If you can connect an AppleTV to a second display, you can get 2 monitors. One wired, one wireless.
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Using MacBook Air M1 as a desktop?
- Thread starter wfriedwald
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Has anyone used an M1 MB Air with three 4K monitors using a plugable? I want to use an M1 Air in clamshell mode as a desktop with three 4k monitors. I can't figure out if this works the M1 Airs or not, but I know it works on the M1 MBPs.
Plugable says they got the three 1080 displays working with the Air, but it's not clear if they got it working with three 4K displays:
plugable.com
Is there anyone out there using one of these for three 4k displays on the M1 Air? I have been using an old 2013 13" MBP with three 1080 monitors for years, and I'm looking to upgrade to the M1 Air with three 4K monitors. I think this plugable works, but figured I would check here to see if anyone has this same setup.
Plugable says they got the three 1080 displays working with the Air, but it's not clear if they got it working with three 4K displays:
How to Connect More External Displays to Apple Silicon M1 Macs
Learn how to connect more than one external display to your Apple Silicon (M1) MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, or Mac Mini using Plugable products featuring DisplayLink, and the limitations on new Macs for displays connected by USB-C or Thunderbolt™ 3.
Is there anyone out there using one of these for three 4k displays on the M1 Air? I have been using an old 2013 13" MBP with three 1080 monitors for years, and I'm looking to upgrade to the M1 Air with three 4K monitors. I think this plugable works, but figured I would check here to see if anyone has this same setup.
You hit on the key issue: One downside with laptops is that you take them with you, and that wrecks havoc on window management. As it aged and OS/apps became overdemanding on the 16 GB RAM, my 2016 MBP often could take 10 minutes before the three 4K external displays would fully re-synch. It was a big enough PITA that I tended to leave it in desktop mode more than I wanted to.
Now a new M2 MBP with 96 GB RAM synchs quickly, but there is still windows management involved (my workflow has different resolutions for each display), and I am still working it out for the new MBP. I had planned to use the M2 MBP on the desktop (wanted to buy an M2 Studio but Apple never delivered one) and use the 2016 MBP for mobile, but the M2 MBP is so sweet in every regard - especially in mobile usage - that I want to use it all the time. Display, RAM, keyboard are all superb on the M2 MBP.
The only thing that I do not like about the M2 MBP is losing a TB port, which sucks for my desktop setup. Too bad Apple still has not made an M2 Max Studio available.
MBP is intended for heavier usages like three 4K displays, MBA is not. Going from Pro to Air is not an upgrade just because the Air is newer. Even if the described kludge works, in my experience overdriving computer hardware has consequences. I recommend buying a box Apple lists as driving three 4K displays like an M2 MBP (what I use for three 4K Viewsonics) or the top M2 Mini.Has anyone used an M1 MB Air with three 4K monitors using a plugable? I want to use an M1 Air in clamshell mode as a desktop with three 4k monitors. I can't figure out if this works the M1 Airs or not, but I know it works on the M1 MBPs.
Plugable says they got the three 1080 displays working with the Air, but it's not clear if they got it working with three 4K displays:
How to Connect More External Displays to Apple Silicon M1 Macs
Learn how to connect more than one external display to your Apple Silicon (M1) MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, or Mac Mini using Plugable products featuring DisplayLink, and the limitations on new Macs for displays connected by USB-C or Thunderbolt™ 3.
Is there anyone out there using one of these for three 4k displays on the M1 Air? I have been using an old 2013 13" MBP with three 1080 monitors for years, and I'm looking to upgrade to the M1 Air with three 4K monitors. I think this plugable works, but figured I would check here to see if anyone has this same setup.
I'm aware the Air is not better than an MBP but I have multiple apple computers and this laptop is for my office work only. I have been running my old 2013 13" for almost 10 years in clamshell mode with three 1080p 24" monitors, and now I want to run three 4k 27" monitors. I believe the pluggable does most of the heavy lifting in this configuration, so I think it might work fine with the Air but I need to verify. With the M1 Air 16gb 1TB on sale for $1200, I think that's a good deal and a reason to upgrade my old 2013 setup with 24" displays. I guess I'll have to contact Pluggable to see if there's an issue with running three 4k monitors on the Air.
Where are you seeing that price on that config for an M1 MBA??
M1 Air 8-Core CPU, 8-Core GPU, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD is on sale for $1199 at B&H. It's $1000 more to get this same RAM/SSD configuration with the 14" MBP. I would not buy the 13" MBP. With that said, is there somewhere you are seeing a 14" MBP with 16gb RAM and 1TB SSD in the $1400 range? I think this M1 Air price at $1199 is a pretty damn good value.
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That's an amazing value. Wow, thank you for pointing that out! It's so good it should be sold out already.
