Multiple Displays on Surface Laptop

[ZamFamilia]

Hey all,

I just got a new Surface Laptop and have been trying to find a way to set up two additional displays to it. When one is plugged into the mini display port, the computer immediately detects the display and I can begin using it. However, I can't seem to get two displays to work simultaneously and I was curious if anyone else has been having this problem or knows a solution.

I bought this mini display port splitter off of Amazon with the impression that it would work fine with Surface Laptop: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01NAICOX...ag=hawk-future-20&ascsubtag=UUwpUvbUpU3691926

However when I plug in my two displays, one using an HDMI cable and one a VGA, only one of them will detect and display.

Can this laptop support two screens, or am I doomed to only using one additional? Thanks in advance!

 

[Msolok]

It certainly can support multiple external displays, but not with a cable such as you linked. That cable gives multiple connection options that can be used individually and separately from each other. It simply saves you from having multiple cables for all the different connection types.

If you need multiple monitors connected to the surface the 2 main options are:
1) Purchase the Surface Dock and use the additional Display ports on the dock to connect to monitors. This has the added benefit of only having to connect a single cable to your Surface with the rest of the setup permanently connected to the dock. Makes moving the Surface Laptop around much easier (and if you have multiple Surface devices, it's pure bliss). This is the way I have it working, with 2 external monitors and my Surface Laptops internal screen on (so 3 displays working all up).
2) Use monitors with DisplayPort's Diasy Chain / Multi-Stream Transport (MST) functionality. This allows you to connect the Surface laptop to the DisplayPort of a monitor, and that monitor passes on the signal (VIA another DisplayPort connection) to a second monitor. This means you won't need the Surface Dock and will only need a single Mini DisplayPort to DisplayPort cable.

There are other ways of getting multiple displays, such as using Wilress displays or using USB 3 connected displays, but there are a bit more troublesome and less straight forward to use.

 

[zipped]

The dock is horrid as it has always been. Same issues with the dock as when I used it on the Surface 4. Could get it set up initially, one display would blink every so often. Upon disconnect it was a crapshoot if the display settings would hold. I am using a Toshiba Dynaport USB 3.0 dock and it works great. Wish the MS dock worked as then only the magfit connection would be used. I use a powered USB hub plugged into the Surface Laptop, then the Dynadock plugged into the powered hub. Works direct too but I have another Anker powered hub next to me on the desk which only works well if the powered hub on the front end is used as it is a 15 ft USB 3.0 cable.
Downside of using the Dynadock is your usb port has to be plugged in and also power to the Surface Laptop. Runnning 2 22 inch Lenovo monitors. Took a bit of figuring it out but better than pulling my hair out with the MS dock. MS dock never worked right no matter what display port to HDMI adapters used period. POS. With the Dynadock you can run all three displays. These displays do not have native Displayport support so can't try daisychaining a dp cable.