Apple Event: May 7th at 7 am PT
Hi,
Is it possible to connect 2 Apple Thunderbolt Displays to the new Thunderbolt Mac Mini, through daisy chain?
Thanks!
Not the base model since it has the low end graphics. The high end should but Apple may have restricted it from working.
I just called 1-800-MY-APPLE and asked this same question. The representive I talked to said that it will only support one display through the Thunderbolt port. I'm not 100% sure she knew what she was talking about since I had to press her to get her to say it (initially she just said "it only has one Thunderbolt port," which implied she didn't know the Thunderbolt displays can be daisy chained), so take it with a grain of salt.
I went to the Apple Store in London yesterday. I ask them at the Genius bar. They did not know. However, they took my email and then they asked an engineer at Apple.
A couple hours later, I got their answer:
I've contacted Engineering and they've informed me that daisy-chaining the new Cinema Display is possible up to two displays on 15-inch MacBook Pros, 17-inch MacBook Pros and iMacs. This, unfortunately, rules out the Mac mini as well as the 13-inch MacBook Pro and MacBook Air. The marketing material on the website will be updated soon to communicate this.
So, no it won't work! How sad!
Actually... from what i've heard from my contacts... The higher end model (with the high end graphics config) will be able to handle that. It's the base model graphics config that you may run into limitations.
Until we actually see them in stores and users hands, i guess it's all speculation across the board... WHICH EVEN INCLUDES that engineering answer that doesn't sound completely correct.
We'll see...
Here's from the Apple support doc's:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4885
They specifically list that the higher end graphics on the Mac Mini's can not only handle (2) TB displays, but also use the HDMI port as well...
Nice find. That would mean a 3 monitor setup is possible.
Here's a new article that basically covers and clears up all the new Thunderbolt display questions (same things I previously stated).
Enjoy!!
http://www.tuaw.com/2011/09/18/thunderbolt-display-daisy-chaining-spec-cleared-u p/
Just to make this absolutely clear, what this means is that the Mac mini 2011 with Intel GPU can drive two Thunderbolt displays but cannot drive the HDMI as well, it means it can also drive one Thunderbolt display and the HDMI. In otherwords it does mean it can only drive a maximum of two displays.
The AMD GPU model can drive three displays, two Thunderbolt and one HDMI.
The page at Apple Support was updated.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4885
Mac mini with HD3000 graphics can only drive one thunderbolt display.
Thanks for the headsup. For the benefit of others this does not appear to be due to the Thunderbolt chip in the Mac mini since it is the same as the iMac and MacBook chips, it instead appears to be due to the Intel GMA chip. However the lowerend Mac mini can drive two displays so I don't see why you could not drive two Thunderbolt displays rather than one Thunderbolt and one HDMI.
Thunderbolt Mac Mini with 2 Thunderbolt Displays
