M3 MacBook Pro update will finally let you craft a multi-display setup soon

Date:
Tue, 05 Mar 2024 10:43:13 +0000

Description:
Apple is launching a software update that will let the M3 MacBook Pro support more than one external display.

FULL STORY ======================================================================

One of our biggest gripes with the M3 MacBook Pro is that it only lets you connect to one external display at a time. Its hardly a feature befitting the pro moniker and will frustrate anyone who wants to set up a bank of monitors hooked up to their Apple laptop .

Theres some good news, though: thats all about to change. Apple has confirmed to 9to5Mac that the M3 MacBook Pro will soon receive a software update that enables it to work with more than one external monitor for the first time.

Its an interesting move, not least because it seems prompted by the unveiling of the new M3 MacBook Air . Unlike the entry-level MacBook Pro, the M3
MacBook Air can connect to two external displays at once (as long as the lid is closed, that is). That created an odd situation where the consumer-focused MacBook Air had better monitor support than the higher-end MacBook Pro, at least on paper.

When 9to5Mac asked Apple why this was, the company responded that it would shortly be updating the MacBook Pro to match the MacBook Air in this regard. Luckily, it appears that the discrepancy wont last long. Why has the
situation changed? (Image credit: Bryce Hyland / Future)

So why are M3 MacBooks now gaining this ability that they were previously locked out of? Well, it looks like the lid being closed is a key component.

When you shut a MacBooks lid, its display is turned off. Presumably, that means the M3 chip is not able to drive more than two displays worth of
pixels, which is what would be required of it if you hook up two or more screens to the MacBook. Interestingly, previous Apple silicon MacBooks could only support a single external display, even with the lid shut.

M3 MacBooks have technically been able to support two displays in the past, its just that one of them was on the laptop itself. With the built-in display turned off, youll still get support for two displays, but now both of them
can be external monitors. In other words, it looks to be a simple software tweak with a little bit of hardware jiggery-pokery.

At least, thats our best guess. Apple hasnt revealed when the software update is due to launch, but macOS Sonoma 14.4 is currently in beta, so perhaps it will arrive when that is released to the general public. Whenever it comes, though, itll be good news if youve been eyeing a multi-monitor workspace for your M3 MacBook. You might also like Surprise! Apple has just announced new
M3 MacBook Air models macOS Sonoma 14.4 will bring new emojis and bug fixes soon heres how to try the public beta Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch with M3: everything we know so far



======================================================================
Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/computing/m3-macbook-pro-update-will-finally-let-you -craft-a-multi-display-setup-soon


--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 (Linux/64)
* Origin: tqwNet Technology News (1337:1/100)