@BarrySelf Happy to help. Looking at the specs for that display here, it seems the display has VGA, DisplayPort, and HDMI inputs. In that case if you didn't want to buy that adapter, you could use a basic USB-C to DisplayPort cable for one display and a basic HDMI cable for the other. But one advantage of the USB-C MST hub I mentioned above is that you'd reduce your cable connections. That's especially true if you connected the system's power adapter to the USB-C power passthrough port on that hub, since in that case you could run power and both displays through a single connector on your laptop. The convenience proposition becomes stronger if you have a power adapter dedicated to your desk and therefore always plugged into that USB-C hub, as opposed to one that you would always be connecting and disconnecting from the hub. But even in that case you'd still be keeping the other USB-C port on the laptop free for something else if ever required. By comparison, if you go with the lowest-cost cable solution I described above, you'd have three separate cables for power and your two displays, and you'd be occupying both of your system's USB-C ports, which means you couldn't plug another type of device into that port if needed.
@BarrySelf It would have helped to specify the exact display models just to see if there were additional options that might have been possible. But one option would be a USB-C MST hub like this one. A daisy chain might also be an option, but I can't know for certain based on the information you've provided. As for using the HDMI or USB outputs, you can't use an HDMI output to feed a DisplayPort input without a special active adapter that is fairly expensive and also requires a USB connection for power. And regular USB ports don't support carrying a native video signal at all, so you can't use a regular USB port unless you have a dongle that uses "indirect display" technology such as DisplayLink -- not to be confused with DisplayPort -- but that requires you to use additional drivers and comes with a variety of drawbacks. By comparison, the USB-C port on your system does support native video output and is capable of running multiple independent displays from a single port, which is what that hub I linked will do.
@BarrySelf By the way, you didn't specify even the resolutions of the displays you plan to run. In this case it likely doesn't matter since that MST hub will run at least dual 4K 60 Hz from your system, or possibly more if DisplayPort DSC is available and works reliably, but as a general bit of advice, when asking for technical assistance or product recommendations, it helps to provide basic technical information such as the models of all equipment you're using, even if it's not Dell. And for troubleshooting cases, explaining exactly how everything is connected, including any devices, dongles, or adapters that may be involved, is also useful. The more information you provide to the people here who are willing to help you, the more likely those people will be able to provide helpful information.
jphughan
9 Legend
•
14K Posts
0
May 17th, 2021 18:00
@BarrySelf Happy to help. Looking at the specs for that display here, it seems the display has VGA, DisplayPort, and HDMI inputs. In that case if you didn't want to buy that adapter, you could use a basic USB-C to DisplayPort cable for one display and a basic HDMI cable for the other. But one advantage of the USB-C MST hub I mentioned above is that you'd reduce your cable connections. That's especially true if you connected the system's power adapter to the USB-C power passthrough port on that hub, since in that case you could run power and both displays through a single connector on your laptop. The convenience proposition becomes stronger if you have a power adapter dedicated to your desk and therefore always plugged into that USB-C hub, as opposed to one that you would always be connecting and disconnecting from the hub. But even in that case you'd still be keeping the other USB-C port on the laptop free for something else if ever required. By comparison, if you go with the lowest-cost cable solution I described above, you'd have three separate cables for power and your two displays, and you'd be occupying both of your system's USB-C ports, which means you couldn't plug another type of device into that port if needed.
jphughan
9 Legend
•
14K Posts
0
May 17th, 2021 13:00
@BarrySelf It would have helped to specify the exact display models just to see if there were additional options that might have been possible. But one option would be a USB-C MST hub like this one. A daisy chain might also be an option, but I can't know for certain based on the information you've provided. As for using the HDMI or USB outputs, you can't use an HDMI output to feed a DisplayPort input without a special active adapter that is fairly expensive and also requires a USB connection for power. And regular USB ports don't support carrying a native video signal at all, so you can't use a regular USB port unless you have a dongle that uses "indirect display" technology such as DisplayLink -- not to be confused with DisplayPort -- but that requires you to use additional drivers and comes with a variety of drawbacks. By comparison, the USB-C port on your system does support native video output and is capable of running multiple independent displays from a single port, which is what that hub I linked will do.
BarrySelf
2 Posts
0
May 17th, 2021 13:00
Thank you for your advice, I did not provide enough proper information, you are correct and I am not that computer savvy
The monitors are HP E222 and it seems like the hub will be the key to the problem
jphughan
9 Legend
•
14K Posts
0
May 17th, 2021 13:00
@BarrySelf By the way, you didn't specify even the resolutions of the displays you plan to run. In this case it likely doesn't matter since that MST hub will run at least dual 4K 60 Hz from your system, or possibly more if DisplayPort DSC is available and works reliably, but as a general bit of advice, when asking for technical assistance or product recommendations, it helps to provide basic technical information such as the models of all equipment you're using, even if it's not Dell. And for troubleshooting cases, explaining exactly how everything is connected, including any devices, dongles, or adapters that may be involved, is also useful. The more information you provide to the people here who are willing to help you, the more likely those people will be able to provide helpful information.