External Monitors on new 2024 MacBook Pro M4

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Level 1

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External Monitors on new 2024 MacBook Pro M4

I recently bought the new MacBook Pro M4 chip (late-November) and I also got the following external monitor set for Christmas - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Teamgee-Portable-Detachable-Compatible-delivered/dp/B0D4LRQ56M/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_pl_foot_top?ie=UTF8

The seller/retailer assured me the product was compatible with the new MacBook, however when I plugged one screen in (using Type-C to Type-C cable) the screen came on, said No signal and went off again. The MacBook didn't recognise the additional screen. So I then plugged in an additional Type-C to HDMI cable and the screen came on and worked (with 2 cables in total). I then needed to do the same with the 2nd screen (so 4 cables in total using up all ports on the MacBook).

The seller-retailer told me that this should not be necessary and should work with only 1 cable in each. They replaced the screens for me and sent a new bundle, tried again and got the same result, could only use with 2 cables in each screen.

Coincidentally I have now also tried the screens on my older 2019 MacBook Pro (intel chip) and each screen does indeed work with only 1 cable in each screen.

It's as if the new MacBook doesn't provide both power and video through one port simultaneously, and I need one cable for power and an additional for video.

Are there are settings within MacOS I am missing? Or is the new MacBook just not supportive of this kind of feature (external screens)?

Thanks.

MacBook Pro 16″, macOS 15.1

Posted on Jan 18, 2025 7:26 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Grant Bennet-Alder

Level 10

141,733 points

Jan 18, 2025 8:04 AM in response to Adeyjones

The 'thing you are missing' is that the ThunderBolt ports on the latest M4 Macs are ThunderBolt-5 ports, and Apple's implementation of Thunderbolt-5 is BRAND NEW, never been seen before, and appears to work differently.

On older versions, ThunderBolt ports were ready, willing, and able to supply USB-C power delivery to external devices at fairly high levels such as 60 Watts. At this writing, Apple ThunderBolt-5 ports do not supply more than low levels (like 4.5 Watts) of power -- not nearly enough for some of these portable, Bus-powered displays.

There is a huge and growing discussion of this issue, but most of the posts on it are simply "me too" posts. The one Very important post is from one user who persisted in getting a formal Bug Report logged with Apple support.

Another user reported they had contacted their device-maker, and their device-maker responded with a firmware update that fixed the issue for their displays.

The additional advice is to add your IN-formal bug report using the Product feedback pages, here:

Product Feedback - Apple

A possible work-around is to provide external power to the display instead, and allow the display to power the Mac. That could eliminate ONE cable.

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Answer 2

Adeyjones Author

Level 1

13 points

Jan 18, 2025 8:19 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

And there's me thinking each new release was supposed to be an 'upgrade' where it sounds like a step backwards if the TB-5 ports are pretty much useless for these kinds of things - would have been better sticking with my 2019 model.

I'll take a look at your link, thank you.

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Answer 3

Jan 18, 2025 9:03 AM in response to Adeyjones

This is brand new, "bleeding edge" technology.

Apple developed new custom Hardware and Software to support the new generation of ThunderBolt, including the potential for MUCH higher transfer rates -- but ONLY when when EVERY device is a Thunderbolt-5 device.

It is typical that early adopters are the ones who encounter issue with that new hardware and software, and especially typical that backward-compatibility issues arise.

The only review I could find of a PC with similar technology from Intel pronounced it was "not ready for Prime Time".

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External Monitors on new 2024 MacBook Pro M4

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