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Review on StarTech.com USB 3.0 to DisplayPort Adapter 4K Ultra HD, DisplayLink Certified, External Graphics Card - Mac & Windows (USB32DP4K), Black by Josh Sharp

Revainrating 3 out of 5

Works with Macbook Pro M1 Big Sur but has hiccups and limitations.

Use it with MacBook Pro 13 M1 with display mate software driver on Big Sur 11.1 and 11.2 with two external 4K 32-inch BENQ monitors, but there are many annoyances. A monitor is connected to the CalDigit 3 monitor via DisplayPort, i.e. Apple native mode. The other connects to a USB-A 3.0 port on the CalDigit T3 via the HDMI port on the Startech adapter. Startech's HDMI port has limited scaling options so can't use my favorite 3008x1690 scaling, will have to go for either the full 4k (3840x2160) option or the heavily discounted 2560x1440 option. Whimsical at startup and various times when you unfold the Macbook screen (and various other unpredictable times like when you disconnect/reconnect to the Caldigit hub) where it doesn't seem to recognize the monitors properly (sometimes one is recognized , but not the other, or have the wrong placement or scaling, etc.) and have to fiddle with turning the monitors off and on. Not sure if it's related to the DisplayMonitor software driver (after all, you're overcoming a Mac OS limitation) or the hardware, but better than nothing if you need more than a single external monitor.

Pros
  • Certified
Cons
  • I remember