Whether you choose to add screens to the active laptop or use it in clamshell mode (and in fact, if there's any plans to get an Apple product at all), always check with Apple's own Refurb and Clearance section of their online store. Products there can be overstock; returned to Apple as buyer's remorse / wrong specs / wrong colour / etc; or as occasional faulty item. All products get individual attention and testing (arguably better than factory), come with full warranty and if they were eligible for AppleCare, that too applies. Free delivery, too. All for less than new at Apple or most 3rd Party retailers.
I always look at the refurb store first but nothing touches that B&H M1 Air deal above right now.
Where do you start to notice differences? If you keep like 200 tabs open, more windows, photos app, ms office suite all open at the same time with the ASD will you start to see UI lag/choppiness on the Air?
B&H has a no-open-box return policy though, right? So be sure you want it!
Yep, which is why I don’t mess with the b&h deals. Costco on the other hand has an excellent return policy. But unfortunately they only carry base models.
For sure. I've never ordered a computer that I don't want as I always know what I'm after before I place the order. Camera gear on the other hand, I think I've returned a couple lenses that were soft but no computer issues in all the years I've been ordering from them. Payboo saves you on sales tax as well, whereas Costco you'll pay the tax.
I finally found some time today to unpack and hookup my M1 Air to three 4k monitors. Setup took me about a half hour to unbox and get everything working. I live in California so the total cost with tax for this setup was $2322.72. Pretty amazing little setup especially considering it's driving the monitors and powering the laptop through one cable. This is currently sitting on a test desk but will be moved to my office where all cabling and laptop will be hidden under the desk. This setup will replace one of my older 3 monitor setups that's currently powered by a 2015 13" MBP. Setup was a breeze with the plugable. The first thing I did was go to Youtube and watch some Jacob + Katie Shwarz 8K videos and I was blown away at how good the picture quality is right out of the box for these fairly inexpensive 4k monitors. Here's the prices i paid including tax:
(1) 2020 M1 Air, 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 16GB, 1TB SSD - $1199
(3) Dell 27 4K UHD S2721QS monitors on sale for $250 each - $823.10
(1) Plugable USB-C Triple 4K Display Docking Station - $300.62
If you've never had a setup like this, then once you use one you can never go back to working on laptop screens unless you are traveling. You get really spoiled with all this real estate and you'll become much more productive.
(1) 2020 M1 Air, 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 16GB, 1TB SSD - $1199
(3) Dell 27 4K UHD S2721QS monitors on sale for $250 each - $823.10
(1) Plugable USB-C Triple 4K Display Docking Station - $300.62
If you've never had a setup like this, then once you use one you can never go back to working on laptop screens unless you are traveling. You get really spoiled with all this real estate and you'll become much more productive.
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I use an M1/16/1Tb as a desktop with a Dell dock, I use a DisplayLink adapter to run dual monitors. Best Mac I have ever had.
Hell yeah, it was a great deal. 8/8 16gb 1TB SSD for $1199 and no tax with payboo.
there so many deals on the 14inch that comes and goes, you just gotta keep an eye out.
The latest ATP podcast has an extended bit on why basic M1/M2 chips are limited to two displays (internal + 1 external), and how the workarounds actually function. IMO, a complete waste of time, just mow $500 worth of lawns and get a 14" Pro.
atp.fm
ATP 535: My Computer Supports Math — Accidental Tech Podcast
Three nerds discussing tech, Apple, programming, and loosely related matters.
Budget is not an issue. I have an unlimited budget when it come to gear which is why I have several different machines. That doesn't mean I just throw money away and don't try to get the best deals available when I do buy new gear. I have a 16" MBP M1 and other expensive desktop Macs/displays as I'm a business owner in the tech space. This M1 Air setup is specifically for my office work and I wanted the Air for portability to keep up with work and editing while I travel. Every ounce counts when traveling with bags of camera gear, big white lenses, drones, water housings, etc. When flying to places like places like Africa or on small aircrafts you are very limited with weight, so you micro manage every ounce. Sometimes I have to bring my iPad M1 and connect it to my card readers and SSD's for backup instead of the my other M1 Air because I need those extra few ounces.The latest ATP podcast has an extended bit on why basic M1/M2 chips are limited to two displays (internal + 1 external), and how the workarounds actually function. IMO, a complete waste of time, just mow $500 worth of lawns and get a 14" Pro.
ATP 535: My Computer Supports Math — Accidental Tech Podcast
Three nerds discussing tech, Apple, programming, and loosely related matters.
So not everyone here buys apple products by stretching every penny in their budget, sometimes it's something specific someone needs. It's not a complete waste of time, in fact I've been using a triple monitor office setup for 10 years and it's very efficient. I could not run my business without them. Maybe you should try it and learn to make money with all that screen real estate instead of mowing lawns?