Thunderbolt 3/USB-C Adapters, Cables, and Hubs for New MacBook Pro

[sully54]

So many dongles... what do those pictures remind me of?

That's right....

Funny how things change.

To be fair, even without dongles, you still need a cable to connect your mac to an external hard drive, monitor, etc.

 

[KPOM]

Is it really so hard to understand that other people may have different needs? What would you have lost if Apple had included, say, a type A USB and an HDMI port on the MBP?

You can get a tiny USB-C to USB-A converter for $7. I have one for my MacBook. As for HDMI, the port is very big. I prefer an adapter.

 

[Ries]

What are you doing with that combo of Mini and 1070? I'm just curious of your use case.

The Mini was a nice powerful upgradeable machine once, then some at Apple came along and noticed Apple missed out on a lot of money and nerfed it to hell.

 

[SgtPepper12]

At this point, it charges my MacBook and with the right cables lets me connect to anything the older ports can. Plus, with a $10 monoprice USB-C cable I'll be able to use Target Disk Mode to migrate from my MacBook to the MacBook Pro.

With adapters, sure, it can be everything you like, but on it's own they are just holes in the chassis and that's my point. If you forget your precious adapters you are screwed.

With an active cable, you'll be able to do the same between two MacBook Pros at twice the speed of Thunderbolt 2.

Like the speed matters for anything but connecting displays.

 

[AppleFan1179]

I've been thinking a lot about this, and I think that Apple could've saved about 75% of the griping by including the USB-C/Digital AV adapter and a lightning to USB-C cable in the box with this laptop. They could've even announced it at the event. "For this release cycle only, new MBPs include these 2 adapters in the box to ease the transition."

Instantly improves the situation for probably 3/4 of their customers. "BUT WAIT!!" you say "what about all the people who don't need that adapter?!" And I'll say congrats, sell it on Craigslist or eBay for $50. Free $50 bucks from Apple, aren't they awesome?

 

[EsqCats]

I'd prefer 4 high-speed versatile ports over 7 fixed-used ports any day of the week. You lot sound like the same crew who couldn't understand why Apple adopted USB for the iMac - a time when the PS2 and RS232 ports were "perfectly fine", and there were relatively few USB devices at the time.

 

[Neepman]

Seriously difficult not to write a post here with words that would get me banned. This could have been FAR less an issue and irritation if they had given us even ONE USB-A port. You know... the one that literally has billions of devices out there that still use it.
F you and F your mother apple.

 

[cppguy]

you can't see that long-term, the new Thunderbolt 3 ports will greatly streamline connectivity on the MBP.

SD cards are here to stay, and there was no reason to remove the reader from a professional machine. Maybe the average people are iPhone photographers, but serious amateurs and professionals use SD cards every single day.

I'm less worried about the other ports. HDMI was deprecated years ago. Just get a new cable, instead of an adapter. Such transitions are always a bit uncomfortable, but necessary.

 

[theluggage]

Still laughs for days that you cant even connect their latest 1.999€ laptop to their latest 899€ phone without a dongle.

Its not a dongle - its a replacement cable. Yes, it costs money ( :-( ) but once you've got it its no more kludgey than using the old cable: plus, it should also plug directly in to your MBP's power brick so you can probably get away without carrying a separate power supply for your iPhone.

The docks, in theory, should work nicely - I should be able to get 2 docks - 1 at home & 1 at work, after that when I shuttle between them I just have to plug in/unplug one wire: improvement. On the road, the VGA/USB-C multi port adapter will deal with presentations and/or somebody handing me a USB stick - I've been carrying a VGA dangle for years so that's no big hardship. Looks like there's going to be a choice of USB-C and/or Thunderbolt displays with docking functions to use with it, too.

OK, thats as much support as I'm going to give Apple, because they just can't resist nickel-and-diming us. Vis:

...all of the cables on their site are £20+, the VGA adapter is £70, and if you want VGA and HDMI you need another £70 for HDMI. The spare 85W power adapter is £70 and doesn't include a USB-C charge cable. They've got no DisplayPort or MiniDisplayPort solutions (...and, remember, they're still selling computers with TB2/MiniDisplayPort ports) and no hubs/docks. OK, there's a good range available (sometimes cheaper) from third parties, and in a few months we'll be able to read the reviews that say whether or not they work, melt, explode or kill your computer, but in the early days it would be nice to be able to buy compatibility-tested stuff from the store without being gouged.

