Ideal dual-monitor cable set up

[bluedoggiant]

I‘ve just purchased an M2 Max Studio to replace my 2013 MBP and I am beyond excited. I will be using my existing monitors, which are two of the below.

Currently have two HDMI-HDMI cables. I plan to re-use one with the HDMI port. For the second monitor, I plan on purchasing either a DP-USBC or HDMI-USBC cable.

Which would make most sense for me? Trying to go for most cost effective option, but also curious what others may consider the most “ideal”.

Acer Nitro VG271U Pbmiipx 27" WQHD (2560 x 1440) IPS AMD Radeon FREESYNC Gaming Monitor, 144Hz, VESA Certified Display HDR400, DCI-P3, (2 HDMI 2.0 & 1 Display Port 1.2)​

 

[MarkC426]

I have 2 Dell QHD displays connected.
1 on HDMI, the other on DP using a DP to USB-C adapter (£17 from Amazon).

 

[bluedoggiant]

I think I’ve decided a DP to USB C cable for the second monitor

 

[tstafford]

OP: enjoy the new Mac Studio. Probably the best computer I've owned since my 2015 iMac 27"

 

[CWallace]

For my Mac Studio I use HDMI to HDMI and HDMI to USB-C (because I use the DP ports on both monitors to connect to my PC, as well).

 

[Sharky II]

I too, have a monitor via HDMI and one via USB-C to Displayport.

I notice that one monitor needs a different brightness setting than the other, but I haven't swapped the cables around to see if it's the cables or connection type, or if it's just the panels/'natural' variations of the displays.

I was worried about the HDMI 'truncation' of the colour space (not displaying 0-255) but it doesn't seem to be an issue.

 

[bluedoggiant]

I think I’ve decided a DP to USB C cable for the second monitor

I’ve been running this setup. Things appear to be great, sometimes the HDMI monitor wakes faster than the DP-USB monitor and the other way around with no rhyme or reason.

Also the DP-USB monitor seems to wake intermittently (every 10 minutes or so) for a brief second with no image displayed when the computer is asleep. No idea why it does that

 

[handheldgames]

I think I’ve decided a DP to USB C cable for the second monitor

One more thing... Many USB-C to HDMI adapters drop color format from 4:4:4 to 4:2:0 due to the chipset used. It's more than a loss in colorspace.

 

[bluedoggiant]

One more thing... Many USB-C to HDMI adapters drop color format from 4:4:4 to 4:2:0 due to the chipset used. It's more than a loss in colorspace.

Thanks for the intel, good to know

 

[Killerbob]

I am lucky enough to have two LG Thunderbolt monitors, and so I am able to daisy-chain them, and run of just one TB cable from my Mac Studio… You need TB monitors for that though…

 

[bluedoggiant]

I've since upgraded my monitors to Dell U2718Q units. One via HDMI to HDMI, the other using a snazzy DP to Usb C cable. The Dp to Usb C cable monitor constantly wakes through the night and from time to time won't even receive a signal from the Mac Studio unless I unplug the monitor from the power outlet.

This issue is beyond frustrating and is well known with  for at least 5 years now with no fix.

I am going to try an HDMI to Usb C cable. If this works I'm not sure there can be any argument for display port on Mac unless you like to live with a hassle.

 

[MarkC426]

I have always preferred DP.
My cMP had/has dual DP to DP.
My Studio HDMI to HDMI and DP to USB-C with no issues.

I use this one

Maxonar USB C to DisplayPort Adapter 8K@60Hz DP1.4 4K@60Hz/144Hz/120Hz 5K@60Hz 2K@240Hz Thunderbolt 3 to DisplayPort Adapter HBR3 DSC for M1 MacBook Mac mini Dell XPS Razer Blade MSI VESA Certified

USB C to DisplayPort Adapter 8K@60Hz Maxonar DP1.4 4K@60Hz/144Hz/120Hz 5K@60Hz 2K@240Hz Thunderbolt 3 to DisplayPort Adapter HBR3 DSC for M1 MacBook Mac mini Dell XPS Razer Blade MSI VESA Certified

www.amazon.co.uk

 

[bluedoggiant]

I have always preferred DP.
My cMP had/has dual DP to DP.
My Studio HDMI to HDMI and DP to USB-C with no issues.

I use this one

Maxonar USB C to DisplayPort Adapter 8K@60Hz DP1.4 4K@60Hz/144Hz/120Hz 5K@60Hz 2K@240Hz Thunderbolt 3 to DisplayPort Adapter HBR3 DSC for M1 MacBook Mac mini Dell XPS Razer Blade MSI VESA Certified

USB C to DisplayPort Adapter 8K@60Hz Maxonar DP1.4 4K@60Hz/144Hz/120Hz 5K@60Hz 2K@240Hz Thunderbolt 3 to DisplayPort Adapter HBR3 DSC for M1 MacBook Mac mini Dell XPS Razer Blade MSI VESA Certified

www.amazon.co.uk

I have the ugreen direct DP to usb c cable, no adapter.

The issue seems to be that many monitors don’t play well with macOS, I know there are some people like you with no issues. You could say it’s a monitor problem but I think it’s on Apple to account for it, there’s no excuse for a constantly waking monitor.

I will try the benfei hdmi to usb c to try and see if that eliminates the issue.

 

[MarkC426]

You could say it’s a monitor problem but I think it’s on Apple to account for it, there’s no excuse for a constantly waking monitor.

Is this when your Mac is shut down if only one monitor wakes…?
My monitors (both) come on periodically, but my Mac only ever sleeps (never shut down).
This is not a problem to me as Mac Studio uses so little power.

 

[bluedoggiant]

Is this when your Mac is shut down if only one monitor wakes…?
My monitors (both) come on periodically, but my Mac only ever sleeps (never shut down).
This is not a problem to me as Mac Studio uses so little power.

When the Mac is asleep, something pings the monitor so that it “wakes” and displays the “searching for signal” screen even though macOS doesn’t actually wake.

It does this intermittently with no consistency.

 

[bluedoggiant]

I switched the DP to USB-C cable to an HDMI to USB-C cable and the problems instantly vanished. I switched back to confirm and there is indeed some kind of issue with using a DP cable.

I am thrilled to finally solve this. Attaching an image of what this looks like, which is not a monitor specific issue. Nor is it a cable issue as the cable I used was of high quality and had no issues during operation.

Tough to say if this is a monitor logic or  issue but as I mentioned, I believe this is in 's court to fix. And based on how long this issue has been out there I doubt they'll ever get to it with their current state of buggy software releases.

 

[01cowherd]

Also the DP-USB monitor seems to wake intermittently (every 10 minutes or so) for a brief second with no image displayed when the computer is asleep. No idea why it does that

I had this issue with using USB-C/Thunderbolt display output (which is DisplayPort iirc), though I don't remember if using HDMI fixed it. Annoyed me for a little while that it'd flash the display at night. I have a different monitor from either of the ones you mentioned.