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

fpnc said:
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.
Click to expand...
And so does Surface Pro 4. And so doesn't Surface Pro 3. It is a well known (since 2012) issue documented in here. And YouTube is full of representative examples. Some USB3 devices (i.e some external HD's or keys) won't affect the connection, as long as the key or cable is adequately shielded. Microsoft engineers forgot about this while designing the PRO 4 and put USB port very close to wifi module. Only Wi-Fi ac protocol helps out with this, or a simple extension cable (10 cm is enough) with male and female ports at the edges. Very ugly but effective solution.
By the way, the Logitech unifying receiver (the small key) is affected by this issue too, and you can find out both your keyboards and mouse working in a bad way once another USB3 device is plugged in.

I haven't read the whole topic, but if MacBook Pros face this issue, that would be an epic fail. And before usual sycophants come in and tell to use only 5 Ghz connections...well, this is crap anyway
 
Last edited:
Thunderbolt3 is good, but at this moment, there is no solution available for Apple users. New MacBook Pros users still can use very high quality of Apple USB-C dongles, adapters with great discount till end of Dec, and also a USB-C dock that is from CalDigit if you don't want to use all the dongles and keep one cable to connect to MacBook or MacBook Pro. see all the updates http://crazydiamondstar.blogspot.com/2016/08/usb-c-dock-best-baymax-for-macbook.html
 
Duane Martin said:
Okay, for the last frickin' time (who am I kidding) there is no Intel 7th generation CPU that is appropriate for the MBP! Same reason it's not in the latest Microsoft Surface release. The 7th generation Intel chips currently available are for very base-model PCs and high-end toasters. This has been explained a thousand times on the forum and still, here it is again. What is wrong with you people?
Click to expand...

New Dell XPS has Intel 7th gen i7-7500U along with Thunderbolt 3, USB 3.0 x 2, SD card slot, full touch screen option (not the gimmicky emoji bar), etc.

http://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/productdetails/xps-13-9360-laptop

http://ark.intel.com/products/95451/Intel-Core-i7-7500U-Processor-4M-Cache-up-to-3_50-GHz-
 
Last edited:
Apple 2008: There's an App for that!

Apple 2016: Wait, don't worry... give us another $50... there's a dongle for that!
 
manhattanboy said:
Cue the haters....
This has nothing to do with dongles, so let's stop that discussion right now.

Thunderbolt 3 combines PCI Express and DisplayPort protocols into a single signal in addition to power. Its extremely versatile. Just like not all wireless headphones are up to 4.2 BT specs, I'm sure not all T3 peripherals are created equal as well.

Apple is being Apple, and that means outrageously priced stuff with hard to swallow limitations. I think folks forget that this is really been Apple's MO for decades. Either buy their stuff or don't, but stop complaining about something you have no control over.
Click to expand...

You mean the demonstrable facts that this is a terrible laptop?
 
Val-kyrie said:
My concern with the next chipset is not the CPU or TB3, but rather the significant increase in iGPU performance which can extend battery life by as much as 300%.
Click to expand...

300%?? I'm not sure where you're getting that from. Benchmarks and reviews all show Kaby Lake a very small improvement with Intel just eeking a bit more clock speed out of the same architecture.

The only thing it really does that Skylake wont is native decoding of Hvec 10bit video http://www.pcworld.com/article/3137...e-review-yes-this-is-the-best-one-so-far.html
[doublepost=1478467585][/doublepost]
richpjr said:
Except this requires buying a hub, which you didn't used to have to do. This takes up more space, needs another cable to connect it and adds hundreds of dollars more to an already expensive laptop. So while it can be done, it's not without drawbacks.
Click to expand...

I just spent £15 on 3 new cables instead and now I can connect anything I used before to my USB-C ports instead, either way around, so it's a far better experience that horrible Type A ports.
 
poppy10 said:
Except they demonstrated it doesn't happen with the Dell XPS
Click to expand...
Which is fine, since its USB ports are shielded.

Its a matter of question if Apple - in their pursuit of thinness - overlooked the 2.4GHz problem. Shielding takes space after all, and require some extra thickness. Remember; they certainly overlooked that their TB3 implementation doesn't work with all existing TB3 implementations.

Perhaps not coincidentally - these two flaws have the same source.
 
Adequate EMI/RFI shielding is no more thick than the clear flimsy thingy from Apple that covers the screen of a new iPhone when you first open the box.
 
Manzzle said:
Of course this would make sense, Apple wants you to buy their dongles.

Apple needs to release a dongle like this:
AMAZON LINK

View attachment 670146
Click to expand...
For the new MacBook Pro?

