MacBook Pro M1 and OWC Thunderbolt Hub

[rboerner]

Originally Posted by applepie

Does anyone here have experience with the OWC Thunderbolt Hub paired with an MacBook Pro M1? I installed DisplayLink drivers and plugged 2 monitors into the hub (both USB-C) but my MacBook can only recognize one monitor at once.

Is there any limitation on the monitor connection to the dock? Or is there something else I'm missing here?

Edit: When I click the DisplayLink Manager icon in the top bar, it says "No monitor detected". Not sure if this makes any difference

My impression based on your description is that this is the OWC device you are using --> https://www.owcdigital.com/products/thunderbolt-hub

Presuming for the moment that my impression is correct, the device you are using does not have DisplayLink technology inside it. As a result, DisplayLink will not be able to help you.

The OWC device appears to be based on the Intel Goshen Ridge Thunderbolt chipset. This means that the video output capabilities of the device will be limited by the video output capabilities of the host system.

A MacBook Pro laptop with an Apple M1 processor is limited to one external display via a Thunderbolt device. Apple calls this out within their technical specifications under the 'Video Support' section here --> https://support.apple.com/kb/SP824?locale=en_US

This internal limitation of your laptop is why only one display is working when connected to the OWC device.

If you require the ability to connect two external displays to your Mac, you will need to use a device based on DisplayLink technology --> https://www.synaptics.com/products/d...ylink-products

[applepie]

Seems like I purchased the wrong adaptor on this one. Was confused since I saw some links to this hub supporting multiple monitors on an M1 based system so I thought it supported DisplayLink.

Thanks for the responses!

[rboerner]

Originally Posted by applepie

Seems like I purchased the wrong adaptor on this one. Was confused since I saw some links to this hub supporting multiple monitors on an M1 based system so I thought it supported DisplayLink.

Thanks for the responses!

Apple's nomenclature and descriptions can be confusing.

As of today, there are three different models of Apple Processors used within their laptop line:

M1
M1 Pro
M1 Max

Laptops with an M1 processor can natively support one external display
Laptops with an M1 Pro processor can natively support two external displays
Laptops with an M1 Max processor can natively support up to four external displays

Apple calls out the capabilities of the M1 Pro and M1 Max processors under the 'Video Support' section of the technical specifications for the MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2021) model laptop here --> https://support.apple.com/kb/SP858?locale=en_US