No kidding -- there are $500 PC laptops that can drive 3 4k HDR monitors
It's laughable that anyone is defending Apple on this particular point.
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Why doesn't M2 MBA support more than one external monitor?
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No kidding -- there are $500 PC laptops that can drive 3 4k HDR monitors
It's laughable that anyone is defending Apple on this particular point.
The people defending apple are low IQ fanboys. Wanting a thinner and lighter portable that supports multiple displays in 2022 isn’t that far fetched. The product is being intentionally gimped. The m2 MacBook Air is not a low end laptop, you can spec it out over 2k.
The ONLY reason that it doesn’t support multiple monitors is so that apple can add this option as a “game changing” feature while Craig bounces across the screen smiling like a pedo to introduce the next Gen. Same reason why the computer doesn’t have pro motion and the iPad mini doesn’t have pro motion.
It should support multiple displays and the fact that there are workarounds using usb hubs to do validates that.
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Sure y'all can whine about Apple's high prices. Just don't dis Apple's very appropriate product segmentation.
There is appropriate product segmentation like APS-C and full-frame for DSLRs, and there's pure greediness like not allowing 2 external monitors for a laptop in 2022. I even defended Apple for this when M1 came out because it's first gen. There's just no excuses here.
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It was a serious question. To label criticism as whining is all in your head. People are rather asking why something at this price level isn’t full featured. I can live with the price if the product delivers, and no, single external monitor support doesn’t cut it for many.
Ok then when did MBA is Apple's lowest end laptop in 2018 and 2020 (Intel MBA) support dual 4k monitors then?
Seriously? That was then. This is a better box by a lot with an entirely new chip approach. Expect different to go along with the much better.
We disagree. IMO for the lowest end of Apple's laptop line to be limited to driving a single 6k display is totally appropriate product line segmentation at this stage of the laptop product line. In the future things usually evolve, so that remains to be seen.
Nope that would be you, you said if you need 3 external displays, get a MBP, the 13"pro only supports 1 and the 14/16" pros only support 2 unless you upgrade to the MAX CHIP
The whining I describe is the fact of folks wanting more out of what is already a spectacular box for no more money; that is whining. Because Apple already provides a step up to M1 MBPs with more pro features like driving additional external displays for those willing to pay for it. And Apple will do so with M2 as well; again, for those willing to pay for it.
Pairing the lowest end laptop with a $5000 monitor makes no sense. Dual monitors is not a pro feature, it's a basic feature for people that works with large data sets. I bought am M1 Mac mini over the m1 Air because I wanted to drive 2x 34" ultrawides, I will be going back to windows PC's if apple will not support basic features
Dual monitor support is no a pro feature, a raspberry pi can do this for 35$
It sounds like even you understand the product differentiation. Folks like me who need to drive 3 displays need to buy an MBP with max chip. See how easy that was?
Cutting a feature at the low end to include it in a higher end box can be rational product line segmentation. However removing a feature at the highest end that pros need is just a flat bad decision. The M1 MBPs have 3 Thunderbolt ports instead of 4. Where I am complaining to Apple is in their moving backwards at the very highest end laptops. I really hope they rethink their unfortunate denigration of the available ports when they release the high end M2 MBPs. E.g. the SD card slot has limited utility because some of us moved past SD cards to XQD then CFex years ago.
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$2000 to support 2 displays and $2900 to drive 3 displays, no thanks. I think myself and many people will stick with a $500-1000$ windows PC. If funny how you think Apple moving backwards on high end machines is bad but not with their low end macs.
...funny how you think Apple moving backwards on high end machines is bad but not with their low end macs.
You make a good point. My thinking stems from what a spectacular strong box Apple's new low-end MBA laptop is. I have been using MBPs as desktop replacement (DTR) boxes since the 17" MBP first brought Thunderbolt to the world in 2011, then replaced that with a max 2016 MBP, and now look to move to M-series chips. The new low end MBA is so competent that I would probably have ordered one and (inappropriately) forced-fitted my workflow to it if the MBA drove 3 displays.
It would be poor product placement if Apple's product lineup drove long-term high end laptop buyers like me to the low end instead. So I think that driving no more than one external monitor with their lowest end laptop was a smart move. You are correct, however, that doing so will lose some buyers to the cheaper PC alternatives that have always existed.
because it's an inferior device designed for students, non-creative pros and boomers
This is one of the reasons I am reluctant to upgrade to the M2 - I fully expected dual monitor support, especially since the M1 Mac mini supports dual monitors. It's a feature that is being held back on purpose
A great point and really offensive that Apple is doing this.
I was giving them a pass on the initial MBA on M1 on this point ... assuming it'd get rectified..
Instead they are forcing it as a way to drive an upgrade..
The whole company, unsurprisingly, just keeps taking on more undesirable traits and really "feels" like it's run by the "Ops Guy" (since it is)
The M2 does support 2 displays. On the M2 MacBook Air and Pro it supports the internal one and one external. The Mac mini supports 2 displays. HDMI and USB-C. Think of the HDMI on the mini like the internal display on the MacBook Air.
So the evolution here is a reduction in functionality, except of course for the unlikely scenario that you run Apple’s most expensive display, which somehow magically is supported by the low end machine - as you call it. Doesn’t change the fact that it’s a ridiculous feature reduction in what can essentially be had with way way less expensive computers from the competition. It’s a purely artificial limitation to upsell hardware to those who need that functionality on macOS.
The Intel and AMD MBP were downgraded in terms of monitor support before the base 15" and 16" MBP supported 4 external monitors but for the M1s you need to spend the M1 Max MBP.
TDLR: before the entry level INTEL MBP 16" GOT you 4 external monitor support now for base entry its only 2 external monitor.
TDLR: before the entry level INTEL MBP 16" GOT you 4 external monitor support now for base entry its only 2 external monitor.
What we mean is 2 external monitors on macbooks. We know that the mini support 2 displays because it comes with no display
How about the 13 Macbook PRO with a shinny new M2 CPU, that still can't drive 2 displays