@djc1234 You can do even better here. The ideal would probably be to get at least one display that has a USB-C input that can supply power to the attached system, in which case you wouldn't need to keep the system's power adapter connected separately to another port. That would also free up the power adapter itself to be used somewhere else, such as parked in another area of your home where you spend a lot of time or kept in a bag as a dedicated "on the go" charger rather than you having to unpack it and pack it back up every time you wanted to work at home.
If that isn't an option, you can still do a bit better than you're envisioning without having to go all the way to a Thunderbolt dock. This adapter gives you a DisplayPort output, which can be the start of a dual QHD daisy chain (assuming at least one of your displays has a DisplayPort output to start a daisy chain) but it ALSO includes a USB-C power passthrough port, which means you can connect your XPS 13's power adapter to that input, and then you have your daisy chain and power consolidated onto a single port on your system. Then you can connect your third display some other way. The benefit to this setup is that you'll still have another port available, which might be important to you if you might ever need to plug in a USB peripheral (or USB hub) without having to disconnect your power adapter or a display to do that.
Incidentally though, USB data would be another benefit of a USB-C display. If you get one that includes built-in USB ports, then if you connect it to your system via USB-C, the display can power your system AND give you a USB data path that will allow you to use those built-in USB ports, with all of that running through that single USB-C cable.
@jphughan Wow - thanks for that tip on the adapter with the power pass-through. I didn't realize that kind of adaptor even existed. That seems like it might be the way to go for me since the USB-C connected monitors seem to all be pricer than their vanilla DisplayPort alternatives.
For the third monitor (which I assume would have to be on the other Thunderbolt 3 port) do you know what the maximum resolution the XPS 7390 is able to support?
@djc1234 Happy to help! Fyi there's also this adapter, which is better if you have displays that don't natively support daisy chaining. With the XPS 13 7390 though you'd be limited to dual QHD or triple FHD through this adapter. But if you do have displays with built-in daisy chaining support, the other adapter I linked is of course less expensive.
Yes USB-C displays are a bit more expensive, but again keep in mind the value of essentially getting a second power adapter so you don't have to keep that separately, and having video, power, and USB data all running along a single cable. In terms of what types of displays you can run, since you mention 3 ports on your system I'm assuming you have the regular XPS 13 7390 rather than the 2-in-1. The regular XPS 13 7390 supports DP 1.2/HBR2 over USB-C, which means you can run a display up to 4K 60 Hz (although if you get a USB-C display that set up the link to carry USB 3.x simultaneously, you'd be limited to QHD 60 Hz). The XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 supports DP 1.4/HBR3 over USB-C, so it can run 5120x2880 60 Hz, but it only has 2 total ports, so I figure that's not what you have.
I am looking at the New XPS 9340. Would I be able to run 3 monitors off of this with the Dell WD19S 180W Power adapter, link to adapter,? I would use the 2 Display and the 1 HDMI. My worry is that some of these adapters don't support using all 3 ports at once. And whether is an adapter limitation or laptop limitation. Thank you for any help
jphughan
9 Legend
•
14K Posts
1
November 14th, 2020 08:00
@djc1234 You can do even better here. The ideal would probably be to get at least one display that has a USB-C input that can supply power to the attached system, in which case you wouldn't need to keep the system's power adapter connected separately to another port. That would also free up the power adapter itself to be used somewhere else, such as parked in another area of your home where you spend a lot of time or kept in a bag as a dedicated "on the go" charger rather than you having to unpack it and pack it back up every time you wanted to work at home.
If that isn't an option, you can still do a bit better than you're envisioning without having to go all the way to a Thunderbolt dock. This adapter gives you a DisplayPort output, which can be the start of a dual QHD daisy chain (assuming at least one of your displays has a DisplayPort output to start a daisy chain) but it ALSO includes a USB-C power passthrough port, which means you can connect your XPS 13's power adapter to that input, and then you have your daisy chain and power consolidated onto a single port on your system. Then you can connect your third display some other way. The benefit to this setup is that you'll still have another port available, which might be important to you if you might ever need to plug in a USB peripheral (or USB hub) without having to disconnect your power adapter or a display to do that.
Incidentally though, USB data would be another benefit of a USB-C display. If you get one that includes built-in USB ports, then if you connect it to your system via USB-C, the display can power your system AND give you a USB data path that will allow you to use those built-in USB ports, with all of that running through that single USB-C cable.
djc1234
3 Posts
0
November 14th, 2020 08:00
@jphughan Wow - thanks for that tip on the adapter with the power pass-through. I didn't realize that kind of adaptor even existed. That seems like it might be the way to go for me since the USB-C connected monitors seem to all be pricer than their vanilla DisplayPort alternatives.
For the third monitor (which I assume would have to be on the other Thunderbolt 3 port) do you know what the maximum resolution the XPS 7390 is able to support?
jphughan
9 Legend
•
14K Posts
0
November 14th, 2020 09:00
@djc1234 Happy to help! Fyi there's also this adapter, which is better if you have displays that don't natively support daisy chaining. With the XPS 13 7390 though you'd be limited to dual QHD or triple FHD through this adapter. But if you do have displays with built-in daisy chaining support, the other adapter I linked is of course less expensive.
Yes USB-C displays are a bit more expensive, but again keep in mind the value of essentially getting a second power adapter so you don't have to keep that separately, and having video, power, and USB data all running along a single cable. In terms of what types of displays you can run, since you mention 3 ports on your system I'm assuming you have the regular XPS 13 7390 rather than the 2-in-1. The regular XPS 13 7390 supports DP 1.2/HBR2 over USB-C, which means you can run a display up to 4K 60 Hz (although if you get a USB-C display that set up the link to carry USB 3.x simultaneously, you'd be limited to QHD 60 Hz). The XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 supports DP 1.4/HBR3 over USB-C, so it can run 5120x2880 60 Hz, but it only has 2 total ports, so I figure that's not what you have.
djc1234
3 Posts
0
November 14th, 2020 09:00
@jphughan Correct, I was referring to the regular XPS 13 7390 (not the 2-in-1).
Thanks for all the information!
Zerri
1 Rookie
•
4 Posts
0
May 12th, 2021 01:00
Hi guys I have the 7390 2in1 with 2 usb-c port. Can I use this adapter ? I would like to add two monitor dell P2421d
Thanks
jphughan
9 Legend
•
14K Posts
0
May 12th, 2021 07:00
@Zerri Already replied in the topic you created.
IVPC2699fd
1 Message
0
March 1st, 2024 21:20
I am looking at the New XPS 9340. Would I be able to run 3 monitors off of this with the Dell WD19S 180W Power adapter, link to adapter,? I would use the 2 Display and the 1 HDMI. My worry is that some of these adapters don't support using all 3 ports at once. And whether is an adapter limitation or laptop limitation. Thank you for any help