Apple's upcoming entry-level M4 14-inch MacBook Pro may be capable of supporting up to two external displays with the lid open, up from one display supported in the current M3 model, if recent leaks are anything to go by.
Apple's existing M3 14-inch MacBook Pro comes with two Thunderbolt 3 USB-C ports, not three Thunderbolt 4 ports like the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models powered by M3 Pro and M3 Max chips.
Apart from fewer USB-C ports, the lack of Thunderbolt 4 support on the 14-inch MacBook Pro with the base M3 chip means it only supports one display with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz (or one display with up to 4K resolution at 120Hz over HDMI) when the lid is open. Currently the only way to support to two external displays simultaneously is with the lid closed, based on the resolution (up to 6K) and refresh rate (up to 60Hz) of each external display.
However, assuming the alleged Russian leaks of Apple's unannounced 14-inch MacBook Pro with an M4 chip are reliable, the new M4 variant of Apple's entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro will come with three Thunderbolt 4 ports, as opposed to the two Thunderbolt 3 / USB4 ports found on the current model. This would mean it can support two external displays with the lid open instead of just one.
While the upgrade from two TB3 ports to three TB4 ports has yet to be confirmed, such a change would better align the entry-level machine's capabilities with Apple's more powerful MacBook Pro models.
Here's a reminder of the different display configurations possible on the M3 Pro and M3 Max models:
M3 Pro MacBook Pro:
Supports up to two external displays:
- Two 6K displays at 60Hz over Thunderbolt, or
- One 6K display at 60Hz over Thunderbolt and one 4K display at 144Hz over HDMI
M3 Max MacBook Pro:
Supports up to four external displays:
- Three 6K displays at 60Hz over Thunderbolt and one 4K display at 144Hz over HDMI, or
- Two 6K displays at 60Hz over Thunderbolt and one 8K display at 60Hz over HDMI, or
- Two 6K displays at 60Hz over Thunderbolt and one 4K display at 240Hz over HDMI
Additional features for both M3 Pro and M3 Max:
- Native DisplayPort over USB-C support
- HDMI port supports either:
- One 8K display at 60Hz, or
- One 4K display at 240Hz
We should know for certain what the specs are for the base M4 14-inch MacBook Pro before the month is out. Apple is expected to announce new iMac, Mac mini, and MacBook Pro models with M4 chips towards the end of October, with at least some of the new Macs rumored to be released on November 1.
