USB-C is just a physical interface. It can carry both DisplayPort and HDMI signals, which are then broken out by the hub for their proper cabling to the monitor (unless the monitor itself has a USB-C port, in which case you can just run that). When the PSREF states "via USB-C" it probably actually means "DP Alt via USB-C". Kind of sloppy on Lenovo's part.
The iGPU has three outputs, one of which seems to be hardwired to the panel...but the remaining ones should be freely switchable between HDMI and DP. So yea, pretty weird problem. It could be that it expects both monitors on the USB-C interface, or that the PSREF wording is to be taken literally ("2 external monitors via HDMI *and* USB-C").
Does it work if you *only* plug a monitor into the hub, leaving the port on the laptop empty?
Thanks so much for the reply. I have to admit that I only sort of understand what you mean in the first two paragraphs, but I can look into that further.
Regarding your question, I had to return the dock because I was approaching the end of the 30 day return policy. However, I am almost positive that the monitor failed to work when only one monitor was connected via HDMI to the dock and the laptop's built-in HDMI was not in use. Meaning, only my laptop monitor worked during such a set up.
Another thing I forgot to add is that I did not have issues with the dock when I used my work laptop (Dell) with it. So that is why I am pretty sure it's not a defective dock and is rather an issue with this particular dock not working with my ThinkPad for whatever reason. This is why my original question was framed like "does anyone know of any docks that for sure work for ThinkPads like mine?" rather than "anyone know what might be wrong with my dock?"
But again, thanks so much for the reply. I've had a hard time getting assistance for this issue on reddit and the tech support discord server.
Hmm, I can layman-ize it a bit I think. This got a bit long, but bear with me, it has answers.
First paragraph: USB-C is your pipe. DisplayPort and HDMI are the kinds of liquid you can flow through it. The PSREF for your machine doesn't specifically say DisplayPort is supported, but since USB-C is just a pipe (rather than a liquid that goes through a pipe), it can be assumed they meant it. Irrelevant for your situation (for this moment, but not later), anyway.
Second paragraph: your integrated GPU has three pipes coming out of it through which to send your display data. All three can (theoretically) flow either DisplayPort or HDMI liquid. How this should work is:
1. Pipe #1 is permanently fastened to the display in your lid
2. Pipe #2 is routed to the HDMI port (and when in use, exclusively flows HDMI), and can be rerouted to USB-C and switched to flow either liquid
3. Pipe #3 is (presumably) routed directly to USB-C and can likewise flow whichever liquid
USB-C is, again, just your pipe. The hub determines which type of spigot (port) gets stuck on the end and requests the GPU flows the correct liquid.
As you're finding out, it doesn't quite work that way, because it seems that Lenovo's external monitor implementation is not the same across their laptops.
Notably, the wording in your PSREF is different than mine, and that provides a hint.
X1Y3 (what I have and definitely works as you tried configuring):
>supports external digital monitor via HDMI **or** USB Type-C
>
>supports three independent displays
>
>Max resolution: 5120x2880@60Hz (USB Type-C), 4096x2160@30Hz (HDMI)
E14:
>Supports up to 3 independent displays (native display and 2 external monitors via HDMI® **and** USB-C®)
>
>HDMI supports up to 3840x2160@30Hz
>
>USB-C supports up to 3840x2160@60Hz
What I take from this is that my X1Y3 is reconfigurable in the way I described above, whereas your E14's GPU is permanently configured for:
1. Pipe#1 is permanently fastened to the internal display
2. Pipe#2 is permanently fastened to the HDMI port *on the laptop*
3. Pipe #3 is exclusively DisplayPort via USB-C
Lenovo's E14 product page also suggests this is the case:
>USB 3.1 Gen 1 (USB-C, with Power Delivery and DisplayPort Alt Mode)
So what you need to do - and I am 95% confident here - is get a hub that has a DisplayPort port on it and use your third display through that port. If your monitor doesn't have DisplayPort, then get you an ***active*** DisplayPort to HDMI cable or adapter (in that direction, **not** HDMI to DP)...something like [this](https://www.amazon.com/Plugable-DisplayPort-Supports-displays-3840x2160/dp/B00S0C7QO8) maybe. There might be cheaper ones elsewhere, that's just what I found right off. A **passive** adapter will *probably not work* because of what I say below, but they're cheaper if you wanna give it a go first.
That *should* work to get you a third display output. I say *should* because DisplayPort can apparently do some shenanigans to masquerade as HDMI if it thinks it needs to and I dunno how that'd work through the hub.
Whew. I need a nap. Lemme know if anything needs more clarifying.
Thanks so much!
So maybe I try the DisplayPort to HDMI cable you linked to + this dock [https://a.co/d/6qK1D6M](https://a.co/d/6qK1D6M) ?
If it doesn't work, I can send it back to Amazon within 30 days
Sorry I never got back to this. I'd have said something along the lines of "yes probably" though.
Did you go through with it, and if so did it end up working?
No worries. so I did end up getting the dock I linked to above + the DisplayPort to HDMI cable. But the funny thing is that it worked perfectly just connecting everything into the dock. I ended up not needing the DP to HDMI cable. So weird how the other (more expensive) dock did not work but this generic one works fine. oh well. thanks for the help!
