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Dell Docking Station WD15 K17A Compatibility with MacBook

Hi All,


I bought a new MacBook Pro 2023 for the first time in my life and tried to dock it with my Dell WD15 K17A docking station. I was using HP laptop before and it was working fine. But after I connected this new Macbook pro to my docking station using the USBC port, it did not display different screens. Surprisingly it started charging the machine.


Is there any setting change that I need to do on my Mac Book Pro to display dual screen?


Thanks.

MacBook Pro 14″, macOS 13.4

Posted on Jul 21, 2023 6:41 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jul 24, 2023 9:55 AM

The Apple standard for its built-in hardware-accelerated displays, makes them suitable for full-motion video 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.


Windows has no standards for display quality, so connect what ever you wish to connect -- it is your problem.


On Macs, to support multiple displays on one cable, the computer port, cable and first device (Dock or Display) must all be genuine Thunderbolt.


USB-C has only half as many data pathways, and is not supported for this use on a Mac.

7 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jul 24, 2023 9:55 AM in response to NidhixAMS

The Apple standard for its built-in hardware-accelerated displays, makes them suitable for full-motion video 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.


Windows has no standards for display quality, so connect what ever you wish to connect -- it is your problem.


On Macs, to support multiple displays on one cable, the computer port, cable and first device (Dock or Display) must all be genuine Thunderbolt.


USB-C has only half as many data pathways, and is not supported for this use on a Mac.

Jul 22, 2023 4:33 PM in response to NidhixAMS

Hi NidhixAMS,


We want to help with connecting displays to your Mac.


Your Mac won't support plugging multiple displays into the dock. You can have one display on the dock and one display on another port on your Mac.


You can read more about adding monitors here:

Connect one or more external displays with your Mac


Depending on if your Mac is configured with M2 Pro or M2 Max, it might support up to 2 or up to 4 external displays, but each one would need to be plugged into its own USB port:

MacBook Pro 14- and 16-inch - Tech Specs


Thanks for using the Apple Support Communities.

Jul 24, 2023 9:36 AM in response to NidhixAMS

NidhixAMS Said:

"Dell Docking Station WD15 K17A Compatibility with MacBook: […]when I connect windows laptop, I just connect the dock USB-C connector and both monitor works. When I connect MacBook, I connect the USB-C and HDMI.[…]

———-


Getting 2 or More External Displays:

The J5 USB-C Dual HDMI Docking Station allows for more than two extra monitors. How so? Well, plug in one display to the Mac using the USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter and then plug the J5 hub with 2 HDMI displays (one 4K), and then you'll have 3 external screens. It all mirrors and extends.

Jul 24, 2023 3:50 AM in response to NidhixAMS

Thank you All for your help and assistance.


I was trying to avoid multiple cable plugging in MacBook. I can now operate the machine on 2 screens. But unfortunately, both the monitors needs to by plugged in separately in the machine. As I have to swap multipple clients laptop, I connected 2 display cables on one monitor (1 HDMI for MacBook, 1 VGA going in docking station). My dell docking station can only detect 1 monitor. Now when I connect windows laptop, I just connect the dock USB-C connector and both monitor works. When I connect MacBook, I connect the USB-C and HDMI.


Dual monitor works only when I attach the MacBook power connection.


Thanks for all you support.

Dell Docking Station WD15 K17A Compatibility with MacBook

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