I’ve ran into this situation multiple times at my current and previous jobs. I really want to avoid Windows and use something better, but I can’t live without two external monitors.

On Windows, it “just works”. I don’t have to do anything.

On Linux (I tried Linux Mint today) it doesn’t work. First, it only connected one of the monitors, the other one did not register. Then I switched to a different cable from the computer to the docking station and it connected both screens - however, they were locked to 30fps. I could not make them work at 60fps (and this is a major dealbreaker, I cannot live with 30fps).

This isn’t really a tech support question, I’m more trying to understand what fundamentally causes this situation. Why is Linux still struggling with pretty basic functionality that Windows does with zero setup? Is it the vendor of the laptop and docking station that aren’t properly supporting Linux? Or is it some other problem?

  • @entropicshartEnglish
    11•17 days ago

    Not just Windows, but Macs as well; I’ve had three different generations of MacBooks that you could plug a USB-C (thunderbolt) into any dock (Dell, HengeDock, random amazon brand, etc) and they simply worked.

    I do feel your pain about multiple monitors; it is even more evident when you try to run some of them rotated and/or flipped.

    I’ve not found a solution for it yet, and in some small way, I am glad to hear it’s not just me having these problems.

    • AwkwardLookMonkeyPuppetEnglish
      5•17 days ago

      My MacBook pro wouldn’t work with my ultra wide resolution monitor and it took me hours to figure out how to force it to reveal the proper resolution option. It flat-out won’t work with dual monitors, no M1 CPU MacBook will.

      • @[email protected]English
        2•17 days ago

        That’s not true, M1 Pro and Max MacBooks both support dual external monitors.

        The scaling and lack of available resolution problems is very real though. If you have monitors with a slightly non-standard resolution, you basically need third party software like SwitchResX, which is pretty stupid considering Windows has no problems like this at all.

        • AwkwardLookMonkeyPuppetEnglish
          1•17 days ago

          The 13" MacBook Pro with the M1 processor doesn’t support dual external monitors, I think it is a 2019, but I’m not positive. If you have a solution, then I’d love to hear it. I looked, and my coworkers looked, and we all came to the same conclusion that it’s not supported.

          • @[email protected]English
            2•17 days ago

            I’ve been using 2 4k monitors with my m1 for years now. Are you specifically referring to usb-c connected displays? I tried that (I think) and it didn’t work. I use a dock that has HDMI and a USBC cable for my two monitors and it works fine for me.

            • AwkwardLookMonkeyPuppetEnglish
              2•17 days ago

              Kind of. USB-C to HDMI. I have a dongle for one HDMI port and that worked okay, but wouldn’t give me the proper resolution, so I bought a USB-C to HDMI cable. That, with a lot of tinkering, got me the proper ultra wide resolution, but I still haven’t been able to get a 2nd monitor working. Everything I read said that the M1 doesn’t support dual monitors. I just checked and it’s a 2020, not a 2019. My previous MacBook Pro was the 2019.

              So, you’re saying that you got two external monitors working with a USB-C dock?

              • @[email protected]English
                2•17 days ago

                I just checked. My M1 MacBook Pro is a 2021 model so maybe that’s why, but here’s what I have working:

                • 1 4k monitor connected by USBC directly
                • 1 4k monitor connected by USBC -> mini displayport cable (I am fairly sure this one used to use HDMI via my USBC dock but apparently I changed that at some point)
                • AwkwardLookMonkeyPuppetEnglish
                  2•17 days ago

                  Okay thanks for checking. I’m pretty sure the 2020’s just flat out don’t work, but I’ll look into it again. I’ve wanted a second monitor for work many times. Cheers!