Connect 2012 rMBP directly to M1 MBA

[guzhogi]

I agree with the Thunderbolt 3 → Thunderbolt 2 adaptor → Thunderbolt 2 cord route. Target disk mode (restarting the Intel Mac while holding down the 'T' key) is very useful.

I work IT in a school district. In the summer of 2019, we upgraded all the teacher's older MacBook Airs to the then-current MacBooks Airs. Target disk mode over Thunderbolt was VERY fast, even for the people who had ~200 GB of data. Before Thunderbolt, we'd connect via ethernet and backup to a server, then restore on the new computers. It took forever, but then again, that was back when laptops had spinning HDDs, not SSDs.

 

[David Hassholehoff]

Thanks, yes there is one of those but the connectors are the wrong way round (male/female).
I'll manage

I think the second best option if you don't want to buy the adapter and the TB2 cable is to create a peer-to-peer Wi-Fi network between the computers. It will be considerably slower but it is free.

 

[mrchinchilla]

You don't fancy the M1 MBP?

Apparently there are numerous display issues with the Air.

I’d just like to chime in that a few obsessive users on a forum trying to find flaws does not indicate widespread issues. I have zero issues with the display on my MBA, so far it has been perfect, whites and all other colours are bright and even and I’m not going to subject it to strange, non-real world conditions in a neurotic attempt to find flaws. Aside from the 100 nit difference, the MBA and MBP are ostensibly the same panel.

 

[Mr Screech]

The mid-2012 retina has thunderbolt 1, not 2.
Using one right now.

 

[Quackers]

The mid-2012 retina has thunderbolt 1, not 2.
Using one right now.

Interesting, thanks.
Same connector but half the theoretical spped.

 

[The Cockney Rebel]

Interesting, thanks.
Same connector but half the theoretical spped.

Even though I only used a little 5400rpm external drive to copy my music library over from my iMac to my MBP, there was a significant difference in speed when the drive was connected to my M1 MBP.