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As STW always seems to have an expert on every subject, does anyone understand the world of video over USB-C like connections better than I do and can sanity check me, please?
My 12 year old Dell 27” monitor has stated randomly switching off for a few seconds, it’s getting more frequent and makes me think it’s on its way out. Looking around, it would be nice to have one that replaced my laptop dock too, so peripherals attach to the monitor directly and then the laptop plugs in with a single connection.
My main laptop seems to have two Thunderbolt 4 ports, a couple of older laptops I occasionally use have non-Thunderbolt USB-C.
In an ideal world, I would like:
* 4k resolution main monitor with another (existing) FHD monitor daisy chained on the side.
* Keyboard, mouse, webcam, occasionally a memory stick for file transfer and wired network via a single plug into the laptop, with power supplied to the laptop.
* One or two other desktops being connected sometimes, including a Raspberry Pi, so HDMI port would be ideal.
I was about to pull the trigger on a Dell U2723QE, but then read a comment about having to choose between resolution priority mode or bandwidth priority mode, the USB-C port doesn't have enough connections for high speed data and resolutions above native 4k@60Hz (or possibly 30Hz). So I would need to either:
* Abandon the extra monitor and / or drop the refresh rate.
* Go for a lower native resolution than 4k (does one need a 4k resolution on a 27" screen is debatable but nice sharp fonts are always nice).
* Accept a USB 2 speed connection for all the peripherals (no problem for keyboard and mouse, marginal for a webcam, a problem for gigabit ethernet and a USB 3 Storage drive).
* Get a monitor with a Thunderbolt connection.
Of the last option, only the HP 727pk, seem to tick the boxes - of the few other Thunderbolt monitors I’ve found I can only see the option to only daisy chain to other Thunderbolt monitors, so I couldn’t use my existing DisplayPort one. Am I missing anything? Have I misunderstood the way such things work?
Monitor will mostly be used for coding and general nerd admin, possibly doing some video or photo editing and maybe some light gaming or video watching in the evening, but not enough to warrent a "Gaming" monitor.
BENQ do some nice USB-C/thunderbolt monitors.
though given my BENQ died after 5 years you might be dissuaded.
Apple Studio Display is where I went recently. I expect that can daisychain nicely. Display is substantially nicer than my previous calibrated 4K BENQ.
I have a Benq and it is okay. It allows me to plug a USB-C lead in from one laptop and two 'normal' monitor cables in from the pther laptop and desktop and then easily switch between them
The only drawback is the lack of badges so I can't tell you what model it is.
I also have all the computer (4 in total) connected to a box that connects to the keyboard, mouse, camera and any other USB driven sttuff that you only every need on the computer you are actually working on.
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I'm not really up on daisy chaining USB-C/Thunderbolt monitors - I think you're into quite niche/expensive territory. I suspect to achieve what you want (single USB-C/Thunderbolt connection and two monitors), you may open up options by looking at Thunderbolt docks. Both monitors plugged into the hub and whatever laptop plugged into the hub. I don't think decent hubs are cheap, but you can potentially go cheaper on the monitors as it opens ups options that plug into the hub via DisplayPort or HDMI (as long as other specs are up to scratch).
I suspect to achieve what you want (single USB-C/Thunderbolt connection and two monitors), you may open up options by looking at Thunderbolt docks.
You may well be right, and that's what I'm running at the moment (well, I think it's non-Thunderbolt USB-C, but very similar). It would, however, be worth a bit to me to have one fewer box / power supply adding to the clutter on my desk, and the monitors with integrated docking stations don't seem to be a big step up in cost over similar models with decent panels.
The HP above does seem to actually fit the bill and is a modest stretch in desired budget. But I'm still burnt by an awful HP warranty experience years ago and worried that there seems to be no reviews whatsoever of it.
Annoyingly, Dell seem to have updated the lower resolution 27" model to Thunderbolt, but not the 4k one where it appears to actually be needed...
BenQ seem very expensive for equivalent features. Though they do say that the daisy chain can be done to a regular USB-C containing a DisplayPort connection, which Phillips explicitly forbid.
So for reasons this is somewhat of a specialist subject of mine.
