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Comment by sephamorr | Hacker News Reader

Maybe by next decade, all the MacBook "pro" models will support more than one external display.

The MacBook Pro can support several external displays simultaneously:

Up to two external displays with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz at over a billion colors (M1 Pro) or up to three external displays with up to 6K resolution and one external display with up to 4K resolution at 60Hz at over a billion colors (M1 Max)

The old-chassis pros (incl. the new m2 13") can only do one monitor, if I remember correctly?

I think you remember right, this is the same issue as with the M1. The continued existence of this specific model (M2 13“ Pro) is by far the most confusing aspect of the current Mac lineup

The just-updated base MBP still can't do this. But surely it will be updated before next decade, as GP suggested (perhaps exaggerating). I assume the base model will be updated with 2 years, or retired. I can't imagine they'll sell many units, considering how the MBAs are less expensive, sleeker, and have better camera/IO.

What do you mean by that? Multiple monitors without an adapter? I have 2017 and 2019 Macbook Pro's and I use 2 27" monitors with a thunderbolt -> 2 HDMI out adapter. I don't think I'd use it without an adapter even if I could, no need to take up extra ports.

AFAUI that setup is not possible with an M1 Mac today. You can only use one external display.

I must be dreaming then, using my M1 Mac with two external 4K displays and the internal display.

Is it a 13” MBP? If not it’s not relevant to this discussion

Except all the parent comments of the discussion just said "Pro" and/or "M1 Mac", yours is the first that specified 13" MBP. So there seems to be some confusion and/or disagreement about what is being discussed.

Good point.

To clarify the M1 Macs, not Pro, Max, or Ultra can only support one external display. This also seems to be the case with the non-Pro/Max/Ultra M2 macs.

I'm not sure most people (including reviewers and resellers) assume the phrase "M1 Mac" excludes macs with M1 Pro, M1 Max, or M1 Ultra chips (or even know which Mac models include which M1 variants), so beware this communications confusion may be likely to reoccur.

Agreed

The parent comment: “Maybe by next decade, all the MacBook "pro" models will support more than one external display.”

The 13” M1/M2 MBP is the only one that doesn’t support more than one external display.

I'm using 2 of the LG 5k monitors with my MacBook Pro [16-inch 2021 M1 Max]. Complete game changer compared to the past few iterations.

That is true only of the 13" m1 Pro, and the 13" m1 macbook air. The 14" m1 mbp, 16" m1 mbp, the m1 mac mini, and m1 studio all support more than 1 external display.

Yeah, the 13” ‘pro’ is simply a bad name. No idea why they kept it around. All the other pros support 2 or more monitors depending on model.

Whoa, whoa, don’t get ahead of yourself there

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