Hi,
i will soon update my dual iMac setup with a new 2017 iMac.
at the moment I have a late 2012 iMac as "main" unit and a 2009 iMac as secondary monitor (target display mode).
I plan to use a new 2017 5k iMac as main unit and to downgrade my late 2012 iMac as secondary monitor (it is a non-retina model so it stills supports target display mode)
the first question is: what cable do I need to connect the two machines?
• is there any thunderbolt 3 to thunderbolt 2 cable?
• or do I need a thunderbolt 3 to thunderbolt 2 dongle and then i can connect the two machines with a standard thunderbolt 2 cable? (like the one that I already own used for external HDD)
then, I will need to connect an external SSD that I use as scratch unit that at the moment is connected to my late 2012 via thunderbolt 2... what will be the best possible solution for the 2017 iMac? another dongle? (isn't expensive?) move the hdd to a new case? and what will be the best connection: thunderbolt 3 or usb 3.0?
for external hdd using thunderbolt 3 port for "standard" usb-c connection is it faster than usb 3.0port?
sorry, I already searched online but I am still confused about the thunderbolt 3/usb-c vs usb 3.0 thing.
I understood that usb-c is only a "form-factor" and many different connection can operate trough it, still I have a lot of confusion on what is the best way to use this thunderbolt 3 ports at their max potential (e.g. using a thunderbolt 3 port as "standard" usb-c connection is a waste of potential throughput)
thanks in advance for your help
ciao,
m
i will soon update my dual iMac setup with a new 2017 iMac.
at the moment I have a late 2012 iMac as "main" unit and a 2009 iMac as secondary monitor (target display mode).
I plan to use a new 2017 5k iMac as main unit and to downgrade my late 2012 iMac as secondary monitor (it is a non-retina model so it stills supports target display mode)
the first question is: what cable do I need to connect the two machines?
• is there any thunderbolt 3 to thunderbolt 2 cable?
• or do I need a thunderbolt 3 to thunderbolt 2 dongle and then i can connect the two machines with a standard thunderbolt 2 cable? (like the one that I already own used for external HDD)
then, I will need to connect an external SSD that I use as scratch unit that at the moment is connected to my late 2012 via thunderbolt 2... what will be the best possible solution for the 2017 iMac? another dongle? (isn't expensive?) move the hdd to a new case? and what will be the best connection: thunderbolt 3 or usb 3.0?
for external hdd using thunderbolt 3 port for "standard" usb-c connection is it faster than usb 3.0port?
sorry, I already searched online but I am still confused about the thunderbolt 3/usb-c vs usb 3.0 thing.
I understood that usb-c is only a "form-factor" and many different connection can operate trough it, still I have a lot of confusion on what is the best way to use this thunderbolt 3 ports at their max potential (e.g. using a thunderbolt 3 port as "standard" usb-c connection is a waste of potential throughput)
thanks in advance for your help
ciao,
m
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