Thunderbolt 2 and Thunderbolt 3 compatibility
Is my Apple MacBook Air w/ Thunderbolt 2 compatible with a docking station with thunderbolt 3?
MacBook Air 13″, macOS 10.15
Ask the manufacturer. There is no way we can answer that.
4 replies
Be mindful any such technology change will be the slowest speed of the chain. And usually compatibility is downstream. You can connect Thunderbolt 2 devices to 3 machines, but usually not vice versa. To add to the complexity:
USB-C & Thunderbolt 3 are very similar. The cable used for them is identical visually, but the power cable provided with Apple's notebook power bricks are for power only, not data transfer.
Thunderbolt 2 & mini-Displayport look similar but are not. Any devices from pre-mid 2011 is likely to be display only, and no data.
I agree, consult with the manufacturer, and know the vintage of your computer. The power of the computer's ports may be insufficient to power devices, and hubs and docking stations with their own wall power source are more likely to work than ones without.
Which exact docking station?
Thanks for the message. I haven't purchased a docking station yet. I want to make sure it works with the following; my apple macbook air 13" 2017 model ( Thunderbolt 2 and a USB port). ALso works with a Dell pc with USBc, a USB port and HDMI port
I saw a docking station with Thunderbolt 3, USBc and plenty of USB ports...and I was hoping I could use it.
Thunderbolt 2 and Thunderbolt 3 compatibility