Thunderbolt 2 male to USB3 or USB-C female?

Question

Level 2

191 points

Thunderbolt 2 male to USB3 or USB-C female?

I'm considering buying a Mac Pro 2013 , but I'm stopped by the input-output configuration. They have 4 USB3 ports and 6 Thunderbolt-2 ports, aka mini display ports. So they can't accept any current Thunderbolt-3 or USB-C plugs, and the only way I can see to make use of what's there is by way of a Thunderbolt-2 -to-HDMI adapter. That accounts for one port, leaving the other 5 ports useless, apparently. Does anyone know of a cable or adapter that has a male mini-displayport connector at one end and, say, a USB-3 OR USB-C receptacle at the other?

Mac Pro

Posted on Mar 10, 2022 10:09 AM

Reply

Answer 1

HWTech

Level 9

55,664 points

Mar 11, 2022 5:40 AM in response to Birck Cox

If you wanted to connect a USB-C Thunderbolt device to an older Mac, then you would need to use an Apple USB-C to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter along with the older Thunderbolt style cables. Of course this assumes that the USB-C Thunderbolt device can be used and accessed via Thunderbolt 2 in the first place.

For connecting a USB-C USB3/4 device to an older Mac, then @Grant has already explained that part.

USB-C to USB Adapter - Apple

The important thing is to know exactly what protocol the device supports that you want to connect to the older Mac. If the device only supports the USB protocol, then you need to use a USB adapter. If the device only supports the Thunderbolt protocol, then you need to use a Thunderbolt 2 adapter. You cannot mix protocols with the older Macs. Only newer Macs with the USB-C ports support both the USB protocol and Thunderbolt protocol on the USB-C ports.

Reply

Answer 2

Birck Cox Author

Level 2

191 points

Mar 10, 2022 1:12 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Hi. Thanks for the reply. I use two monitors, so the HDMI port will be used, and one Thunderbolt port can serve as a second HDMI source, using an available Thunderbolt-2 -to- HDMI adapter. But, as far as I can tell, those video adapters are all there is for the mini-displayports. I found plenty of adapters that would accept a male mini-displayport at one end and deliver a male USB-C signal at the other, and so far, none that would do the reverse- a male MDP-to- a female USB1, 2, 3, or 4(?). The existing 4 USB ports will be put to use immediately, and I'd like to be able to use the 5 remaining Thunderbolt ports for USB as well, if that's possible. Maybe I'm wrong and it isn't possible. So that's a good question. Is that a realistic expectation?

Reply

Answer 3

Mar 10, 2022 3:34 PM in response to Birck Cox

The 2013 model has two USB-A shaped ports that support USB-3 speed peripherals. THAT is where you would plug in today's peripherals, for the most part. You can get 2 for $10 adapters to USB-C, if needed, or interpose a USB Hub.

That is why I was trying to determine exactly what you might want to plug in. Since you did not make a compelling case for a particular device, you may be able to ignore the ThunderBolt-2 ports for the most part and use USB.

Or you can get a GREAT adapter from Thunderbolt-2 to FireWire-800, for only US$29.

Reply

Answer 4

Birck Cox Author

Level 2

191 points

Mar 11, 2022 5:18 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Thanks for the note about Thunderbolt-2 to Firewire-800. That's at least a possibility for data transfer, since I still have a number of Firewire cables. Otherwise, most of my peripherals are plain old USB, either USB2 or USB3: 2 printers, a scanner, a Wacom tablet(USB-C), a USB3 Voyager drive dock, and an external CD drive. Nothing unusual. When I originally submitted this post I was thinking that maybe I had missed something, and that there were plenty of ways to adapt Thunderbolt-2 to data transfer. Turns out my first impression was more-or-less correct-there aren't many ways to do that. Thanks for pointing out at least one.

Reply

Answer 5

Mar 10, 2022 10:48 AM in response to Birck Cox

What peripherals do you want to connect?

Reply

Answer 6

Mar 10, 2022 11:20 AM in response to Birck Cox

That computer does have an HDMI port.

but it is HDMI 1.4, good for 4K at 30Hz.

Reply

Thunderbolt 2 male to USB3 or USB-C female?

Similar questions