M1 Mac Mini and Thunderbolt Display

. So if I get it right it works to connect one apple thunderbolt display to a mac mini m1? Sorry about my question, i just want to understand right, because i have some difficulties in english.

i would like to buy one display, but opinions are différent.

The M1 chip is based on the iPad chip, and supports only two displays. On a laptop or iPad, that means the internal display and one external display. On the M1 Mac mini it means two external displays.

Yet, there are videos of folks with 5 displays running on the new M1 mini. I understand that it (Apple) only support two displays, I'm hoping that someone comes out with a dock that will allow us to do this a little more easily than what I have seen thus far. I could live with one display and the MBA display, but I don't want to if I don't have to. Cheers..

You can run more displays using DisplayLink software, but it's not using the GPU, so they will have limited performance.

https://www.macrumors.com/2020/11/24/m1-macs-able-to-run-six-external-displays/

You are correct. This is nuts. Own 2 Thunderbolt monitors, been connected to a Mac Mini since late-2012. Returned M1 despite blazing speed and what not. Got a refurb 2018. BTW: Wait until you find out your M1 doesn't like your old printer too.

It is indeed very disappointing, I've been using two Apple displays for close to 15 years, with various MacBook Pros and MacBook Airs. I'm already missing the extra space. But I'll live with it. Looked at getting a new larger display, maybe a curved one, but with no camera, limited ports compared to the TB Display, it's even more frustrating. I've got ethernet, a few older FireWire 800 drives that I still use, etc. all plugged into the TB Display and it all still works with the M1 MBA. Maybe the next version will support 2 TB displays.

I am also in this boat, given I ran two thunderbolt displays from my 2015 MacBook Pro, thought there was no way this wouldn’t work on a new mac mini. Following to see if anyone comes up with a work around

Hello everyone,

I had a 27 inch thunderbolt from 2017 which i wanted to be my main screen for my new setup with M1 chip. I recently purchased a macbook air M1 and thunderbolt 3 to thunderbolt 2 from apple. To my surprise, M1 air did not detect the thunderbolt display at all.

Wherein i have been using the same display with an old macbook Air late 2013 via the thunderbolt port.

To check if the thunderbolt 3 to thunderbolt 2 is working fine or not, i connected it to a 2020 Macbook pro intel and the thunderbolt display is identified and all the ports work.

Tried my level best to connect the display to m1 macbook air but failed. I tried the following:

• Updated the os to the latest, now on 11.2.1
• Rebooted couple of times plugged in and out.
• Created a new admin user to see if that works.
• Also tried by installing third party multi display adapter softwares but nothing worked out.

Please suggest me what can i do that my setup comes to life.

I'm in the same boat here. Although I don't know the difference between Thunderbolt 2 vs Thunderbolt 1 displays. I have two 27" Apple Thunderbolt displays daisy chained to my Macbook Pro and I want to replace my macbook with an M1 Mac Mini. I guess to do that I have to either (1) drop down to one Thunderbolt display and purchase an adapter, or (2) ditch the Apple Thunderbolt displays and find a single replacement display that will do the job. I'm still thinking about it and watching this thread in the interim.

Anyone know how to tell if your "27-inch (2560 x 1440) Apple Thunderbolt Display"(s) are TB1, TB2, or TB3???? I've had them for quite some time but can't find serial numbers or anything else in the preferences or anywhere else.

For those with 2 thunderbolt displays, there might be a solution to make one of the monitor hdmi with a special adapter card. Look for Luke Miani on youtube how he made an m1 mac mini work with a broken iMac(used only the working display) through HDMI port using a custom board that has multiple ports (hdmi included) to translate for the proprietary apple display connector.

Thanks for the details. When my M1 and TB2-TB3 adapter arrive I will go down to one Apple Thunderbolt monitor. I’ll run like that until either (1) Apple fixes the issue and supports two Apple Thunderbolt displays ...which they should but likely won’t....or (2) until I tire of it and purchase an ultra wide screen.

I guess I’ll need to pick up a web cam and decent speakers too as all of that is in the Apple Thunderbolt Display.

I have the same issue when running the TB display from my Mac mini. Will have to test with my older MacBook Pro to see if this is an issue only for the macmini....

Edit...just did the test and I only have the small line of flickering pixels on the Mac mini. I do not have them on my 2015 MacBook Pro 13 inch. Seems to be related either to the TB2-TB3 adapter or apple silicon

No camera, no speakers, no mics, its not a 1 on 1 replacement, but its antiglare (unlike thunderbolt), it has 170 hz refresh rate (you will love it compared to 60 hz).

2 x HDMI

1 x DisplayPort

1 x Audio out

2 x USB 3.0

1 x USB Type-C

For those interested in Gigabyte M27Q 170hz monitor check this video, its connected to a PC and a MacBook (not sure if M1 though), sharing the same keyboard and mouse using KVM (tech) from the monitor:

https://youtu.be/cfpdXtJzSTE?t=289

I returned the M1, kept both my Thunderbolts. If. IF BOTH Thunderbolts had worked with the M1, I would not be a part of this discussion. I see that a M1 Pro Mini is in the works...MIGHT even support 2 monitors. Might. Just spend more money. That will fix everything. Considering bailing on the whole Apple environment. Too restrictive, too Apple-centric.