just a li'l mac question

[TOS]

okay so it's been years since i've been in the mac world, and i'm totally baffled about their ports

i've got an m1 air and i'd like to connect it to this monitor ... what dongle(s) do i need? is it even possible? help!

[ukimalefu]

Well, right on that page:

What other items do customers buy after viewing this item?

https://www.amazon.ca/Cable-Matters-Dis ... 8E8G8XZWG8

And I do think that's the best option.

I mean usb-c to hdmi should work too, but I believe hdmi has some limitation, might be optimized for video, but I'm not sure.

[juice]

I suspect you can find a better value at Monoprice

[TOS]

Well, right on that page:

What other items do customers buy after viewing this item?

https://www.amazon.ca/Cable-Matters-Dis ... 8E8G8XZWG8

And I do think that's the best option.

I mean usb-c to hdmi should work too, but I believe hdmi has some limitation, might be optimized for video, but I'm not sure.

i'm highly dubious of compatibility claims by dongleers, especially since i feel like apple changes their own compatibility on a regular basis

[ukimalefu]

Well, right on that page:

What other items do customers buy after viewing this item?

https://www.amazon.ca/Cable-Matters-Dis ... 8E8G8XZWG8

And I do think that's the best option.

I mean usb-c to hdmi should work too, but I believe hdmi has some limitation, might be optimized for video, but I'm not sure.

i'm highly dubious of compatibility claims by dongleers, especially since i feel like apple changes their own compatibility on a regular basis

it's an adapter cable, you're going to need that, maybe find a brand you trust?

[DukeofNuke]

Doesn’t apple sell one? Or OWC?

[dv]

Well, right on that page:

What other items do customers buy after viewing this item?

https://www.amazon.ca/Cable-Matters-Dis ... 8E8G8XZWG8

And I do think that's the best option.

I mean usb-c to hdmi should work too, but I believe hdmi has some limitation, might be optimized for video, but I'm not sure.

i'm highly dubious of compatibility claims by dongleers, especially since i feel like apple changes their own compatibility on a regular basis

DisplayPort is a standard that has multiple physical connectors. Two (normal DisplayPort and mini-displayport) are visible on the back of the monitor, the third is the USB-C connector (which may or may not include Displayport and Thunderbolt signals - Apple includes all three.)

As such, no actual signal conversion or logic is needed in the adapter itself, so the dongles are usually cheap and reliable regardless of brand. HDMI/DisplayPort conversion is similarly painless. (Although cables do have to be rated for standards/resolutions/etc. and the version numbers don't line up so it can be a bit confusing.)

A cable like this with the correct plug types does neaten your desk up though.

If you're looking for more of a "docking" experience, something like this gives you a few more extra ports (so, keyboard & mouse) as well as charging support. Just gotta hide all the fiddly bits behind or under something so your brain doesn't explode from rats nest overexposure.

[Pariah]

Buy from OWC. They won't be the cheapest source but they really stand behind their products and, though it has been a long time now, back when I was buying stuff from them they were super cool about returns and you could call them for free support if something goes sideways.
Plus they are a small business in a small town and it is nice to support those types of businesses.

[DEyncourt]

Here is the offering from OWC.

[TOS]

well the good news is the apple store has a tool that lists model-specific dongles, but all they have is an hdmi adapter

i could go with one of the other ones you guys posted here, though i'd prefer an apple-branded one (had some compatibility problems in the past)

how does hdmi compare to the other formats? if i'm doing video editing, will i notice the diff?

[Pariah]

well the good news is the apple store has a tool that lists model-specific dongles, but all they have is an hdmi adapter

i could go with one of the other ones you guys posted here, though i'd prefer an apple-branded one (had some compatibility problems in the past)

how does hdmi compare to the other formats? if i'm doing video editing, will i notice the diff?

The maximum pixel clock rate for HDMI 1.0 is 165 MHz, which is sufficient to allow 1080p and WUXGA (1920×1200) at 60 Hz. HDMI 1.3 increases that to 340 MHz, which allows for higher resolution (such as WQXGA, 2560×1600) across a single digital link.

HDMI supports limited resolutions, display port supports higher.

[dv]

well the good news is the apple store has a tool that lists model-specific dongles, but all they have is an hdmi adapter

i could go with one of the other ones you guys posted here, though i'd prefer an apple-branded one (had some compatibility problems in the past)

how does hdmi compare to the other formats? if i'm doing video editing, will i notice the diff?

The maximum pixel clock rate for HDMI 1.0 is 165 MHz, which is sufficient to allow 1080p and WUXGA (1920×1200) at 60 Hz. HDMI 1.3 increases that to 340 MHz, which allows for higher resolution (such as WQXGA, 2560×1600) across a single digital link.

HDMI supports limited resolutions, display port supports higher.

HDMI 1.0 is positively ancient.



FWIW, I'm a happy user of HDMI 2.0, a 4k computer display, etc. It works fine. The monitor has displayport as well, but I use that plug for my Macbook.

[obvs]

The newest HDMI standard supports up to 7680 × 4320.

[TOS]

okay, gotcha