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Apple Thunderbolt Display with Macbook Pro 2021

Hi! I have an old Apple Thunderbolt Display wonder anyone has tested it with the new Macbook Pro. If so I guess it's also possible to charge the Macbook with the Magsafe cable that comes with the Thunderbolt Display.

Posted on Nov 1, 2021 6:34 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Nov 2, 2021 5:48 PM

Pedro-TSR has your back on this one.


For genuine ThunderBolt displays ONLY (no others) you can use the Apple ThunderBolt-3 <-> ThunderBolt-2 adapter. If the display does not have a captive lead-in cord, you will need a genuine ThunderBolt-2 cable as well.


This adapter does not pass power in either direction.


MagSafe-3 is not compatible with older MagSafe. Even if you could adapt the shape, the protocol has been updated in the later version (essentially USB Power Delivery Protocol) and the older version can't negotiate properly to get charged..

3 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Nov 2, 2021 5:48 PM in response to Pedro-TSR

Pedro-TSR has your back on this one.


For genuine ThunderBolt displays ONLY (no others) you can use the Apple ThunderBolt-3 <-> ThunderBolt-2 adapter. If the display does not have a captive lead-in cord, you will need a genuine ThunderBolt-2 cable as well.


This adapter does not pass power in either direction.


MagSafe-3 is not compatible with older MagSafe. Even if you could adapt the shape, the protocol has been updated in the later version (essentially USB Power Delivery Protocol) and the older version can't negotiate properly to get charged..

Nov 1, 2021 6:54 AM in response to HGU

As far as I know, new MacBook Pro has MagSafe2 port, on the other hand, Apple Thunderbolt has universal MagSafe connector, so you need to get MagSafe to MagSafe2 adapter to connect each other, although I'm not sure Thunderbolt Display is able to connect to MacBook Pro 2021 via USB-C to Thunderbolt adapter.


Apple Thunderbolt Display with Macbook Pro 2021

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