New MacBook Pros May Not Be Compatible With Some Early Thunderbolt 3 Devices [Updated]

[kstotlani]

How about the most pre-orders of a MacBook Pro ever?

That is the only good news Apple cares about.

 

[Feenician]

Red Rocket in a Thunderbolt PCIe enclosure, up to 4 drives at a time (5k digital footage is ungodly large), Wacom tablet, etc. I will use every single port I am given.

So you're carrying around a 4 drive enclosure and a Wacom tablet "between sets" and you're worried about a tiny cable adapter for each? Is that right? You know you could forgo the adapter and just replace the cables, right? I mean as a busy creative professional jetsetting between film sets I'm sure you could spring the $30-40, right?

 

[MarkusL]

Time to send Phil back out to remind us how many online orders they have so far

Then he can also remind us that the 3.5mm audio jack is for pros, so we realize that only amateurs try to plug stuff into the thunderbolt ports.

 

[stevedry]

So you're carrying around a 4 drive enclosure and a Wacom tablet "between sets" and you're worried about a tiny cable adapter for each? Is that right? You know you could forgo the adapter and just replace the cables, right? I mean as a busy creative professional jetsetting between film sets I'm sure you could spring the $30-40, right?

You have no idea how inconvenient dongles and hubs make things when you're flying by the seat of your pants. Why would I want to add MORE variables in the form of dongles and hubs when they're just another thing to lose or malfunction, or have to spend time plugging in?

It's so much harder for you to argue that dongles and hubs are somehow a good thing in a PRO line of computers, but you've made it quite clear that you're a fanboy who literally just wants to argue with me. You've not had my job, so you're kind of out of your element on this. Like I said, if you want a MBP, go buy one! Do whatever makes you happy. I couldn't care less and I'm done talking to you. You literally just want to argue.

 

[kstotlani]

It's not a hardware issue (or firmware) issue, it's a software or kernel extension issue. I bought the TB32DP2 and it worked fine under bootcamp on the MBP Late 2016 with dell 5k screen that needs 2 displayports. Under macOS the profiler said not supported. So I returned it.

Returned "it"? Mac or TB32DP2?

 

[duffman9000]

Red Rocket in a Thunderbolt PCIe enclosure, up to 4 drives at a time (5k digital footage is ungodly large), Wacom tablet, etc. I will use every single port I am given. Apple used to make machines that catered to this kind of need, but they don't anymore. I'm not saying that's a bad thing for the average user. I'm just saying that they won't work for my purposes (or people like me) anymore. By all means, buy a new MBP if you want one.

Please continue speaking up. Some people think that the new MBP is good enough for people like you and that the complainers should just shut it. Don't.

 

[Jaekae]

You have no idea how inconvenient dongles and hubs make things when you're flying by the seat of your pants. Why would I want to add MORE variables in the form of dongles and hubs when they're just another thing to lose or malfunction, or have to spend time plugging in?

It's so much harder for you to argue that dongles and hubs are somehow a good thing in a PRO line of computers, but you've made it quite clear that you're a fanboy who literally just wants to argue with me. You've not had my job, so you're kind of out of your element on this. Like I said, if you want a MBP, go buy one! Do whatever makes you happy. I couldn't care less and I'm done talking to you. You literally just want to argue.

Just keep the dongle on your accesory, all it does is make the cable a bit longer than before then.. would be idiotic to disconnect them unless you want to switch to another acessory wich probable isnt often

 

[stevedry]

Please continue speaking up. Some people think that the new MBP is good enough for people like you and that the complainers just shut it. Don't.

Thanks! I appreciate that! I didn't realize how many prickly people were on here just wanting to argue. This is literally the first MacRumors thread I've ever posted in, and I just wanted to give my perspective as a video professional. I know that Apple doesn't make very much money catering to people like me anymore, but I definitely miss the days when they cared about us. Remember Final Cut Studio? Those days will always have a special place in my heart.

