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New Macbook Pro Questions
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Apple Pro Underwear
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Sep 22, 2020, 01:59 PM
 
Hi y'alls. Some quickie questions for y'all. I haven't kept up with new macs for a bit and quite a bit has changed in the last 5 years so I thought I would just ask you guys!

1. I have 2 Apple monitors. Apple Thunderbolt and Apple LED Cinema Display. They both use that square-ish plug (Displayport 1 / Thunderbolt 1?)

2. You guys recommend using a dongle converter or a base station type? Are thunderbolt 3 ports able to be used interchangeably with mini-displayport? Because this will come into play if I need to get a splitter for that single mini-displayport I think?!?

3. any advice would be helpful, thanks
     
OreoCookie
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Sep 22, 2020, 07:38 PM
 
Now is not a good time to buy a new Mac, Apple will release ARM-based Macs very soon. They said they will deliver the first ARM-based Macs this year, and they will start with mobile Macs. I’d definitely wait, it’ll be worth it, I think.
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reader50
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Sep 22, 2020, 10:21 PM
 
If he needs Windows compatibility, he should avoid an ARM Mac. Parallels may add an emulator, and Microsoft may release Windows-on-ARM. But none of that is guaranteed, especially at the beginning.
     
OreoCookie
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Sep 23, 2020, 12:14 AM
 
Originally Posted by reader50 View Post
If he needs Windows compatibility, he should avoid an ARM Mac. Parallels may add an emulator, and Microsoft may release Windows-on-ARM. But none of that is guaranteed, especially at the beginning.
Good point. Nevertheless, Apple Pro Underwear should be aware of the ARM transition one way or another.
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Doc HM
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Sep 23, 2020, 03:27 AM
 
But looking at the question actually asked, now that current MacBooks use USB-C adapters for older displays are rife.
My direct experience with multiple customers is that all solutions are pretty flakey. I use an old style Cinema Display converting dvi to usb-c and that actually seems fairly robust. A lot of my clients have had more issues using thunderbolt displays, especially when using their laptops closed. Also lots of issues with using the camera on the thunderbolt screen. It seems like the video translation seems ok but the data feed looses somewhat in the adapter.
USB-C monitors are becoming more common but I don’t have any direct experience yet of how this pans out using thunderbolt over the same connector.
I would say any adapter solution you use will be less than 100% perfect but at least usable.
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Apple Pro Underwear  (op)
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Sep 23, 2020, 12:46 PM
 
Originally Posted by Doc HM View Post
But looking at the question actually asked, now that current MacBooks use USB-C adapters for older displays are rife.
My direct experience with multiple customers is that all solutions are pretty flakey. I use an old style Cinema Display converting dvi to usb-c and that actually seems fairly robust. A lot of my clients have had more issues using thunderbolt displays, especially when using their laptops closed. Also lots of issues with using the camera on the thunderbolt screen. It seems like the video translation seems ok but the data feed looses somewhat in the adapter.
USB-C monitors are becoming more common but I don’t have any direct experience yet of how this pans out using thunderbolt over the same connector.
I would say any adapter solution you use will be less than 100% perfect but at least usable.
thanks. im probably going to use the dongle adapters — one per monitor going into each usb-c port to try out. i can ask for a box converter thing i have seen if i really want it at another time.

as for everyone else about 'not the right time' — my company is getting me one so it doesn't really matter. once this one is old, they will upgrade me again and i'll have that. i happen to do more with video now, so if they dump the touch screen thingy on the top of the keyboard - i might miss out on it. also, i am concerned about compatibility for a year. it's risky to wait and then not get what i want.

thanks all
     
Waragainstsleep
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Sep 24, 2020, 05:24 AM
 
You'll need different adaptors for each of those displays. Apple does a thunderbolt 3 to 2 adaptor I think but it won't play with the DisplayPort one. I bought one to do that job with a new Mac Pro but I won't know how good it is until tomorrow.

I got this one:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
( Last edited by Waragainstsleep; Sep 25, 2020 at 04:22 AM. )
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P
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Sep 24, 2020, 08:22 AM
 
Apple's Thunderbolt 3 to 2 adapter will not work with DisplayPort.

In general, those two ports are unfortunately not compatible. To use the Thunderbolt display, you need that specific Apple adapter, and nothing else will work. For USB-C to mini-DisplayPort, just about any old adapter from Amazon will work, but I have had best results with a straight cable that is USB-C on one side and DisplayPort (or mini-DisplayPort in your case). HDMI adapters are a lot more finicky.
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