Help with Triple monitors on 2018 13" MacBook Pro

[Damon Hill]

Just got a new 2018 13" MacBook Pro (no Touch Bar) for work. I have 3 monitors that I was using previously and would like to use the 3 with the new MacBook. However, I cannot get all 3 to work with the hardware they gave me.

I got an IOGEAR USB-C 4K docking station that has HDMI and Displayport but have discovered that the dock will not output both at the same time. The best I can get right now is 2 external monitors (via DisplayPort on dock and the other with Displayport to USB-C cable into the MacBook). Then using the MacBook as my third.

Any suggestions of the kind of dock I need to run 3 monitors (that all have DVI or Displayport)?

 

[maflynn]

I'd hazard a guess and state the iGPU can't drive all three

 

[robvas]

Get an adapter for each USB-C port/monitor. It will work fine, I can do it on my 2016 13"

The dual docks are sketchy

 

[maflynn]

It will work fine,

So the 13" MBP can drive 3 monitors?

 

[chrfr]

Just got a new 2018 13" MacBook Pro (no Touch Bar) for work. I have 3 monitors that I was using previously and would like to use the 3 with the new MacBook. However, I cannot get all 3 to work with the hardware they gave me.

I got an IOGEAR USB-C 4K docking station that has HDMI and Displayport but have discovered that the dock will not output both at the same time. The best I can get right now is 2 external monitors (via DisplayPort on dock and the other with Displayport to USB-C cable into the MacBook). Then using the MacBook as my third.

Any suggestions of the kind of dock I need to run 3 monitors (that all have DVI or Displayport)?

First, to clarify: the non-touch bar MacBook Pro is a 2017 model.
You can run 2 externals and the built in display but not 3 externals, unless you add an eGPU:

Simultaneously supports full native resolution on the built-in display at millions of colors and:

• One display with 5120-by-2880 resolution at 60Hz at over a billion colors
• Up to two displays with 4096-by-2304 resolution at 60Hz at millions of colors
• Up to two displays with 3840-by-2160 resolution at 60Hz at over a billion colors

 

[Damon Hill]

Get an adapter for each USB-C port/monitor. It will work fine, I can do it on my 2016 13"

The dual docks are sketchy

There are only 2 USB-C ports on the MacBook, so I can only hook up to adapters.

I'm hoping there is a dock that can output at least 2 at once. And then I can use an adapter on the free USB-C port.
[doublepost=1536325012][/doublepost]

First, to clarify: the non-touch bar MacBook Pro is a 2017 model.
You can run 2 externals and the built in display but not 3 externals, unless you add an eGPU:

Interesting, I was told it was 2018. But regardless, it can't run 3 externals? Even with a dock?

 

[chrfr]

Interesting, I was told it was 2018. But regardless, it can't run 3 externals? Even with a dock?

Apple did not revise the non-touch bar 13" computers this year. The GPU in either the 2017 or 2018 13" MBP does not support running 3 externals. You'd need either a 15" MBP or an eGPU. The text I pasted in is straight from Apple's tech specs for the 13" MacBook Pro: https://www.apple.com/macbook-pro/specs/

 

[Damon Hill]

Apple did not revise the non-touch bar 13" computers this year. The GPU in either the 2017 or 2018 13" MBP does not support running 3 externals. You'd need either a 15" MBP or an eGPU.

Thanks for the clarification. I will pass this onto my IT department.

 

[chrfr]

Thanks for the clarification. I will pass this onto my IT department.

It seems pretty likely we'll see a refresh on that model in the next month or so, if not next week. If there's an option, I definitely wouldn't buy the existing one right now. (Obviously corporate purchasing doesn't always work that way.)

 

[robvas]

You need Thunderbolt monitors that you can daisy chain, then. Or you could try a USB to HDMI adapter and use that on one of the ports of your dock.

If you want 3 monitors, you picked the wrong laptop