Hi,
Looking to set up a system for an elderly relative and (for non-negotiable reasons) the machine being selected is a refurb 2020 Intel MBA, replacing an old MBA that was bought new with the original Thunderbolt display.
We want to keep the display, and really want to keep the laptop in lid-closed mode in a dock. It's going to spend most of its life like that (but a Mini is not an option).
So, we power it via one of its TB3 ports with the included power adapter, because the TB display doesn't provide power over TB as far as I can tell (it has the split-cable separate Magsafe connector used by the old MBA). And then the other TB3 port would be plugged into the tb3 <-> tb2 adapter <-> TB display (which has a wired Apple keyboard plugged into it)
So, how is the machine booted from shut down? I've read in a couple of places that there seems to be an auto-boot on power connection (or lid opening) with this era of laptops. So would that work - plug the TB display in, lid closed, then plug in the power to trigger auto-boot?
Or does that only work if the power is coming via a TB connection from an external display? Obviously, the TB display doesn't have a power button to trigger a startup signal or anything.
TLDR - how does it boot when the power button isn't available.
Thanks,
Looking to set up a system for an elderly relative and (for non-negotiable reasons) the machine being selected is a refurb 2020 Intel MBA, replacing an old MBA that was bought new with the original Thunderbolt display.
We want to keep the display, and really want to keep the laptop in lid-closed mode in a dock. It's going to spend most of its life like that (but a Mini is not an option).
So, we power it via one of its TB3 ports with the included power adapter, because the TB display doesn't provide power over TB as far as I can tell (it has the split-cable separate Magsafe connector used by the old MBA). And then the other TB3 port would be plugged into the tb3 <-> tb2 adapter <-> TB display (which has a wired Apple keyboard plugged into it)
So, how is the machine booted from shut down? I've read in a couple of places that there seems to be an auto-boot on power connection (or lid opening) with this era of laptops. So would that work - plug the TB display in, lid closed, then plug in the power to trigger auto-boot?
Or does that only work if the power is coming via a TB connection from an external display? Obviously, the TB display doesn't have a power button to trigger a startup signal or anything.
TLDR - how does it boot when the power button isn't available.
Thanks,
Last edited: