For the purposes of this guide we’re going to refer to the USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 ports found on the MacBook Pro models as USB-C ports unless we are talking specifically about Thunderbolt 3 capabilities. In general, a Thunderbolt 3 connection can downgrade to USB-C, but USB-C cannot become Thunderbolt 3. USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 plugs and receptacles look identical, but they are not fully interchangeable.(In this case, we are specifically talking about the USB-C standard not Thunderbolt 3 displays, which are covered under 5K Displays that connect over Thunderbolt 3)While no adapters or special cables are required to connect these displays to a USB-C equipped MacBook, the single cable solution may fall short for many users. The promise of a display that can handle all of your peripheral connections and power your MacBook through a single cable is enticing, but there are some tradeoffs that need to be considered. Henge Docks refers to a stand-alone docking station that connects to a computer via cable as a “tethered docking station” to differentiate it from our MacBook form-fitting Horizontal and Vertical Docking Stations (more on those solutions can be found under the Docking Station section).As the USB-C connection continues to proliferate, more display options are cropping up that support this standard.
In either of these scenarios users may find it necessary to add an additional connection for a dock, hub and/or power adapter.Running dual USB-C monitors off a single connections is problematic. This can present a problem for some users that require a full 85W to charge their MacBooks. Several monitor models currently for sale offer no downstream power and many that do only offer 60W to the computer. This is a limitation of the current USB-C standards.Power delivery is another compromise. The distinguishing features for this model are two connections coming off the monitor to the computer (MagSafe and Thunderbolt) and six ports on the rear of the display (Thunderbolt, 3x USB, FireWire 800 and Ethernet).The simplest way to connect an Apple Thunderbolt Display to your USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 MacBook Pro is with Apple’s Thunderbolt 2 to Thunderbolt 3 Adapter. The same issue occurs when a 5K display is connected through a Thunderbolt 3 tethered docking station that is driving a second lower resolution (<4K) monitor – the 5K monitor will be reduced to running at 4K resolution.Though 5K displays cannot maintain full resolution when paired with an additional monitor on a single connection to a MacBook Pro, Henge Docks Vertical Docking Station for the USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 MacBook Pro will support both a 5K display and second non 5k external display simultaneously.The Thunderbolt Display was sold from mid-2011 through mid-2016. Many 5K displays do offer full 85W charging for downstream computers.While it is theoretically possible to daisy chain (plug one into the other) two 5K displays off a single connection to a MacBook Pro, each displays’ resolution will be reduced to 4K in order to operate within the bandwidth provided by Thunderbolt 3. 13-inch MacBook Pro models are limited to driving a single 5K display. This requires moving a mind-boggling amount of data over Thunderbolt 3, so much so that a single 5K display consumes most of the bandwidth for that connection, meaning downstream ports from the monitor are limited to USB-C 3.1 Gen1 (no daisy-chaining displays and no Thunderbolt 3 out).5K displays are so resource intensive that while 15-inch MacBook Pro models will run dual 5K displays, one display has to be connected to a right side port and the other to a left side port due to limitations of the Thunderbolt 3 chipsets. It is theoretically possible for a Thunderbolt 3 tethered docking station to run dual USB-C displays off of a single plug, but we are not aware of any docks currently on the market with the ports necessary to make this arrangement possible.5K Displays that connect over Thunderbolt 3While offering a staggering number of pixels and incredible image quality, the latest 5K Displays are a special breed and require some consideration about their compromises before taking the plunge.Running a 5K display requires refreshing 14.7 million pixels 60 times per second. There are no Thunderbolt 3 tethered docking stations on the market with an integrated Thunderbolt 2 port.Running dual external displays with a Thunderbolt Display in the mix can get tricky. This arrangement requires that the Thunderbolt 3 docking station deliver 60W of power (85W for 15-inch MacBook Pro models) and a second, downstream Thunderbolt 3 port to accommodate Thunderbolt 3 to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter. Some users also find the presence of the now unused MagSafe connector on their desk undesirable.The only way * to connect an Apple Thunderbolt Display and power to your USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 MacBook Pro with a single plug is through certain types of Thunderbolt 3 tethered docking stations. For a full rundown of the capabilities and compromises of each configuration option we recommend reading through each section in the order they are presented.Multiple Cables, Single or Multiple External DisplaysUsing multiple USB-C connections plugged directly into your MacBook is probably the most conceptually simple and least expensive option for some users, albeit not a particularly elegant or convenient one. If you already know what you’re ideal setup looks like jump to that section below. Depending on whether you're just trying to get everything on your desk hooked up or run multiple displays, charging and peripherals off of a single connection or integrate everything into a docking station cost and complexity can vary greatly.This step is broken into three sections - Multiple Cables, Single Cable, and Docking Stations. The Thunderbolt Display would require the addition of a Thunderbolt 3 to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter to connect to the Thunderbolt 3 tethered docking station.* Shameless plug (pun intended) - Henge Docks Vertical Docking Station for the USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 MacBook Pro supports the Apple Thunderbolt 2 to Thunderbolt 3 Adapter and a connection to a USB-C power supply, without the addition of a Thunderbolt 3 tethered docking station.Now that you’ve identified the type of display you’ll be running the next step is finding the setup that best suits your needs. In order to run another type of external display off a Thunderbolt Display a Thunderbolt 1 or 2 docking station must be placed between the two.Alternatively, a Thunderbolt 3 tethered docking station can be connected to a USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 MacBook Pro and used to drive both the Thunderbolt Display and the traditional display (HDMI, DisplayPort, etc.). What is the best external dvd drive for macFor example a 4K monitor equipped with HDMI would be connected with Henge Docks USB-C to 4K HDMI Adapter. For those users, skip to the Single Cable section.Supporting a multiple cable setup is a matter of identifying and locating the appropriate adapter for your monitor.
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