Can I use this new Lenovo monitor with an old MacBook Pro?

January 29, 2023 11:35 AM

My employer issued me a new Lenovo ThinkVision T34w-20 monitor which uses USB-C cables. In addition to the fancy new MacBook Pro for work, I would also like to be able to connect it to my personal mid-2014 MacBook Pro which has USB 3 ports. Assuming there is something I can buy to solve this problem, can you link me to the exact item please?
posted by HotToddy to Computers & Internet (9 answers total)

Unless I'm mistaking something, it looks like your monitor also has an HDMI input, and the 2014 MacBook Pro also has an HDMI output. Connecting those with an HDMI cable should let you use the monitor with your MacBook.
posted by General Malaise at 11:47 AM on January 29, 2023

What General Malaise said. That monitor has many ports including HDMI.
posted by terrapin at 12:06 PM on January 29, 2023

Terrapin's link says your display also has a DisplayPort 1.2 connection. Your mid-2014 MacBook Pro should have two Thunderbolt2/miniDisplayPort ports. A miniDisplayPort to DisplayPort cable like Monoprice 6ft 32AWG Mini DisplayPort to DisplayPort Cable, White should work.
posted by channaher at 4:00 PM on January 29, 2023

The monitor came with what purports to be an HDMI cable but the connector has only one clipped corner and the port on my laptop has two. The cable connector is also wider. Are there different kinds? If I'm going to buy something, is one type preferable to another (HDMI vs the thing in channaher's link)?
posted by HotToddy at 4:44 PM on January 29, 2023

That is a full-sized DisplayPort cable.

The cable that channaher links is the right one for you.
posted by bug138 at 4:54 PM on January 29, 2023

Either a mini DisplayPort to DisplayPort cable or a standard HDMI cable will work. I would say get the HDMI cable because it will be more useful for potentially connecting to other laptops or devices. Mini DisplayPort is basically obsolete at this point.
posted by ssg at 5:28 PM on January 29, 2023

Okay, thanks all!
posted by HotToddy at 5:49 PM on January 29, 2023

You may wish to go for the Mini DisplayPort to regular DisplayPort adapter option if the monitor is 4k resolution. The older Macbook Pros only support 4k @ 30 fps over the HDMI port. (At least, I just tried with my 2015 model and that was the case.)

To be clear, Mini DisplayPort is the same port as Thunderbolt -- those two square-ish ports next to the power connector that you've probably never used. It's electrically compatible with full-sized DisplayPort so you just need a passive adapter/cable.
posted by neckro23 at 9:35 AM on January 30, 2023

That's a good point about support for the resolution of the monitor, neckro23, but the Display Port / Thunderbolt support on a mid-2014 MacBook Pro is even worse, just 2560x1600, so HDMI is definitely the better way to go here.
posted by ssg at 10:21 AM on January 30, 2023