MacBook Pro 2020 — 3 external displays

Fullofquestionsguy wrote:

I’m trying to connect three external monitors to my MacBook Pro 2020 (4 thunderbolt 3 ports version). But, I can only get my Mac to connect to recognize two monitors at any given time.

One monitor is an HP Z27 (4K). I’m connecting this with a thunderbolt 3 to thunderbolt 3 cable.

The two other monitors are DELL U2419H (1080p) monitors. I’m connecting each of these with their own Thunderbolt 3 to DisplayPort cable. These monitors only support DisplayPort and HDMI.

So, overall I have three different monitors plugged directly into three of the four Thunderbolt ports on the Mac. But, the third monitor I plug in is never recognized. It doesn’t matter which monitor I plug in third—that third monitor is never recognized. I can have both Dell’s going at once. Or one Dell and one HP. But, when I try to plug in a third monitor directly into the Mac with its respective cable, it never works. Can someone please advise? Thank you!

Summary: Connecting three external displays through three different Thunderbolt 3 ports on Mac. One Thunderbolt 3 to Thunderbolt 3. Two Thunderbolt 3 to DisplayPorts. Can’t get a third external display to work.

Review the Tech specs:

https://www.apple.com/macbook-pro-13/specs/

neuroanatomist wrote:

leroydouglas wrote:

Mac has never supported 3 external displays.

The 16” MBP supports, “Up to four displays with 4096‑by‑2304 resolution at 60Hz at over a billion colors.”

Thanks for the clarification ...

This would be different then what the OP has a 13" MBP from above.

The tech specs for 16" have more to offer :

https://www.apple.com/macbook-pro-16/specs/

Fullofquestionsguy wrote:

I see. Thank you for clarifying. Is there any sort of special splitter or I could buy in order to use a third external display? Or maybe some sort of dock?

This has nothing to do with a splitter or dock of some sort—it has to do with the hardware limits of your 13" MBP.

You have a limited 14 days to return your Mac for a full refund or exchange for a Mac that suits you better.

https://www.apple.com/macbook-pro-16/

Fullofquestionsguy wrote:

Thank you @leroydouglas! Except, 2 of my displays are only 1080p, not 4K. I understand I can only do two 4K displays at once. But, is it possible to do 1 4K and 2 1080p displays at the same time?

Mac has never supported 3 external displays.

Your Mac does not have another rasterizer/display-generator Hardware inside.

There is a hack to do it, but the display created will not have access to graphics acceleration and will not be suitable for mouse tracking on that display and may be perceptible as "lagging". It does this "trick" by using DisplayLink software to create a software display buffer, then sends the data via (slower) USB to a stunt-box with display adapter chips inside:

https://eshop.macsales.com/item/NewerTech/VIDU3DVIA/

NB>> read the specs and footnotes carefully before proceeding.

This may be a workable solution, if, for example, you wanted that display for stock quotes. For animation or moving pictures it is not likely to be acceptable.

Correct, your Mac supports one external display at 6K or 5K, or two external displays at up to 4K.

The 16” MBP supports up to 4 displays.

Sorry, no. You can use up to two displays only. They can be any resolution up to 4K, but only two.

leroydouglas wrote:

Mac has never supported 3 external displays.

The 16” MBP supports, “Up to four displays with 4096‑by‑2304 resolution at 60Hz at over a billion colors.”

Fullofquestionsguy wrote:

I see. So other than buying a different computer, there’s no way I can enable my current machine to support 3 displays?

That is correct.

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