johanahlen

Q: Dual 4k support for MacBook Pro Mid 2014

Hi,

 

I'm wondering if anyone knows if you can run 2 external 4k monitors at 60Hz with the latest MacBook Pro? I've got the top spec 15" version and don't feel like buying two screens just to find out...

 

Cheers,

J

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X Mavericks (10.9.4)

Posted on Sep 2, 2014 4:42 AM

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Q: Dual 4k support for MacBook Pro Mid 2014

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  • by Scott Keen,

    Scott Keen Scott Keen Oct 27, 2014 5:50 AM in response to Stephane Rainville
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    Oct 27, 2014 5:50 AM in response to Stephane Rainville

    Are you sure two 4ks can be connected via Thunderbolt? I tried connecting a standard 4k (Asus) and a 2560*1440 monitor via Thunderbolt/DP, and one of the two always shuts down when I try to connect both. The only way to connect both is if I use DP on one, Thunderbolt on the other. I have a mid-2014 RMBP.

  • by Stephane Rainville,

    Stephane Rainville Stephane Rainville Oct 27, 2014 5:58 AM in response to HughGriffiths
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Oct 27, 2014 5:58 AM in response to HughGriffiths

    Hi,

     

    I have 2 Dell UP2414Q 4K monitors on a Late 2013 Retina Macboo Pro 15-Inch.

     

    I can

    - Run both monitors at 4K on thunderbolt ports at 30Hertz

    - Run ONE monitor at 4K 60 Hertz on Thunderbolt and the second at 4K 30 Hertz on HDMI (Current Config)

     

    I can not

    - Run 2 monitors at 60 Hertz

    - Plug 2 monitors on Thunderbolt as soon as one monitor is at 60 Herz.

         The second thunderbolt port STOPS WORKING PERIOD.

  • by Stephane Rainville,

    Stephane Rainville Stephane Rainville Oct 27, 2014 6:11 AM in response to Scott Keen
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Oct 27, 2014 6:11 AM in response to Scott Keen

    If your 4K monitor is at 60 Hertz the second thunderbolt shuts down. Not enough bandwidth. !

     

    Or said another way if the monitor is set to display port 1.2 (60 hertz) the second thunderbolt shuts down.

     

    You would have have to check if the monitor firmware can be hard set NOT to use display port 1.2.

     

    In my case I connect the second monitor to the HDMI port because I want to have the faster refresh rate.

  • by HughGriffiths,

    HughGriffiths HughGriffiths Oct 27, 2014 7:02 AM in response to Stephane Rainville
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Oct 27, 2014 7:02 AM in response to Stephane Rainville

    So if I have the 4k monitor (UP2414Q) running at 60hz on one thunderbolt port, I won't be able to =run my Time Machine external drive off the other one? And you can't run 4k at 60z off the HDMI port?

     

    Hugh

  • by Scott Keen,

    Scott Keen Scott Keen Oct 27, 2014 7:58 AM in response to Stephane Rainville
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 27, 2014 7:58 AM in response to Stephane Rainville

    Thank you, Stephane! I set the DP on the Monitor to 1.1, 30 Hz refresh rate, second thunderbolt still shuts down.

  • by n4s33r,

    n4s33r n4s33r Oct 27, 2014 9:10 AM in response to HughGriffiths
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    Oct 27, 2014 9:10 AM in response to HughGriffiths

    Only another display on the second thunderbolt doesn't work (not even 1080p@60)  - I have one 4k@60Hz monitor on one port and other USB peripherals through the CalDigit Dock on the other.

     

    I'm not sure why another display doesn't work, there should be enough bandwidth on the second port.

  • by Scott Keen,

    Scott Keen Scott Keen Oct 27, 2014 9:10 AM in response to HughGriffiths
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 27, 2014 9:10 AM in response to HughGriffiths

    Hugh, you're right, according to my testing: Only one 4k display on thunderbolt, regardless if 30 or 60hz. I'm able to connect a second via hdmi, but only 30hz.

  • by HughGriffiths,

    HughGriffiths HughGriffiths Oct 27, 2014 9:32 AM in response to Scott Keen
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Oct 27, 2014 9:32 AM in response to Scott Keen

    Which is absolutely fine for me - I only want a single external monitor. And can this run at the full 4k - i.e. 3840 x 2160.

     

    The other question is: If I have that running at 3840 x 2160 on 1 thunderbolt port at 60 hz, can I run my external hard drive (with all my photographs on) off the other one.

     

    Hugh

  • by Stephane Rainville,

    Stephane Rainville Stephane Rainville Oct 27, 2014 9:56 AM in response to HughGriffiths
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Oct 27, 2014 9:56 AM in response to HughGriffiths

    Hi Guys,


    Just to confirm I was able to run TWO Dell 4K UP2414Q at 30 frames using BOTH Thunderbolt ports.

     

    As soon as one of the monitors has DP 1.2 enabled the second Thunderbolt port shuts down.

     

    That was on Mavericks. Haven't tried on Yosemite.

  • by n4s33r,

    n4s33r n4s33r Oct 27, 2014 10:06 AM in response to Stephane Rainville
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    Oct 27, 2014 10:06 AM in response to Stephane Rainville

    Thanks - Stephane - that's useful info!

    That means, in theory,  in terms of bandwidth, I should be able to connect one 4k@60 and another 1080p@60 on thunderbolt, which is what I'd like to do.

  • by n4s33r,

    n4s33r n4s33r Oct 27, 2014 10:07 AM in response to n4s33r
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 27, 2014 10:07 AM in response to n4s33r

    @Hugh - any other peripheral, like a hard disk will work. Only the 2nd display doesn't work on thunderbolt, if the first display is using DP1.2 (needed for 4k@60)

  • by Stephane Rainville,

    Stephane Rainville Stephane Rainville Oct 27, 2014 10:10 AM in response to n4s33r
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Oct 27, 2014 10:10 AM in response to n4s33r

    Hi N4s33,

     

    No! As soon as one monitor is 4K@60 the second Thunderbolt shuts down. Any other monitor must be connected via HDMI.

  • by n4s33r,

    n4s33r n4s33r Oct 27, 2014 10:27 AM in response to Stephane Rainville
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 27, 2014 10:27 AM in response to Stephane Rainville

    Yes I face this issue - I meant, it should work in theory right? There is enough bandwidth to support it _in theory_ - so this could be a software bug?

     

    If DP1.2 is used, does it exclude HDMI connections  - or - does the protocol have any limiiation where regular displays no longer work?

  • by HughGriffiths,

    HughGriffiths HughGriffiths Oct 27, 2014 1:13 PM in response to Stephane Rainville
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Oct 27, 2014 1:13 PM in response to Stephane Rainville

    Stephanie, do you really mean 'shut down'? I don't want a second monitor: what I want is proper 4k / 60 hz - i.e. the 3840 x 2160 from the Dell monitor from one thunderbolt and my TB hard drive from the second thunderbolt port. Will that work?

     

    Hugh

  • by Stephane Rainville,

    Stephane Rainville Stephane Rainville Oct 27, 2014 1:37 PM in response to HughGriffiths
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Oct 27, 2014 1:37 PM in response to HughGriffiths

    No i in Stéphane

     

    Great question. I could NOT get a second monitor to work on the second thunderbolt once I setup the first monitor at 60 Hertz.

    (at 30 Hertz both thunderbolt port worked)

     

    But since even a standard 1080p monitor would not work I would guess that a Thunderbolt HD would not work also.

     

    I my case I use the USB3 hub in the monitor for external hard drives (Time machine and Movies).

     

    Stéphane

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