Brian Blackwood
New member
- Joined
- Nov 11, 2024
- Messages
- 18
Hi all,
I'm running a Titan 18 HX AI A2XWJG-412US on Windows 11 Pro 25H2 and have hit what appears to be a hard 2-display ceiling over Thunderbolt 5, regardless of configuration. Hoping someone else has encountered this or found a workaround.
Setup: Three external DisplayPort monitors, all DP-capable, internal display disabled/lid closed, and not showing up in Display Settings to take up a slot.
Configurations tested:
- Three monitors connect to the CalDigit TS5 Plus dock (pictured). One monitor via direct connection to the DisplayPort, two via DisplayPort-to-USB-C cables to the two Thunderbolt 5 downstream ports. Result: Any two monitors work, but the third is always off. I can literally turn the monitors on and off, then connect the dock and control which two are on, meaning all three work, just not at the same time.
- Two monitors on DP-to-USB-C cables via the dock, and the third monitor is plugged into the second TB5 port on the side of the laptop. Same result.
- Three monitors where one uses the HDMI port to the HDMI on the laptop: All three displays work (but my displays don't support HDMI 2.0, so refresh is low, so this isn't ideal).
- Same results reproduced with a second dock (Razer Thunderbolt 5 Dock Chroma)
- All monitors work with a TB4 dock, but degrade connection once gaming or other graphic-intensive applications are used, resulting in an eventual crash of the entire USB controller.
Device Manager shows no errors. Any two monitors work fine — it's always the third that won't activate, regardless of which port or dock it's connected through.
What's confusing is that Intel's published ARK specification for the Core Ultra 9 285HX lists "# of Displays Supported: 4" under Graphics Specifications. MSI's own user manual (MS-1824 v1.0) documents DisplayPort output on both TB5 ports, with no disclosed maximum number of external displays.
Reviews online always seem to stop at two monitors and call it good.
Has anyone gotten three external DP monitors to work? If so, how? Anyone know if this is a known limitation or is it an issue?
I'm running a Titan 18 HX AI A2XWJG-412US on Windows 11 Pro 25H2 and have hit what appears to be a hard 2-display ceiling over Thunderbolt 5, regardless of configuration. Hoping someone else has encountered this or found a workaround.
Setup: Three external DisplayPort monitors, all DP-capable, internal display disabled/lid closed, and not showing up in Display Settings to take up a slot.
Configurations tested:
- Three monitors connect to the CalDigit TS5 Plus dock (pictured). One monitor via direct connection to the DisplayPort, two via DisplayPort-to-USB-C cables to the two Thunderbolt 5 downstream ports. Result: Any two monitors work, but the third is always off. I can literally turn the monitors on and off, then connect the dock and control which two are on, meaning all three work, just not at the same time.
- Two monitors on DP-to-USB-C cables via the dock, and the third monitor is plugged into the second TB5 port on the side of the laptop. Same result.
- Three monitors where one uses the HDMI port to the HDMI on the laptop: All three displays work (but my displays don't support HDMI 2.0, so refresh is low, so this isn't ideal).
- Same results reproduced with a second dock (Razer Thunderbolt 5 Dock Chroma)
- All monitors work with a TB4 dock, but degrade connection once gaming or other graphic-intensive applications are used, resulting in an eventual crash of the entire USB controller.
Device Manager shows no errors. Any two monitors work fine — it's always the third that won't activate, regardless of which port or dock it's connected through.
What's confusing is that Intel's published ARK specification for the Core Ultra 9 285HX lists "# of Displays Supported: 4" under Graphics Specifications. MSI's own user manual (MS-1824 v1.0) documents DisplayPort output on both TB5 ports, with no disclosed maximum number of external displays.
Reviews online always seem to stop at two monitors and call it good.
Has anyone gotten three external DP monitors to work? If so, how? Anyone know if this is a known limitation or is it an issue?
