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Apple's own USB-C to external monitor options are horrid. They have an USB-C to HDMI/USB/USBC dongle that is notoriously buggy locking up the new MBP. We ende

Apple's own USB-C to external monitor options are horrid. They have an USB-C to HDMI/USB/USBC dongle that is notoriously buggy locking up the new MBP. We ended up with a 3rd party cables to connect to external monitors. Some balls definitely dropped over at apple's product teams.

wlesieutre 9y ago
Apple doesn't even have an option for connecting to DisplayPort screens. I need it because the UP2414Q runs 4K@60Hz over DP with multistream transport. It will only run at 30 Hz over HDMI. Apple sells a USB-C to Thunderbolt 2 adapter that looks identical to the mini-displayport connector on my previous laptop but is only thunderbolt, no video modes supported. A lot of unhappy reviews on that one. They dropped just about every ball possible with monitor hookups. I actually haven't bought a USB to DP cable yet because last time I looked they weren't well reviewed, had gone out of stock, or cost like $40. I'm debating whether I should get one or hold off for the TB3 docks to show up.
- petercooper 9y ago
  Apple sells a USB-C to Thunderbolt 2 adapter that looks identical to the mini-displayport connector on my previous laptop but is only thunderbolt, no video modes supported. A lot of unhappy reviews on that one. I made that same mistake, but it's also broken the other way around.. turns out you can't use a 2015 iMac as a display using DisplayPort, it has to be a Thunderbolt :-D So now I have two connectors with the same socket but two totally different uses.
  - Bud 9y ago
    That's not broken. The iMac is not a general-purpose display. It's a computer. If you plug a Dell laptop into a Mac, would you expect to automatically get to use the Dell's monitor as a secondary Mac display?
    - wlesieutre 9y ago
      iMacs did support this, called Target Display Mode. Similar to how macs can be mounted as external hard drives in Target Disk Mode. 2009 and 2010 models supported vanilla DisplayPort, 2011 to 2014 cut that for Thunderbolt only. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204592 https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204592
    - deleted 9y ago
      [deleted]
- bluedino 9y ago
  >> Apple doesn't even have an option for connecting to DisplayPort screens. I'm still pissed that I can't connect with my 2014 MBP over DisplayPort without knocking out the wifi with interference.
  - deleted 9y ago
    [deleted]
- pault 9y ago
  FWIW I've been using this one with my Dell u3417w (3440x1440 curved screen) and haven't had any issues: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01EXKDRAC https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01EXKDRAC
  - wlesieutre 9y ago
    MST is a whole separate disaster. That cable advertises support for it at least. On the Windows side, I've had DP to DP cables not work even though they were supposed to. I only have the single DP to miniDP (and my 2011 Air couldn't drive it with MST anyway), but I assume it was a similar boat there. Maybe things are better by now. Guess I'll snag a cable and try my luck. Looks like they're generally around $15-20 right now, which isn't too bad.
- jordache 9y ago
  The one on amazon for $20 works well... pluggable I think.
dawnerd 9y ago
not to mention there's no apple way to connect usb-c to displayport 1.2. Honestly should have been one of the main adaptors they made. HDMI is great but unless it can pump 4k at 60hz it's no good.

wlesieutre 9y ago

Apple doesn't even have an option for connecting to DisplayPort screens. I need it because the UP2414Q runs 4K@60Hz over DP with multistream transport. It will only run at 30 Hz over HDMI. Apple sells a USB-C to Thunderbolt 2 adapter that looks identical to the mini-displayport connector on my previous laptop but is only thunderbolt, no video modes supported. A lot of unhappy reviews on that one. They dropped just about every ball possible with monitor hookups. I actually haven't bought a USB to DP cable yet because last time I looked they weren't well reviewed, had gone out of stock, or cost like $40. I'm debating whether I should get one or hold off for the TB3 docks to show up.

petercooper 9y ago
Apple sells a USB-C to Thunderbolt 2 adapter that looks identical to the mini-displayport connector on my previous laptop but is only thunderbolt, no video modes supported. A lot of unhappy reviews on that one. I made that same mistake, but it's also broken the other way around.. turns out you can't use a 2015 iMac as a display using DisplayPort, it has to be a Thunderbolt :-D So now I have two connectors with the same socket but two totally different uses.
- Bud 9y ago
  That's not broken. The iMac is not a general-purpose display. It's a computer. If you plug a Dell laptop into a Mac, would you expect to automatically get to use the Dell's monitor as a secondary Mac display?
  - wlesieutre 9y ago
    iMacs did support this, called Target Display Mode. Similar to how macs can be mounted as external hard drives in Target Disk Mode. 2009 and 2010 models supported vanilla DisplayPort, 2011 to 2014 cut that for Thunderbolt only. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204592 https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204592
  - deleted 9y ago
    [deleted]
bluedino 9y ago
>> Apple doesn't even have an option for connecting to DisplayPort screens. I'm still pissed that I can't connect with my 2014 MBP over DisplayPort without knocking out the wifi with interference.
- deleted 9y ago
  [deleted]
pault 9y ago
FWIW I've been using this one with my Dell u3417w (3440x1440 curved screen) and haven't had any issues: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01EXKDRAC https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01EXKDRAC
- wlesieutre 9y ago
  MST is a whole separate disaster. That cable advertises support for it at least. On the Windows side, I've had DP to DP cables not work even though they were supposed to. I only have the single DP to miniDP (and my 2011 Air couldn't drive it with MST anyway), but I assume it was a similar boat there. Maybe things are better by now. Guess I'll snag a cable and try my luck. Looks like they're generally around $15-20 right now, which isn't too bad.
jordache 9y ago
The one on amazon for $20 works well... pluggable I think.

dawnerd 9y ago

not to mention there's no apple way to connect usb-c to displayport 1.2. Honestly should have been one of the main adaptors they made. HDMI is great but unless it can pump 4k at 60hz it's no good.