Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter

[Emiljabo]

Hi,

Will the Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter allow me to connect an external NVMe SSD Enclosure to the Thunderbolt 2 port on my Mac?

I have read and seen a few reviews that categorically state that the TB3 peripheral requires its own power source to work because the adaptor does not provide power, but the write-up for the adaptor on the Apple site states the following:

"As a bidirectional adapter, it can also connect new Thunderbolt 3 devices to a Mac with a Thunderbolt or Thunderbolt 2 port and macOS Sierra or later."

It mentions nothing about needing a separate a power source for the TB3 peripheral...

Obviously, an external SSD enclosure is not powered so would it work with this adaptor?

Thanks!

 

[Juicy Box]

You can use the bidirectional adapter to connect TB3 devices to Macs with older TB1 or TB2, but like you mentioned, it does not provide power for the TB3 device via the TB2 port.

You can get around this by using a device that has its own source of power via a power adapter, or you can use a powered TB3 dock to power the TB3 device.

 

[Fishrrman]

vertical is right, but his reply kind of dances around the OP's question, which I believe to be:

Can one directly connect a small portable thunderbolt3 drive (like the Samsung X5) to a thunderbolt2 equipped Mac (using the tbolt2-to-tbolt3 adapter)?
Without using "external power"?

I think the correct answer is "NO, you can't".
Folks have already discovered this -- by trying to use the adapter to connect an X5 to an older Mac and -- it doesn't work.

For it to work, you would need a Mac with a USBc/thunderbolt3 port -- then you can plug it in, and get the necessary bus power to run the drive.

 

[Juicy Box]

but his reply kind of dances around the OP's question

Not sure how my reply "dances around" the question:

it does not provide power for the TB3 device via the TB2 port.

"NO, you can't".

If that was the OP's question then I would completely agree, but I would also add that using something else to power the TB3 SSD, such as a TB3 dock, would allow the use of TB3 SSD on an older Mac with TB2.

If the OP really wanted to use the Samsung X5 or some other TB3 NVMe drive on an older iMac, having all there information is better than just a simple "NO, you can't".

Folks have already discovered this -- by trying to use the adapter to connect an X5 to an older Mac and -- it doesn't work.

For it to work, you would need a Mac with a USBc/thunderbolt3 port -- then you can plug it in, and get the necessary bus power to run the drive.

Or a TB3 dock at a tiny fraction of the price of a Mac with a TB3 port.

To the OP: Like I mentioned, if you use something else to power the drive, such as a TB3 dock with its own power source, you can use TB3 SSDs on your older Mac.

 

[Emiljabo]

Guys, thanks for your replies!

 

[Emiljabo]

As way of an update.

I used a Plugable TBT3-UDV hub using the Apple TB3 to TB2 connector into my Mac. Then a Sabrent TB3 to M.2 NVMe SSD enclosure (EC-T3NS) with a Samsung 2TB 970 EVO Plus inside and its mounted fine on the desktop.

 

[Juicy Box]

As way of an update.

I used a Plugable TBT3-UDV hub using the Apple TB3 to TB2 connector into my Mac. Then a Sabrent TB3 to M.2 NVMe SSD enclosure (EC-T3NS) with a Samsung 2TB 970 EVO Plus inside and its mounted fine on the desktop.

Nice that you gave it a try.

Can you post the speeds you are getting?

 

[Emiljabo]

Thanks!

 

[MikeFAB]

I just bought an Acasis Thuderbolt 3/USB4 External SSD Enclosure and put a Samsung 880 Pro into it. I have it as a second external SSD for my Mac Mini M1. I have just tried the setup suggested above, using my Caldigit TS3 Plus, connected , via Thunderbolt 2 to Thunderbolt 3 Adapter, to my Late 2013 MacBook Pro 15" Retina. 16GB Ram 500GB Internal SSD. The Internal SSD gave this:

The Acasis / 980 Pro gave this:

 

[Juicy Box]

I just bought an Acasis Thuderbolt 3/USB4 External SSD Enclosure and put a Samsung 880 Pro into it. I have it as a second external SSD for my Mac Mini M1. I have just tried the setup suggested above, using my Caldigit TS3 Plus, connected , via Thunderbolt 2 to Thunderbolt 3 Adapter, to my Late 2013 MacBook Pro 15" Retina. 16GB Ram 500GB Internal SSD. The Internal SSD gave this:
View attachment 2124394

The Acasis / 980 Pro gave this:
View attachment 2124395

Great speeds for an old TB1 Mac.

I didn't think that the TB1 Macs could get external NVMe speeds that high. I have tried with modified Samsung X5 on an TB1 Mac, and couldn't break 1000MBps read speeds. I always suspected that it was the dock I was using, the Caldigit TS3 Lite.

I might have to get a Caldigit TS3 Plus and see if I can improve the old Macs' speeds.

Probably not worth the investment, but if one plans on using the dock and external SSD with a newer Mac when they eventually upgrade, this set up could bring new life to an old computer.

Thanks for posting this.

 

[chrfr]

Great speeds for an old TB1 Mac.

I didn't think that the TB1 Macs could get external NVMe speeds that high.

The 2013 MacBook Pro 15" is Thunderbolt 2, so that undoubtedly explains the speed difference between this and an older Mac.

 

[Juicy Box]

The 2013 MacBook Pro 15" is Thunderbolt 2, so that undoubtedly explains the speed difference between this and an older Mac.

You are correct, my mistake.

I quickly read the post while on an elevator and responded to it when I got back to my desk. I thought I saw a Late 2013 iMac, not a MBP.

I don't have any TB2 Macs to test, but I was thinking that a NVMe over TB2 would have performed higher than what @MikeFAB posted. Still really good for an old Mac, but a little disappointing considering the Samsung X5 over TB1 isn't that far behind.