Yes I know this is insane — but now I need to know if it’s impossible 😅
 

Hey everyone,

I’m trying to figure out whether I’ve officially hit a hard limit or if there’s still a way to push this setup further.

Current setup:

MacBook Pro (Apple M3 Max, 128GB RAM)
Using DisplayLink adapters (HDMI → USB)
DisplayLink Manager installed and running

What’s working:

7 external monitors all extended and working perfectly via DisplayLink

The issue:

When I connect an 8th monitor, it will only mirror an existing display, and give the option to extend but stay in mirroring.

What I’ve tried:

Swapping adapters and cables
Moving connections across different ports
Removing/re-adding displays in different orders
Testing with and without a multi-display hub (Anker Prime)
Confirmed DisplayLink Manager is active and detecting displays

At 7 displays everything is stable and smooth. The moment I add the 8th, it defaults to mirroring behavior.

Main question:

Has anyone successfully run 8 extended displays via DisplayLink on Apple Silicon (M3 Max or similar)?

Or is this:

A known DisplayLink limitation?
A macOS framebuffer/display cap?
Or possibly a bandwidth/controller issue?
Bonus question:

If this is a limit — has anyone worked around it by:

Mixing DisplayLink + native Thunderbolt displays?
Using multiple DisplayLink chipsets/controllers instead of hubs?
Lowering resolutions across all displays?

Appreciate any insight — I feel like I’m right on the edge of what’s possible here.