 

[fpnc]

I am not sure about slowing symptom, but apparently, wifi stops working once usb-c devices are plugged in. It works fine when no devices are plugged in though.

You can see above symptoms in detail:

That COULD be a fairly well documented and known issue with USB3 and 2.4GHz WiFi. Basically, if you want to use a USB3 device with WiFi you'd be better off using a 5GHz WiFi channel. This has been an issue since day one of USB3 and in fact some 2.4GHz WiFi hosts will not work if you connect a USB3 device. For example, I know that Intel's 2016 Compute Stick will instantly drop any 2.4GHz WiFi connection as soon as you connect a USB3 device.

 

[kstotlani]

Why? There are very few TB3 devices right now, and no current MacBook Pro works with any TB3 device.

Are you saying get the new Macbook Pro now and wait for all companies to upgrade their TB3 devices that have the TI chip? Also there could be some other older devices that might not work. Pluggable only discovered one problem.

I think the hope is that its a simple firmware/OS patch that will solve the issue.

 

[Pootmatoot]

The version of OS X on the new MacBook Pros (late 2016) will not work with existing Certified Thunderbolt 3 docks and adapters (released prior to November 2016). These existing devices use Intel's Thunderbolt 3 chipset (Alpine Ridge) in combination with the first generation of TI USB-C chipset (TPS65982).

Apple requires the 2nd generation TPS65983 chipset for peripherals to be compatible. Certification of solutions across different device types is still in-progress for this 2nd generation chipset. From the Plugable product line, our dual display graphics adapters for DisplayPort and HDMI (TBT3-DP2X and TBT3-HDMI2X) are affected and are disabled by OS X on the new MacBooks. So we offer these products as Windows-only Thunderbolt 3 devices until a future hardware update. Our Thunderbolt 3 cables do not require this chip, and therefore are compatible.

So the situation is actually worse than first feared! Great!

 

[vcboard]

That COULD be a fairly well documented and known issue with USB3 and 2.4GHz WiFi. Basically, if you want to use a USB3 device with WiFi you'd be better off using a 5GHz WiFi channel. This has been an issue since day one of USB3 and in fact some 2.4GHz WiFi hosts will not work if you connect a USB3 device. For example, I know that Intel's 2016 Compute Stick will instantly drop any 2.4GHz WiFi connection as soon as you connect a USB3 device.

It doesn't happen on the 2015 MBP and the Dell

 

[Feenician]

Hmm so you don't care about his perfectly valid personal perspective. How about another one? 16GB is the minimum for me to run the OSes I support in VMs. Sure, I can close and restart VMs but time is money and I'd pay to not have to.

My laptop selection starts at 16GB of RAM. Not valid enough for you?

Perfectly valid. Since there hasn't be a Mac laptop with more, what are you waiting for? Buy an awesome Dell XPS

His "perfectly valid personal perspective" was that he'd need "dongles and hubs", which simply isn't true.

 

[flyinmac]

I'm with you. I have a late 2013 13in (i7, 16GB, 512GB). Think I'll wait another year or two. Maybe even until the next design refresh

I've been playing that game for a while. Still using my 2006 Mac Pro until the day Apple produces something that compels me to upgrade. The ole 2006 is still doing everything I could ask of it without any performance problems at all.

So if you've got a 2013 machine, it's got some years left in it.

I did end up needing a portable last year, and couldn't justify the Apple price for older hardware. So I got an inexpensive Windows portable that does what I need it to do.

I'd like a Mac portable. But, currently there aren't any that I like and view as a reasonable price / value.

So I'm good for a while. Figure with what I have, I really won't "need" a new machine for 3 to 5 more years. Unless suddenly I have money that I can't find another use for

 

[carestudio]

Sounds like a security-related issue with the TI first-gen.

Wowow...Appreciate Apple for being a wonderful gate keeper. Customer deserve better solution. Plugable might have no clue what happened exactly, after all they are new to Thunderbolt.

 

[inscrewtable]

Well, except for the much better screen, 40gb/s tb3, 10gb/s usb and 3.1 gb/s hard drive.
Still, i suppose you can insert a SD card directly into the chassis. Woooo.

