If you have an M1-based Mac, Apple says you can only use one external monitor.But Anker, which makes power banks, chargers, docking stations and other accessories, released a docking station this week that it says will increase your M1 Mac’s maximum number of displays to three.
MacRumors found that the $250 Anker 563 USB-C Dock connects to a USB-C port on a computer (not necessarily a Mac) and can also charge a laptop up to 100W.Of course, you’ll also need the 180 W power adapter that plugs into the dock.Once connected, the dock will add the following ports to your setup:
You need two HDMI ports and DisplayPort to add three monitors to the M1 MacBook.However, there are some obvious limitations.
If you’re looking to use three 4K monitors, you’re out of luck.The dock can only support one 4K monitor at a time, and the output will be limited to a 30 Hz refresh rate.Most general purpose monitors and TVs run at 60 Hz, while monitors can go up to 360 Hz.4K displays will even hit 240 Hz this year.Running 4K at 30 Hz might be fine for watching movies, but with fast-paced action, things might not look as smooth to sharp eyes accustomed to 60 Hz and beyond.
If you add a second external monitor via the Anker 563, the 4K screen will still run at 30 Hz via HDMI, while DisplayPort will support resolutions up to 2560×1440 at 60 Hz.
There are more disappointing caveats when looking at the triple-monitor setup.A 4K monitor will run at 30 Hz, but you can’t use another 2560×1440 monitor anymore.Instead, the extra two displays are limited to a 2048×1152 resolution and 60 Hz refresh rate.If the display doesn’t support 2048×1152, Anker says the display will default to 1920×1080.
You must also download the DisplayLink software, and you must be running macOS 10.14 or Windows 7 or later.
Apple says “using a docking station or daisy-chaining devices won’t increase the number of monitors you can connect” to the M1 Mac, so don’t be surprised if something goes wrong during operation.
As The Verge points out, Anker isn’t the only one trying to do what Apple says it can’t do.For example, Hyper offers the option to add two 4K monitors to the M1 MacBook, one at 30 Hz and the other at 60 Hz.The list includes a $200 hub with a similar port selection to the Anker 563 and a two-year limited warranty (18 months on the Anker dock).It works via DisplayPort Alt Mode, so you don’t need the DisplayLink driver, but it still requires the pesky Hyper app.
Plugable offers a docking solution that claims to work with the M1 Mac, is priced similarly to the Anker dock, and they also limit 4K to 30 Hz.
For the M1, though, some terminals have more restrictions.CalDigit notes that with its dock, “users cannot extend their desktop across two monitors and will be limited to dual ‘mirrored’ monitors or 1 external monitor, depending on the dock.”
Or, for a few hundred bucks more, you can buy a new MacBook and upgrade to an M1 Pro, M1 Max, or M1 Ultra processor.Apple says the chips can support two to five external displays, depending on the device.
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Post time: May-26-2022