Computer accessories maker Sonnet Tech has just announced two new, very useful adapters for PC owners without the (original) M1 Mac without the Thunderbolt port. Both DisplayLink adapters – display ports or HDMI – support two external 4K 60Hz displays using only one USB-A port on the host computer. This is especially useful for M1 users because Apple officially only supports one external display.
I personally own a 2020 M1 MacBook Pro, so this announcement is good news! The ability to connect two external displays at 4K 60Hz (UHD 3840 x 2160 pixels) is especially effective when 1) researching and editing articles for CineD with video editing / color grading or 2) opening multiple browser tabs.
Unfortunately, Apple officially only supports one external display up to 6K 60Hz (but only when the MacBook display is set to its native resolution, once you scale it, the external display drops to 30Hz). Other third-party adapters mostly support only one display or one at 60Hz and another at 30Hz.
Sonnet Tech DisplayLink Dual Display Adapter
These two new dual-display adapters are not only offered by Sonnet Tech. The company also sells native Thunderbolt 4 adapters with two display ports or two HDMI ports, and strongly recommends using them if you have a compatible Mac or PC (M1 Max, M1 Pro, TB 3, or 4-capable PC). But if you have a real M1 Mac like mine, these two dedicated USB-A variants are right for you.
Both dual-display adapters come with USB-A to USB-C adapters and are bus driven, so no external power is required. If you are small on port, you can connect these adapters to a Thunderbolt hub attached to your M1 machine.
Sonnet Tech says playback of copy-protected content is possible, but only on PC, for now. Probably will follow support for Apple’s M1 machines.
Of course, this is somewhat effective because the Apple M1 doesn’t support multiple external displays on the machine, but it works if it does, doesn’t it? There are other ways to overcome this limitation spread on the internet, but this neat solution is the most elegant solution I have ever seen.
Looks like you can use these two adapters to connect four (!) 4K 60Hz displays to your M1 Mac, for all possible adjustments and requirements, please see the official specification of Sonnet Tech Here (HDMI) and Here (DP) at the bottom of the page.
Price and availability
Both new DisplayLink dual-display adapters are now available, as are their Thunderbolt counterparts. The USB-A variant (for the M1) is priced at $ 149.99, which isn’t quite cheap, but if you need two additional displays, it might be worth it. The Thunderbolt-to-Dual HDMI variant is priced at 109.99, and the Thunderbolt-to-Dual DP variant is priced at $ 89.99.
What I find a little weird is that these purpose-built adapters for the M1 Mac come with a USB-A port, which says that Macs (except Mac Mini) don’t have. But that’s what it is.
Link: Sonnet Tech
What do you think of it? Could this adapter be something you would consider for your workflow? Or will you upgrade to a newer M1 Pro / M1 Max model? Share your experience in the comments below!
