If you can’t use it to extract data, then what is it for?)īut recently, I bought a LaCie drive and it came with a thick orange cable with the thunderbolt icon so I thought, what the hell I’ll give it a try.
I actually gave up on this project after someone here posted it was impossible to extract data in TDM mode on a 12” Macbook (which I thought was odd because you can put the Mac in Target Disk Mode. In fact, just finding the right cable was a massive undertaking because the so called “Thunderbolt 3” cables I bought from Amazon, B&H, Adorama and eBay all turned out to be regular USB-C cables. They all have more versatility and convenience than you'd expect from a simple adapter.Click to expand.It can’t be just any regular USB-C dock it has to support Thunderbolt 3. While many of the products on this list call themselves adapters, it's probably best to think of them all as hubs or docks. It generally has one or a few ports, and it is often made for a specific purpose. An adapter tends to be simple, making your Mac more compatible with a certain type of product. A dock, like the OWC USB-C Dock, is generally a type of hub, one that's more suited to desk-based work.Īn adapter is generally the opposite of that. A hub, for instance, gives the idea of a central location, a product with a lot of ports, into which you plug every accessory your Mac might need. Speaking of hubs, you might notice that many of these products are called adapters or docks rather than hubs. It's also less expensive than a lot of other hubs on this list. It has a great selection of ports while maintaining a solid light build that makes it great for travel.
Find out more about how we test.įor a solid combination of portability and expandability, the Anker 7-in-1 USB-C hub would be my choice for the MacBook. Why you can trust iMore Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.