Apple has recently unveiled its latest MacBook Air models featuring the revolutionary M4 chip, taking performance and productivity to new heights. The M4 chip MacBook Air not only delivers blazing-fast performance but also solidifies its position as the world's best consumer laptop for AI tasks. It features advanced capabilities, including native support for dual external displays when the laptop lid is open—unlike the previous M3 Air, which required the lid to be closed. Note that the M1 and M2 base chipsets still natively support only one external display. The M4 chip takes performance to the next level with built-in Apple Intelligence for effortless productivity. Now available in a stunning Sky Blue, the ultra-portable MacBook Air is ready for anything, anywhere. It's the ideal choice for professionals, creatives, and anyone seeking a seamless, efficient computing experience.
The MacBook Air with the M4 base chipset features a high-resolution Retina display with sharp text, vibrant P3 wide-color visuals, 500 nits of brightness, and True Tone technology, along with support for up to two external displays, enhancing the overall visual experience. This means you can now enjoy a truly immersive multi-display setup while maximizing productivity. This feature sets the M4 chip apart from its predecessors, particularly the M1 and M2 base chipsets, which are limited to a single external display.
New MacBook Air M4: Native Dual External Display Support for Multitasking
M4 MacBook Dual Display Support with Kensington Thunderbolt™ 4 Dock – Extended Monitor Setup Explained
The new M4 MacBooks support dual external displays when connected to a Kensington Thunderbolt™ 4 docking station. The left side of the image features an open MacBook with an M4 chip label on the screen (marked as "A"), connected via a black cable to the Kensington Thunderbolt™ 4 dock positioned at the center of the image. From the docking station, two additional cables extend to two large monitors (labeled "B" and "C"), displaying bright orange and blue gradients, indicating extended display functionality.
At the top, bold text states, "The new M4 MacBooks Support Dual Displays," emphasizing the feature. A text box on the right highlights, "Maximize your M4 experience with Kensington Thunderbolt™ 4 docks," encouraging users to leverage the docking station for a dual-monitor setup.
A small footnote at the bottom clarifies that M1 and M2 base chipsets support only a single external display, while M3 base chipsets require the MacBook lid to be closed for dual external display support.
The MacBook Air with M4 now allows users to natively connect up to two external displays natively in addition to the built-in screen—ideal for business professionals, creatives, and anyone who needs seamless multitasking across multiple applications.
To fully unlock the potential of your M4 MacBook Air and take advantage of dual external displays, Kensington Thunderbolt™ docks are the perfect companion. These docking stations ensure seamless integration, reliable connectivity, and top-tier performance, allowing you to drive two external monitors with ease. With Kensington’s advanced docking technology, you can create a versatile and efficient workstation that keeps up with your workflow.
MacBook M4 and M3 Dual and Single 6K Display Support – Kensington Docking Solutions for Extended Screens
On the left, a MacBook powered by M4, M4 Pro, or M4 Max is connected to a docking station, supporting dual 6K monitors at 60Hz. The MacBook is placed below two large, high-resolution displays showing detailed color grading and editing software, indicating use cases for creative professionals. On the right, a MacBook powered by an M3 chipset is connected to a docking station, supporting a single 6K display at 60Hz. The setup shows a cleaner, simplified workflow with one large external screen.
It's worth noting that if you own a MacBook with an M1 or M2 base chipset, Kensington offers solutions to support multiple displays. Kensington's DisplayLink® docks use software to enable effortless multi-display setups. For example, the SD5900T adds two additional displays to the MacBook’s native support, allowing you to achieve up to four 4K displays with the latest M4 MacBook Air. The SD5900T features a Midnight Blue design that pairs beautifully with the Midnight Blue color option, as well as the stunning new Sky Blue color of the MacBook Air with the M4 chipset. This flexibility ensures you can optimize your workspace and enhance productivity, no matter which MacBook model you own.
Amplify the New M4 MacBook Air: Unlock Quad-Display Support with the SD5900T Hybrid Thunderbolt™ 4 + DisplayLink® Docking Station
Kensington’s DisplayLink® docking stations offer a convenient solution for achieving multi-display functionality. Many MacBook users with M1 and M2 base chipsets have encountered limitations with single display setups. However, with a DisplayLink® dock, such as the SD5900T, Thunderbolt™ 40Gbps Bandwidth & DisplayLink® Hybrid Dock you can add two additional displays to your natively support and can connect up to quad external displays and keep the screen on your MacBook open as an additional workspace. This allows you to use the laptop screen as Screen A and the four external displays as Screens B, C, D, and E. See the table below to find the right docking station for you.
Apple M Series MacBook Extended Monitor Support with Kensington® Docks – Compatibility Guide for M1, M2, M3, and M4
Kensington docks extend monitor support for Apple M processors.
Extended monitor support for Apple M processors via Kensington docks. Table summarizing extended monitor support for Apple M processors with Kensington docks. M1/M2 base MacBooks support a single display with USB-C docks like the SD4842P. The SD4790P USB-C dock with DisplayLink® software supports up to three displays after the driver is installed. Thunderbolt™ 4 docks like the SD5760T and Thunderbolt™ 5 docks like the SD5000T5 support up to two displays via the dock. The SD5900T Thunderbolt™ 4 dock with DisplayLink® software can support up to four displays after the driver is installed. The SD4782P dock supports dual displays with software for any MacBook model. MacBooks with M3 base chipsets can support dual displays with Thunderbolt™ docks when the lid is closed. The latest M4 base, M4 Pro, and M4 Max MacBooks can support dual displays when the lid is open using Thunderbolt™ 4 or Thunderbolt™ 5 docks. Data transfer speeds of docking stations from highest to lowest are as follows: Thunderbolt™ 5 offers up to 80Gbps bidirectional and up to 120Gbps for video-focused tasks, Thunderbolt™ 4 supports up to 40Gbps bidirectional, and USB-C docks offer up to 10Gbps bidirectional. Note: Thunderbolt™ 5 docks require a Thunderbolt™ 5 laptop to achieve the maximum Thunderbolt™ 5 transfer speeds. M3/M4 Max chipsets can support up to four external displays. However, the number of displays supported via a dock is limited to two external displays. Users may consider connecting additional monitors directly to the MacBook itself.
What’s Next?
Kensington offers a range of products that cater to various MacBook models, ensuring compatibility and seamless integration. If you have a M4 MacBook Air, a Thunderbolt™ docking station is an excellent accessory for helping you harness the power of dual external displays. If you’re open to using DisplayLink® software to further optimize your display capabilities, DisplayLink® docking stations will allow you to connect up to quad external displays. As new technology emerges, Kensington will continue to innovate and provide solutions that help professionals get the most from their workspace investments.
Check out Kensington’s Thunderbolt™ and DisplayLink® docking stations.