Thunderbolt vs Display port ???

[inkobl]

Hello,

I would like to know which are the differences to have a screen connected to my rMBP 15' late 2013 GT750M, between Thunderbolt and display port ? (Acer B276HK, BenQ BL2711U, HP Z27s, DELL P2715Q...)


I would like to find a retina 27' that I might be able to use as a dock station with only one cable connection ? Is it possible ? I don't want to invest in a dock station as it is pretty expensive...

Any way it look like there's only the MAC screen that can deliver thunderbolt connexion, it's a shame.

Any explanation on the differences will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

 

[chogue23]

Thunderbolt is an Apple and Intel invention that combines Mini-Displayport with a PCIe bus to allow things other than a display to work, such as external hard drives and docking stations, much like FireWire used to do. Any Displayport monitor will work with a thunderbolt port with a Mini-Displayport adapter, but only Apple provides the one connection thunderbolt monitors that can be daisy-chained with other devices and docking stations. Your best bet would be to get a monitor that has a usb3 hub built in that can connect everything in 2 cables, or to invest in the docking station and another monitor. Even with the $200 spent on a docking station, you would still have $800 to spend on a monitor to your liking, and remember that you can get adapters to go from mini-displayport to displayport, vga, dvi, or hdmi

 

[ColdCase]

The main difference is that if you want to run two external monitors, one has to be the Apple Thunderbolt monitor.... well there are more expensive options.

Otherwise a ~$200 Thunderbolt dock will give you a external monitor (display port preferred but HDMI can work) plus a number of USB, ethernet, audio ports over a single cable to the Mac.

The USB3 hubs built into displays aren't typically robust enough to handle USB drives well, where a TB dock eliminates the potential for USB3 hub drama.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1831181/

 

[Psyfuzz]

The main difference is that if you want to run two external monitors, one has to be the Apple Thunderbolt monitor.... well there are more expensive options.

Otherwise a ~$200 Thunderbolt dock will give you a external monitor (display port preferred but HDMI can work) plus a number of USB, ethernet, audio ports over a single cable to the Mac.

The USB3 hubs built into displays aren't typically robust enough to handle USB drives well, where a TB dock eliminates the potential for USB3 hub drama.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1831181/

Just a heads up, you can run two displays via two thunderbolt docks and two displays. Just have to daisy chain the two hubs then run a display port monitor out off each.

It's nowhere near as elegant as a pair of TBD's but if you can get two displays running without having to buying one.

 

[ColdCase]

I think one monitor needs to be HDMI as the dock in the middle wouldn't have a spare display port? (The second TB/DP port is connected to the other dock leaving only a HDMI out)

 

[Psyfuzz]

I think one monitor needs to be HDMI as the dock in the middle wouldn't have a spare display port? (The second TB/DP port is connected to the other dock leaving only a HDMI out)

Correct, you'd only be able to have 1440p res display using HDMI.

Still, for the price of a hub it's not too bad, the 1st-gen Belkin Thunderbolt hubs have dramatically dropped in price

 

[theluggage]

Any way it look like there's only the MAC screen that can deliver thunderbolt connexion, it's a shame.

I think one of the LG Ultrawide displays supports Thunderbolt 2 but it might not work on your pre-TB2 Mac.