub:

 

[davekro]

Thanks!

I just ordered OWC dual HDMI bus powered hub:

Thanks 4sallypat. Please post back how well the OWC hub runs your two external displays and if you notice any degradation vs. running just one display natively on your M2 MBA, or any other limitations. What displays are you using?

 

[davekro]

I had on my MacBook Air M1 this adapter -> https://i-tec.pro/en/produkt/u3dual4kdp-2/ with DisplayLink technology. Worked with 2 23" fullHD displays.
But after some time a switched it with one 28" 4K display and I was very satisfied.

DisplayLink is very limited and some security features in macOS doesn't work (like sudo with touchID). I can also see performance degradation.
And another major think - playback of DRM videos (like from Apple TV+) didn't work on this connection - https://support.displaylink.com/kno...nt-protected-video-does-not-play-on-mac-while

Thanks for the info kecinzer. It appears the i-tec USB 3.0 / USB-C Dual 4K DP Video Adapter you are using is no longer available, But maybe i-tec has a newer model. Yeh, pesky content-protected streams incorrectly sees Display Link as a recorder I believe.

 

[4sallypat]

Thanks 4sallypat. Please post back how well the OWC hub runs your two external displays and if you notice any degradation vs. running just one display natively on your M2 MBA, or any other limitations. What displays are you using?

Did not work with my M1 or M2 Macbook.

Only 1 external display worked.

It worked with 2 externals using my 2020 Intel i7 and i5 Macbooks and Lenovo laptops.

After 15 minutes on the phone, OWC said it won't work either.

Sent it back for a refund.

 

[davekro]

4sallypat,
Thank you very much for letting us know that about the OWC hub.

I started this thread hoping to find a dock that that people with "non-Pro'" M1 & M2 MacBook (Studious and Minis too, I now realize) machines have settled on. By now I thought that one or two solid performing brands/ models would stand out and many would be sharing their success with, for Dual monitors on their M1 & M2's. It blows me away that either there is no such unicorn (yet??), or that the people who have found it just are not sharing that info. The few YouTube videos I have come across don't quite directly address the dual monitor for non-Pro machines situation.

If anyone here has found solid info or a good YouTube video that directly says: "This brand and model of dock absolutely works very well with 2022 MacBook Air's and non-Pro Macbooks," please share some links with us poor souls still looking after 7 months for a dual monitor Dock solution for our 2022 M2's (and way longer for 2021 M1 owners).

 

[kecinzer]

There is no real solution. M1/2 MB is limited to 1 external display. All those Hubs/adapters are only DisplayLink technology that has it's limitation like I wrote before. There is no other solution.

Go and buy some bigger 28" or 32" 4K display. It works much better then 2 1080p monitors.
You can set 2560x1440 on 28" or 3008x1692 on 32" and get nice retina resolution.

This days you can buy 28" 4K display cheaper than some HUB. I bought mine for 250 USD.

 

[davekro]

There is no real solution. M1/2 MB is limited to 1 external display. All those Hubs/adapters are only DisplayLink technology that has it's limitation like I wrote before. There is no other solution.

Go and buy some bigger 28" or 32" 4K display. It works much better then 2 1080p monitors.
You can set 2560x1440 on 28" or 3008x1692 on 32" and get nice retina resolution.

This days you can buy 28" 4K display cheaper than some HUB. I bought mine for 250 USD.

kecinger,
Thank you for the outside the box Idea of considering a larger single display. That thought was totally off my radar as I was locked into thinking I HAD to stick with the sunk cost of the (2) Dell Ultrasharp U2415 24" FHD 1080p Screens purchased in Nov. 2015 for $259 each. I had already resigned myself to paying $450-$500 for a Dell Docking station back when I thought THAT was the golden solution, But spending a similar amount for a single screen never occurred to my "must be two screens" mindset. I will ponder this.

A quick Google found SAMSUNG 32" M80B 4K UHD HDR Smart Computer Monitor Screen with Streaming TV, SlimFit Camera Included, Wireless Remote PC Access, Alexa Built-In, LS32BM805UNXGO, White for $479.

