I just need to know which Macs support two monitors (not mirrored). The information I’ve come across seems to be ambiguous. Some places said you can add a second monitor but only for mirroring the main monitor. I am looking for personal experience.

I don’t think I really want a laptop. I guess I wouldn’t mind a laptop but it seems silly to leave one on the desk at the office and never move it. The Studio seems a bit overkill. The Pro starts at $7k. So that leaves me with Mac mini and iMac. I have two monitors now, both HDMI, one is fixed to the wall, the other can be moved if I get an iMac.


Of course, the next Apple event is on 9/9. Maybe new stuff is coming out. Maybe I should wait.

I don't know how firmly you're set on the Mac path, but I just bought a new Dell laptop about 3 weeks ago. I futzed around with Windows 11 for a few hours and came to the conclusion that it SUCKS. I've been running Windows 7 and 10 for several years as a developer and actually liked them. But Windows 11 is horrible. So I wiped the drive and installed Linux on it instead. Which is what MacOS is, under the fancy covers.

quote:

Originally posted by Expert308:
I don't know how firmly you're set on the Mac path, but I just bought a new Dell laptop about 3 weeks ago. I futzed around with Windows 11 for a few hours and came to the conclusion that it SUCKS. I've been running Windows 7 and 10 for several years as a developer and actually liked them. But Windows 11 is horrible. So I wiped the drive and installed Linux on it instead. Which is what MacOS is, under the fancy covers.

My windows machine Dual boots into Debian 12. The legacy driver support is ok-ish. It works but I’m running Affinity and Cantasia.

Not going to argue Windows vs Apple vs Linux logic or illogic as it may be but perhaps if you find a laptop with the performance you desire then get a docking station and apply whatever monitor, keyboard you already have or get one that works for you.
Allows for better desktop experience as well allows for portability.

quote:

Originally posted by smschulz:
Not going to argue Windows vs Apple vs Linux logic or illogic as it may be but perhaps if you find a laptop with the performance you desire then get a docking station and apply whatever monitor, keyboard you already have or get one that works for you.
Allows for better desktop experience as well allows for portability.

I’m just weary from driver issues that no one can fix. My windows laptop runs fine and lets me install divers but the desktop just has weird randomness. Could be Intel vs AMD.

I spent last November in Maui. I worked remote. I bought a keyboard and monitor when I got there so I could have two monitors (one being my laptops). My daughter has a Mac so before I left I bought her a USB doc station and I gave her the keyboard and monitor. Zero problems making it work. I don't recall the brand but it was about $50 from Amazon. It allows the laptop to work like a desktop but allows her to take her machine with her by unplugging a single connection.

Read the specs on the Apple website.

All current Macs can support external monitors, even iMacs. The issue with some of the laptops is that they cannot support two external monitors with the built-in monitor active - so to run two externals you need to close the lid.

But you can run the laptop display and an external without any problems.

I’m not really asking if i can hook up a monitor to a laptop. I’m asking which models support extended desktop (screen spanning) rather than simply mirroring what’s on the main display? I don’t think I’m making my question clear.

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Originally posted by mark123:

quote:

Originally posted by Lefty Sig:
Read the specs on the Apple website. …

Why didn’t I think of that. (That was sarcasm.)

Seriously, there is a new smaller Mac Mini with an M4 chip that should be released before the end of the year. It is rumored to be about the size of an AppleTV. Minimum RAM config should be 16 GB and SSD 500 GB or higher. It should have 3 (or more) Thunderbolt 4 ports, and perhaps an HDMI port. Thunderbolt 4 is better anyway, and most monitors are hubs too. To get the most out of a Mac you will want a 4K or 5K display depending on size - 22" 4K, 24" 4.5K, 27" 5K.

Are you having an issue with extended desktops with any of your Windows installations?
Can't say I've heard of any issues with any MS machines with this, can't say with Apple or Linux as I only support MS machines.

I have a new M3 iMac. You can get a USBC to video adapter and run a second monitor off it.

The mouse and keyboard are wireless and charge from the computer. So far I can get around a month+ off a charge.

quote:

Originally posted by smschulz:
Are you having an issue with extended desktops with any of your Windows installations?
Can't say I've heard of any issues with any MS machines with this, can't say with Apple or Linux as I only support MS machines.

No. I require it. That’s why I am asking about Mac supporting it. Traditionally Apple crippled screen spanning in the consumer models and offered it only on pro models.

quote:

Originally posted by Mars_Attacks:
I have a new M3 iMac. You can get a USBC to video adapter and run a second monitor off it.

