Macbook Pro M3 Dual External Display Support

Anyone come up with a device that gives us 2 external screens on the M3?

withinsight wrote:

My employer provided me with a Macbook Pro with the base M3 (not M3 Pro) chip, which only supports 1 single external monitor. Following the advice in this article, I've tried:

Anker USB-C to Dual HDMI• . Didn't support dual external monitors in extended mode (only mirror).

Baesus USB 6-in-1 Docking Station• . USB-C ports didn't support video with this adapter.

Startech USB to Dual HDMI• . Supports 2 monitors, using InstantView software.

However, the lag is so great with this third adapter that its unusable. Everything from mouse movement to the mission control gesture is so slow that its not acceptable for a work environment. You lose track of the mouse cursor when its on either of the external monitors. I've worked with Startech support, and tried everything from reinstalling the drivers, rebooting, upgrading the firmware on my 2 external Samsung monitors, changing the resolutions to "low resolution" mode, and the lag still persists.

Looking at the description of the StarTech adapter, I see that its workaround is "built with Silicon Motion's Content Adaptive Technology."

You could try a workaround based on DisplayLink, a competing workaround technology from Synaptics. OWC and SonnetTech sell dual-HDMI DisplayLink adapters, and SonnetTech sells a dual-DisplayPort DisplayLink one. I can't guarantee that your experience with the DisplayLink adapters is going to be any better than that with the StarTech one, but since the workaround technology is different, the experience might be better.

I think it is safe to say that none of the workaround technologies are going to make you very happy if what you are trying to do is to work with quickly-changing screen content, e.g., for video editing, or for gaming.

If you need the best video quality, the solution is to stick with the single monitor that your M3 MBP supports, or to get your employer to exchange your MBP for one with a M3 Pro or M3 Max chip. There is no hub or adapter that can give you extra first-class hardware-supported display outputs.

I'm at a point where I feel I'm out of answers. I know Apple is going to say "we don't officially support this", but the reality is this machine was not my choice, and I have a multi-monitor work environment that I need to use this machine in (and I'm likely not alone in this scenario).

If the reality is that you have a multi-monitor work environment in which you need to use a laptop, then the reality also is that your employer should have selected a laptop that supports two or more monitors. Apple doesn't hide the information on how many displays each of their laptops support – they put it right in Technical Specifications, which any competent IT Department or Purchasing Department should have been able to read.

I updated my 11 year old mac book pro retina late 2013 (that I was able to use 2 external monitors at the same time and it is really needed function for my job) to this last new version of M3 just to learn that I will not be able to use 2 monitors!! Tell me that this is a joke, I didn't read in the specs that it can not handle a simple task like that. "hey by the way this laptop can't do that"

[Edited by Moderator]

The computer supports a single external display as stated in the specifications. Regardless who's choice the computer was, the specs do not change.

I have 14” MacBook Pro M3 Pro. It works on dual screens but lags big time when it comes to use Cinema 4D software. My solution is to connect to one big wide screen like the Dell 38” wide screen monitor. And it works perfectly and smoothly. The wide screen is wide enough that it feels like two monitors combined. Maybe that will help on M3 MacBook Pro.

<< that it can not handle a simple task like that. >>

Your old MacBook Pro 13-in did not support billions of colors, and was limited to external displays 2560 by 1440, just under 4 million pixels (on each of two external displays).

Your new Mac M-series (plain) directly supports a high-end display like, for example, the Apple Studio Display, which supports billions of colors, and features 5120 by 2880 pixels. That is just short of 15 million pixels at deeper color than was previously available, and that is short of the Mac's full capability -- it could drive a 6K display if one were commonly available.

As I read it, 'just the right' ONE external display can easily put up more than four times the number of pixels of the old MacBook Pro retina 2013 supports, and does that on one display instead of demanding TWO. This may not match the way older computers forced you to work, since older computers were not able to support a really large external display. But it is NOT a defect. The spec was available long before you could purchase the computer.

To support more fully-hardware-accelerated displays, each supported display requires some Hardware -- it requires a rasterizer/display-generator for each such display. (it also require a wide enough pathway to RAM memory to support moving that much data, more than 60 times a second, without fail).

If TWO fully hardware accelerated external displays (rather than the amount of information that could be displayed) is a requirement for your work, you need a more capable computer than Apple's entry level M-series(plain) processor MacBook Pro. That IS available (at extra cost).

NOTE: Apple has said they are working on changes that would allow the entry-level MacBook Pro M3(plain) to work like the Macbook Air M3(plain) and support an additional external display when the internal display is turned off. At this writing, the availability date for that feature has not yet been made available.

LRLLRL wrote:

I have the exact same technical problems plus closet full of every conceivable cable and hubs, slitters and docking stations. No solution and going broke.it seems to me that someone(s) have solution.

You can now use two external displays with a MacBook Pro that has the base M3 chip – when the lid is closed.

Use dual monitors with your MacBook Air and MacBook Pro with M3 chip - Apple Support

You will need to be running macOS Sonoma 14.6 or later. MacBook Airs and MacBook Pros with base M3 chips both have hardware support for driving a second external display (with limitations on resolution) when the lid is closed. With the M3 MacBook Airs, software to take advantage of that hardware was there from day one. With M3 MacBook Pros, it wasn't. So, at first, their specifications said they had a limit of one external display.

Now Apple has revised the MacBook Pro Technical Specifications to read

"M3

• Simultaneously supports full native resolution on the built-in display at 1 billion colors and:
• One external display with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz
• Close the MacBook Pro lid to use a second external display with up to 5K resolution at 60Hz"

But unless you are running macOS Sonoma 14.6 or later, you cannot take advantage of the feature.

