This means that when using any docking station, M1 MacBook users cannot extend their desktop over two or more displays, and will be limited to either dual Mirrored displays or one external display-although there are software workarounds and dedicated docks that allow you to add more than one external monitor to an M1 or M2 MacBook.

While Apple’s MacBooks featuring the company’s own M1 or M2 Silicon chip are super speedy compared to the models sporting Intel processors, early models come with an incredible limitation: they don’t support more than one external display in Extended Mode even via their Thunderbolt 3 ports. Natively over USB-C, Macs can only connect to one external display in Extended mode (where the screen extends beyond what you can see on the laptop screen, as opposed to Mirrored mode that replicates exactly what you get on the laptop screen) but you’ll get two Extended mode screens over a Thunderbolt connection.

If you want to connect more than one external display to your MacBook you’ll need a Thunderbolt dock, rather than a USB-C dock. You can turn that 13in laptop screen into an iMac-sized 27in or even larger monitor by adding an extra display-or connect two large screens to extend your screen across your whole desk. If you use your laptop as your principal computer, you would do well to consider attaching at least one larger display to create a hybrid desktop/laptop setup (with a keyboard, mouse and printer all available via a single connection to your MacBook). If you don’t require the ultimate bandwidth for the fastest data transfer and best screen frame rates or resolutions, a USB-C dock might suit your purposes and save you money. We have included some cheaper non-Thunderbolt USB-C docks.

That said, there are still some great-and often more affordable-TB3 docks available, and most Apple users won’t see much difference between TB3 and TB4-the Thunderbolt 4 standard was mainly about getting Windows laptops up to speed, although there are technical benefits for MacBook Pro users, such as smarter daisy-chaining and faster PCI hard-drive connections. If your MacBook is equipped with Thunderbolt 4, then you really should buy a TB4 dock if you need more ports than those 14/16in laptops already possess.īuying a Thunderbolt 4 dock is a wise decision based on future-proofing even for owners of TB3 Macs as the standard is backwards compatible with TB3 and USB-C.

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