Connecting Macbook Pro (late 2013) to LG Ultrafine 4k monitor with Apple Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter

Question

Level 1

9 points

Connecting Macbook Pro (late 2013) to LG Ultrafine 4k monitor with Apple Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter

HI, the apple forum says I can connect a Macbook Pro (late 2013) to LG Ultrafine 4k monitor with the Apple Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter but I am getting a blank screen. I have tried the monitor on other machines and it does work. I am running High Sierra 10.13.6.

I have tried this on a 2017 macbook air too and it doesn't work either.

Thanks, Cali

MacBook Pro 13", macOS 10.13

Posted on Jun 30, 2019 2:54 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

BDAqua

Level 10

245,573 points

Jun 30, 2019 8:54 AM in response to calidewberry

Video

Thunderbolt or Thunderbolt 2

Use the Thunderbolt port of this adapter to connect your Mac to a display that uses a Thunderbolt or Thunderbolt 2 cable. For example, you can use this adapter to connect your Mac to an Apple Thunderbolt Display or LG Thunderbolt 2 display.

This adapter is not compatible with displays that use DisplayPort or Mini DisplayPort, such as the Apple LED Cinema Display. Thunderbolt and Thunderbolt 2 are not the same as Mini DisplayPort , though the ports have the same shape.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT207266

Yeah, supposed to work...

https://support.apple.com/en-al/HT210105

Reply

Answer 2

calidewberry Author

Level 1

9 points

Jun 30, 2019 6:56 PM in response to BobHarris

Thanks, but I am confused - the specs for my mac are described as 2 thunderbolt ports and also mini display port:

Thunderbolt digital video outputNative Mini DisplayPort output
Two Thunderbolt 2 ports (up to 20 Gbps)

However, I can only see the 2 thunderbolts) on my mac and on the image on this link - no mini display port: https://support.apple.com/kb/SP691?locale=en_US

And according to apple, this is supposed to work.

https://support.apple.com/en-al/HT210105

Reply

Answer 3

BDAqua

Level 10

245,573 points

Jul 1, 2019 6:03 AM in response to calidewberry

Ouch, sorry to hear that... I wonder if it worked once & was the Firmware update that affected other TB functions?

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/250443450?answerId=250869296022#250869296022

Reply

Answer 4

BobHarris

Level 9

55,259 points

Jun 30, 2019 3:53 PM in response to calidewberry

Are you trying to drive the LG via a miniDisplayPort cable? Of so, then I'm not sure a Thunderbolt-3 to Thunderbolt-2 adapter includes DisplayPort protocols.

If I'm guessing right, then you may want to get either a USB-C to DisplayPort or (miniDisplay Port) cable. Or get a USB-C dock that have video ports supported by your LG.

Case in point, in another thread, someone had a miniDisplay Port cable, and got a USB-C to Thunderbolt-2 adapter and their cable would not work. They got a USB-C to miniDisplay Port cable, and it worked perfectly. I then went out and got the same cable and it worked for me as well.

Reply

Answer 5

BDAqua

Level 10

245,573 points

Jun 30, 2019 7:34 PM in response to calidewberry

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT207443

Reply

Answer 6

calidewberry Author

Level 1

9 points

Jun 30, 2019 10:07 PM in response to BDAqua

I called the Apple i store and according to them this LG Utrafine 4k montior only works with later macs that support Thunderbolt 3. Not sure why the actual apple website would mislead the public

Reply

Connecting Macbook Pro (late 2013) to LG Ultrafine 4k monitor with Apple Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter

Similar questions