Apple Thunderbolt Display with Multiple Monitors: No Daisy Chaining Mini DisplayPort Monitors [Updated]

by

With the new 27" Apple Thunderbolt Display now shipping to customers, Apple has posted a new support document outlining what can and can not be accomplished with multiple monitors on Thunderbolt-enabled Mac systems.

thunderbolt displays macbook pro
As far as compatibility, Apple notes that all Thunderbolt-enabled systems with the exception of the MacBook Air can handle two Thunderbolt displays, with a caveat for the 13-inch MacBook Pro being that the computer's internal display will not function if two Thunderbolt displays are connected. The high-end $799 Mac mini with discrete AMD graphics is also capable of running a third display via HDMI.

- MacBook Air (Mid 2011): One Thunderbolt display.

- MacBook Pro (Early 2011): Two Thunderbolt displays. Connecting a second Apple Thunderbolt Display (27-inch) to a 13-inch MacBook Pro will make the screen on the MacBook Pro turn black. This is expected behavior.

- iMac (Mid 2011 and Late 2011): Two Thunderbolt displays. iMac (27-inch, Mid 2011) with two Thunderbolt ports supports a total of two Thunderbolt displays regardless of which Thunderbolt port each display is connected to.

- Mac mini (Mid 2011): Two Thunderbolt displays. Mac mini with AMD graphics can support a HDMI compatible device on its HDMI port when using two Thunderbolt displays.

One other note of interest that will be a disappointment for some users is the disclosure that users will not be able to daisy chain a Mini DisplayPort display off an Apple Thunderbolt Display.

Mini DisplayPort displays will not light up if connected to the Thunderbolt port on an Apple Thunderbolt Display (27-inch).

The revelation is a bit of a surprise, as Mini DisplayPort displays can currently be daisy chained off other Thunderbolt peripherals. Some users had been hoping to reuse their existing Mini DisplayPort displays as part of multiple-monitor setups using the new Thunderbolt display, but will apparently be unable to do so.

Finally, Apple recommends that users daisy chaining the Apple Thunderbolt Display with Thunderbolt storage devices connect the display directly to the computer's Thunderbolt port, with other peripherals daisy chaining off of the display.

Update: Macworld appears to have demonstrated that you can indeed daisy chain a Mini DisplayPort monitor as long as it is connected to some other device than the Thunderbolt display. In Macworld's apparent setup, a Pegasus RAID storage device is placed between the Thunderbolt display and an older Mini DisplayPort display from Apple and all displays work properly.

It is unclear why simply inserting another Thunderbolt device into the middle of the chain allows the Mini DisplayPort display to function, but at least one MacRumors forum member has confirmed that he is unable to daisy chain his Mini DisplayPort-enabled Apple Cinema Display directly off of the new Thunderbolt display.

Related Roundups: Apple Pro Display XDR, Apple Studio Display
Related Forum: Mac Accessories

Top Rated Comments

miles01110 Avatar
miles01110
149 months ago
Once again Apple decides what's best for the customer.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AAPLaday Avatar
AAPLaday
149 months ago
Would have been nice if this information had been divulged on day one.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
zorinlynx Avatar
zorinlynx
149 months ago
Wow, this sounds so half-assed. You'd think Apple would be able to get something like this right!
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sportsfan Avatar
sportsfan
149 months ago
Adding my existing 24" IPS monitor as a daisy-chain from my as-of-yet-unordered t-bolt display was my grand scheme. So now its off.

This limitation is very head scratchy...
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iVoid Avatar
iVoid
149 months ago
Wow... so other thunderbolt devices allow MDP to be used at the end of the chain, but not Apple's own display?

Forcing the TB displays to be the first in line makes me think something's not quite right.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Tazjin Avatar
Tazjin
149 months ago
Apple's hedging it's bets in case 3rd party makers skimp on quality parts. It's smart to have the largest power drawing item first...in any situation.
I'm guessing the screen could flicker.
But the display has its own power connection cable. I doubt it'd be possible to power an entire 27" display through Thunderbolt.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Read All Comments

Popular Stories

iOS 16

iOS 16.3 Now Available for Your iPhone With These 4 New Features

Friday February 3, 2023 1:13 pm PST by
Apple released iOS 16.3 in late January following nearly six weeks of beta testing. The software update is available for the iPhone 8 and newer, and while it is a relatively minor update, it still includes a handful of new features, changes, and bug fixes. Below, we've recapped new features in iOS 16.3, including support for physical security keys as a two-factor authentication option for...
Read Full Article
HomePod 2 White and Midnight Feature Purple Blue

Apple Explains Why HomePod Was Released Again, Wi-Fi 4 Limitation, and More

Thursday February 2, 2023 7:57 am PST by
Apple's VP of hardware engineering Matthew Costello and product marketing employee Alice Chan recently spoke with Men's Journal and TechCrunch about the new second-generation HomePod in wide-ranging interviews about the smart speaker. Apple discontinued the original full-size HomePod in March 2021 after multiple reports indicated that sales of the speaker were lackluster, but Chan told Men's ...
Read Full Article • 301 comments
Apple Silicon Teal Feature

The Next Big Apple Silicon Device May Not Be a Mac or iPad

Wednesday February 1, 2023 3:57 am PST by
Apple's next device with an Apple silicon chip may not be a Mac or an iPad, but rather an advanced external display, according to recent reports. The display, which is rumored to arrive this year, is expected to sit somewhere between the $1,599 Studio Display and the $4,999 Pro Display XDR – but more exact information about the device's positioning and price point is as yet unknown. While ...
Read Full Article
iOS 16

Apple Preparing iOS 16.3.1 Update for iPhone as Wait for iOS 16.4 Beta Continues

Thursday February 2, 2023 6:41 am PST by
Apple appears to be preparing an iOS 16.3.1 update for the iPhone, based on evidence of the software in our website's analytics logs this week. It's unclear when the update will be released, but it will likely be available at some point in February. The same logs have accurately foreshadowed the release of several previous updates, including iOS 16.0.3 and iOS 16.1.1 most recently, so they...
Read Full Article • 55 comments
General iOS 16 Feature Yellow

Five New iOS Features Coming to Your iPhone Later This Year

Tuesday January 31, 2023 11:58 am PST by
Apple has previously announced several upcoming iOS features that are expected to be added to the iPhone this year. Some of the features could be introduced with iOS 16.4, which should enter beta testing soon, while others will arrive later in the year. Below, we have recapped five new iOS features that are expected to launch in 2023, such as an Apple Pay Later financing option for purchases ...
Read Full Article • 45 comments
Apple Pay Later Quick Green Feature

Apple Pay Later Launching 'Soon'

Thursday February 2, 2023 2:10 pm PST by
The Apple Pay Later service that Apple has in the works is set to launch "soon," Apple CEO Tim Cook told CNBC ahead of today's earnings call for the first fiscal quarter of 2023. Cook said that Apple employees are beta testing the Apple Pay Later feature, which will help Apple boost services revenue. "It will be launching soon," Cook said. Apple Pay Later was first previewed at the...
Read Full Article • 85 comments
webkit vs chromium feature

Google Working on Browser for iOS That Would Break Apple's App Store Rules

Saturday February 4, 2023 1:30 am PST by
Google's Chromium developers are working on an experimental web browser for iOS that would break Apple's browser engine restrictions, The Register reports. The experimental browser, which is being actively pursued by developers, uses Google's Blink engine. Yet if Google attempted to release it on the App Store, it would not pass Apple's App Review process. Apple's App Store rules dictate...
Read Full Article • 220 comments