The LG "Thunderbolt" display isn't out yet and still has the TB display's deal-breaker feature (which sounds like Apple's sticky fingers are all over it): it *only* has TB3 inputs, so forget plugging your old work laptop, Mac mini. Xbox, Raspberry Pi etc to your new display.

You can't rationalise away the fact that most people are going to end up spending a hundred or two dollars/pounds (they're about the same now that the $/£ exchange rate matches the UK sales tax rate) - Apple could have showed a bit of customer compassion by, maybe, throwing a couple of USB-C to USB-A adapters in with their $2000 computers (almost everybody would appreciate that) and maybe subsidising the other adapters/cables a bit. I'm sure the iPhone has a pretty good margin so I doubt it would kill them to throw in a USB-C to lightning cable (would work with MacBooks and some new PCs, too).

 

[eebrown]

From all accounts I'm the only one who's ecstatic about USB-C with thunderbolt and the fact the apple is removing all other ports from their computers. Just think of the result if the entire industry switches.
When connecting a peripheral to my computer I currently have to weed through rat nests or usb cables to find the correct ends.
I currently have in use.

Type A to Type B.
Type A to micro B.
Type A to micro-B Superspeed.
Type A to Mini B.
And the Vive even has a Type-A to Type-A

Then there are the piles of DVI, HDMI, display port,and mini display port cables of different lengths.

Also the box of adapters, DVI to HDMI, display port to mini display port, HDMI to CAT5 extenders USB extension cords and let's not forget power bricks for each of the different types of USB.

It might take a couple years to age out all my peripherals, but after that happens I'll have a box of one type of cable that will do everything.
Not only will clean up the rats nest, it will also reduce my luggage when traveling by eliminating all the different cables I have to take.

Of course, Apple will have to get rid of lightning port for my dream to come true

The seemed a more appropriate thread then the last time I made this comment

I wish we were at that point now and maybe in a couple of years we might. but until then Apple should at the very least include the adapters when you pay the kind of prices they are charging.

 

[sir1963nz]

I was thinking of upgrading. With the lack of ports and my need for for all these dongles, I will not even consider a new MacBook. I am now considering a surface. I haven't owned a windows box in over a decade. This is a perfect example of when a designer oversteps their roll. I blame Ives for this mess

ROTFLMAO, you won't buy a $20 dongle but you will buy all your software again ? Then there will be the yearly subscription to some anti-virus firm. Oh and the learning curve, that will take up time, I guess if your time has no value then thats OK, Mine gets charged out at $100 an hour. Then there is the likes of IBM who says Macs cost them $900 total cost of ownership less to own than PCs because of support costs.

Windows 10 is NOT windows XP, so yes there will be a learning curve, and a different set of frustrations.

Oh then there is the issue of transferring all your data and converting it if needed to another format, that takes time, more so if errors creep in.

So, to sum up, you will not buy $20-100 worth of adaptors, but in a childish hissy fit you will cost yourself thousands of dollars.

WOW, just wow.

 

[544263]

facepalm. oh boy. i feel so blessed with my good old mid-2012 macbook and nexus 5x. - life is so beautiful. and cheap. clean sound from a normal headphone jack. without adapters. you won't believe it. ;-)

 

[Neepman]

I've been thinking a lot about this, and I think that Apple could've saved about 75% of the griping by including the USB-C/Digital AV adapter and a lightning to USB-C cable in the box with this laptop. They could've even announced it at the event. "For this release cycle only, new MBPs include these 2 adapters in the box to ease the transition."

Instantly improves the situation for probably 3/4 of their customers. "BUT WAIT!!" you say "what about all the people who don't need that adapter?!" And I'll say congrats, sell it on Craigslist or eBay for $50. Free $50 bucks from Apple, aren't they awesome?

And these pack ins would have added probably about 3 dollars to the bill of materials for an item thats pushing two grand.

 

[mashinhead]

It's insane that they currently sell an iPhone that can't even be charged with the new computer they sell and it's a month apart from each release. That cable should have been included with the computer. And now you have to pay extra for it, assuming you just bought both!?

Gil Amelio is back at Apple I see.

 

[Larry-K]

I've read that Jony Ive doesn't even work much at Apple. He's apparently in UK and he comes to Apple's Cupertino campus few times per year. Ive basically retired and he doesn't design much anymore.