A key point for the chaining will be “does the machine driving this do DP1.4, HBR3 and MST”?
if it’s a Mac the answer is no. No macs do MST needed for the chaining. But you say, the studio display does it? Yes, because it’s Thunderbolt all the way and NOT usb+DP. The OP wants a solution that also works with USB.
Now, up to 5gbs usb (several different spec names cos that’s a farce,) and DP1.3 yes OP you’re correct all the lanes are used by the DP for 4k60 and you just have the side channel USB2. With DP1.4+ and DSC (HBR3) you can do it. But everything in the chain needs to do it.
if you can live with Thunderbolt (NOT usb) to your main machine, I’d recommend a dock. I use a WD Black D50 you can pickup for about £130. Gives you full size DP out (1.4 if your machine does it) and downstream thunderbolt you can use for another display or whatever. Plenty other IO too, including Ethernet. You could use a TB monitor instead of a dock but you need one that does proper downstream TB including DP transport stuff, on your own for that (know that there are two ways to do displays over TB. DP alt mode and tunnelled over the pcie lanes).
For the monitor, that’s now easier with a dock, dell ultrasharps are decent if you’re not critical about colour or pixel density.
Sorry if that’s confusing, you want a niche thing.
Oh and OP you admit to being a nerd, so if you really want to understand what you’re asking get a nice cup of tea/coffee and read this:
https://www.stderr.nl/Blog/Hardware/Thunderbolt/TechnologyOverview.html
@IA thanks for that, it sounds like I was on the right lines, and I'm more convinced that Dell are daft putting a Thunderbolt connectoin on their 1440 screen but not their 4k one! Yes, it's all adding up rather (and while the more advanced monitors seem to have nicer panels), I'm doubting that doing away with a bit of clutter on my desk is worth the hundreds extra...
@frogstomp - fair question, I *think* it's the monitor, I've swapped the two screens between the two ports on my dock and the fault stuck with the same screen. I also think that if the fault was in the wider laptop <=> dock <=> screen chain, the OS would have "lost" the screen and shuffle all my windows onto the remaining screen, it doesn't do this which makes me think it's between the incoming signal to the monitor and whatever's driving the panel. I could be wrong though. Now it's happening more like once an hour, it is probalbly worth connecting something else to confirm.
When the monitor is “off” shine a bright light at it - sounds like the backlight on the blink. If so you’ll be able to faintly see the image with the bright light.
if it is the case, it might be repairable. Get googling for a tear down etc.
When the monitor is “off” shine a bright light at it – sounds like the backlight on the blink
Sadly not so simple, the "Going into sleep mode" message flashes up between on and off states, so I thnk it's deeper than just a dodgy backlight.
Rather than daisy chaining, why not get a sock and just plug both monitors into that? The dell d6000 is a popular refurbished option
Rather than daisy chaining, why not get a sock and just plug both monitors into that?
Only really because it seemed a bit neater that combining the monitor and the dock into one unit it would tidy up my desk a bit....
You can often hack a mount to the back of the vesa screws, to hold the dock, but it depends a bit on what the stand is doing.
Fwiw we've a windows laptop that works really randomly over it's different usb ports (only do 1 monitor over one of them, won't charge over the other), but my M1 mbp is the same on all of its.
D6000 is only 4k30 with DP alt mode, uses displaylink for 2 at 4k60. Which is like a virtual graphics driver.
ok for office work.
I use the Dell 27" USB-C monitors (1440 though not 4k, 4k is a step too far for my eyes on a 27" monitor - I have a couple of 32" 4k (non USB-C) monitors as well and it's OK on that size).
I still use a Dell thunderbolt dock though - partly as I already had a few of them (I have 4 monitors both at home and in the office, as I need to support two laptops at each location without screen-sharing) but also as one monitor connected to each dock is just normal DisplayPort so was easier keep the dock for that (plus I know the set-up works well for me so haven't had the need to replace all the monitors to be USB-C and daisy chain etc.).
4k is a step too far for my eyes on a 27″ monitor
The scale of text/controls/etc on a screen is independent of the resolution* on any reasonably modern OS. You can have everything looks the same size as your 1440p screen but be a bit sharper with more pixels to play with.
*yes yes depending a bit on text rendering approaches etc but it’s broadly true.