Thunder Plays Mac OS
The adapters and cables in this article work with these Mac computers and iPad Pro devices:
- Mac models that have Thunderbolt 3 ports. These ports support both Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C connections.
- Mac models that have a USB-C port. This port supports USB-C connections.
- iPad Pro models that have a USB-C port. This port supports USB-C connections.
High-speed connectivity for Mac and Windows UA Audio Interfaces offer the world's best implementation of Thunderbolt — for stunningly low latency, plus the ability to cascade up to four units as your studio grows. Access the World of UAD Powered Plug-Ins. Software Update might unexpectedly indicate updates for your Mac are being managed by swscan.apple.com, instead of indicating your Mac is enrolled in the Apple Beta Software Program. This doesn’t impact your ability to update macOS Big Sur 11 beta.
To find the right cable or adapter for your Mac or iPad Pro, use the information below to identify the connector on the end of the cable coming from your display, hard drive, camera, hub, or other device. Check the end meant to plug into your Mac or iPad Pro.
If you want to extend the storage capacity on your Mac, the eXtreme Thunderbolt 3 NVMe SSD from Fantom Drives is one of the best external SSDs you can find in the market. The drive was specifically designed with Mac users in mind, and it comes HFS+ formatted for plug-and-play compatibility on Mac OS 10.13 (High Sierra) or later versions. — Mac Jones went into the 2021 NFL Draft hoping he’d fall to the New England Patriots. The young quarterback loved New England’s team-first approach, its winning culture. The moment you turn off your computer, you lose the Thunderbolt drivers and you will need to boot up into Windows, which will load the Thunderbolt drivers and do the warm restart into the Mac OS. For me this is less of an issue as I leave my computer running 24/7 so the Thunderbolt drivers will stay loaded.
Thunderbolt 3
If you're using an Apple Thunderbolt 3 cable or other Thunderbolt 3 cable with your display or other device, it will connect to your Mac without an adapter.
The Apple Pro Display XDR and LG UltraFine 5K Display use Thunderbolt 3.
USB-C
If you're using a mophie USB-C Cable with USB-C Connector or other USB-C cable with your device, it will connect to your Mac or iPad Pro without an adapter.
The LG UltraFine 4K Display uses USB-C.
USB-A
If you're using a USB-A cable with your device, use the Apple USB-C to USB Adapter, the Apple USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter, the Apple USB-C VGA Multiport Adapter, or another USB-C to USB-A adapter to connect your device to your Mac or iPad Pro.
To charge an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch from a Thunderbolt 3 or USB-C port without one of these adapters, you can use the Apple USB-C to Lightning Cable instead.
Ethernet
If you're using an Ethernet cable with your device, use a third-party USB-C to Ethernet adapter, such as the Belkin USB-C to Gigabit Ethernet Adapter.
Thunderbolt or Thunderbolt 2
If you're using a Thunderbolt or Thunderbolt 2 cable with a Thunderbolt display or other device, use the Apple Thunderbolt 3 to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter.
This is the correct adapter for the Apple Thunderbolt Display.
Thunderbolt and Thunderbolt 2 are not the same as Mini DisplayPort . They have the same shape, but use different symbols on the cable and port.
Mini DisplayPort
If you're using a Mini DisplayPort cable with a Mini DisplayPort display, use a third-party USB-C to Mini DisplayPort adapter. Check with its manufacturer for compatibility with your Mac and display model.
This is the correct solution for the Apple LED Cinema Display.
Mini DisplayPort is not the same as Thunderbolt or Thunderbolt 2 . They have the same shape, but use different symbols on the cable and port.
DisplayPort
If you're using a DisplayPort cable with your display, use a third-party USB-C to DisplayPort adapter or cable, such as the Moshi USB-C to DisplayPort Cable.
HDMI
If you're using an HDMI cable with your display, use the Apple USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter or a third-party USB-C to HDMI adapter or cable.
Thunder Plays Mac Os Download
VGA
If you're using a VGA cable with your display, use the Apple USB-C VGA Multiport Adapter. Or use a third-party USB-C to VGA adapter, such as the Belkin USB-C to VGA Adapter.
DVI
If you're using a DVI cable with your display, use a third-party USB-C to DVI adapter or cable. Check with its manufacturer for compatibility with your Mac and display model.
