These can include new display ports, such as HDMI, as well as Gigabit Ethernet for wired Internet access, USB-C/Thunderbolt/USB-A ports at varying speeds, audio plugs, and card readers.

It then offers multiple ports that your laptop now has access to. Which dock is best?Ī docking station connects to your MacBook via Thunderbolt or USB-C. For M2, the company does anticipate compatibility but is awaiting new M2 MacBooks for testing and validation. For Mac compatibility, it has validated both Apple and Intel platforms running at least macOS 11. However, after some recent testing and improvements Plugable, for example, has updated its compatibility to officially support that configuration. Whenever there is a new OS update the drivers may need to be updated each time. The solution works, but they rightly warned that this could become unstuck in future versions of the macOS.

Originally, dock manufacturers did not officially support such a DisplayLink setup for Macs. Which docks support DisplayLink and InstantView? Neither software solution is complicated and both worked well in our tests as you can read below. Some of the docks we review below offer the DisplayLink software when you first connect the dock to your Mac. But, in general, setup is straightforward. There are different versions of the DisplayLink driver, and some bring their own compromises to the party. Note that DisplayLink requires a third-party driver to be installed on the Mac. This combination serves as a workaround to the M1/M2 platform supporting only a single external display via USB-C. Many multi-display docks use a combination of native USB-C Alternate Mode (native “Alt Mode” video output) and DisplayLink technology. This should work with most third-party docks, although some manufacturers, such as Caldigit, don’t recommend it. You can use a combination of display technologies to get around the M1/M2 MacBooks’ single-monitor limitation. Workaround #1: Install DisplayLink software drivers We also cover the basics of how to connect your Mac to an external monitor. We have this guide to monitors for M1 Macs and what you need to know before buying.

Apple has apparently promised to fix the problem in a future macOS update, but the arrival of the later M1 Pro and M1 Max-and more recently the M2-suggest that M1 owners could be waiting a long time.

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