M1 Max + Dell Universal USB-C Dock D6000S + 3 x x 2560x1440 Monitor

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M1 Max + Dell Universal USB-C Dock D6000S + 3 x x 2560x1440 Monitor

Hello,

I'm planning to buy MacBook Pro M1 Max with 64 GB RAM which will replace my Dell laptop with TBT3 dock.

As far as I researched on knowledge base, M1 Max can support 3 monitors and I have 3 x Dell U2722DE which have resolution in 2560x1440/60 hZ.

To connect them to MacBook Pro M1 Max , I'm planning to use Dell USB-C Universal Dock D6000S which is also certified to work with Apple MacBook as far as I researched.

I have a question that I cannot find on internet yet.

Since M1 Max supports 3 monitors, do I need to install DisplayLink on Mac to reach resolution and frequenty for all 3 monitors that I have or will it work natively ?

Posted on Aug 18, 2022 5:40 PM

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Answer 1

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Grant Bennet-Alder

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133,843 points

Aug 18, 2022 6:17 PM in response to emre.timinci

When Apple says it supports a certain umber of displays, it means they are supported to the Apple standard for its built-in hardware-accelerated displays, which are suitable for production/display of cinema-quality video with NO dropped frames, and NO dropouts or partial-blank scan lines due to memory under-runs or other issues.

Compared to that, DisplayLink displays are junk. [DisplayLink displays have their place, but Not for full-motion video.]

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Displays as large as 4K and larger are running very close to the limits of the switching ability of digital logic.

The Mac supports at most TWO displays on one cable, but ONLY on genuine ThunderBolt cables connected to a genuine ThunderBolt device (Dock or Display) as the first device. The connection to the subsequent display(s) can be whatever you like.

One display to a cable works great at up to very high resolutions, with one caveat:

I suggest you try to avoid HDMI at highest resolutions in most cases, because it runs hotter, is severely bandwidth limited, and requires special cables and a certain amount of luck.

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Answer 2

emre.timinci Author

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Aug 18, 2022 7:05 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Grant Bennet-Alder, thanks a lot for your reply. I think if Apple says, M1 Max can support 3 monitors, it will support.

The docking station that I will buy connects to computer with USB-C and have 2 DP 1.4 (which supports DSC as well) and 1 HDMI ports, I wish all of them would be DP 1.4 though.

Fortunately, the monitors that I have is not 4K, they are classified as UQHD, so which also will help me to overcome the limitations.

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Answer 3

Aug 19, 2022 6:16 AM in response to emre.timinci

When connect to a Mac, USB-C docking stations will support at most ONE hardware-accelerated display, More docking station ports MAY allow Mirroring, but nothing more. Lower than 4K resolution does nat allow more displays to be connected to the same cable.

At that rate, you will need three cables for displays

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Answer 4

emre.timinci Author

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Aug 21, 2022 8:05 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

You mean three cables directly to Apple or USB-C Dock ?

I will not do daisy-chaining at all.

How to use Bandwidth to Determine the Best Video Output (intel.com)

According to this, each UQHD Monitor on 60 hZ, consumes 6.64 Gbps bandwidth, which means 19.92 Gbps bandwidth for video. USB 3.1 Gen1 supports 10 Gbps, which also means it can not support 3 UQHD monitors at 60 hZ like you say.

However, Dell says if you plug this dock into TBT port on computer it can support up to 3 monitors, but with DisplayLink, which I also want to avoid.

How to Use and Troubleshoot Dell Universal Dock D6000S | Dell US

In this case to have 3 UQHD monitors running at 60 hZ and in extended mode without DisplayLink layer of complexity, I need to have TBT4 dock with 3 video-in ports.

Do you have a suggestion as a dock, like Dell WD22TB4 ?

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