ChiefsPlanet Mobile
Page 3 of 4
< 123 4 >
Media Center>Laptops Thunderbolt Question
Coach 12:19 PM 05-15-2021
So I have 2 questions that I am hopeful that someone can assist me on what I hope to accomplish. I probably know the answer to my own question based on my own research, but want to double check, since I am not quite familiar with this.

Background: A buddy of mine has a laptop (Lenovo T480 Model) for work. Currently he is using a laptop screen and the HDMI port for one external monitor. This buddy wants to see if he can use another monitor. He has researched that the laptop graphics is Intel(R) UHD Graphics 620.

On the laptop, it does have 1 HDMI (which is currently in use for 1 monitor as mentioned above) on the right side (see #8 on the image below).

On the left side of the laptop, it has a "thunderbolt" symbol (#4 on the image below) - which is not currently in use for anything. Further research shows that it has 1x USB 3.1 Gen1 Type C and 1x USB 3.1 Gen2 Type C/Intel Thunderbolt 3.



The 1st question is: Can he use the thunderbolt port to utilize for an 2nd monitor?

Research shows Lenovo's website for this model can support up to 3 monitors (2 external monitors and the laptop - which is the accomplished goal).

The 2nd question applies if the 1st question is "YES": Is it better to get a cord with a male connection to the thunderbolt and a male connection HDMI to the monitor, or to get a male connection to the thunderbolt and a female connection HDMI (adapter), and connect the HDMI cords together?
[Reply]
Coach 11:58 PM 05-15-2021
Originally Posted by Fish:
Yeah, bud. 99.99999% confident that adapter will do exactly what you're wanting.
Appreciate it. Let me know when you head up north in my area. I'll get ya a beer.
[Reply]
Fish 12:00 AM 05-16-2021
Originally Posted by Coach:
Appreciate it. Let me know when you head up north in my area. I'll get ya a beer.
Will do. Good to hear from you. Been a few years. :-)
[Reply]
displacedinMN 10:46 AM 05-19-2021
Originally Posted by Stryker:
A Thunderbolt is a piece of shit docking station. It is a "brick" for lack of better words. Yes you can use dual monitors if you use a Lenovo docking station - an actual docking station. I work for a hospital that uses Lenovo exclusively. Yes you would be able to connect 2 monitors and use the laptop screen as the 3rd.

P.S.

I work in IT and deploy Lenovo products.
Just saw this--it is worse for Apple
[Reply]
htismaqe 10:50 AM 05-19-2021
Originally Posted by displacedinMN:
Just saw this--it is worse for Apple
Hardly.

TB is awesome, especially for external displays.
[Reply]
displacedinMN 05:17 PM 05-19-2021
Originally Posted by htismaqe:
Hardly.

TB is awesome, especially for external displays.
My school apple will only allow 1 external monitor with TB. I gave up and started using my own computer.

We get new ones next fall. It will have 2 USB 3 ports. So I will buy a dock to use my external monitor and the Promethean board.
[Reply]
htismaqe 06:58 AM 05-20-2021
Originally Posted by displacedinMN:
My school apple will only allow 1 external monitor with TB. I gave up and started using my own computer.

We get new ones next fall. It will have 2 USB 3 ports. So I will buy a dock to use my external monitor and the Promethean board.
What model is it? Are they brand new because right now the new ARM-based M1 MacBooks allow up to 2 externals but only 1 via TB (the other via HDMI).

I believe the Intel Mac's allow for 2.
[Reply]
displacedinMN 11:31 AM 05-20-2021
Originally Posted by htismaqe:
What model is it? Are they brand new because right now the new ARM-based M1 MacBooks allow up to 2 externals but only 1 via TB (the other via HDMI).

I believe the Intel Mac's allow for 2.
Old. 4 years old. Mac pro 13 inch.
But we are getting new next year. Not too concerned with 15 days left of school.
[Reply]
htismaqe 11:35 AM 05-20-2021
Originally Posted by displacedinMN:
Old. 4 years old. Mac pro 13 inch.
But we are getting new next year. Not too concerned with 15 days left of school.
If they're 4 years old, they should be able to support 2 displays. That's weird.

And hopefully the new gen ARM machines will be out by next year because right now the M1 can definitely only support 1 external display on TB. You can have a 2nd external monitor but only via HDMI.
[Reply]
Fish 11:41 AM 05-20-2021
Originally Posted by displacedinMN:
Old. 4 years old. Mac pro 13 inch.
But we are getting new next year. Not too concerned with 15 days left of school.
All Mac models 4 yrs old or newer will support at least 2 external displays.
[Reply]
htismaqe 11:42 AM 05-20-2021
Originally Posted by Fish:
All Mac models 4 yrs old or newer will support at least 2 external displays.
Via TB.

The new ARM machines only support 1 via TB currently. They support 2 but only via both TB and HDMI.
[Reply]
Fish 11:50 AM 05-20-2021
Originally Posted by htismaqe:
Via TB.

The new ARM machines only support 1 via TB currently. They support 2 but only via both TB and HDMI.
The first gen M1 Macbook Pro only supports 1 external by default. Even though the hardware is capable of additional. I've heard talk that a future update will change that. M1 Mac Mini supports HDMI and USB-C external display.
[Reply]
htismaqe 11:54 AM 05-20-2021
Originally Posted by Fish:
The first gen M1 Macbook Pro only supports 1 external by default. Even though the hardware is capable of additional. I've heard talk that a future update will change that. M1 Mac Mini supports HDMI and USB-C external display.
Yeah, the next iteration of the Mini is supposed to support 2. It's also going to have 4 USB/TB ports instead of 2 and 10 cores with up to 64GB of RAM.

Apple's ARM development is iterating at a startling pace, which is why I'm going to wait a bit before buying anything else. Chances are a year from now, these things are going to be twice as powerful as they are now and they're already twice as powerful as their Intel counterparts.
[Reply]
Fish 11:58 AM 05-20-2021
If the stupid fucking engineers at Apple weren't so intent on removing every damn port on their devices, these machines would be capable of so much more. The hardware itself can handle plenty of external displays. Apple has neutered their own notebooks for the sake of flashy design...

Originally Posted by :
It is possible to run up to six external displays from the M1 Mac mini, and five external displays from the M1 MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, with the aid of DisplayPort adapters, according to YouTuber Ruslan Tulupov. This far exceeds Apple's specified limits on external displays with the M1 Macs.

https://www.macrumors.com/2020/11/24...rnal-displays/

[Reply]
htismaqe 12:07 PM 05-20-2021
Originally Posted by Fish:
If the stupid fucking engineers at Apple weren't so intent on removing every damn port on their devices, these machines would be capable of so much more. The hardware itself can handle plenty of external displays. Apple has neutered their own notebooks for the sake of flashy design...
Rumors are that they're going to move towards rectifying that. They're adding ports back to the next MacBook Pro from what I've read.

Hopefully they get it. The thing about ARM is that it allows a lot more space while preserving the thin design because of the thermal advantages over Intel. It should allow them to add back more peripherals.

I hold out hope that things will improve as they iterate on their own silicon. I think it certainly looks promising.
[Reply]
Buehler445 01:08 PM 05-20-2021
Originally Posted by Fish:
If the stupid fucking engineers at Apple weren't so intent on removing every damn port on their devices, these machines would be capable of so much more. The hardware itself can handle plenty of external displays. Apple has neutered their own notebooks for the sake of flashy design...
SOP
[Reply]
Page 3 of 4
< 123 4 >
Up