this post was submitted on 24 Nov 2024
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All high quality peripheral docks support Thunderbolt. Thunderbolt 5 docks began to release last month. You can connect the devices to the dock using USB-C, then just use one Thunderbolt cable to connect the dock to your Mac to prevent a bottleneck.
So, barely a handful? Great. How much do they cost? And how much does it cost to just use the cable your devices come with?
The countless remaining docks support Thunderbolt 4, which at 40 Gb/s is still twice as fast as USB-C 3.2 Gen 2x2.
They range from $49-$299, depending on the features and number of ports needed. If you’re using the native HDMI port on your MacBook Pro, it’ll be on the low end of the price range.
The only cable that comes with a MacBook Pro is a USB-C charging cable.
Awesome. But what I think is ideal is having multiple ports which, in addition, would give you more bandwith, more reliability and more flexibility than a single high bandwidth hub.
You misread. I was referring to the cables the devices you use with your laptop come with.
MacBook Pro comes with three Thunderbolt 5/USB-C ports (120 Gb/s), HDMI 2.1b, MagSafe 3, and a 3.5 mm headphone jack. Trading a USB-C port for USB-A means potentially downgrading a USB-C capable device to USB-A with an adapter. The opposite results in better performance, and the adapters will continue to be useful as long as you own USB-A devices. When computers only have USB-C ports, your other adapters will be useless.
As for cables, I replace them rather than using adapters. Monoprice.com sells quality cables relatively inexpensively.
Again, missing the point. There's nothing you need to "trade". They could simply add more ports.
Monoprice is not a worlwide brand and buying more stuff is not a sensible solution to a manufactured problem.
There’s nothing simple about adding more ports on a portable computer. It means additional buses, I/O boards, and a larger device size.
Most manufacturers that offer USB-A ports don’t have three Thunderbolt 5 ports. It would either be modular or a trade if you’re making a true comparison.
If they could do it in 2010, they can do it in 2024. And no, it wouldn't significantly increase the footprint.
About TB5 you're right. Most laptops don't have it but you're also conveniently ignoring that the first laptops with those ports were released literally a few months ago.
Tell me where there’s room to add another bus and ports without expanding the footprint.
https://www.macrumors.com/2024/11/22/ifixit-shares-m4-macbook-pro-teardown/
Thunderbolt 4 still has twice the bandwidth of the fastest USB-C standard currently available at 40 Gb/s. Thunderbolt 5 tops out at 120 Gb/s. That means you could have six USB-C devices, running max throughput of 20 Gb/s through a dock, connected to the Mac using Thunderbolt 5, without limiting the bandwidth. It also daisy chains more 4K displays at a higher refresh rate than USB-C. It’s a far superior connection.
There is a lot of empty PCB in that design. They could at the very least add 1 more port on each side if they wanted to. The audio solution is also taking up quite a bit of space.
Agai with the TB5. Those hubs cost $200+ and some even require external power. It's a good option to have. It's bad if it's your only option.
Empty PCB? You can’t see the other side of the logic board in this video. All reputable computer manufacturers use circus design on PCBs.
The cost of the dock is high because the tech is new. I don’t believe I need to explain the cost curve of advancing technology to you.
You don't need to explain why it's expensive but you do need to explain why it's suddenly necessary instead lf an option.