Q. What cable(s)/adapter(s) is/are needed to connect a Crucial X8 500 GB SSD to a ThunderBolt (not 1,2 or 3) port on my iMac?

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Q. What cable(s)/adapter(s) is/are needed to connect a Crucial X8 500 GB SSD to a ThunderBolt (not 1,2 or 3) port on my iMac?

I have a 21.5-inch, late 2013, 8 GB iMac that has two ThunderBolt ports and several USB-A ports.

The ThunderBolt ports are just plain ThunderBolt - not TB 1, TB 2, TB 3, etc.

The Crucial X8 SSD promises speeds up to 1050 MB/s when connected to USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port, which of course I don’t have.

The SSD as a Type-C USB port. It offers two ways to connect to the Mac: Type-C USB -or- USB A.

It is my understanding that, if the iMac had ThunderBolt 3, I could use the provided Type-C to Type-C USB cable to connect the SSD to the iMac.

Which gets back to my question. Using different cable(s) and/or adapters, can I connect the Type-C on the X8 to the ThunderBolt port on the iMac?

iMac 21.5″, macOS 10.15

Posted on Apr 30, 2021 3:20 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

padams35

Level 4

3,613 points

Apr 30, 2021 6:55 PM in response to Nitsuayellamo

2013 iMacs have Thunderbolt 1, which is compatible with Thunderbolt 2 devices.

Sadly Thunderbolt 1 and 2 are NOT compatible with USB 3.x so an adapter like Apple's Thunderbolt 3 to Thunderbolt 2 device will not allow you to connect your TB1 to an X8.

(The Thunderbolt 3 ports on newer iMacs are essentially bilingual: they can 'speak' as either Thunderbolt 3 or as USB 3 gen 2 and could connect to an X8.)

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Answer 2

den.thed

Level 10

90,946 points

Apr 30, 2021 5:26 PM in response to Nitsuayellamo

You can't use the Apple TB 3 to TB 2 adapter in reverse with that iMac and Crucial Drive, because that USB-C Crucial Drive does not have it's own power supply.

see > https://www.akitio.com/faq/373-can-i-connect-a-thunderbolt-3-device-to-a-thunderbolt-2-mac

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

Your best bet, is to just connect that Crucial drive up to one of your 2013 iMac's USB 3 ports using the USB-C to USB adapter and live with 580 to 600 MB/s.

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Answer 3

SeaPapp

Level 7

26,492 points

Apr 30, 2021 5:21 PM in response to Nitsuayellamo

https://www.apple.com/shop/product/MMEL2AM/A/thunderbolt-3-usb-c-to-thunderbolt-2-adapter?fnode=4928aae02fc4529517b24cf417aca8cfb1f88d73b55e4e5fc358f861030d4e3cc87c1844556fa6dd8a84b593aa5b556318007075d6a989d6f1ec96975c152b27e502fdc5422e51aa9e3230778609a10583ac5c1f8f6a016b1badfd0fccb17cb2860442778ac0297221116b5a4a6d1f7d

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Q. What cable(s)/adapter(s) is/are needed to connect a Crucial X8 500 GB SSD to a ThunderBolt (not 1,2 or 3) port on my iMac?

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