Using Apple LED Cinema Display (2010,Mini DisplayPort) with Mac mini M2

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Using Apple LED Cinema Display (2010,Mini DisplayPort) with Mac mini M2

Seeking advice on using a perfectly operational Apple LED Cinema Display (purchased in 2010) with male mini DisplayPort connection with a Mac Mini M2. Are there adapters available that will allow this? It would seem the easiest way to do this would be with a USB-C to mini DisplayPort input adapter. Or possibly HDMI to mini DisplayPort? Would I plug the USB-C adapter into one of the thunderbolt 4 inputs on the Mac mini M2? I have seen adapters as described above available on amazon but the reviewers results seem varied. Anyone here attempted to make these operate together?

Mac mini (M2, 2023)

Posted on Feb 3, 2024 5:38 PM

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Answer 1

Zakatak77 Author

Level 1

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Feb 4, 2024 8:59 AM in response to Servant of Cats

Servant,

it is a 24” LED Cinema Display with a mini DisplayPort male connector. It DOES NOT have the small lightning bolt symbol on it, it has the square with a line on either side. Also to clarify, hoping to use this display with a M2 Mac mini. I have seen people having luck with the M1 mini, but not a lot of feedback with the M2, probably since it was the most recent model that has been released.

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Answer 2

Feb 3, 2024 9:30 PM in response to Zakatak77

Yes, the USB-C plug on the USB-C to Mini DisplayPort adapter plugs into one of the Thunderbolt ports on the computer. A HDMI to Mini DisplayPort adapter should also work if you can find one with a female Mini DisplayPort connector. Plug the display's Mini DisplayPort plug into the adapter and the display's USB plug into one of the computer's USB-A ports.

https://www.startech.com/display-video-adapters/cdp2mdpec

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Answer 3

Feb 4, 2024 8:29 AM in response to Zakatak77

The "purchased in 2010" would seem to indicate that this actually is a 24" or 27" LED Cinema Display.

The 27" Apple Thunderbolt Display (model A1407), introduced in 2011, is sometimes confused with the 27" LED Cinema Display (model A1316). The Thunderbolt Display would need an Apple Thunderbolt 3-to-2 adapter. You don't want that adapter for the LED Cinema Displays because while the TB2 side would physically accept a Mini DisplayPort plug, the adapter only translates Thunderbolt, and wouldn't provide a DisplayPort signal.

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Answer 4

Feb 4, 2024 10:30 AM in response to Zakatak77

Zakatak77 wrote:

it is a 24” LED Cinema Display with a mini DisplayPort male connector. It DOES NOT have the small lightning bolt symbol on it, it has the square with a line on either side.

Then you want an adapter like the one that Malcom recommended.

Also to clarify, hoping to use this display with a M2 Mac mini. I have seen people having luck with the M1 mini, but not a lot of feedback with the M2, probably since it was the most recent model that has been released.

There is a difference between the M1 Mac mini, and the M2 Mac mini (with the 'base' M2 chip). It's in the latter's favor. Both can drive two monitors. But on the M1 Mac mini, if you have two monitors, one of them has to be attached via the HDMI port. The M2 Mac mini lets you attach both monitors via USB-C or Thunderbolt, if you like.

So if this is your only monitor, and you ever go to attach a second, you'll still have a choice of USB-C, Thunderbolt, or HDMI for attaching that one.

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