Enhance Your Laptop with Our Innovative Dual 4K Display Adapter for Non-Supporting Hardware - Explore Now !

Plugable USB-C Dual HDMI adapter

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links

If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

ZDNET’s key takeaways

The Plugable USB-C Dual HDMI adapter is available on Amazon for $90 .
It’s small, portable dual-HDMI adapter that supports dual 4K 60Hz displays from a single Thunderbolt, USB4, or USB-C port, compatible with macOS 11+, Windows 10+, and ChromeOS 100+ systems.
This adapter requires drivers to be installed to make use of DisplayLink, and it does not support High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) digital rights management.

There’s nothing like attaching a couple of extra displays to a laptop to boost productivity. Sure, it isn’t mobile anymore, but you gain the ability to transform your device into a powerful, versatile desktop setup.

The problem is, that not all laptops natively support dual displays, not even quite powerful, high-end systems such as the base M1, M2, and M3-powered Macs. These MacBooks only support a single external monitor.

Also: I love everything about this budget Android tablet (especially the price)

So, what can you do?

A simple solution is to use a USB-C to dual-HDMI dongle, such as the Plugable USB-C Dual HDMI adapter .

ZDNET RECOMMENDS Plugable USB-C Dual HDMI adapter Some laptops only support a single external display, but this HDMI dual monitor adapter makes use of a DL-6950 chipset and DisplayLink drivers to bypass these limitations. View at Amazon

Plugable USB-C Dual HDMI adapter tech specs

Connection to host: USB-C, Thunderbolt, or USB4
OS compatibility: macOS, Windows, and ChromeOS
Number of displays supported: 2
Ports: 2 x HDMI
Max resolution: 3840x2160 @ 60Hz
Driver installation required: Yes
HDCP support: No

Newsletters

ZDNET Recommends

ZDNET saves you time and money by delivering the best products and tech deals to your inbox every week.

See all

Laptops were supposed to free us from the shackles of a desk and big displays. But as the power of portable systems has increased exponentially over the years, a laptop can now rival the power of a desktop, so it makes sense to have a single system for the office and for when you’re on the move. The only drawback is the display – there’s nothing like sitting in front of a couple of 4K displays to boost productivity.

Plugable USB-C Dual HDMI adapter

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

This is exactly what the Plugable USB-C Dual HDMI adapter offers, and it works even on systems that don’t natively support dual displays. Plug it into a USB-C, Thunderbolt, or USB4 port, install the relevant DisplayLink drivers (a process that’s automatic on Windows systems, Mac users will have to go find them ), and you’re done.

It’s really that simple.

Also: This thermal camera gives your iPhone a cool superpower

While the target market for this adapter includes owners of Macs with the base M1, M2, or M3 chips – processors that don’t natively support dual displays – it also works on Windows and ChromeOS systems.

I’ve tested this adapter with dual 4K displays attached, and it works reliably on both macOS and Windows – the sort of reliability that I’d expect from a Plugable device.

ZDNET’s buying advice

Not everyone needs dual 4K displays connected to their laptop, but if you’re among those who do, the Plugable USB-C Dual HDMI adapter is a great buy if you find yourself with a system that doesn’t support two displays. At $90, it’s not cheap, but it is a solid, reliable solution that works well.