He's still listed on Apple's exec page but that's just to assuage investors.

Main guy who designs Apple's stuff is now some tool who designed CARDBOARD BOXES for iPhone. I kid you not!

That's one of the reasons why everything coming out of Apple looks so horrible.

Too rich to be bothered, I guess.

Here comes the "MacBook Corrugated".

 

[pcmacgamer]

*queue a cacophony of "R.I.P Apple!" comments*

Apple isn't dead yet. It is just going in a bad direction with poor "pro" devices, nickle and diming the consumer.

 

[sir1963nz]

Read majority of posts. You will find your argument to be invalid. People are actually using USB-A peripherals, and so demanding for the port. Not the other way around like you are imagining it to be.

No, the vocal people are making lots of noise over and over again. The majority of people will just continue on with life.

 

[Suckfest 9001]

So, let's do some math to figure out how much money it would cost to basically get the same I/O that we had in the outgoing MacBook Pro 15" model:

2 USB-A = $38
2 Thunderbolt = $98
MagSafe = $39
HDMI = $69
SD = $15

Total = $259 US, ontop of the already ridiculous pricing for the new 15" models.

I need an adapter to plug in my brand new iPhone into my brand new MacBook.
I need an adapter to plug in my EarPods that came with my iPhone into my new MacBook.
I need an adapter in order to interact with any of many, many billions of devices out there that use USB-A.

This nickle-and-diming crap is the exact reason that my current mid-2014 fully-loaded MacBook Pro 15" is the last Mac I buy from Apple, and quite possibly the last device in general I buy from this scumbag company.

 

[AppleMad98004]

This is a joke!

 

[Rigby]

People do understand that other people may have different needs. But at the same time people could also just be the tiniest bit flexible.

That's funny, given that we lose of lot of flexibility with this product. Honestly, I prefer if products adapt to my needs rather than forcing me to adapt.

 

[Mal67]

2 normal USB and 2 usb c would have been more sensible. New MPB is laptop for 5 years time when everyone has USB stuff. By then you'll need to replace it. Sometimes it's more important to be on time than first.

I like the route that HP followed with the Kabylake Spectre of 1 usb 3 plus 2 usbc . I guess that wouldn't have allowed Apple to go quite as thin though.

 

[techpr]

#DongleLife

 

[Vidd]

I love the idea of a port that can do anything, it seems so futuristic. I don't like the idea of having to buy a load of adapters and new cables.

That said, it's not like adapters are a new problem with Apple laptops.

 

[rellimie]

ROTFLMAO, you won't buy a $20 dongle but you will buy all your software again ? Then there will be the yearly subscription to some anti-virus firm. Oh and the learning curve, that will take up time, I guess if your time has no value then thats OK, Mine gets charged out at $100 an hour. Then there is the likes of IBM who says Macs cost them $900 total cost of ownership less to own than PCs because of support costs.

Windows 10 is NOT windows XP, so yes there will be a learning curve, and a different set of frustrations.

Oh then there is the issue of transferring all your data and converting it if needed to another format, that takes time, more so if errors creep in.

So, to sum up, you will not buy $20-100 worth of adaptors, but in a childish hissy fit you will cost yourself thousands of dollars.

WOW, just wow.

I have a Surface Pro 4 at work. It has 1 USB port and 1 Display port. You still need adapters for Ethernet, VGA, SD Card reading and a hub if you need more than 1 USB.

The Surface Book adds 2 more USB and an SD card reader.

Honestly, to get the most out of the service (to make it a desktop replacement) you kind of need the dock to make it easy. At that point what is the difference between docking the mac and docking the surface?

After all that, USB-C will be mainstream by the end of 2017 and you will be behind the times.

 

[jpn]

two comments

1 apple should have made the iPhone 7 charger cord a USB C - Lightning cord.
apple knew they were soon coming out with new mac book pros that can use USB C

2 since iPhone 7 still has a Lightning port (not a USB C port) we can probably assume that for iPhone 8 there will be a Lightning port as well iF there is a port (other than the scenario where iPhone 8 is a totally closed device with no ports at all). apple would not go to all the bother of forcing Lightning headphones on everybody this year if it were going to move to a USB C port on iPhone 8. so either iPhone 8 has a Lightning port, or, its a totally closed.