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You might have seen regular USB-C to HDMI or USB-C to DisplayPort adapter online, however there is also a technology called DisplayLink.
In this article, we will explore what DisplayLink does, and what are the difference compared to regular adapters and then we will reviewed the best DisplayLink adapters on the market.
What is DisplayLink?
DisplayLink is essentially a processor that is included in one of those HDMI, DisplayPort or USB-C adapters.
However there are many such adapters on the market, and not all of them include the DisplayLink processors, what makes the adapter Itself special compared to other adapters.
What Is The Difference Between USB-C Adapters and DisplayLink?
So given that DisplayLink is just an adapter that let's you connect monitors to your computer, you might wonder what is the difference between these adapters.
Usually, these USB-C docks and adapters let you connect HDMI cables as well, however there can only be one display attached to a single USB-C port using regular adapters and docks.
This is where the DisplayLink adapters comes in, adapters with DisplayLink processors increase number of displays that can be connected to a single port of USB-C on the computer.
How Does DisplayLink Work?
DisplayLink adapters can increase the number of monitors connected more than one per port, because these adapters include the special chip that is designed to do that.
So these aren't just adapters that let different physically sized ports connect, but also include computational power necessary to include additionally displays.
Do You Need DisplayLink?
Once we go over how DisplayLink works how It is different than other adapters, It's crucial to figure out if you actually need a DisplayLink adapter for your setup.
If you plan to connect less monitors then the USB-C or USB 3 ports on your computer, you can get away with just using USB cables, since you will need to connect additional USB peripherals.
If you have same amount of displays as the USB-C and HDMI ports on your computer, then you can at least consider using a regular USB-C adapters so that you still have additional ports to connect other peripherals
However if you have less ports than number of displays you like to connect, you need an adapter or a docking station with the DisplayLink processor inside, so that It can increase the number of monitors that your computer supports.