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Two 4k external monitors through a docking station - Why is this seemingly effortless for Windows but basically impossible for Linux? (feddit.dk)
submitted 5 months ago by SorteKanin@feddit.dk to c/linux@lemmy.world
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I've ran into this situation multiple times at my current and previous jobs. I really want to avoid Windows and use something better, but I can't live without two external monitors.

On Windows, it "just works". I don't have to do anything.

On Linux (I tried Linux Mint today) it doesn't work. First, it only connected one of the monitors, the other one did not register. Then I switched to a different cable from the computer to the docking station and it connected both screens - however, they were locked to 30fps. I could not make them work at 60fps (and this is a major dealbreaker, I cannot live with 30fps).

This isn't really a tech support question, I'm more trying to understand what fundamentally causes this situation. Why is Linux still struggling with pretty basic functionality that Windows does with zero setup? Is it the vendor of the laptop and docking station that aren't properly supporting Linux? Or is it some other problem?

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[-] treadful@lemmy.zip 7 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

Using X? I'm running a dock with triples via USB-C/thunderbolt without issue on Wayland. Maybe I had to briefly configure them but it really wasn't anything worth remembering.

[-] SorteKanin@feddit.dk 3 points 5 months ago

I was trying Linux Mint so yes, X I believe. I'm considering trying again with latest Debian+KDE plasma which uses Wayland I believe?

[-] treadful@lemmy.zip 4 points 5 months ago

You'll probably have better luck with that. X has always been kind of annoying with displays. Especially if they change like with a dock.

[-] Tramort@programming.dev 4 points 5 months ago

Try kde neon. My use case isn't exactly like yours but my experience has been excellent with multiple monitors

this post was submitted on 04 Jun 2024
65 points (93.3% liked)

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