3 Monitor Setup Questions

Hey all. How would one connect 3 external monitors to the dell xps 15 9550? I currently have 2 monitors 24' 1920x1200 connected to my monitors. One is the hdmi to hdmi to a monitor, the other is the usb-c to display port on the other monitor. I also have a 3rd cable... usb-c to hdmi as well.


I will most likely buy a 32' 4k monitor and considering using 3 monitors. But I would first plan to use the 32' 4k monitor with one of my 24' 1920x1200 monitors in the meantime. I am also considering a 43' 4k tv as well... deciding whether 32' 4k monitor or 43' 4k TV.


I would need to buy a docking station for this ... correct? Anyone can post a link on amazon of what i would need? Because the dell xps 15 9550, while using the ports on the laptop, you can only connect 2 monitors right since it has 1 hdmi port and 1 usb-c port? So if you want 3 monitors or more, docking station is what you need to buy?


Also, are the new dell xps laptops or laptops now in generally have more than 1 hdmi port and 1 usb-c port so you could connect 3 monitors? Example a laptop with a usb-c port and say 2 hdmi ports on the laptop? Or is that not possible?


So basically a docking station is required if you want 3+ monitors right? But would I need to check if my graphics card for my laptop support 3 monitors?

Macboatmaster said:

https://www.dell.com/support/article...ations?lang=en

3 displays supported - max resolution referred to does not mean 3 at max
Number Displays Supported 3 @ 60 Hz 4
Max Resolution 5120 x 2880 @ 60 Hz at that res it is ONE display.

See setting up external monitor and resolution table
https://www.dell.com/support/article...k-tb16?lang=en

Your Intel graphics have 4K support at 60Hz
Support for Intel(R) HD Graphics 530

Your NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M
if that is what is in your laptop, as I only have the general spec of that model not knowing your exact serial no etc
https://downloads.dell.com/manuals/a...uide_en-us.pdf

will I think only run 4K at 30Hz

On the dell docking station you will find this useful if you have problems
https://www.dell.com/support/article...lang=en#bs_Six
Display resolution table
and
Troubleshooting


I do not think you will run more than 3 in total and I doubt you will run even 3 at high res without throttling as whatever setup you use - the demand is still on the system as a whole
CPU and GPU chip.

Finally


If you want 3 as extended display - yes.

I cannot recommend to you from personal experience a dock
Startech Universal USB 3.0 Laptop Docking Station

I would however urge you to buy quality and not some cheap unknown brand etc.
Startech are in my experience good products and good support

The Dell one as you can see here is not available there
Dell Thunderbolt Dock TB16 Docking Station 240W

but will cost you a LOT more
Dell TBDOCK-240W Dell Thunderbolt Dock TB16 Shop UK : Ballicom.co.uk : Buy

GOOD luck with it any questions please ask

Hi thanks for that information. So yea when i say 3 monitors... i mean 3 external monitors. Then of course you have the laptop screen as well in addition to that but i wouldn't use it for a place to put poker tables on it.


But you are saying... only one of my 3 monitors could be 4k... is that correct? So if i get another monitor... whether its a
32' or 27' 4k, no issue? But if i get another same 24' 1920x1200... there would be no issue?


But if i were to get two monitors that are 4k... and the 3rd monitor is not 4k... I would have an issue?


So these docking stations won't work? The dell one is pretty expensive in the one you linked. These seem to have good reviews. But still with dell then?


Amazon.com


Amazon.com

https://www.amazon.com/Docking-Stati...%2C247&sr=8-16

https://www.amazon.com/Docking-Hicob...%2C247&sr=8-20
https://www.amazon.com/USB-Hub-Lapto...%2C247&sr=8-29

Macboatmaster said:

Re this


NO I would not suggest that they will not work and you must stay with Dell
I offered as a suggestion the Stardock one.
Your examples seem to be of similar quality.

I was explaining tat I would not trust some


For instance
USB HUB 10 in 1 Thunderbolt 3 Type C Adapter Dock 3 USB 3.0 Port 4K HDMI 1080MFS | eBay

Only an example, but I would not trust it . Your examples seem to be of good quality.