It's useless. No support for USB 3.1 Gen 2, type A or C. Useless.
[doublepost=1478527803][/doublepost]
jnpy!$4g3cwk said:
90% of the way there. The HDMI needs to be 60Hz 2.0a . 30 Hz doesn't cut it-- I've tried.
Click to expand...
And USB ports need to be 10Gb/s (3.1 Gen 2). Type-A and Type-C.
 
Last edited:
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
JamesPDX said:
Here is what Pro Laptops look like and spec-like: THIS.
Click to expand...

I maintain that if Apple has zero desire to cater to so-called "niche" markets (e.g. gamers or professionals) that represent a tiny portion of their overall sales, they should license a company or companies to fill those niches with a LICENSED MAC for that single purpose. In other words, you don't do like they did in the 1990s and just license Macs for anyone that wants to build any Mac (destructive and undercuts their sales). You license for areas where there is no real overlap. In other words, let a company make a true PRO workstation desktop and portable and a gaming level Mac desktop and portable. Those are two areas Apple has ZERO INTEREST in these days and offer NOTHING really usable for those niches. So why not expand macOS's market by licensing someone else to make what Apple refuses to make?

It's utterly ridiculous that Apple has NOTHING TO OFFER for professionals and gamers alike these days.

bill44 said:
For the new MacBook Pro?

It's useless. No support for USB 3.1 Gen 2, type A or C. Useless.
Click to expand...

I find it borderline insane that Apple released this new Macbook Pro without a single HUB available to handle Thunderbolt III and all the ports its missing that are used TODAY. It should have been a no-brainer to offer a reasonable priced hub with the machine. They should have also included at least one USB-A and HDMI port with it for now or at the very least included dongles for each (as it ships, it cannot connect to hardly anything in existence). This is very poor judgment on Apple's part, IMO.
 
bill44 said:
For the new MacBook Pro?

It's useless. No support for USB 3.1 Gen 2, type A or C. Useless.
--
And USB ports need to be 10Gb/s (3.1 Gen 2). Type-A and Type-C.
Click to expand...

Not useless, but, not all-encompassing either. As I stated before, I can even tolerate USB 2.0-only in a couple of ports (not that that would really make sense today, but, a few years back you used to see this on some PCs, depending on the CPU/chipset) that are used for low-speed overhead-insensitive I/O, like keyboards and mice. A hub, as long as it doesn't require auxiliary power, could be used as a portable USB-A multiplier. But, I agree, you have a point-- if I demand a better HDMI, I should also demand better USB ports as well. I'm wondering how much of this can be incorporated in a lightweight, portable hub that is powered by the USB-C port.
 
tubeexperience said:
So the 2016 MacBook Pros are not even compatible with Thunderbolt 3 devices that are out there?

This is turning out to be a complete disaster.
Click to expand...
No. Certain first-generation TI-brand TB 3 controllers are incompatible with the MacBook Pro.

Now, the question that REALLY remains is: Who is ACTUALLY incompatible with the published STANDARD? Be careful how you answer that; Apple has a pretty good track record of following standards to-the-letter.

However, this sounds like something that can be fixed on Apple's end by updating its TB 3 driver code. I would imagine that if enough peripherals are being rejected by the current MBP firmware, that Apple will release an update to fix it. We're just a couple of days out from ONE peripheral manufacturer reporting an issue. I really don't think it's time to haul out the tar-and-feathers QUITE yet...
 
manhattanboy said:
Cue the haters....
This has nothing to do with dongles, so let's stop that discussion right now.

Thunderbolt 3 combines PCI Express and DisplayPort protocols into a single signal in addition to power. Its extremely versatile. Just like not all wireless headphones are up to 4.2 BT specs, I'm sure not all T3 peripherals are created equal as well.

Apple is being Apple, and that means outrageously priced stuff with hard to swallow limitations. I think folks forget that this is really been Apple's MO for decades. Either buy their stuff or don't, but stop complaining about something you have no control over.
Click to expand...

Please listen to yourself and stop complaining about people complaining.

I'm sure they'll come up with a dongle that dongles the dongle the right way so you can use another dongle to donglefy your macbook to dongle it right.

Please let me know which bluetooth headphones do not work with macbook pro? Not supporting every single thing the newest spec has to offer is a bit different from not working at all.

I'd buy the stuff but there's no stuff to buy. There's just this Legobook you can build yourself with a bag full of dongles.
 
kyykesko said:
Please listen to yourself and stop complaining about people complaining.

I'm sure they'll come up with a dongle that dongles the dongle the right way so you can use another dongle to donglefy your macbook to dongle it right.

