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what cable can i use to connect my macbook pro 2021 to 2 displays?

I currently have USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter - Apple

which connects one hdmi cable, but i have 2 displays that i would like to use extended desktop on. All the ports I see on Amazon say that Mac limits the displays to mirror mode. What cable can i buy that handles dual hdmi, WITH EXTENDED DESKTOP??

MacBook Pro (2020 and later)

Posted on May 4, 2022 11:50 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on May 4, 2022 12:15 PM

Hi, techiealltheway… maybe I can help you ?

is this the macbook pro you’re talking about ? ( see link)

MacBook Pro (14-inch, 2021) - Technical Specifications (SA)

if so then you get your built in display plus up to 2 displays for m1 pro model with 3 displays for m1max model.. you have 1 hdmi port And 2 usb-c ports ( thunderbolt 4) which support hdmi/DisplayPort/MiniDisplayPort maybe dvi/vga with active adapter… am presuming you want to do 2 hdmi’s and nothing else… so use usb-c multiport adapter and 1 hdmi 2.0 cable or usb-c to hdmi 2.0 cable… either should be fine… mirroring is done in system preferences>display and you can turn it on or off… or use both monitors as extended display… no limit as far as i know… doesn’t do it automatically by default… so no limits, really


hope this helps


john b

3 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

May 4, 2022 12:15 PM in response to techiealltheway

Hi, techiealltheway… maybe I can help you ?

is this the macbook pro you’re talking about ? ( see link)

MacBook Pro (14-inch, 2021) - Technical Specifications (SA)

if so then you get your built in display plus up to 2 displays for m1 pro model with 3 displays for m1max model.. you have 1 hdmi port And 2 usb-c ports ( thunderbolt 4) which support hdmi/DisplayPort/MiniDisplayPort maybe dvi/vga with active adapter… am presuming you want to do 2 hdmi’s and nothing else… so use usb-c multiport adapter and 1 hdmi 2.0 cable or usb-c to hdmi 2.0 cable… either should be fine… mirroring is done in system preferences>display and you can turn it on or off… or use both monitors as extended display… no limit as far as i know… doesn’t do it automatically by default… so no limits, really


hope this helps


john b

May 4, 2022 1:25 PM in response to techiealltheway

The MacBook Pro 2021 models have a built-in HDMI port.

HDMI cables you want for HDMI-only Monitors (higher resolutions than 720p TV sets) are marked as Certified with an anti-counterfeiting tag and are labeled:


"Premium High Speed HDMI cable" or that + "with Ethernet"  --OR--

"Ultra High Speed HDMI cable" or that + "48G"


Cables with No Certification tags are good for your standard 720p TV set, and not much more.


Just us one of those for one display and the USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter - Apple you have now for the other.


--------

To connect BOTH displays using ONE cable out of the MacBook Pro, the first device must be a genuine ThunderBolt device [display or docking device] and must be connected to the Mac with a genuine ThunderBolt cable.


NB>> Regardless of what docking device is interposed, the Mac does not support Multiple displays over USB-C or DisplayPort cables.


May 4, 2022 12:14 PM in response to techiealltheway

Depending on the exact model of MacBook Pro you have, will be how many screens you can use.


The 2020 13" M1 MacBook Pro also sold in 2021, can only handle one external display in extended mode no matter what adapter you use. This is a hardware limitation.


The 2021 14" and 16" MacBook Pros can handle 2 external displays in extended mode.


You would need 2 of the adapters you have, one connected to each USB-C port on your Mac if you have a 2021 14" or 16" MacBook Pro, or a dock or adapter that offers more than one video port. For example: https://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/CADPDL2HDMI/

what cable can i use to connect my macbook pro 2021 to 2 displays?

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