Well the like for like replacement in Australia is $4,300 and for *me* who is not transferring 20gb file or live editing 4k video it's fine. That you need a smarmy SD card snipe sort of looks like you don't really have an argument. Remember in my original post I was talking about myself. But hey, you know better than me what I need yeah?

 

[Barry Bishop]

Meanwhile.... Mr. Jobs is rolling in his grave
Tim Cook needs to be fired an NOW! iPhone 7 was a ****-up! Now the MBPs are lacking innovation... Apple however never fails to fill up their own coffers by introducing 1000+ dongles.

"We had the courage to remove the headphone jack" Courage my ***.... lets talk about how much you saved up on licensing charges.

I heard recently an interesting comment. It went along the lines of...Steve Jobs was so particular and full of him self. That of course he appointed someone that was so far off from him. Steve wanted his legacy to continue and by doing so he appointed Tim. Not because of how great Tim would be, but because he knew that Tim wouldn't couldn't
best Steve. Basically Steve did this so we could all remember that Steve is still King of Apple, and no one would best him, especially not the person preceding him. (not sure if I agree...but kind of interesting to think about)

 

[pat500000]

Wowow...Appreciate Apple for being a wonderful gate keeper. Customer deserve better solution. Plugable might have no clue what happened exactly, after all they are new to Thunderbolt.

Please...I beg of you. Don't give Phil that idea...to use, "security purpose" as why certain things has to be....."taken cared of." lol.

 

[duffman9000]

Perfectly valid. Since there hasn't be a Mac laptop with more, what are you waiting for? Buy an awesome Dell XPS

His "perfectly valid personal perspective" was that he'd need "dongles and hubs", which simply isn't true.

See, there you go again. You can't help but make a snarky comment when told that a MBP barely fits someone else's needs.

You're only correct that no dongles are needed (for current TB devices) because current devices aren't compatible. Pyrrhic victory?

This fact isn't lost on Apple. Months of DVT went toward not giving a damn and telling people buy new devices.

 

[dantastic]

This is actually hilarious. They remove every single port and replaces it with a single port no one has a single accessory for. And as a final F*** you all B***es the port won't work with the dongles that you need to make your stuff work.

That new 'spaceship' of theirs is actually a Death Star.

 

[duffman9000]

Please...I beg of you. Don't give Phil that idea...to use, "security purpose" as why certain things has to be....."taken cared of." lol.

If MS had done this in the name of security people would be howling for blood.

 

[Wowereit]

Let's make it simple and only use 4x the same** port.

*same does not mean same. Half of them with only half the bandwith
**port must not work with things you can plug into the port.

 

[apolloa]

Soooo not only can you NOT use any of your existing Thunderbolt 3 devices, Apple has managed to make a device that is not truly backwards compatible, but now you have to purchase any Thunderbolt 3 devices very carefully, to ensure they have the new chips in them and meet the new standards required to work with the Macbook Pro.

Apple, it just works...

I would personally ditch Thunderbolt and use USB C because it sure seems like Apple has!

You know Apple went to great lengths to state this is a machine for professionals, Phil said those very words repeatedly I believe during the launch conference. Yet I don't think any 'professional' has time to mess around with all the things that are wrong with the new machine buying new adapters for everything.
It's not very professional.

 

[Wowereit]

There are like, what, 4 TB 3 products right now? Since you know, you're writing an article like this maybe you could have done some digging to see which products, exactly, won't work.

As far as my understanding goes: (nearly) all.
The TI chip has been the only one available for the most part.

 

[dantroline]

I think Apple must have known they were taking a risk and a gamble with the new MBP and broken compatibility with even contemporary hardware. So it's good news for people who chose to hold back buying them right out of the gate. With any luck, next year will bring a more level headed release with the obvious memory and CPU upgrades. Oh, and a price upgrade (like at least $500 less!).

Or, more realistically, many of us will just head off to PC land for a few years / cycles.