I would like to connect my Macbook (Retina, 12-inch, 2017) to 2 screens simultaneously. I've seen people using two Multi-Ports/Adapters/Hubs connecting them to 2 different USB-C inputs, but I only have a single USB-C type input. I was wondering if it is possible for me to use an HDMI splitter (1 HMDI to 2 HDMI) connected to my Multi-Port plugged into my single USB-C input and stream to the 2 screens. Thanks
3 Answers
No, sorry. Just one display.
From EveryMac:
"The final Retina MacBook models -- the "Mid-2017" series -- can simultaneously support the internal display as well as up to 4096x2304 at 60 Hz on an external display."
You could look into DisplayLink technology. With that technology you can connect a single display over USB, and then you can daisy chain another compatible display to the first, giving you two external displays.
I am a semi-happy user of DisplayLink monitors, but with every new driver and OS update new issues can arise (e.g. no clamshell support), which can be annoying.
answered May 14, 2022 at 14:16
Apple hardware is apparently capable of supporting more than one screen on a single USB-C port but MacOS does not support this. Installing Windows or Linux “unlocks” this capability on most Apple laptops with USB-C, which implies a workaround in running MacOS in a virtual machine. If enough people complain to the right places then maybe someone will write new drivers for MacOS and allow this function.
One other workaround I’ve seen is using an adapter that treats two separate displays as one large display to the computer. These are rare and expensive, and I’m not sure they are even made any more given the prevalence of wide screen displays and support for dual displays on a single port from Windows and Linux.
One other answer gives DisplayLink as an option, and that will certainly work. That’s a very simple GPU that connects by USB (as opposed to ThunderBolt which is more capable) and by being a separate GPU it has many of the benefits and downsides of any other solution that contains a separate GPU.
One option, which may be overkill, is to get an eGPU (external GPU). This is distinct from the DisplayLink option in that eGPU implies a Thunderbolt connection rather than USB. There’s many to choose from and they will almost certainly support at least two displays from a single USB-C connection. I call this overkill because it is a very expensive solution, a solution meant for gamers and video editors that need the extra processing power as opposed to simply getting more screen space.
So, the answer is yes and no. Yes, it is possible. But no, this is not something Apple supports out of the box. You will need extra hardware and/or software. Any software solution will impact computer performance, and any hardware solution will impact your wallet.
