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Noeld

macrumors member
Original poster
Aug 13, 2006
48
0
I am looking for a docking station that can work with my new macbook pro and my girlfriend's older model. I was thinking of getting the Cable Matters 60w thunderbolt 3 doc;

https://www.amazon.com/Certified-Ca...074G4X7CL/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

This would work for me, but does anyone know if an older macbook with Thunderbolt 2 using an adapter? I know the thunderbolt 2 would not be able to use the laptop charging features, but would the dock allow video and peripheral use? Are there any better options?
 

pshufd

macrumors G4
Oct 24, 2013
10,133
14,562
New Hampshire
I have not found anything that good for Thunderbolt 2. My approach is to use a USB 3.0 powered hub and the Thunderbolt ports for video and/or ethernet.
 

chikorita157

macrumors 6502
Mar 8, 2019
284
442
Germantown, MD
All you need to make a Thunderbolt 3 Dock work on a Mac with a Thunderbolt 2 Mac is a Thunderbolt 3 to Thunderbolt 2 adapter. I used this adapter with a 2012 Macbook Pro with an eGPU setup with a script that enables it before I stopped using it. However, you will need to buy a Thunderbolt 2 cable to connect from the Thunderbolt 3 to 2 adapter to your Mac.Note that you need to use an Apple branded Thunderbolt 3 to 2 adapter as third party ones might not work.

If you just want a Thunderbolt 2 dock, I suggest looking for a used OWC Thunderbolt 2, Belkin Thunderbolt 2 Express Dock or Elgato Thunderbolt 2 dock.
 
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