Thunderbolt Display MacBook Pro 2016

Question

Level 1

10 points

Thunderbolt Display MacBook Pro 2016

I have two Apple Thunderbolt displays which are daisy chained To my current MacBook Pro.

Will it be possible to continue to use both displays with the MacBook Pro 2016? The information I have read on the thunderbolt to USB-c adaptor seems to indicate the adaptor will only work with a single Thunderbolt Display.

If this is true would using two adaptors each cabled separately, one to each monitor allow me to continue to use both displays with the 2016 MacBook Pro? I am prepared to give up daisy chaining and buy two adaptors if I must in order to be able to use both Thunderbolt displays.

Thanks in advance for any information anyone can provide.

MacBook Pro with Retina display, Mac OS X (10.6.2), Two Thunderbolt Displays

Posted on Nov 4, 2016 9:03 PM

Reply

Answer 1

tjk

Level 9

51,192 points

Nov 6, 2016 10:34 AM in response to pgray

Hi,

From Apple:

Thunderbolt 3 provides twice the display bandwidth of Thunderbolt 2, enabling it to support two 4K displays or one 5K display. And with two Thunderbolt controllers in the new 15-inch MacBook Pro, you can send graphics to dual 5K displays for the perfect high-resolution photo and video editing setup. Thunderbolt 3 connects natively to all displays and monitors with DisplayPort and Mini DisplayPort, while supporting HDMI and VGA displays with the use of an adapter.

Given other comments on the Thunderbolt info page, I understand this to mean you can connect two 4K displays using two different ports.

http://www.apple.com/thunderbolt/

Reply

Answer 2

Sonicray

Level 5

4,556 points

Nov 6, 2016 10:34 AM in response to pgray

According to Apple:

QUOTE: " MacBook Pro (15-inch, Late 2016) supports up to four Thunderbolt displays using Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 Adapters or daisy-chaining. "

So, yes, you can daisy-chain 4 displays if you want to...

cheers! 🙂

Reply

Answer 3

pgray Author

Level 1

10 points

Nov 6, 2016 10:35 AM in response to tjk

Great thank you.

Reply

Answer 4

tjk

Level 9

51,192 points

Nov 6, 2016 1:24 PM in response to pgray

You're welcome. 🙂

Reply

Answer 5

pgray Author

Level 1

10 points

Nov 7, 2016 9:00 AM in response to Sonicray

Thanks for your assistance. Cheers

Reply

Answer 6

thssch

Level 1

4 points

Nov 15, 2016 11:57 AM in response to Sonicray

Hi,

can someone confirm this actually works? On About Thunderbolt ports and displays - Apple Support it says:

MacBook Pro (15-inch, Late 2016) supports up to four Thunderbolt displays using Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 Adapters or daisy-chaining.

but also:

For Mac models with Thunderbolt 3, you can use a use a Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter to connect to Thunderbolt devices like displays and external disks. Note that although it uses a Mini DisplayPort connector, the Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter doesn't support connections to Mini DisplayPort displays. Also, this adapter supports only one powered Thunderbolt 2 device on a USB-C equipped Mac.

That's kind of contradicting. Either it's daisy-chaining Thunderbolt 2 devices, or it's one device per Thunderbolt 3 port (I give them the benefit of the doubt on having more than one powered Thunderbolt 2 device per computer, although that might also refer to only being able to "directly" connect one (and then daisy chain the rest)).

I don't find the situation clear at all :-(

Cheers!

Reply