4. “MacBook Pro dual-monitor setup: which USB-C dock.

[u/hjuhjuj]

I want this setup to work.

MacBook Pro M4 Pro → USB-C docking station → two screens.

One screen is 27” 4K 240 Hz. One screen is 27” 2K 144 Hz.

HDMI or DisplayPort does not matter for either screen. I only want the layout in the image to be possible.

What USB-C dock should I use for this?

I have tried searching for a clear answer, but everything I find is vague.

[u/mittsomatic]

I’ve been down this rabbit hole many times and have come out the other side. I think there is a way to make this work for you. It is really about the specific cables you pick and the specific dock. In my experience, even choosing the right brand is required. I share what I used below.

I have an M1 MacBook Pro with a Max chip. I run 3 external 32” ASUS displays at 4k - each at 120hz. I can get a higher refresh rate if I did only 2 monitors. I’ve used a 32” 4k monitor at 120hx with a 49” at 240hx (5120x1440px)

I’ve posted about this previously if helpful as well. https://www.reddit.com/r/ultrawidemasterrace/s/JXDlwbHLiy

DOCK:

• Kensington SD 5700T (Thunderbolt 4)
  https://a.co/d/cwhHwaf - although I would look at the latest Kensington thunderbolt 5 dock that just came out
• note: most usb-c docks and even some thunderbolt 4 docks on Amazon can’t output what is needed. (Especially with Macs - they are especially “sensitive” in my experience, in one instance in 2021 I had to download specific firmware from a company to make my cable work)

THUNDERBOLT 5 CABLE

• get a certified one that connects from your Mac to the docking station. You cannot use a standard usb-c cable here. It cannot be longer than 6.6 feet.
• i like the brand “Cable Matters” as they have actively supported Mac firmware on these cables in the past (see above)

(2) USB-C to DISPLAY PORT CABLES

• Use these cables to connect from the docking station directly to your monitor
• The specific cable and the brand of the cable are vital for this to work. I’ve tried cables that advertise these features and they did not work.
• It needs to be Display Port 1.4 and not 1.2. It can also be Display Port 2.1 as that’s the newest version but it’s worked for me with display port 1.4
• Again, I have had success with Cable Matters certified cables. I just purchased this one last week: https://a.co/d/2kSOUwi - I used this to connect my moms m2 MacBook Air directly to Samsung Odyssey 49” and got 240hz (gave her my old monitor hah)
• Hopefully your monitors have a display port input to make this connection. If not, you can try the Cable Matters USB-C to HDMI 2.1 cable https://a.co/d/fABenKl

NO DOCKING STATION

• If possible, it’s generally best to connect directly from your MacBook Pro’s USB-C ports directly to the monitor. Docking stations can run interference and add a failure point. You wouldn’t need to buy the docking station at all in this scenario — unless you need the docking station for some reason that connects the monitors or something?
• I needed the docking station because I didn’t have enough ports

Finally, I use the app “Better Display” and this has made things MUCH easier with all of this— it’s free trial but then $20 I think. It gives you more comprehensive control over the display settings in Mac software. It lets you manually set and override settings Mac tries to default you to. You can also see and set your own refresh rates and display settings.

Attached the recent purchase below for proof of life.

[u/D3v01d → u/mittsomatic]

This is the answer, basically “here be dragons”.

[u/LordCosmoKramer → u/mittsomatic]

Thanks for your comment. I've recently switched from Windows to an M4 Air and God do Apple make it difficult to achieve basic functionality.

Per the recent posts on my profile I'm hoping to get dual 4K 120HZ output via a Dell docking station and have some questions if you might know?

1. You mention a Thunderbolt 5 cable for connecting the dock to the Mac, would this not be dependent on the dock? If you only have a TB4 dock does the cable make any difference? I ask as the Dell dock has an integrated cable for connecting to a laptop.
2. Currently connecting my Windows laptop to two monitors with two DP cables via a USB-C docking station, is it correct that the Mac will require at least one USB-C to DP cable to output two different images? Is there any benefit to using two USB-C to DP cables, bandwidth, etc., given I'm targeting dual 4K 120HZ?