The mouse and keyboard are wireless and charge from the computer. So far I can get around a month+ off a charge.

nice. How do they charge? Wireless charging on a pad or do you plug them in?

quote:

Originally posted by Lefty Sig:

quote:

Originally posted by mark123:

quote:

Originally posted by Lefty Sig:
Read the specs on the Apple website. …

Why didn’t I think of that. (That was sarcasm.)

Seriously, there is a new smaller Mac Mini with an M4 chip that should be released before the end of the year. It is rumored to be about the size of an AppleTV. Minimum RAM config should be 16 GB and SSD 500 GB or higher. It should have 3 (or more) Thunderbolt 4 ports, and perhaps an HDMI port. Thunderbolt 4 is better anyway, and most monitors are hubs too. To get the most out of a Mac you will want a 4K or 5K display depending on size - 22" 4K, 24" 4.5K, 27" 5K.

That’s more what I’m after. Thanks.

My current main monitor is 4k. It has a strange port next to the HDMI ports that I’ve been using. It has an L shaped connector.

quote:

Originally posted by mark123:

quote:

Originally posted by Mars_Attacks:
I have a new M3 iMac. You can get a USBC to video adapter and run a second monitor off it.

The mouse and keyboard are wireless and charge from the computer. So far I can get around a month+ off a charge.

nice. How do they charge? Wireless charging on a pad or do you plug them in?

USBC cable.

I believe all current Macs will do this without issue.

I had a MacBook and Mac Mini, Mac mini was driving two monitors, decided to go with just a laptop and the two monitors was never an issue.

Have successfully used two monitors with the last two generations (before current) of MacBook Air as well as current (M3) and two generation ago (M1) MacBook Pro.

Plug my Thunderbolt monitor into the MacBook Pro, daisy chain the second monitor (display port) to the Thunderbolt monitor.

My MBP has HDMI out, same thing could be accomplished plugging monitors directly to the laptop or a USB-C dock with appropriate connections.

Close the laptop and you have a desktop spanning the monitors.

I have one portrait and one in landscape orientation, are able to tweak settings so mouse moves smoothly off of one and onto the other staying in a straight line.

quote:

Originally posted by mark123:
I’m not really asking if i can hook up a monitor to a laptop. I’m asking which models support extended desktop (screen spanning) rather than simply mirroring what’s on the main display? I don’t think I’m making my question clear.

Pretty much all Mac models support multiple monitors, and extended displays. Mostly, if you want to go more than two on a single CPU you will need some kind of extender box connected via the DisplayPort or USB3. These usually allow two more monitors per box, and can be daisy-chained. I think macOS will accept up to 16 monitors in any arbitrary arrangement. Most I've ever done is six 48" monitors arranged 2 high x 3 across, for a lobby display for a client, and that was 20 years ago.

One thing I've always wanted to implement is a "window pane" arrangement, where on-screen objects/windows are not sliced when imaged across monitors, but instead are masked by the monitor bezels giving the impression that they are behind a multi-light window. No system, of which I am aware, has ever offered this display configuration.

One other thing, if you are considering a Mac Mini with an Apple Silicon chip, consider your regular workload's memory requirements carefully before selecting a model. I learned too late that the 32GB baked into the M2 Pro chip in my most recent purpose is far too little for my daily use. Mostly due to a memory-hungry Java-based application. Everything still works, but certain operations, that used to be instant are now excruciatingly slow. Why Apple cannot support a fast large memory space by using raw SSD disk as swap (instead of the file system-based swapfiles they do) is a mystery to me. At the Apple Store they tried to steer me to the Mac Studio, my recent experience is that this is a cry once kind of decision, I should have listened, but configured how I'd want it they want $7,800!

Both the iMac and mac mini with the m2 PRO support 2 displays. if it were my money I'd get the iMac as it's got an M3 in it.

Here’s the reason I’m asking about screen spanning and not just the ability to hook up a monitor. My last new Mac was an eMac and it did not allow screen spanning as it was purposely disabled by Apple. You could hook up another monitor but it would only allow mirroring. That is great for a teacher using a projector in the classroom but was absolutely useless to me. I also have a 2009 or 2011 (unsure which) iMac that I picked up used that only allows mirroring.

I know you can hook a monitor up to any Mac but they traditionally crippled the spanning ability on the lower priced models like iMac and eMac. We had to hack the firmware to allow screen spanning. I’m not going to hack a new one as I prefer keeping the warranty intact.

quote:

Originally posted by architect:
… Pretty much all Mac models support multiple monitors, and extended displays. …

Yes, that’s why I’m asking. I don’t want one that doesn’t.