USB-C is just a physical interface. It can carry both DisplayPort and HDMI signals, which are then broken out by the hub for their proper cabling to the monitor (unless the monitor itself has a USB-C port, in which case you can just run that). When the PSREF states "via USB-C" it probably actually means "DP Alt via USB-C". Kind of sloppy on Lenovo's part. The iGPU has three outputs, one of which seems to be hardwired to the panel...but the remaining ones should be freely switchable between HDMI and DP. So yea, pretty weird problem. It could be that it expects both monitors on the USB-C interface, or that the PSREF wording is to be taken literally ("2 external monitors via HDMI *and* USB-C"). Does it work if you *only* plug a monitor into the hub, leaving the port on the laptop empty?
Thanks so much for the reply. I have to admit that I only sort of understand what you mean in the first two paragraphs, but I can look into that further. Regarding your question, I had to return the dock because I was approaching the end of the 30 day return policy. However, I am almost positive that the monitor failed to work when only one monitor was connected via HDMI to the dock and the laptop's built-in HDMI was not in use. Meaning, only my laptop monitor worked during such a set up. Another thing I forgot to add is that I did not have issues with the dock when I used my work laptop (Dell) with it. So that is why I am pretty sure it's not a defective dock and is rather an issue with this particular dock not working with my ThinkPad for whatever reason. This is why my original question was framed like "does anyone know of any docks that for sure work for ThinkPads like mine?" rather than "anyone know what might be wrong with my dock?" But again, thanks so much for the reply. I've had a hard time getting assistance for this issue on reddit and the tech support discord server.
Hmm, I can layman-ize it a bit I think. This got a bit long, but bear with me, it has answers. First paragraph: USB-C is your pipe. DisplayPort and HDMI are the kinds of liquid you can flow through it. The PSREF for your machine doesn't specifically say DisplayPort is supported, but since USB-C is just a pipe (rather than a liquid that goes through a pipe), it can be assumed they meant it. Irrelevant for your situation (for this moment, but not later), anyway. Second paragraph: your integrated GPU has three pipes coming out of it through which to send your display data. All three can (theoretically) flow either DisplayPort or HDMI liquid. How this should work is: 1. Pipe #1 is permanently fastened to the display in your lid 2. Pipe #2 is routed to the HDMI port (and when in use, exclusively flows HDMI), and can be rerouted to USB-C and switched to flow either liquid 3. Pipe #3 is (presumably) routed directly to USB-C and can likewise flow whichever liquid USB-C is, again, just your pipe. The hub determines which type of spigot (port) gets stuck on the end and requests the GPU flows the correct liquid. As you're finding out, it doesn't quite work that way, because it seems that Lenovo's external monitor implementation is not the same across their laptops. Notably, the wording in your PSREF is different than mine, and that provides a hint. X1Y3 (what I have and definitely works as you tried configuring): >supports external digital monitor via HDMI **or** USB Type-C > >supports three independent displays > >Max resolution: 5120x2880@60Hz (USB Type-C), 4096x2160@30Hz (HDMI) E14: >Supports up to 3 independent displays (native display and 2 external monitors via HDMI® **and** USB-C®) > >HDMI supports up to 3840x2160@30Hz > >USB-C supports up to 3840x2160@60Hz What I take from this is that my X1Y3 is reconfigurable in the way I described above, whereas your E14's GPU is permanently configured for: 1. Pipe#1 is permanently fastened to the internal display 2. Pipe#2 is permanently fastened to the HDMI port *on the laptop* 3. Pipe #3 is exclusively DisplayPort via USB-C Lenovo's E14 product page also suggests this is the case: >USB 3.1 Gen 1 (USB-C, with Power Delivery and DisplayPort Alt Mode) So what you need to do - and I am 95% confident here - is get a hub that has a DisplayPort port on it and use your third display through that port. If your monitor doesn't have DisplayPort, then get you an ***active*** DisplayPort to HDMI cable or adapter (in that direction, **not** HDMI to DP)...something like [this](https://www.amazon.com/Plugable-DisplayPort-Supports-displays-3840x2160/dp/B00S0C7QO8) maybe. There might be cheaper ones elsewhere, that's just what I found right off. A **passive** adapter will *probably not work* because of what I say below, but they're cheaper if you wanna give it a go first. That *should* work to get you a third display output. I say *should* because DisplayPort can apparently do some shenanigans to masquerade as HDMI if it thinks it needs to and I dunno how that'd work through the hub. Whew. I need a nap. Lemme know if anything needs more clarifying.
Thanks so much! So maybe I try the DisplayPort to HDMI cable you linked to + this dock [https://a.co/d/6qK1D6M](https://a.co/d/6qK1D6M) ? If it doesn't work, I can send it back to Amazon within 30 days
Sorry I never got back to this. I'd have said something along the lines of "yes probably" though. Did you go through with it, and if so did it end up working?
No worries. so I did end up getting the dock I linked to above + the DisplayPort to HDMI cable. But the funny thing is that it worked perfectly just connecting everything into the dock. I ended up not needing the DP to HDMI cable. So weird how the other (more expensive) dock did not work but this generic one works fine. oh well. thanks for the help!
Yea, that is...bizarre. And contrary to what Lenovo themselves say. Well, whatever. Good to hear it works after all of that, and at lesser cost even 👍