Ideal dual-monitor cable set up

[bluedoggiant]

I‘ve just purchased an M2 Max Studio to replace my 2013 MBP and I am beyond excited. I will be using my existing monitors, which are two of the below.

Currently have two HDMI-HDMI cables. I plan to re-use one with the HDMI port. For the second monitor, I plan on purchasing either a DP-USBC or HDMI-USBC cable.

Which would make most sense for me? Trying to go for most cost effective option, but also curious what others may consider the most “ideal”.

Acer Nitro VG271U Pbmiipx 27" WQHD (2560 x 1440) IPS AMD Radeon FREESYNC Gaming Monitor, 144Hz, VESA Certified Display HDR400, DCI-P3, (2 HDMI 2.0 & 1 Display Port 1.2)​

 

[MarkC426]

I have 2 Dell QHD displays connected.
1 on HDMI, the other on DP using a DP to USB-C adapter (£17 from Amazon).

 

[bluedoggiant]

I think I’ve decided a DP to USB C cable for the second monitor

 

[tstafford]

OP: enjoy the new Mac Studio. Probably the best computer I've owned since my 2015 iMac 27"

 

[CWallace]

For my Mac Studio I use HDMI to HDMI and HDMI to USB-C (because I use the DP ports on both monitors to connect to my PC, as well).

 

[Sharky II]

I too, have a monitor via HDMI and one via USB-C to Displayport.

I notice that one monitor needs a different brightness setting than the other, but I haven't swapped the cables around to see if it's the cables or connection type, or if it's just the panels/'natural' variations of the displays.

I was worried about the HDMI 'truncation' of the colour space (not displaying 0-255) but it doesn't seem to be an issue.

 

[bluedoggiant]

I think I’ve decided a DP to USB C cable for the second monitor

I’ve been running this setup. Things appear to be great, sometimes the HDMI monitor wakes faster than the DP-USB monitor and the other way around with no rhyme or reason.

Also the DP-USB monitor seems to wake intermittently (every 10 minutes or so) for a brief second with no image displayed when the computer is asleep. No idea why it does that

 

[handheldgames]

I think I’ve decided a DP to USB C cable for the second monitor

One more thing... Many USB-C to HDMI adapters drop color format from 4:4:4 to 4:2:0 due to the chipset used. It's more than a loss in colorspace.

 

[bluedoggiant]

One more thing... Many USB-C to HDMI adapters drop color format from 4:4:4 to 4:2:0 due to the chipset used. It's more than a loss in colorspace.

Thanks for the intel, good to know

 

[Killerbob]

I am lucky enough to have two LG Thunderbolt monitors, and so I am able to daisy-chain them, and run of just one TB cable from my Mac Studio… You need TB monitors for that though…