It also allowed iPhones, iPads, and iPods to connect to a MacBook for charging and data transfer or management. It supports a large number of computer accessories including flash drives, external hard drives, external CD/DVD players, and more. USB 3 ports are in a USB-A shape-the traditional USB shape you’re probably familiar with. But the port also supports external hard drives and other storage devices with faster speeds than USB, FireWire, and Thunderbolt 1 ports. With the same shape as the Mini DisplayPort, and supporting Mini DisplayPort video output, Thunderbolt 2 took the form factor a lot further by supporting 4K video streaming and writing 4K video to a disk while the video streamed.įor these reasons, Thunderbolt 2 is best known for connecting external monitors and cameras to a MacBook. You may not need this port if you prefer Bluetooth headphones, but for those who still enjoy cords, or noise-canceling features, it’s nice to see this port stick around.Ģ012 to 2016 MacBook Air (this Mac doesn't have a HDMI) It also connects built-in microphones on headphones and earbuds as well. The only other port on these MacBook models is the 3.5mm jack, allowing for headphones to be used with a Mac. But at least with those and the right cords, you can use basically anything with these Macs! 3.5mm headphone jack To access the many uses of the Thunderbolt 3 port, you will likely need several kinds of adapters or even specialized Thunderbolt 3 hubs. With the USB-C shape allowing for cords to be inserted in any orientation, Thunderbolt 3 ports are incredibly versatile in what can be plugged into them, and how they can be plugged in. SD cards can also be supported with adapters to fit them into the ports. So you can plug an external hard drive into a Thunderbolt 3 port one day, and then put an HDMI cord into the same port the next. It also allows for a Mac to be charged via Thunderbolt 3 ports. Thunderbolt's USB-C shape allows for “Alternate Modes” for the port that can support HDMI, MHL, Ethernet, and DisplayPort connections, on top of general USB ones. Thunderbolt 3 ports are so fast you can plug in virtually anything and have it work with your Mac. You'll find these ports on the following MacBook models:

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