2018 13-Inch MacBook Pro With Touch Bar Has Four Full-Speed Thunderbolt 3 Ports

[MacRumors]

Apple has confirmed that the new 13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar is equipped with four full-speed Thunderbolt 3 ports.

2018 models ship with Intel's eighth-generation Core i5 or Core i7 processors, which both support up to 16 PCI Express lanes, providing enough bandwidth for maximum data transfer speeds up to 40Gb/s on all four Thunderbolt 3 ports.

2016 and 2017 models of the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar could be configured with sixth- and seventh-generation Intel Core i5 and Core i7 processors, which supported up to 12 PCI Express lanes, limiting full speeds to the two left-side Thunderbolt 3 ports, with reduced bandwidth on the right-side ports.

Now, users have the freedom to plug higher-performance peripherals into any Thunderbolt 3 port they desire without compromise.

All three generations of the 15-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar have always had four full-speed Thunderbolt 3 ports, while the 13-inch MacBook Pro with function keys has only two Thunderbolt 3 ports, both full speed.

Article Link: 2018 13-Inch MacBook Pro With Touch Bar Has Four Full-Speed Thunderbolt 3 Ports

 

[seatton]

Cool I just got mine two days ago but I have not tried those ports yet since my USB C to USB connectors have not arrived yet. Everything I own uses USB - much of a Pro issue.

 

[Klae17]

Great update this time around Apple. Do it every year. For all devices. Kthxbye.

 

[Scooz]

Perfect. Wanted to ask about it but didn‘t find the „problem“ description for the former generation :/

Makes the 13“ a nice eGPU base unit.

 

[jonnysods]

Really interesting. That will make the choice that much harder for a few colleagues of mine! I still like the 15".

 

[Mike MA]

Now I‘d like to see as many vote ups as complaints back than please.

 

[Andres Cantu]

Finally, there’s nothing worse than the average consumer not knowing the difference because it’s not obvious.

 

[Ploki]

but does it throttle.

 

[The Mercurian]

Perfect. Wanted to ask about it but didn‘t find the „problem“ description for the former generation :/

Makes the 13“ a nice eGPU base unit.

Ha me too - I wanted to ask but didnt' know how to describe it

 

[saffronofthesky]

So does the 13 inch now support 2x LG UltraFine 5k Displays? All sources points to no, is it because of limitations with the integrated GFX card?

 

[Hakiroto]

Great news! I figured it'd be the same as last year but this is good to hear, especially as I have a 13" ordered.

 

[NinjaHERO]

Very cool. Now is there any chance they release a 4 port non touchbar model? Heck, I'd even settle for the 2 port non touchbar macbookpro being updated.

 

[Fidgetyrat]

Very cool. Now is there any chance they release a 4 port non touchbar model? Heck, I'd even settle for the 2 port non touchbar macbookpro being updated.

Little chance. Apple likes to double down on their bad decisions rather than back pedle.

 

[FreakinEurekan]

So does the 13 inch now support 2x LG UltraFine 5k Displays? All sources points to no, is it because of limitations with the integrated GFX card?

No. From https://www.apple.com/macbook-pro/specs/ :

Simultaneously supports full native resolution on the built-in display at millions of colors and:
One display with 5120-by-2880 resolution at 60Hz at over a billion colors
Up to two displays with 4096-by-2304 resolution at 60Hz at millions of colors
Up to two displays with 3840-by-2160 resolution at 60Hz at over a billion colors

 

[neowolfwitch]

I hope they are more reliable now too. My 1st gen. 13" MBP with Touchbar is unreliable as hell when it comes to external displays over Thunderbolt 3. The 15" ones don't seem to have the same issues. Even the Genius Bar confirmed that they have a LOT of problems with the 13" ones.

 

[robinp]

This is looking like a great little machine albeit somewhat overpriced compared to just a 3 years ago.

 

[lpolarityl]

Now users can be confident that they can purchase really nice, high RPM Thunderbolt fans to cool the chassis if they have i9 models. :]

 

[Mr. Dee]

I wonder if Apple is still working on those displays they promised would launch with the next Mac Pro in 2019?

 

[recoil80]

Very cool. Now is there any chance they release a 4 port non touchbar model? Heck, I'd even settle for the 2 port non touchbar macbookpro being updated.

I don't think so. The Macbook escape as some people call it it intended to be a cheaper alternative to the MBP with TB.
Putting 4 high speed ports and maybe a similar CPU would make the 2 models too similar, so either they'd have to raise the price or they'll sell less TB models and lose money.

 

[ka-spot]

4! ...and there is still an audio jack... ! I'm sold!

 

[Lesser Evets]

I tested mine out yesterday on all ports and was pleasantly surprised.

It's an awesome machine for $1800. I switched from mechanical drives to 3D nand SATA M.2 SSD sticks for external data, and my computing experience just evolved from 1999 to 2020--zippy and versatile!

 

[MacLawyer]

What took them so long?

 

[delrealest]

I wish I would have waited to order my Mac! The two extra ports would have been useful to have. Thankfully the USB-C external monitor I have powers up my Mac and has extra ports to make up for the difference. How long until Apple gets rid of the audio jack like it did on new iPhones?! That's the problem with being an Apple fan; You always have to be ready for the future.

 

[lamina]

I’d rather have a single USB port than 4 thunderbolt ports.

 

[Nicksd84]

Thank god. It really upgrades the dongle experience.