Try it under Big Sur on Intel Macs or using ARM M1 Silicon Macs. You'll be surprised at the difference.
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M1 Macs Able to Run Up to Six External Displays Using DisplayLink
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This is a real good thing. As long as apple doesn't block it in software updates I don't care if they don't officially support it. I do hope that this ability will be supported in their pro machines. I really wish Apple would make a hub with all the connections on it that one could need and include a subwoofer as well. That way one could plug it in to Macbooks and mini's and even iMacs and get richer sound and all the ports you can't get on their machines. If under $200 it would be a good addition and a better deal than the already $200 3rd party options.
Maybe they are reserving that for 16inch MBP. They don't have enough design/manufacturing capacity to offer different processors, graphics, etc because M1 is all they have now. So they could use more ports as one of the features for more expensive MBP.
If all they can offer for 16inch MBP is 3 more inches of monitor space, who would shell out twice the price just for that?
Probably display application windows on them. FWIW, the ROI from more displays is a law of diminishing returns. Going from screen 1 to screen 6 can stress out your mouse.
Some stock traders would find this useful.
Traders like to have many windows open to follow market movements and prices.
I have a 5 displays connected for few months now and found that the optimal configuration for me is three screens. Other problems which comes with more displays are skin and eye dryness.
I personally use three displays for my work computer. The laptop's panel and two others. I use the laptop's main display for mundane tasks like e-mail and file system access. I use one external display (landscape mode) for Excel, PowerPoint and running Linux virtual machines. I use a second external display (portrait mode) for web browsing, Word, reading PDFs and other things that work better for me in portrait mode.
5-6 displays? I'm sure I could make good use of them. Especially being able to keep a Linux VM visible at all times while also working on landscape-oriented office apps like Excel and PowerPoint.
I've also seen plenty of examples of where people in the financial sector work with 4-6 displays (sometimes more) in order to keep the current prices and recent statistics for all their customers' securities visible at once. If you're managing a hundred stocks/funds, you want to immediately see a significant change in any of them without having to shuffle around a bunch of open windows.
Apple doesn't sell entry level computers. And it's in the name of the machine: MacBook PRO.
If they really do that, I'll spend the budget of the my next macbook on Apple shares instead.
DisplayPort MST. What is Apple's reason for continually refusing to support extended desktops using daisy chained DP monitors, MST hubs, or USB-C docks with multiple monitor outputs in MacOS? Is it some petty attempt to "convince" people to buy Thunderbolt monitors?
This information is not new. In one or more of the many M1 monitor threads that are in the AS section of the forum, a number of members have referenced to and referred to the use of Displaylink adapters to achieve using more than 1 to 2 monitors.
Por... never mind. Don’t wanna get banned.
I've seen that many in some offices at Microsoft - usually with senior developers who have multiple code windows open or with senior support engineers who are monitoring a number of systems in real-time so they dedicate one monitor to each system. The VESA display mounts are pretty impressive.
I may look into this... I have to have 3 monitors at minimum, they aren't the expensive ones, I have 1 decent IPS and the other 2 are cheap LCD screens about 10yrs old.
The main things holding me back from getting the M1 Mac Mini were limited RAM and 2 displays max
The main things holding me back from getting the M1 Mac Mini were limited RAM and 2 displays max
I think that’s exactly the case. The M1 is a champ and that includes running DisplayLink near-flawlessly.
Also I forgot to mention this is over Rosetta 2. Can’t wait for native support.
Here were the resolutions I used in the video:
2 x 4K @ 60Hz
1 x 2560x1440 @ 75Hz
1 x 1920x1200 @ 75 Hz
2 x 1080p @ 60Hz
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Agreed. I'm currently running 2x32" 4k +24" 1080 from a 2019 16" MBP and a CalDigit USB-C Pro Dock. (If anyone can try driving multiple monitors of the MBA and that dock, let me know.)
The fans spin most of the time now, the battery life isn't great, and I really don't need the dedicated GPU, as I don't do any serious audio/video editing.
autrefois
macrumors 65816
I came to the comments section to see @AngerDanger’s take on it. 😀 for my work flow I have my MBP with one external monitor, but could see myself using two (so, three total including the built-in display). So I could find a use for a Mac mini running three monitors, and I’m not in graphic design or anything similar. I’m sure it would make sense in some situations and it’s great the mini would support it.
I hope soon an affordable 27 inch monitor to be available, something as the Thunderbolt Display with speakers and camera as an ideal par for the Mini, as an docking station to the Mac Books
Have you guys not seen Swordfish? A minimum of six monitors is required for hacking and creating 1024-bit encryption cubes. Duh. 🙄