What works for me...

1. My primary screen is my Macbook Pro M3 (Jira);
2. The second screen is an LG Ultragear (connected via HDMI [120Hz]) (web browsing);
3. the third screen is a 63" Samsung LED tv (wireless connection: Teams).

All the screens are works well, the wireless connection lag a bit, but the lag is so small so it does not interfere with my work.

gabor-m wrote:

1. What works for me...

My primary screen is my Macbook Pro M3 (Jira);

2. The second screen is an LG Ultragear (connected via HDMI [120Hz]) (web browsing);

3. the third screen is a 63" Samsung LED tv (wireless connection: Teams).

All the screens are works well, the wireless connection lag a bit, but the lag is so small so it does not interfere with my work.

As far as I know, you can have one AirPlay display, or one Sidecar connection to an iPad, and that doesn't count against the display limit in the Technical Specifications. It isn't the same as a first-class, hardware-accelerated display connection - but for some things, it may do.

If you have two Macs that are recent enough, you can set up one of them to be an AirPlay Receiver for the other. While I wouldn't advise going out and buying a Mac just to get this feature, if you already have two Macs that can use it, it costs nothing to experiment.

Continuity features and requirements on Apple devices - Apple Support

Set up your Mac to be an AirPlay Receiver - Apple Support

Use an iPad as a second display for a Mac - Apple Support

OverTighten wrote:

The specs I quoted to you are from Apples support page the post is from Apple

”Use dual monitors on your MacBook Air with M3 chip”

Monitor one @ 4K 144HZ Monitor number two 4K 100HZ.

If they give additional detail on the Support page – which it appears they do - then you should be able to go by it.

Use dual monitors with your MacBook Air with M3 chip - Apple Support

Even this page does not indicate that having two 4K monitors running at 120 Hz would be supported.

Calafate24 wrote:

WTF?! I updated my 11 year old mac book pro retina late 2013 (that I was able to use 2 external monitors at the same time and it is really needed function for my job) to this last new version of M3 just to learn that I will not be able to use 2 monitors!! Tell me that this is a joke, I didn't read in the specs that it can not handle a simple task like that. "hey by the way this laptop can't do that"

It's not a joke.

If you had read the Technical Specifications for the version of the 14" MacBook Pro that has the base M3 chip, you would have seen clearly that the computer only supports one external display. Apple did not hide that information. They put it right out front.

----------

Display Support – M3

Simultaneously supports full native resolution on the built-in display at 1 billion colors and:

• One external display with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz

----------

A 32" Apple Pro Display XDR has 9.8x as many pixels as a 24" 1080p display. A more affordable third-party 27" 4K display as 4x as many pixels as a 24" 1080p display.

At typical Retina settings (3008x1692 and 2560x1440, respectively),

• A 32" 6K Pro Display XDR would have 2.45 as much workspace as a 24" 1080p monitor.
• A 27" 4K display would have 1.77x as much workspace as a 24" 1080p monitor (and if your eyesight was good, you could tell the Mac to make the text smaller to give you more workspace).

murphmobile wrote:

The M3 Macbook Air supports 2 external monitors in clamshell mode and costs nearly half the price of my company-issued M3 Pro.

In this case, you pay less to get more.

When you compare a M3 MacBook Air to a M3 Pro MacBook Pro with respect to display support, the Air loses on

• Forcing you to turn off the built-in Retina screen to use a second external display
• Giving you fewer Retina scaling options if your second external display is a 4K one. (Say goodbye to the Retina "UI looks like 3008 x 1692" and "UI looks like 3360 x 1690" options for that display. Those imply a canvas with a resolution of 6K or slightly higher, and the Air's limit on the "lid closed" display is 5K.)
• Expansion port juggling – it has two USB-C / Thunderbolt ports, total; whereas a M3 Pro MBP has three of them plus a HDMI port

LRLLRL wrote:

Some one claims 100% success. Told me to do 2 monitors and for th 3rd one, get Apple TV box, connect to monitor using hHDMI-HDMI latest version to connect!!!I am trying to locate him and also like to understand the Apple TV box. Anyone else knows about this?

I don't believe that AirPlay and Sidecar connections count against the limit on the number of external displays. You can have one AirPlay display, or one Sidecar (iPad) display, in addition to everything else.

There are various ways to set up AirPlay displays, including

• "Smart" TV with AirPlay support built in
• AirPlay to something like an Apple TV set-top box, or to some Roku streaming sticks
• AirPlay to another Mac that is recent enough that it can act as an AirPlay Receiver

AirPlay is not as good as a hardware-supported connection to a real monitor, so don't expect miracles when it comes to resolution choices or to video quality.

withinsight wrote:

Following up here as the Sonnettech Displaylink USB 3 Displayport adapter is what did the trick for me. I remember reading somewhere that it had to be the USB 3 version with a USB-C adapter, and not the Thunderbolt, or USB-C versions.

SonnetTech has several similarly-named dual display adapters.

• The Thunderbolt ones use your computer's native hardware-supported display outputs. If you are not trying to attach more displays to your computer than it supports, they are the clear choice.
• The USB 3 DisplayLink ones rely on the DisplayLink workaround. I think SonnetTech used to call these adapters just "DisplayLink" adapters (no "USB 3"), which made it easy to confuse them with the Thunderbolt ones.
• The USB-C adapter also uses the DisplayLink workaround, but supports pass-through charging.