The lowest Best high end to budget 32 Inch screens from this Rtgs.com Review:

GIGABYTE M32U 32" 144Hz 4K FreeSync Compatible Gaming Monitor, SS IPS, 3840x2160 Display, 1ms Response Time (MPRT), 1x Display Port 1.4, 2x HDMI 2.1, 3x USB 3.0, 1x USB Type C $650​

LG 32GP850-B 32 UltraGear QHD (2560 x 1440) Nano IPS Gaming Monitor w/ 1ms (GtG) Response Time & 165Hz Refresh Rate, Tilt/Height/Pivot Adjustable, Black $500​

LG 32GN650-B Ultragear Gaming Monitor 32” QHD (2560 x 1440) Display, 165Hz Refresh Rate, 1ms MBR, HDR 10, sRGB 95% Color Gamut, AMD FreeSync – Black $344​

Anyone have and can report on either of the above three, which are the three lowest cost model in the above review? Generally any opinions on swapping from (2) 24" non 4k Dell screens for one 32" or even 27"? I'll need to do some analysis when I have time on the comparable square inch areas and how multiple documents or browser pages fit on a bigger screen. Along with just the idea of no longer having two separate 'spaces'.

Thanks again kecinger.

 

[4sallypat]

My wife recently got a new work 2022 Macbook Pro 13" base M1 with 2 TB ports and her work requires use of 2 external displays.

Most of her co-workers use Dell/Lenovo laptops and connects natively with 2 external Dell displays direct via USB-C.

Stumped the IT guy trying to connect 2 USB-C monitors to the M1 MBP.
Would only show 1 external display.

I suggested a $300 device from Pluggable (Plugable USB-C Triple 4K Display Docking Station (UD-ULTC4K).

They bought it (not on my dime) and it worked.

https://plugable.com/blogs/news/the-best-docking-stations-for-the-m1-and-m2-mac#:~:text=The Plugable USB-C Triple,not just Plugable praising Plugable

 

[kecinzer]

My wife recently got a new work 2022 Macbook Pro 13" base M1 with 2 TB ports and her work requires use of 2 external displays.

Most of her co-workers use Dell/Lenovo laptops and connects natively with 2 external Dell displays direct via USB-C.

Stumped the IT guy trying to connect 2 USB-C monitors to the M1 MBP.
Would only show 1 external display.

I suggested a $300 device from Pluggable (Plugable USB-C Triple 4K Display Docking Station (UD-ULTC4K).

They bought it (not on my dime) and it worked.
View attachment 2184299
https://plugable.com/blogs/news/the-best-docking-stations-for-the-m1-and-m2-mac#:~:text=The Plugable USB-C Triple,not just Plugable praising Plugable

Great, but its still DisplayLink. So poor performance and no DRM support. So you cant play any from Apple TV+ for example. And also other limitations.

 

[davekro]

My wife recently got a new work 2022 Macbook Pro 13" base M1 with 2 TB ports and her work requires use of 2 external displays.

Most of her co-workers use Dell/Lenovo laptops and connects natively with 2 external Dell displays direct via USB-C.

Stumped the IT guy trying to connect 2 USB-C monitors to the M1 MBP.
Would only show 1 external display.

I suggested a $300 device from Pluggable (Plugable USB-C Triple 4K Display Docking Station (UD-ULTC4K).

They bought it (not on my dime) and it worked.

https://plugable.com/blogs/news/the-best-docking-stations-for-the-m1-and-m2-mac#:~:text=The Plugable USB-C Triple,not just Plugable praising Plugable

Thanks 4sallypat. I assume she has just been running this for a day or so. Please report back after a few days or a week of use to see if any anomalies have come up.

Big Thanks!
Dave

 

[satcomer]

I did see this video on the Sonnet Display appeasers the they calm can work!

 

[4sallypat]

Thanks 4sallypat. I assume she has just been running this for a day or so. Please report back after a few days or a week of use to see if any anomalies have come up.

Big Thanks!
Dave

No anomalies, no underscan/overscan, no resolution issues with her 2 external Dell displays.

For the money ($300) I guess it's worth it.

 

[davekro]

Thank you for the update 4sallypat.

 

[davekro]

I got the Plugable UD-ULTC4K. It is running my two Dell U2415, 1920x1200 displays. Working great with my 2022 M2 MacBook Air. Very nice to have just one USB-C connection to remove to go mobile. Another plus is now my Apple 65W charger and cable can stay at work. I don't need to remember not to forget to bring it along!

Though there were a lot of steps to install it, I was impressed that the instructions were much clearer than most! The install went quickly and smoothly