Learn more
- You can use your USB-C Power Adapter and charge cable with any Thunderbolt 3 or USB-C port on your Mac or iPad Pro.
- If you have an Apple TV connected to your TV, projector, or other display, you can use AirPlay to wirelessly stream video to that display, or extend the desktop of your primary display.
- Learn about using external monitors with your Mac.
- Learn more about using the USB-C port on your iPad Pro.
Thunderbolt 2 made its debut when Apple released the latest version of its MacBook Pro last October, but it’s become more prominent with the relase of the new Mac Pro. How different is Thunderbolt 2 from its predecessor? Here’s what you need to know.
What is Thunderbolt?
Thunderbolt is an interconnect technology developed by Intel in cooperation with Apple. Thunderbolt combines PCI Express and DisplayPort into a single connection, allowing for a combination of up to six peripherals, like storage devices and monitors, to be daisy-chained together. You can also connect USB and FireWire peripherals via Thunderbolt, as long as you have the proper adapter. Those connections won’t run any faster just because they’re on a Thunderbolt connection.
We covered much of Thunderbolt’s background in our FAQ on Thunderbolt. If you’re interested in taking a deeper dive into Thunderbolt at an introductory level, you should read that FAQ. I’m focusing on Thunderbolt 2 here.
What is Thunderbolt 2?
Thunderbolt 2 is an update to the original Thunderbolt specification and takes the original’s two 10 Gbps bi-directional channels and combines them into a single 20 Gbps bi-directional channel. The amount of data able to go through a Thunderbolt connection hasn’t increased, but the throughput of a single channel has been doubled.
What does Thunderbolt 2 have to do with 4K video?
4K video (a video format that has four times the resolution as 1080p and is gaining popularity with video professionals) requires more bandwidth than the original Thunderbolt can accommodate. Thunderbolt 2 will be able to stream that 4K video and write it to disk at the same time.
How many peripherals does Thunderbolt 2 support?
Thunderbolt 2 will still support up to six peripherals and will continue to support USB and FireWire via adapters.
Can you connect Mini DisplayPort displays to Thunderbolt 2?
Thunderbolt 2 does work with displays that use Mini DisplayPort. Thunderbolt 2 also supports the latest DisplayPort 2.1 specification, but not the daisy-chaining capabilities included in the spec. And remember that 4K video format we just talked about? DisplayPort 1.2 adds support for that ultra high resolution format.
Will drives using the original Thunderbolt work with Thunderbolt 2?
Yes. Thunderbolt 2 uses the same connectors as the original Thunderbolt, so Thunderbolt 2 devices will be backwards compatible with Thunderbolt peripherals and vice versa. But a Thunderbolt device connected to a Thunderbolt 2 port will perform at the Thunderbolt speed of 10 Gbps.
Do older Thunderbolt devices on a Thunderbolt 2 daisy chain affect performance?
Yes. If you have a mix of generations on a Thunderbolt 2 daisy chain, make sure that the Thunderbolt devices sit after the Thunderbolt 2 devices on the chain. Anything placed after a first generation Thunderbolt device will operate at Thunderbolt speeds.
My Mac has Thunderbolt. Can I upgrade it to Thunderbolt 2?
Unfortunately no. A new Thunderbolt 2 controller would need to be soldered down on the system’s motherboard. That’s why there was never a Thunderbolt upgrade offered for the current Mac Pro.
How does Thunderbolt 2 compare to USB 3.1?
Thunderbolt has a maximum throughput of 10 Gbps. Thunderbolt 2 has max throughput of 20 Gbps. SuperSpeed USB 3.0 has a maximum throughput of 5 Gbps, which makes Thunderbolt 2 up to four times as fast as USB 3.0.
Recently, the USB Promoters Association announced the USB 3.1 spec, which allows USB to transfer up to 10 Gbps. USB 3.1 is still a while away from shipping, though. Also, while USB hubs are common, USB devices (like printers and hard drives) don’t generally have USB output ports to enable daisy chaining, which is a key feature of Thunderbolt.
Which Macs have Thunderbolt 2?
Thunder Plays Mac Os X
The only Mac systems that currently include Thunderbolt 2 are the brand new Mac Pro, and the latest generation of Retina MacBook Pros. Thunderbolt 2 will probably make its way into the iMac, MacBook Air and Mac mini when Apple updates them.
Mac Os Versions
Note: article updated to correct DisplayPort 1.2 information.