Setup Suggestions for Macbook Pro/Desktop PC Dual Monitor Sharing

[Tech_spec]

Hi everyone. I have a specific setup that I was looking to achieve, but it seems harder than i thought given the hardware I have. Just looking for any suggestions anyone might have on how to make it work. So here's the devices involved in the setup.

1. 2018 Macbook Pro 15 Inch w/ Touch Bar and 3 available USB-C ports
2. A Desktop PC with an HDMI port and a DisplayPort
3. 2 x 1080p monitors, each with one HDMI port and one DisplayPort

So i'm looking to be able to hook the macbook up to the monitors for display extension, as well as hook my desktop PC to the monitors. However, i'd like to be able to get a Thunderbolt 4 dock as well (one that's compatible with M1 chipset preferably for future upgrades) to only need one cable to hook up to the macbook to ultimately send video to the displays and get power.

Trying to find the right dock and cables is turning out to be a pain. I'm hearing that some cables need to be active while others don't. A lot of docks don't seem to support the M1 macbook pros, docks need DP Alt mode to be able to support some cables, etc.

There just seems to be too many variables for the specific setup i'm aiming for an it's frustrating. Can anybody provide any suggestions on docks and cables that may be able to fit the setup i'm looking for?

 

[pigoo3]

Maybe something/similar to this:



https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09XWSBTBV/?tag=macforums0e4-20

 

[Tech_spec]

Maybe something/similar to this:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09XWSBTBV/?tag=macforums0e4-20

It looks like that's a KVM. I had a Thunderbolt 4 dock more in mind, so that i could just plug one cable into the macbook and all other cables into the dock. Plus, i found a little blurb in the product description that says it doesn't work well with macbook pro

this KVM switch not compatible with HD Webcam and macbook pro well

 

[Raz0rEdge]

This is what I'm using to connect my 2019 MBP to a KVM that allows me to share my monitors with the MBP and Mac Studio.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08P5GXPHH/?tag=macforums0e4-20

The KVM I'm using is the following

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B083MZSVFM/?tag=macforums0e4-20

For keyboard and mouse, I had the Apple keyboard/trackpad but it only supports being connected to a single computer at a time. So I switched to the Logitech MX series keyboard and mouse as they can be paired with 3 computers and there are dedicated buttons to switch between them.

Regarding monitor support, understand that dual monitor support works easily with Intel based MBPs, but with M1 and M2 based MBPs, you're currently limited to a single external display. Hopefully a future version of the MBP will overcome that limitation.

 

[Tech_spec]

Regarding monitor support, understand that dual monitor support works easily with Intel based MBPs, but with M1 and M2 based MBPs, you're currently limited to a single external display. Hopefully a future version of the MBP will overcome that limitation.

A friend of mine apparently said this dock here will work with M1/M2 MBPs for dual monitor support, but most everything else i've found seems to not. The manufacturer, CalDigit's, website as well seems to state that it can support dual monitors with M1/M2 macbooks.

https://a.co/d/7NW2xa2

I just wanted to be sure there was no other alternatives beyond that.

 

[ferrarr]

If you would have included the information in Post #5 in Post # 1, that would have been more helpful to everyone.

 

[Tech_spec]

If you would have included the information in Post #5 in Post # 1, that would have been more helpful to everyone.

I found out about it after the fact. Plus I don't know what other options there are for the requirements I need. The setup is way more complicated that i originally thought.

 

[Raz0rEdge]

A friend of mine apparently said this dock here will work with M1/M2 MBPs for dual monitor support, but most everything else i've found seems to not. The manufacturer, CalDigit's, website as well seems to state that it can support dual monitors with M1/M2 macbooks.

https://a.co/d/7NW2xa2

I just wanted to be sure there was no other alternatives beyond that.

The M1 and M2 don't natively support a 2nd display. You'll need a dock that supports DisplayLink to get the 2nd display working. Unless someone has a tried the dock with a M1/2 based Mac, I wouldn't believe them.

 

[ferrarr]

The M1 and M2 don't natively support a 2nd display. You'll need a dock that supports DisplayLink to get the 2nd display working. Unless someone has a tried the dock with a M1/2 based Mac, I wouldn't believe them.

But for the setup right now, it would be fine.

 

[Tech_spec]

But for the setup right now, it would be fine.

Right. I was just asking about the m1/m2 chipset MBPs because if i need to upgrade from my intel MBP i'd like to not have to buy another dock.

 

[ferrarr]

If you buy this dock, then buy newer MBP, you will have to upgrade the dock. No way around it, different architecture that wasn't around when the dock was. CalDigit hasn't had availability for a while, even their Thunderbolt 4 hub will only support 1 monitor, with M1 or M2.

Thunderbolt 4 | USB4 | Element Hub | CalDigit – CalDigit

www.caldigit.com

 

[Tech_spec]

If you buy this dock, then buy newer MBP, you will have to upgrade the dock. No way around it, different architecture that wasn't around when the dock was. CalDigit hasn't had availability for a while, even their Thunderbolt 4 hub will only support 1 monitor, with M1 or M2.

Thunderbolt 4 | USB4 | Element Hub | CalDigit – CalDigit

www.caldigit.com

Oh, that's actually not the dock I was looking at. The one i was looking at is this one, CalDigit USB-C HDMI Dock, which doesn't appear on Caldigits shop for some reason:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08FF6WYZH/?tag=macforums0e4-20

But from what my friend is saying, their website says it supports TB4 and dual monitor extension on M1 chipset Pros and Max's.

CalDigit Docks and Apple M1, M2, M3 Pro/Max & M1/M2 Ultra Compatibility – CalDigit

www.caldigit.com

Also says that he has a co-worker that has an M1 macbook pro and that dock and it seems to work for dual monitor extension.



I guess i was just looking to see if this was the only option or if there were other options similar to this, because it doesn't seem like it.