Mac Mini M1 w/ OLED TV

[dyzfnctional]

any difference if i were to connect to my OLED TV with Thunderbolt 3 to HDMI or HDMI to HDMI? Just wondering....

 

[joevt]

Does your TV support HDMI 2.1? If not, then probably no difference.

The Thunderbolt 3 to HDMI option gives you a choice of HDMI adapters, while the HDMI adapter built into the HDMI 2.0 port can never be changed.

There have been various DisplayPort to HDMI adapters created over the years. Club-3d has a few variants (DisplayPort/Mini DisplayPort/USB-C, cable/adapter):
- HDMI 2.0 UHD (CAC-1070, CAC-1073, CAC-1170, CAC-1173, CAC-1504, CAC-2070, CAC-2170) (requires DisplayPort 1.2)
- HDMI 2.0B HDR (CAC-1080, CAC-1082, CAC-1180, CAC-1182, CAC-2504) (requires DisplayPort 1.4)
- HDMI 2.1 4K 120Hz (CAC-1085) (requires DisplayPort 1.4 with DSC)

 

[s66]

Does your TV support HDMI 2.1? If not, then probably no difference.

The Thunderbolt 3 to HDMI option gives you a choice of HDMI adapters, while the HDMI adapter built into the HDMI 2.0 port can never be changed.

There have been various DisplayPort to HDMI adapters created over the years. Club-3d has a few variants (DisplayPort/Mini DisplayPort/USB-C, cable/adapter):
- HDMI 2.0 UHD (CAC-1070, CAC-1073, CAC-1170, CAC-1173, CAC-1504, CAC-2070, CAC-2170) (requires DisplayPort 1.2)
- HDMI 2.0B HDR (CAC-1080, CAC-1082, CAC-1180, CAC-1182, CAC-2504) (requires DisplayPort 1.4)
- HDMI 2.1 4K 120Hz (CAC-1085) (requires DisplayPort 1.4 with DSC)

I did not check every single one of those products, but those that I did check all started from a full size DisplayPort (no mac on sale has such physical ports) not a TB3 port (which the M1 mac mini has 2 of these)

 

[s66]

The M1 macmini according to apple:

Mac mini - Technical Specifications

See all the technical specifications for Mac mini with the M4 or M4 Pro chip.

www.apple.com

Video Support
Simultaneously supports up to two displays:

• One display with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz connected via Thunderbolt and one display with up to 4K resolution at 60Hz connected via HDMI 2.0

Thunderbolt 3 digital video output supports

• Native DisplayPort output over USB‑C
• Thunderbolt 2, DVI, and VGA output supported using adapters (sold separately)

HDMI 2.0 display video output

• Support for one display with up to 4K resolution at 60Hz
• DVI output using HDMI to DVI Adapter (sold separately)

So your options:
- HMDI is limited to HDMI 2.0 which excludes HDR (I'll assume your OLED TV supports it), there's little to no software on your mac that supports it yet, but that's likely to change over time. It also limits you to 4K @ 60Hz

- The TB3/USB4 combo ports support up to 6K @ 60Hz (intended for the Apple XDR display, which does HDR etc.). Using a convertor here to link it back to the highest HDMI spec your TV supports would yield you the most options.

Bottom line:
- is 4K @60 Hz SDR enough for you: HMDI is the path of least resistance.
- if you need up to 6K @ 60Hz HDR: a suitable convertor cable between TB3 and the right HDMI spec is what will give you the most options. But unless you hook it up to an Apple XDR, you might have to deal with adapters primarily made and marketed for windows machines and find your way through their support if it doesn't "just work"

 

[joevt]

I did not check every single one of those products, but those that I did check all started from a full size DisplayPort (no mac on sale has such physical ports) not a TB3 port (which the M1 mac mini has 2 of these)

There are a couple USB-C adapters in the list (having model numbers with the number 5 as the second digit).
Add a USB-C to DisplayPort adapter for the other adapters (make sure it's rated for DisplayPort 1.4, like the Cable Matters 8K adapter or the club-3d CAC-1567 USB Type C to DisplayPort 1.4 8K60Hz HBR3 Active Adapter).

 

[s66]

There are a couple USB-C adapters in the list (having model numbers with the number 5 as the second digit).
Add a USB-C to DisplayPort adapter for the other adapters (make sure it's rated for DisplayPort 1.4, like the Cable Matters 8K adapter or the club-3d CAC-1567 USB Type C to DisplayPort 1.4 8K60Hz HBR3 Active Adapter).

I for one dislike solutions with stacked convertors, way too many contacts that can go wrong. Actually I'd prefer a cable instead of an adapter+cable - but I understand why manufacturers prefer adapters and then different length cables.
looking at those adapter there: HDMI2.0 is a bit pointless as the machine already has a HDMI 2.0 interface built in.

HDMI2.0b would be interesting and that points to CAC-2504 as an option. While their tech description says it supports macOS, that's about all you find. Nothing if macOS is going to be able/willing to turn on HDR over this adapter in practice. Anybody got hands-on experience on a mac with one of those ?


A quick google yield things like this:
https://www.amazon.com/Thunderbolt-Compatible-MacBook-Surface-Samsung/dp/B07ZS2VBJQ
Which from the descriptions and answers from the vendor confirms a modern mac will be able to use HDR over it.
Moreover it's a cable not an adapter: one less connection that can go faulty.

Anyway at the moment not in the market for it till things like VLC etc. on mac finally start to support HDR playback.