Please let me know which bluetooth headphones do not work with macbook pro? Not supporting every single thing the newest spec has to offer is a bit different from not working at all.

I'd buy the stuff but there's no stuff to buy. There's just this Legobook you can build yourself with a bag full of dongles.
Click to expand...
Yet the irony of you complaining about someone complaining about others complaining. LOL!!!
 
manhattanboy said:
Your mistake is thinking that Apple really wants to provide you an easy and cheap upgrade path. If anything, it is the opposite. They want you to not be able to replace the RAM or SSD or battery. They want you to buy a new machine in a couple years when 32 GB is available. Frankly, you are acting like Apple is not giving you what you want at a price you want so you are upset. This is how Apple operates and really has been for decades. Occasionally they do something sensible like license their OS or make upgradeable computers, but those are more anomalies than their "normal" MO. My suggestion is that rather than complaining in a random forum, write to Tim Cook's email address at Apple. If he gets enough complaints, then likely they will respond. Just don't come crying when the new Pro's Mac Pro laptop is $4,000 when equipped the way another manufacturer can do it for less than $2,000.
Click to expand...

It's not a mistake, I know very well how greedy Apple have become, especially with Tim Crook at the wheel. And you missed the point, I am angry because 32GB is not available NOW. So the new mbp that I was looking forward to upgrading to, is completely useless to me, and I will have to wait for the next iteration to upgrade my aging 2012 mbp, and pray it doesn't die in the mean time. I reiterate - there is NOTHING in this new mbp that actually upgrades my 2012 mbp in real life usage. In my 2012, the processor is fast enough, the screen is good enough, the trackpad is good enough, it's small enough and light enough, the keyboard is BETTER, the RAM is the same, and I can upgrade to a 2TB SSD for a fraction of the cost of the new mbp option cost. And I'd also like to point out that in every single desktop and laptop I've owned, I've upgraded both the RAM and the HD multiple times as software complexity has grown, and capacity and prices have improved. So the deliberate ploy to remove the ability to upgrade means that I now need to buy my mbp's with MORE RAM and HD than I currently need. And this mbp doesn't even have the option, even if I was happy to pay the exorbitant extra cost. It's a double FU to Tim Crook and his silly dancing ugly face. RIP Steve Jobs.
 
sideshowuniqueuser said:
It's not a mistake, I know very well how greedy Apple have become, especially with Tim Crook at the wheel. And you missed the point, I am angry because 32GB is not available NOW. So the new mbp that I was looking forward to upgrading to, is completely useless to me, and I will have to wait for the next iteration to upgrade my aging 2012 mbp, and pray it doesn't die in the mean time. I reiterate - there is NOTHING in this new mbp that actually upgrades my 2012 mbp in real life usage. In my 2012, the processor is fast enough, the screen is good enough, the trackpad is good enough, it's small enough and light enough, the keyboard is BETTER, the RAM is the same, and I can upgrade to a 2TB SSD for a fraction of the cost of the new mbp option cost. And I'd also like to point out that in every single desktop and laptop I've owned, I've upgraded both the RAM and the HD multiple times as software complexity has grown, and capacity and prices have improved. So the deliberate ploy to remove the ability to upgrade means that I now need to buy my mbp's with MORE RAM and HD than I currently need. And this mbp doesn't even have the option, even if I was happy to pay the exorbitant extra cost. It's a double FU to Tim Crook and his silly dancing ugly face. RIP Steve Jobs.
Click to expand...
There are performance improvements with ram speed CPU instructions and PCI implementation of disk data. Apple generally is pretty good at optimizing their systems. I'm not sure what you do that you need so much ram; I've been doing graphics this year with an 8 year old MBA with only 2 gigs of ram. Good luck finding a laptop that meets your needs and don't be afraid to try windows 10.
 
dannys1 said:
300%?? I'm not sure where you're getting that from. Benchmarks and reviews all show Kaby Lake a very small improvement with Intel just eeking a bit more clock speed out of the same architecture.

The only thing it really does that Skylake wont is native decoding of Hvec 10bit video http://www.pcworld.com/article/3137...e-review-yes-this-is-the-best-one-so-far.html
[doublepost=1478467585][/doublepost]

I just spent £15 on 3 new cables instead and now I can connect anything I used before to my USB-C ports instead, either way around, so it's a far better experience that horrible Type A ports.
Click to expand...

The 300% increase in battery life comes from tests which utilize primarily Intel's iGPU for decoding high definition video such as watching HD movies. The real world battery increase for Kaby Lake is at least in one reviewer's test 3 times that of an almost identical PC running Skylake. Unfortunately, I have lost the link, but I will post it if I can find it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Back
Top