Can the new 13 inch MacBook Pro with 4 Thunderbolt Ports drive the 27" LG Ultrafine 5k Thunderbolt 3 Monitor AND an LG 34UC97 Ultrawide (3440x1880) at the same time?

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Can the new 13 inch MacBook Pro with 4 Thunderbolt Ports drive the 27" LG Ultrafine 5k Thunderbolt 3 Monitor AND an LG 34UC97 Ultrawide (3440x1880) at the same time?

The documentation for the 13" 2016 MacBook Pro says it can only drive one 27" LG Ultrafine 5k Thunderbolt (TB) 3 display. I understand it can't drive two 5Ks, but can it drive the LG 5k AND a LG 34UC97 Ultrawide (3440x1440)?

I have the LG Ultrawide and need an additional monitor (for screen real estate). I was waiting for the rumored, new Apple TB display that never arrived (and looks like it never will). With the recommended replacement being the LG 4k or 5k screens, I would choose the 4k if it came in a 27" variant but 21" is just too small. So now I'm left with choosing the LG 27" 5k TB3 monitor or some other third party equivalent. I would be ok with a 4k Dell or the like (ASUS, etc) but really want the TB3 and Apple integration offered by the new LGs. With the current sale on, I'm tempted to buy the 5k. Problem is I don't know if the new "maxed out" 13" MBP (3.3GHz, Dual Core i7 with intel iris graphics 550) will drive both the LG 5k and LG Ultrawide screens. I know the new 15" MBP can but I've ordered the 13" for portability (15" is just too big for travel).

Will the reduced bandwidth "right side" TB3 ports and/or controller drive the LG Ultrawide? If I connect the LG 5k to the left side ports and the LG Utrawide to the right side ports will it overtax the integrated GPU (Intel iris 550)?

FYI I have an old 2013, 13"MBA (1/7 GHZ Intel Core i7 with Intel HD Graphics 5000 integrated GPU) that I used to drive the LG Ultrawide and an Apple TB display in the past. It taxed the processor/GPU and the fans ran 24x7 but it worked. I eventually gave the Apple TB display to my wife and it is now forever lost:) so I'm in the market for a new 27" monitor to connect to the 2016, 13" MPB that is on the way.

I've also asked the local Apple Store but they just don't know.

Posted on Nov 12, 2016 11:40 AM

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Answer 1

Kappy

Level 10

361,741 points

Nov 12, 2016 11:55 AM in response to PRING

Go to the Apple Online store, click on the Mac item in the navbar. Locate the Specs button on the top right. Look for the answer there.

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Answer 2

PRING Author

Level 1

4 points

Nov 12, 2016 12:04 PM in response to Kappy

Thanks Kappy - the specs state:

Simultaneously supports full native resolution on the built-in display at millions of colors and:

One display with 5120-by-2880 resolution at 60Hz at over a billion colors
Up to two displays with 4096-by-2304 resolution at 60Hz at over a billion colors

What is not quite clear to me is if it can drive a 5120x2880 and a 3440x1440 at the same time. The specs page and several other Apple pages clearly state it can only drive 1 x 5k screen, but the question that seems to remain is: can it drive 1 x 5k and 1 x 2440x1440 Ultrawide. Maybe more clearly put - Does the 5k use all the iGPU or left side TB3 bandwidth/processing power? If I connect the 5k to a left side port and the UW to the right side port, will the lower powered right side port handle the UW display and will the iGPU be able to handle both at the same time?

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Answer 3

Kappy

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361,741 points

Nov 12, 2016 1:00 PM in response to PRING

I can't tell you the answer. I could infer if you use one 5K display then you cannot use another monitor. I have no idea if you could use the 5K monitor at 4K, then you may be able to use a second 4K or less monitor. I suggest you need to wait until someone at the local Apple Store can give you a definitive answer whether that is possible on any one of the new models, especially, the ones with 4 TB3 ports.

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Answer 4

Kappy

Level 10

361,741 points

Nov 12, 2016 1:02 PM in response to Kappy

Oh, and I would infer that if you use 5K on the built-in monitor, then you can use 5K on an external monitor. Still, I have no idea if two 5K monitors can be used if the built-in monitor is not used.

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Answer 5

PRING Author

Level 1

4 points

Nov 13, 2016 5:44 AM in response to Kappy

Thanks again Kappy. Yeah, basically all I can do is infer right now. I'd hoped there might be someone out there who knew the CPU/GPU/TB3 architecture well enough to answer my question but it looks like I might just have to wait...or be the guy who buys everything, tries it out, and can answer it for the community.

I did not, however, think of your idea about not using the internal screen (i.e. clam shelling the MBP and therefore increasing the chance it can drive a 5k and an additional UW monitor). As an aside, it's not how I like to work but I could live with it if I had to.

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Answer 6

Kappy

Level 10

361,741 points

Nov 13, 2016 11:51 AM in response to PRING

That is only likely if someone has one of the models not yet shipping. You might look for articles on Google or check a benchmarking site such as ARS. If they have had access to the new MBPs, then they may have reported on video/GPU capabilities beyond tech stats.

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Answer 7

PRING Author

Level 1

4 points

Nov 15, 2016 1:35 PM in response to Kappy

Thanks Kappy - After reading the latest ARS review, it looks like the 2016 13" MBPs are limited to three displays regardless of the resolution (http://arstechnica.com/video/2016/11/the-2016-13-and-15-inch-touch-bar-macbook-p ros-reviewed/).

"When you hook one of LG’s 5K monitors to one of the new MacBook Pros, what you’re actually seeing on the screen is two pictures stitched together to make a single seamless image. This is because the version of the DisplayPort spec supported by Intel’s GPUs and almost all monitors these days—version 1.2—doesn’t have enough bandwidth to drive a 5K display at 60Hz all by itself. This will change with DisplayPort 1.3, which is right on the cusp of going mainstream, but it’s not here yet. Apple is actually pushing two DisplayPort 1.2 streams to the monitor over the single Thunderbolt 3 cable." "Intel’s integrated GPUs can drive a total of three displays, but you use up two of those three streams to drive one 5K monitor and one of them to drive the laptop’s internal display."

So it's either clamshell with my current LG Ultrawide and the LG 5k Ultrafine and retain all the Apple integration (brightness and sound controls via the keypad) or find a replacement 27" monitor that doesn't use 2 screens like the 5k does so I can keep the laptop open.

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