all MacBook Pro laptops can connect to at least one additional display, providing a way to expand on the amount of available screen real estate.
There are a variety of reasons why a might want to connect an additional monitor to their MacBook, although increasing the usable space is likely to be the most common. This extra monitor can then be used to mirror the original display — a good option for those times when s want to see more content at once, or their normal screen in greater detail. Alternatively, additional monitors can be used to extend the desktop. In this mode, the displays don’t mirror the original but add further desktop space to the MacBook Pro. This is especially great for multi-tasking when s need to run multiple apps at once.
According a MacBook Pro powered by M1 Max — whether it's the 14 or 16-inch variant — the above monitor works without a hitch.
Connecting Monitors To Less Powerful MacBook Pro Models
That said, external monitor is different for MacBook Pros with lesser chips. If someone has a MacBook Pro with the M1 Pro processor, they can only use up to two external displays at up to 6K resolution and a 60Hz refresh rate. Just like above, this applies to the 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pro. If it has an M1 Pro chip, you'll only be able to use up to two external monitors at once.
And, last but not least, there's the 13-inch MacBook Pro with the baseline M1 chip. This is the least powerful MacBook Pro currently available, and as expected, it has the most limited external monitor . Apple says this version of the MacBook Pro s just one external monitor using one of the available Thunderbolt ports. That's probably too limited for a professional who needs multiple monitors, but for those s, they're probably already looking at the M1 Pro and M1 Max MacBook Pros anyway.
What About The 13-Inch M2 MacBook Pro?
Apple launched its first M2 MacBook Pro in 2022 in the form of a 13-inch model that brings back older features like the Touch Bar. The M2 chip is more powerful than the M1, but it doesn't match up to the M1 Max or M1 Pro. Unfortunately, the M2 MacBook Pro (and the M2 Macbook Air, for that matter) only a single external monitor via the Thunderbolt port. The ed resolution is up to 6K at 60Hz.
The M1 MacBook Pro did provide an (unofficial) workaround by allowing s to daisy-chain multiple external displays with DisplayLink adapters, which means the M2 MacBook Pro might also allow this feature. However, given that the chipset isn't as powerful as the M1 Pro or M1 Max, the experience is likely to be less than ideal. The more powerful M2 chips are yet to make an appearance on new MacBook Pro models, but it's likely that they'll even more external monitors than their M1 counterparts. Regardless, keeping track of MacBook Pro monitor compatibility has never been easier. Want to use up to four external monitors at once? Get a MacBook Pro with M1 Max. M1 Pro MacBook Pros work with up to two monitors, and the 13-inch models with the M1 or M2 chip a single monitor.
Source: Apple