DisplayLink Manager Updated With Native Support for M1 Macs and More

I've been trumpeting the M1+DisplayLink combo a few times, might as well do it once more. In short, it's fantastic. Coming from an MBP16 + eGPU combo, it's so much more responsive overall. Completely silent. Nothing to eject, just pop the M1 off when done. Three ext monitors connected via one TB3 cable that includes power. One more TB3 port (and bus) free for other peripherals. Performs just as fast as a "real" GPU for my graphics/design-related workflows. Clamshell works fine. The native M1 app is just icing on the cake.

Trade-offs, which I consider minor compared to the upsides, are:
[LIST=1]
* Log in with Apple Watch doesn't work when ext monitors are active (due to screen recording API being active); it works when undocked in laptop mode.
* NightShift/Flux doesn't work on DisplayLink monitors, only on the primary 5k TB3 monitor that is direct-connected, and also works as a USB-C hub for DisplayLink daisy-chaining, for 2 more WQHD monitors.
* Can't think of #3.

I sold my 1-year old setup second hand and got enough money to get the M1, the dock, AirPods Max, and still had money left over. It's been 13 years since I had a Mac setup that worked as well as the current one does. That was a well-equipped "cheesegrater" Mac Pro with a 32" Cinema Display.

Apple has totally dropped the ball on display support for m1 macs. I still can’t get 60hz on my benq 4K monitor.

If I were Intel, this is what I would be laughing at... "we at intel have cpu's that can actually make your monitor work"

MST daisy chaining has been a feature of DisplayPort for several years now, yet Macs still do not have proper support for it. This does not appear to be a hardware issue because an Intel Mac that is booted into Windows can do MST with no problem. What is Apple's reason for continually refusing to include full support for MST in MacOS? Is it some petty attempt to "convince" people to buy Thunderbolt monitors?

Everything Apple does indicates that they don't want users using external displays.

- They've refused to produce any for years save for a ridiculous $6k entry.
- They disabled Target Display Mode so people can't use high quality Mac displays as external displays anymore.
- They allowed M1 Macs to be gimped and did not prioritize multi display support.

I installed the display manager M1 app and from what I see it runs YouTube videos full screen with no dropped frames or lag on my 1920x1200 display. It also uses little CPU power compared to the Intel Mini. It is very impressive but I think the drivers are all Apple implementation work and display link simply provides an interface to those for the client.

This and only providing two ports was why I returned my M1 MBP.

There are only two ports but each has its now dedicated bus, on the 4 port Macs, each port shares its bus. OWC explain it here https://eshop.macsales.com/blog/68484-thunderbolt-on-the-m1-mac-mini/

If you use a TB3 Dock, its irrelevant, I'm using a Caldigit TB3+ on my 16" MBP (with a 10GBe TB3 adapter connected to the TB3 Out on the Dock), the other ports are redundant.

My M1 Mac mini is connected to a spare Caldigit USB C Pro/TB3 Dock and the second port is used for a 10Gbe adapter, the Caldigit dock also drives the second display with no issues.