MacBook Pros are some of the most ideal laptops for creators and professionals. They offer better performance than many Windows laptops, along with more storage options, enhanced battery life, great efficiency, and better cooling options when compared to their MacBook Air counterparts. While all of these advantages shoot them to the top of the best Mac category, there is one con that makes creators and professionals worry when choosing a MacBook Pro: the ability to support multiple monitors.

You see, Apple has limited some of its MacBook Pros in terms of connectivity, making it difficult to connect to more than one external display unless you use a workaround. If you're stuck on how all the different MacBook Pros work with your external displays, we're here to help.

Can the MacBook Pro support two monitors?

Yes, MacBook Pros can natively support two monitors, but only those with Pro or Max chips. To break it down further, Apple's current range of M3 laptops comes with three different types of chips: the base-level chip, the Pro chip, and the Max chip. These chips determine the level of performance you'd get from your laptop, meaning that those with the Max chip offer the best performance.

The base-level M3 chip is certainly powerful, but not enough to support more than one external display. Those with the M3 Pro and M3 Max support two and four external displays, respectively. Here is a more concise breakdown:

MacBook Pro M2 and M3

Supports one external display

As mentioned above, MacBooks with base-level chips can only support up to one external display with no workarounds. This includes the 13-inch M2 MacBook Pro and the 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro. These models can support up to 6K resolution at 60Hz via the Thunderbolt 4 port. You can connect your external monitor using a Thunderbolt 4 cable, an HDMI adapter, or a DisplayPort adapter.

However, suppose you intend to run more than one external monitor on these MacBook models. In that case, you'll need to install third-party software, like DisplayLink or InstantView, and get a Thunderbolt 4 dock or USB-C hub that supports DisplayLink. Make sure the USB dock or hub has more than one output port and works with your HDMI or DisplayPort adapters or your Thunderbolt 4 cables.

MacBook Pro M2 Pro and M3 Pro

Supports up to two external displays

MacBook Pros with the M2 Pro and M3 Pro chips take the display extension up a notch since they can natively support up to two external screens. With the increase in support comes an increase in configuration as well. For single displays, you can add up to one 6K display at 60Hz using the Thunderbolt 4 port, up to one 4K display at 240Hz, or one 8K display at 60Hz via the HDMI port.

If you intend to use two displays, you can either go with two 6K displays at 60Hz via the Thunderbolt 4 port or one 4K display at 144Hz via HDMI and one 6K display at 60Hz using the Thunderbolt port. To connect more than two displays to your laptop, you'll need to use a hub, docking station, or adapters that support Thunderbolt 4, HDMI 2.1, or DisplayPort 1.4.

MacBook Pro M2 Max and M3 Max

Supports up to four external displays

MacBooks with the M2 Max and M3 Max chips take external display support even further, as they can natively support up to four displays. This comes as no surprise as these chips are the best Apple offers. You can connect your displays in different configurations, whether you want a single, double, triple, or quadruple-display setup.

The configurations for single and double external displays are similar to those on the Pro chips above. However, if you want to use three external screens, you can work with three 60Hz 6K displays over Thunderbolt or two 60Hz 6K screens via Thunderbolt and one 240Hz 4K or 60Hz 8K display via HDMI. To connect four external screens, you'll have to plug three 60Hz 6K displays via Thunderbolt and one 4K 144Hz display through HDMI.

Choosing the right MacBook Pro for your needs

Connecting multiple monitors to your MacBook Pro not only enhances your workflow but also improves your entertainment experience. However, you must carefully consider the capabilities and requirements of the MacBook Pro model you want to purchase and the specifications of your external monitors. If you already have a MacBook Pro with a base-level chip like the M1, M2, or M3, then your options are limited. You'll need to use a Thunderbolt 4 cable and docking station or USB-C hub with DisplayLink support to connect to more than one external display. Otherwise, you can upgrade to the models with the Pro and Max chips for better native connectivity, as workarounds may cause some limitations.