Mac Mini USB-C powered monitor port.

Question

Level 1

5 points

Mac Mini USB-C powered monitor port.

I have a M2 MacMini Pro. I just got a Dell U2723QE and it works fine with the Mini over HDMI. The monitor also has a USB-C to Display port that is also 90watts output. I have tried this port with my Macbook and it charges it and passes the video to the monitor.

My question is is safe to plug in my Mini via this USB-C to Display port instead of using the HDMI cable??

Advantages would be....enabling the multiple ports on the bottom of the monitor (USB-A, etc) while transmitting video and it is a slimmer cable vs the HDMI.

My concern is....will the 90watts do anything to the Mini, like damage it? Or will the Monitor or Mini just stop sending the 90watts.

Thanks for any help!

Mac mini (M2 Pro, 2023)

Posted on Oct 31, 2024 9:47 AM

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Answer 1

hcsitas

Level 6

12,824 points

Oct 31, 2024 12:37 PM in response to den.thed

+1, additionally:

Monitors have been known not to wake from sleep because of faulty re-negotiation of power by the monitors requiring hard boots i.e.shoddily engineered monitors
HDMI is dedicated to video - no bandwidth sharing = superior and stable video throughput, no flickering etc.
An unused HDMI port is effectively overpaying for the mini. Apple probably appreciates free money but certainly doesn’t need it 😀

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Answer 2

den.thed

Level 10

82,360 points

Oct 31, 2024 10:27 AM in response to SnakeDoc1

+1 As mentioned everything on one cable overrated. Use 1 cable for Video and 1 cable for down stream USB devices.

With that Dell Display for Video I recommend using:

a short 1 meter high speed HDMI to HDMI cable.

for example: https:https://www.amazon.com/DisplayPort-Compatible-MacBook-Samsung-Pixelbook/dp/B0B97GVTN4/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?

a short 1 meter high speed USB-C to HDMI cable.

forhttps://www.amazon.com/DisplayPort-Compatible-MacBook-Samsung-Pixelbook/dp/B0B97GVTN4/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?

or a short 1 meter high speed USB-C to DisplayPort cable.

for example > https://www.amazon.com/DisplayPort-Compatible-MacBook-Samsung-Pixelbook/dp/B0B97GVTN4/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?

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Answer 3

den.thed

Level 10

82,360 points

Oct 31, 2024 12:29 PM in response to SnakeDoc1

You're welcome.

The main reason is that HDMI and DisplayPort cables do not incorporate or carry USB.

Second reason is, that it requires a very expensive Apple TB/USB-C cable because the display manufactures cable does not provide enough band width to make everything happy.

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Answer 4

Oct 31, 2024 4:55 PM in response to SnakeDoc1

If you are using HDMI v2.0 with a monitor that supports 10-bit-per-channel color, I believe that the bandwidth limitations of HDMI will force a tradeoff.

Specifically, you will not be able to have all of

4K resolution
60 Hz refresh rate
10 bit per channel color
RGB representation with 4:4:4 color encoding

Something will have to give – the refresh rate, the 10 bits per channel, or the color encoding. My understanding is that the 4:2:2 and 4:2:1 encodings work by forcing adjacent pixels to have the same color, which, in other words, means that those encodings effectively reduce resolution.

HDMI 2.1 has several times the bandwidth of HDMI 2.0, so presumably does not have this issue. But there are a lot of Macs and/or monitors that do not have HDMI 2.1 yet.

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Answer 5

hcsitas

Level 6

12,824 points

Oct 31, 2024 9:50 AM in response to SnakeDoc1

I don’t recommend it. The do-it-all-single-C-cable solution is overrated. HDMI dedicated is any day superior and always works flawlessly.

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Answer 6

SnakeDoc1 Author

Level 1

5 points

Oct 31, 2024 12:08 PM in response to den.thed

I am not sure how the single cable solution is overrated??? If I had he Apple monitor that is exactly how it works, with a Macbook or MacMini. (Power delivered for the Macbook but not he MacMini). Single cable does it all, with less mess and expands the ports on the monitor....Win..Win.

Anyhow I found the answer to the question I was aksing.

https://www.reddit.com/r/macmini/comments/sa8hhb/m1_mac_mini_to_dell_u2720q_usbc/

https://www.reddit.com/r/mac/comments/161voty/question_on_connecting_mac_mini_to_usbc_input_of/

Thanks!

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Answer 7

SnakeDoc1 Author

Level 1

5 points

Oct 31, 2024 5:03 PM in response to Servant of Cats

Thanks!

I am typing this, from the Mini using USB-C to/from the Dell monitor. All is good. I called Apple. Also there was a firmware update for the monitor that I applied.

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