Mini DisplayPort Monitors with new M1

About the Apple Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter - Apple Support

"This adapter is not compatible with displays that use DisplayPort or Mini DisplayPort, such as the Apple LED Cinema Display. Thunderbolt and Thunderbolt 2 are not the same as Mini DisplayPort , though the ports have the same shape."

You need a USB-C to Mini DisplayPort adapter, such as:

https://www.uptab.com/usb-c-to-mini-displayport-adapter-4k-60hz-silver/

I've got the M1 Mac mini. I have 2 x 27" LED Cinema Displays hooked up and working.

For the USB-C to Mini DisplayPort, I've successfully used this adapter:

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07V828R4Q

For the HDMI connection, I have successfully used the following two adapters to get from Mac mini HDMI to Mini DisplayPort:

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00JQORLCG

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B014DV2RGG

[Image Edited by Moderator to Remove Personal Information]

I have a new Mac mini M1 connected to a Dell U2713H. Having researched the options I purchased a Cablematters USB-C to Mini DisplayPort cable and it works perfectly.

While I'm certainly no expert in these matters the key issue appears to be that you need to connect from the Thunderbolt 3 port on the Mac Mini to an MDP port on your monitor, not a Thunderbolt port. This little graphic summarise it all pretty clearly:

pmiles wrote:

Hi,

Was wondering if there are any confirmed reports of Mini DisplayPort Monitors working with the new M1 Macs. Lots of people asking (myself included) but no confirmed sightings of any successful stories.

Right now it appears that a Mini DisplayPort to USB-C adaptor connection is impossible. Is it a limitation with the M1?

Same adapters used with non-M1 Macs work fine. Apple documentation says it should work... but so far nada.

I specifically would like to connect my 27" Apple Cinema Display (Mini Display Port) to an M1 Mini, but without any confirmed success stories, I won't pull the trigger.

Right now I can't find any example of any manufacturer's Mini DisplayPort monitors successfully connecting to the M1. I am under the impression that Mini DisplayPort to USB-C is the only way to connect these type displays.

Any feedback welcome. If Apple could take a look into this, it would help answer a lot of questions out there.

There are tons of USB-C to MiniDisplay Port adapters:

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=usb-c+to+mini+displayport&hvadid=77721782547215&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvqmt=e&tag=mh0b-20&ref=pd_sl_273d3qy3ud_e

Where most all the issues are occurring is people using the Thunderbolt3 to Thunderbolt2

adapters and then trying to use a Mini Display Port cable, which will not work.

You are not seeing a lot of info because MiniDisplay Port interfaces on displays

is is not very common these days. They are overwhelmingly HDMI or DisplayPort

for quite some time now.

I have a Samsung CRG9 5120 x 1440 120hz HDR monitor and I am having significant issues with display port and very limited success.

I have only been able to get the display to work on boot ONCE using a USB-C to Display Port 1.4 cable, and only at 3840 x 1080 120hz HDR. After rebooting I have never got the screen to work at any resolution, refresh, etc.

HDMI 2.0 works fine up to 3840 x 1080 100hz HDR.

If I boot with HDMI, I can sometimes get the M1 to recognize the CRG9 as a secondary monitor. But if I shut down, unplug the the HDMI and reboot, the M1 no longer recognizes CRG9 using the USB-C to Display Port cable. Even after NVRAM, SMC resets and 3 different USB-C-to-DP cables. Also, when recognized over DP, although the monitor only works at 3840 x1080 120hz HDR using, the 5120 x 1440 display modes are not available. If I use a third-party software like SwitchResX, I can see the monitor is properly reporting this to the OS, but the M1 refuses to recognize it and utilize it.

I have one other adapter coming that others have said they had luck with but I am beginning to doubt the OS or worse, hardware is flexible enough (yet?).

Vaskill, any luck with this latest adapter. I am also having difficulty connecting my M1 to my 27" led cinema display. Had a HYPERDRIVE adapter with mini display port connector, and got the computer to boot once connected to it, but never again.

See: https://www.google.com/search?sxsrf=ALeKk00mxGYR5eHje7fx0IQ3bI5nVWJFrA%3A1608168479818&source=hp&ei=H7TaX92fLqes0PEP4fqDqAo&q=usb-c+to+mini+displayport+adapter&oq=USB-C+to+mini&gs_lcp=CgZwc3ktYWIQARgAMgUIABDJAzICCAAyAggAMgIIADICCAAyAggAMgIIADICCAAyAggAMgIIADoECCMQJzoICAAQsQMQgwE6DgguELEDEIMBEMcBEKMCOgsILhCxAxDHARCjAjoICC4QxwEQowI6BQgAELEDOgQIABAKULYLWMk7YORYaABwAHgAgAG0AogB4BKSAQcwLjguMy4ymAEAoAEBqgEHZ3dzLXdpeg&sclient=psy-ab

I managed to get a really jaggy and low res picture on my Apple Mini DisplayPort 27" Display using this chain:

Mini M1 < Apple Thunderbolt 3 to 2 adapter < Apple Thunderbolt Display < Thunderbolt HD < Apple Mini DisplayPort Display

Any experts that can explain what's going on and what can we infer from this?

I'm getting the same thing here as shown in the picture above: M1 Mini w/ a primary Apple Thunderbolt display via the T3>T2 dongle, and then a 2nd LED Cinema piped via a DisplayLink adapter to USB 3.0. I can't adjust the brightness though on the 2nd LED Cinema Display. Your screen looks like it's showing same symptom-- namely that the brightness control doesn't show on the display prefs. Unfortunately the brightness is set to auto-adjust and ... that's not going to work if I can't fix it. Any suggestions?

I'm using an HP ZR30w display that only connects via DisplayPort.

When I booted up the Mini M1 for the first time I struggled to get any visual (I'm using a non descript Mini Displayport > USBC adapter). Then I was able to get awful low-resolution visual. After booting up a third time the monitor displayed at full resolution 2560 × 1600.

I do have an issue that I have to disconnect and reconnect the display every time I boot up (whether from cold or just restarting the machine). If I don't do this it doesn't appear to detect a display. After unplugging and reconnecting I can see the sign-in screen and everything seems to work once again.

Anybody else had this sort of issue? It's a royal hassle to do this, I have to leave the Mini's backside facing me.

For those of you that were able to have success with this - would you be able to drop links to the products purchased to connect the laptop to the display?

I am trying to connect the MacBook Pro (13-inch, M1, 2020) to a Apple 24" LED Cinema Display Model: A1267

Thank you in advance!

Update: Ah, key point here, yes, connect USB gives brightness control!

Coheebuzz wrote:

I can adjust the brightness and sound fine through the keyboard, have you tried connecting the monitor's USB cable directly on your computer?

Hi. This is flatly wrong info. I am currently using my Mac Mini M1 with 2 Apple Cinema display port screens. The first screen is attached via a USB-C to Mini Display Port adapter (https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07V828R4Q/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) The second is attached via an HDMI to Display Port adapter + Display Port to Mini Display Port adapter. (https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00JQORLCG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 + a https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B014DV2RGG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Works great.

ok, after trying a million cables (USB-C to HDMI, USB-C to DisplayPort, adapter/hub etc etc) I was having the same issue on my M1 Macbook Pro = very very laggy on my 27" 4k LG monitor.

I'm very happy to have found a solution and I hope this will work also for you as well.

Go to System Preferences/Displays - now hold the Option key and click on "Scaled", change your resolution to 1080p and then go back to 3840x2160.

Just like that the my refresh rate seems to have adjusted or something and no matter what resolution, it's now as fast as it should.

I hope this works out for you too, it was driving me crazy!