Selecting the right adapter for connecting Mac to monitor

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Selecting the right adapter for connecting Mac to monitor

I have a MacBook Air (13 inch, early 2014). I need to make sure that I order the right cord to connect it to an external monitor -- an LG 27BL85U with several types of input ports (looks like HDMI, USB-C, USB-A. The specs page for my laptop says (see below for pasted text) that I should buy a "third-party Mini DisplayPort to HDMI Adapter," but I'm not sure which precise adapter will definitely fit my laptop. Would appreciate guidance on this. Thank you!

Thunderbolt digital video output

- Native Mini DisplayPort output
- DVI output using Mini DisplayPort to DVI Adapter (sold separately)
- VGA output using Mini DisplayPort to VGA Adapter (sold separately)
- Dual-link DVI output using Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI Adapter (sold separately)
- HDMI audio and video output using third-party Mini DisplayPort to HDMI Adapter (sold separately)

MacBook Air 13″, macOS 10.14

Posted on Sep 14, 2021 1:58 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Chattanoogan

Level 7

25,628 points

Sep 14, 2021 2:18 PM in response to Delinrt

The adaptor (to HDMI) is this one:

https://store.apple.com/xc/product/HHLN2ZM/B

The store also carries Mini Display Port -to- HDMI cables as well.

(FYI, the Thuderbolt 2 on your laptop used the “Mini Display Port” physical plug style)

That said, I’m unsure if your laptop has sufficient “uumph” to drive that 4k monitor; at least at the higher resolutions. 🤔

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Answer 2

Delinrt Author

Level 1

4 points

Sep 17, 2021 8:59 AM in response to Chattanoogan

The adapter worked. Thank you!

And on the "uumph"/4K point you raised: yes, as you suspected, it seems that the monitor is defaulting to a lower resolution in light of what my laptop can manage. But it's working, so I'll take it!

Thank you again.

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Answer 3

Sep 17, 2021 10:02 AM in response to Delinrt

That’s good news. 👍

Glad it’s at least “usable” for you.

I too had a MacBook Air of similar vintage; while I recalled researching the “available” external display resolution maybe 5-6 years ago, I couldn’t recall or find the details of my findings.

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Answer 4

Sep 17, 2021 11:19 AM in response to Delinrt

In the FWIW dept: Apple’s Thunderbolt displays were by-far the BEST external display to pair w/ that generation of MacBook Airs.

Don’t even know if they can still be found.

https://web.archive.org/web/20150207091031/http://www.apple.com:80/displays

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Selecting the right adapter for connecting Mac to monitor

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