I use my Mac Mini for audio production and as I'm renovating I want to put it into another room close to my working desk. I hope for a wired length of approx 4-5m, but it seems Thunderbolt 3 cannot run for this long. Which options do I have if I plan to use 2x 4K screens and a bunch of USB devices (can be powered separately)?
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Placing Mac Mini in another room
- Thread starter junolab
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
They’re pricey, but Corning now makes optical Thunderbolt cables in 5-50m length. It’s the full 40gbps, but no power delivery of course since it’s optical. So you’d put the Mac Mini in the other room, and then connect to a powered Thunderbolt 3 dock (or your USB C monitor if you’re ok with its USB ports).
Optical Cables by Corning Thunderbolt 3 USB Type-C Male Optical Cable, 5m
Connect your Thunderbolt 3-compatible devices together at up to 16.4' apart using the Thunderbolt 3 USB Type-C Male Optical Cable from Optical Cables by Corning. This thin, light, and durable optical cable is designed to support high-speed data transfers of up to 40 Gb/s across greater distances ...
www.amazon.com
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
They’re pricey, but Corning now makes optical Thunderbolt cables in 5-50m length. It’s the full 40gbps, but no power delivery of course since it’s optical. So you’d put the Mac Mini in the other room, and then connect to a powered Thunderbolt 3 dock (or your USB C monitor if you’re ok with its USB ports).
Optical Cables by Corning Thunderbolt 3 USB Type-C Male Optical Cable, 5m
Connect your Thunderbolt 3-compatible devices together at up to 16.4' apart using the Thunderbolt 3 USB Type-C Male Optical Cable from Optical Cables by Corning. This thin, light, and durable optical cable is designed to support high-speed data transfers of up to 40 Gb/s across greater distances ...www.amazon.com
Auch that's expensive! But true that could be a solution. Should work fine for newer Macs as well when going into TB4, TB5 or whatever will be there when I'll upgrade down the line. I do wonder though if 3 USB-C cables shouldn't be cheaper and sufficient instead? Like one each to drive a display and then one for the rest?
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
Basically, any noise as it will go into the recording microphone. My Mac Mini (2018) can be pretty noisy at times and production can put a pretty good stain on the computer. I'll jump on a M1x Mac Mini soon, but no matter the power I'm most likely to push the boundaries. So better to be safe and place it in a different room when its (hopefully) doable.