It’s no secret that Thunderbolt 3 provides very powerful connectivity, but unless you made a full switch to the USB-C / Thunderbolt 3 world, most of the time, you’ll need an adapter to connect an external display, a USB 3.0 stick, or an Ethernet cable. To solve that problem, the team at CalDigit just released a new line of bus-powered docks—the Thunderbolt 3 mini Docks. Two years ago, Apple made the switch from Thunderbolt 2 to Thunderbolt 3 connectivity, and the recent updates to the MacBook line of course continue sporting Thunderbolt 3 ports. The nice thing about the Thunderbolt 3 interface is that it shares the same port type as USB-C. Furthermore, you can use USB-C devices and adaptors in a Thunderbolt 3 port, but not vice-versa. Thunderbolt 3 is faster than USB-C, and it gives you access to better display options up to 4K 60Hz (USB-C is limited to 4K 30HZ). And finally, Thunderbolt 3 allows you to charge your MacBook Pro. The CalDigit mini Dock Dual HDMI The real cost of Thunderbolt 3 However, even if there are more and more options available, Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C devices are still at an early stage. You’ll often need an adapter to use what you already have or to extend your possibilities. For example, I bought a 2017 iMac that comes with 2 Thunderbolt 3 ports, 4 USB 3 ports, an SD card reader, a headphone jack, and a 10Gb Ethernet port. And that’s it. I was nearly stuck and...
Published By: CineD - Wednesday, 8 August, 2018