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USB-C with Thunderbolt 2 port

What options do i have to use a usb c item with my thunderbolt 2

Mac mini 2018 or later

Posted on Oct 7, 2019 5:58 PM

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Posted on Oct 8, 2019 11:58 AM

You may be able to connect some usb-C devices to your USB3 port - of course this will be limited by the capabilities of the older port, but some devices just require an adapter.

If your mac has tb2 then it also has usb3 so that is probably the best course of action. Again, it will depend on the specific device.

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Oct 8, 2019 11:58 AM in response to BigApple5

You may be able to connect some usb-C devices to your USB3 port - of course this will be limited by the capabilities of the older port, but some devices just require an adapter.

If your mac has tb2 then it also has usb3 so that is probably the best course of action. Again, it will depend on the specific device.

Oct 7, 2019 6:49 PM in response to BigApple5

Can you provide some more specific details? Generally speaking, they are pretty much incompatible. In theory, there are certain configurations and dongles that might seem to be able to establish a connection. But in practice, with real world devices that you are going to be able to find, you are unlikely to get them to work together. Without more details, all I can do is speak in these kinds of generalities.

Oct 7, 2019 7:43 PM in response to etresoft

For your information I have a new 2019 27' iMac, model ID:19.1. Running OS 10.14.4 & 5 Mojave. It has two Thunderbolt/USB-3 ports and into these I run Firewire devices. Two external FW hard drives and FW ADVC110 Digital Video/ Audio Interface for inputting to iMovie. Any VCR and any Camcorder Digital or Firewire. (Just a little secret. I still use iMovie 06 HD). Everything works perfectly.

Connection: From: TB/USB-3 I use a TB 3 to TB 2 adaptor, then TB 2 to FW adaptor to the external device and the other way around for reverse direction, device to computer.

These adaptors cost about $85 NZ so do yourself a favour and do all the thing you used to do with your old Mac.

Long live Mac's.



Oct 9, 2019 2:32 PM in response to Luis Sequeira1

It was a difficult question to word so because you have the closest to what I believe is the answer, I will give the full spread.

I have a Mac Mini Late (2014) (cannot select the option when asking a question) It has 2 x Thunderbolt 2 sockets.

I have found when I add items to my USB ports, say printer, I end up with less range on my bluetooth. Connecting a drive and BT fails within 1 metre of the unit. I tried a power switchable USB Hub but same problem, hence a data transfer problem filling the data buffer.

My option was to go to a thunderbolt 2 Dock however the price was expensive, upwards of 300USD and the product range / selection was very small.

I understand the data throughput of TB2 v TB3 20gb v 40 gb obtained by having a second channel on TB3 but if TB2 is the same as USB-C then why are there no adapters available? Or do I have it wrong. IE goal is to purchase a less expensive USB-C Dock and place a TB2 to USB-C adapter between them.


Oct 9, 2019 4:47 PM in response to BigApple5

BigApple5 wrote:

why are there no adapters available?

Because there is practically no market for it. And the detailed specs on what is and what is not USB-C are cryptic, to put it very mildly.


In theory, you could just take a USB-C to Thunderbolt 2 adapter and turn it around. But as I and a few others can attest, it probably doesn’t work that way. In most cases, we have done this test using a bus-powered Thunderbolt 3 device, because that is about all there is. I don’t know if it would work with a self-powered Thunderbolt 3 device. But it turns out that self-powered Thunderbolt 3 devices are just about as rare as Thunderbolt 2 devices, if not more so. There are fancy USB-C hubs, but again, you are talking $300 to see if it works. Most people just stick with the devices they have for their older machines and use dongles for the newer machines.


My suggestion is this device: https://eshop.macsales.com/shop/external-drives/owc-drive-dock

It is USD $220, so less than $300. It has Thunderbolt 2 and USB 3.1 (albeit with an older connector). But you can put two of your own drives in it, including SSDs. I have one of these and it works great. Don’t compare Thunderbolt and USB by published speed alone. As you have discovered, there are some other potentially flaky aspects too USB. Thunderbolt is different. The operating system considers Thunderbolt to be almost an internal drive. When I connect via USB (even with this dock) I regularly get “unexpected disconnect” notifications, but not with Thunderbolt.


To be fair, $300 can get this device: https://eshop.macsales.com/shop/express-4m2

For this, you get almost internal SSD speed and it supports 4 SSDs.

USB-C with Thunderbolt 2 port

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