Will one USB-C port be able to deliver power, data transfer and power two monitors on a Macbook Pro?

Question

I have a USB-C hub (link to it on amazon is here). At the moment I have a setup of: Mouse and keyboard, hard drives, power cable and one monitor through HDMI into that USB-C hub and have had no troubles.

However, I have a two monitor setup and when I use my MacBook pro I only use one monitor - I'd like to use the second one as a extend feature, so I have two screens available NOT DUPLICATE SCREENS.

This USB-C hub only has one HDMI port available (I'd prefer not to buy a new hub) and so I was just wondering if I got a HDMI splitter similar to this and plug that into the one HDMI port on my Hub and have two HDMI cables going from my two monitors, would that work?

I'm wondering this as it would be a lot of stress on one thunderbolt port on my Macbook, surely, let alone splitting HDMI signals?

If that won't work, if I have one HDMI port going from my hub to one monitor and have a USB-C cable to HDMI from another USB-C port on my Mac and have that go to the second monitor, would that be more feasible?

Answer 1

Based on this post: Can I connect three monitors and provide power to my MacBook Pro with a single cable?

Thunderbolt doesn't chain video. So you need to use 2 ports in order to display to two external monitors.

You can see the example setup here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZ-87j7bmgc

Answer 2

This USB-C hub only has one HDMI port available (I'd prefer not to buy a new hub)

You will have to buy a new something. That hub is not made to support two displays. You can buy a new hub that supports two displays or get a USB-C to HDMI cable, which likely costs about as much as that HDMI splitter you mentioned, to use along with the hub you have.

I'm wondering this as it would be a lot of stress on one thunderbolt port on my Macbook, surely, let alone splitting HDMI signals?

This will not stress your Thunderbolt port, it's designed to handle two displays and a USB 3.x data path for the Ethernet, SD card, and other adapters typically found in such docks.

If that won't work, if I have one HDMI port going from my hub to one monitor and have a USB-C cable to HDMI from another USB-C port on my Mac and have that go to the second monitor, would that be more feasible?

Yes, far more feasible.