

- #Thunderbolt 3 to usb adapter for mac pro#
- #Thunderbolt 3 to usb adapter for mac software#
- #Thunderbolt 3 to usb adapter for mac Pc#
- #Thunderbolt 3 to usb adapter for mac mac#
Thunderbolt 3 vs USB-C dock compatibility The latest Thunderbolt 4 technology requires a Goshenridge chipset that allows for up to four Thunderbolt ports – double what was possible previously with T3. Note that the 12in Apple MacBook supports only dual mirrored monitors when connecting two displays - a limitation now sadly carried over to Apple's latest M1-based laptops.
#Thunderbolt 3 to usb adapter for mac mac#
Mac mini (2018 and later) and iMac (2017 and later) owners may also consider expanding their ports with a Thunderbolt 3 docking station. With Titan Ridge, you get all the benefits of a T3 dock, but can use it with non-T3 laptops, too. Other T3 docks won't work with USB-C laptops, such as the 12in MacBook. For more non-T3 USB-C-only docks check out Tech Advisor's roundup of the best USB-C docking stations for laptops.ĭocks with a Titan Ridge chipset will work with both T3 and USB-C laptops. Here we concentrate on Thunderbolt 3 docks, but also include cheaper USB-C docks - which Thunderbolt 3 MacBooks can use, but at the cost of reduced bandwidth and display limitations. There are many cheap adapters that let you add more devices to a USB-C or Thunderbolt MacBook (see our roundup of the best USB-C adapters for Macs), but for maximum flexibility check out these docking stations that take care of all your extra port requirements, and allow you to simply attach it to your laptop with just one cable when you get to the office or come home. You need one port for charging (albeit not all the time), and likely at least another to attach further devices (memory sticks, hard drives, Ethernet, external display).
#Thunderbolt 3 to usb adapter for mac pro#
The 12in MacBook has just one USB-C port, the new MacBook Air boasts two Thunderbolt 3 ports, and the latest MacBook Pro models feature either two or four Thunderbolt 3 ports.
#Thunderbolt 3 to usb adapter for mac Pc#
One problem with using a MacBook as your main PC is its lack of ports. If you want to attach more than one external display, we recommend you stick with Apple's Intel-based laptops for the time being: see M1 MacBook Pro vs Intel MacBook Pro, with a Thunderbolt 3 dock.
#Thunderbolt 3 to usb adapter for mac software#
This means that when using any docking station, M1 MacBook Pro users cannot extend their desktop over two or more displays, and will be limited to either dual Mirrored displays or one external display - although there is a software workaround to add more than one external monitor to an M1 MacBook. While Apple's very latest MacBooks, featuring the company's own M1 Silicon chip, are super speedy compared to the models sporting Intel processors, they come with an incredible limitation: they don't support more than one external display in Extended Mode even via their Thunderbolt 3 ports. There are ways around the limitation, using DisplayLink software, but we recommend a Thunderbolt dock if you want multiple Extended mode displays. Natively over USB-C, Macs can only connect to one external display in Extended mode (where the screen extends beyond what you can see on the laptop screen, as opposed to Mirrored mode that replicates exactly what you get on the laptop screen) but you'll get two Extended mode screens over a Thunderbolt 3 connection. If you want to connect more than one external display to your MacBook you'll need a Thunderbolt 3 dock, rather than a USB-C dock. You can turn that 13in laptop screen into an iMac-sized 27in or even larger monitor by adding an extra display – or connect two large screens to extend your screen across your whole desk.

If you use your laptop as your principal computer, you would do well to consider attaching at least one larger display to create a hybrid desktop/laptop setup (with a keyboard, mouse and printer all available via a single connection to your MacBook). We tested a bunch to find the best Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C docks available to owners of the latest MacBook, MacBook Air and MacBook Pro.Īpple's 12in MacBook features one 5Gbps Gen 1 USB-C port, while the latest MacBook Air (2018 and later) and MacBook Pro (from 2016) boast either two or four 40Gbps Thunderbolt 3 ports.

Plug your MacBook in and out of a multi-port docking station to swiftly add devices and external displays to your laptop.
