ADAPTER MACBOOK AIR USB C PRO
ADAPTER MACBOOK AIR USB C PLUS

For those looking for a laptop that can function as a workstation, it is the better option as you can power two displays without the need for a dongle. The XPS 13 wins for displaysĪll that said, the XPS 13 wins out over the MacBook Air for its display support. You’ll have to turn the internal display off.

ADAPTER MACBOOK AIR USB C PLUS

Note that with 8K displays, you can’t use these on the XPS 13 Plus with the display turned on. Each external display must also support Display Stream Compression (DSC). Under these conditions, for the three external displays to operate at resolutions of up to 4K UHD (3840 x 2160), at 60Hz refresh rates, each external display has to be connected to a DisplayPort connector on the USB-C docking station. You also can connect up to three external displays using a USB-C docking station. With the internal display turned on the XPS 13 Plus, you can connect to two external displays using a USB-C docking station. With a USB-C or Thunderbolt cable, QHD (2560 x 1440), at a 60Hz refresh rate is maximum supported.

For the external display that is connected to the right Thunderbolt port.

Each external display must support Display Stream Compression (DSC).Each external display must be connected to a DisplayPort connector on the USB-C docking station.4K UHD (3840 x 2160), at a 60Hz refresh rate max for each of the three external displays that are connected to the.The total number of external displays that are supported depends on the specifications of the USB-C docking station.Officially, here are the limits and caveats: In a similar configuration, up to four displays can be also connected to the XPS 13 Plus via a USB-C docking station, with the additional display being able to connect to the right Thunderbolt 4 port with a USB-C or Thunderbolt cable. This is the one thing that the MacBook Air can’t do natively, even with its screen turned off. With two Thunderbolt 4 Type-C ports on the XPS 13 Plus, you can connect two external monitors up to 4K using both USB-C ports, with the internal display turned off and without a dongle or hub. Officially, things are much simple in concept. The XPS 13 works with more than one display easily Considering how powerful the M2 MacBook Air is, the idea of someone wanting to connect it to multiple external displays is a no-brainer, and it remains one of the primary drawbacks of these otherwise fantastic laptops. You’ll have to spend extra money just to plug into multiple monitors, and that’s a shame. Even those who are in the music production, video editing, or graphic design industry might use multiple monitors. So, for someone who ends up with a MacBook Air, and might be wanting to work from home and have a multiple monitor setup, this is a huge loss of productivity. Depending on which route you go, the resolution and refresh rates of connected monitors will also vary. A dual HDMI adapter can be near $100, and the other options we mentioned are also priced over $100. Again, these are expensive options just to get dual display support. If you want to connect to external displays, you need to invest in a dual HDMI adapter or a DisplayLink hub that supports DisplayPort, or even a HyperDrive USB-C hub. On the M2 MacBook Air, you’re limited to one external display with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz. These, though, are expensive upgrades over the MacBook Air and aren’t what we are here to talk about. The M1 Max chip lets you enjoy up to four external monitors, with three at 6K and one at 4K.

ADAPTER MACBOOK AIR USB C PRO

On those models, with the M1 Pro chip, you can power two external displays, rated at either 6K resolution or 60Hz. This is a limit on most MacBooks powered by Apple silicon, with the only exceptions being the 2021 M1 MacBook Pro with the M1 Pro or M1 Max chip. So, the core part of the debate here is that the M2 MacBook Air only supports a single 4K display natively. We debated about the loss of the headphone jack on the XPS in a separate piece if you’re curious, but we’re here to talk about what truly makes the ports different between these two devices: external display support. Apple’s MacBook Air also has the benefit of MagSafe charging and a headphone jack. Then, there are two on the left side of the MacBook Air.

These Thunderbolt USB-C ports are used for charging, data, and connections to displays. You’ll find one on the right and one on the left side of the XPS.

Both the new MacBook Air M2 as well as the Dell XPS 13 Plus feature USB-C ports. To understand what we mean, you first need to look at the ports on the devices. This is where the XPS 13 Plus truly has the MacBook Air beat. It’s all about the way they end up powering external displays.

The XPS 13 works with more than one display easily.

Adapter macbook air usb c