As to the monitors and the 4K
Sorry for any confusion
I am not saying it will ONLY run ONE monitor at 4K res

The answer as to what it will run is dependant on what the actual spec of your 9550 is as I said I do not know if specs were different on later models as I have only the spec I found on a web search

In theory the laptop will support
The docking station can support two 4K monitors simultaneously at 60Hz or one 5K monitor, as I mentioned here



However, as the XPS 15's onboard HDMI port only meets the 1.4 spec, not HDMI 2.0, that means that it can't display a higher resolution than 1080p at 60Hz.
From the spec link I sent you for the Dell XPS 15 9550 - - unless yours is different
One HDMI 1.4 port - taken from this link - which I sent on the previous post
https://downloads.dell.com/manuals/a...uide_en-us.pdf

So the HDMI port on your XPS - will support 4K but not at 60HZ
HDMI 2.0 vs 1.4: What's the difference? | Trusted Reviews

Whether 4K at the lower rate would be acceptable to you - I very much doubt.

So finally the answer to this question

is NO there is not any issue with running the 3rd at less than 4K


Hi thanks for the long response.


As I said before I have not direct experience of that laptop, or indeed any other laptop, and its real capabilities to run triple monitors at 4K res

Well im just considering whether to get either


1. 32' 4k monitor
2. 43' 4k TV
3. Another 24' 1920x1200 monitor


Someone told me if i get another 24' monitor... but said if i get a specific monitor that allows daisy chaining like the dell 2415u, i wouldn't even need to get any cable if i want to connect my two current 24' monitors with a dell 2415u... is that correct? He said it has some display output which allow me to somehow daisy chain it. I did link him to a dell 2415m but he said that wouldn't allow daisy chaining.


Now if I get a 43' 4k tv.... could i get 4k resolution on it with the current usb-c to hdmi cable i have? It does say 4k on it.


Which setup do you think i should do?


Basically if i get a 32' 4k monitor, i would use it with one of my current 24' monitors... which would mean i wouldn't need to buy any cable. But if i want to connect it to 2 of my current monitors, i would need to.


If i get a 43' 4k tv... i would either use it by itself or use it with one of my 24' monitors... issue is my folding table is only 4 feet wide and 2 feet long so not sure enough space or not. But would my cable work?

Amazon.com.mx


If i get another 24' 1920x1200 monitor... well i would have 3 monitors... but i have to buy that expensive adapter.

Macboatmaster said:

Not unless you CAN connect the Dell monitor to the existing monitor and to do that the monitor must have a port out - and not just as usual a port IN .
ALSO daisy chaining needs Display port
OR
USB-C but then again you need a monitor with port in and port out.



You can use daisy chaining without any adapter but of course the first monitor, in the case of two monitors needs to have port in and port out. If it were three daisy chained the first and middle monitor needs to have port in and port out
Daisy chaining -
https://www.cablematters.com/blog/Di...chain-monitors

see also USB-C

and
https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/e...-transport-mst
You will find this useful it has a diagram

Summary
I cannot see how it will work - your laptop I thought only has HDMI port
other than the USB port
https://www.dell.com/community/Monit...I/td-p/5101004

You could however use the monitor connected
One is the hdmi to hdmi to a monitor, the other is the usb-c to display port on the other monitor.
if that monitor or the one you buy had display port in and display port out.

Please remember as I said that I am NOT an expert in this and before committing your expenditure I strongly recommend you check what you propose will work.

My dell xps 15 9550 laptop has 2 ports... hdmi and usb-c. At the moment, i use a usb-c to display port cable with one of my 24' 1920x1200 monitors. I use a hdmi to hdmi cable with my 2nd 24' monitor.


That person said if i get a dell 2415u... i could daisy chain all 3 monitors because that specific monitor...because it has that display port INPUT OR OUTPUT?

Okay so I bought the 32' 4k monitor online and it will take a while for me to receive it. Decided on it as oppose to the 43' 4k tv.


Would something like this work or not?


Amazon.com