Dell Thunderbolt Monitor11/8/2021
Now I need a hardware update and, frustrated by the limitations of Office 365 on Mac, I am considering switching back. Thunderbolt 1 and Thunderbolt 2 use the same connector as miniDP (DisplayPort) to connect to peripherals, while Thunderbolt 3 uses a USB Type-C connector ( Figure 1 ).A long-term PC user, I went Apple eight years ago. Thunderbolt combines PCI Express (PCIe) and DisplayPort (DP) into one serial signal, and additionally provides DC power, all in one cable. Thunderbolt (previously called Light Peak) is a hardware interface that combines data, video, audio, and power in a single connection.
![]() The PC manufacturers had rejected Light Peak because fibre optics cost too much, and Thunderbolt looked like a good compromise.As Intel pointed out way back then, Thunderbolt wasn’t the new USB, it was the new FireWire (another connector that Apple fitted to everything, then dropped). Thunderbolt appeared the following year, in a version co-developed with Apple, but running over copper wires. I first saw it working in 2010. Yes, at the time, we complained that the Cinema Display’s DisplayPort didn’t support older Macs and MacBooks either, but at least it worked – and still works – with PCs running Windows.As things stand, there’s not much incentive for Windows PC manufacturers to worry about supporting an £899 Apple monitor.Thunderbolt was originally developed by Intel, and it was called Light Peak, partly because it used a fibre optic cable. The same 27in screen used to be available with a DisplayPort connector – it was called the Apple Cinema Display – but it was discontinued in 2011. The next version of Thunderbolt, Thunderbolt 3, will use the same USB-C connector, instead of the previous miniDisplayPort.A USB-C port is, essentially, a souped-up USB 3.1 port. Intel has returned to the market with USB Type-C, which uses a new reversible connector that plugs in either way up. It didn’t.But that’s not the end of the story. Presumably, Apple hoped that Intel’s backing would preclude Thunderbolt from suffering the same fate. Akai mpd 24 driversI assume the next MacBook will, if there is one.You could, as mentioned, buy a new PC that supports Thunderbolt and – if you are lucky – use it with your Apple Thunderbolt screen. I suspect it will still leave most consumers confused.For example, Apple’s latest £1,049/£1,299 MacBook has a USB-C port that doesn’t support Thunderbolt so it doesn’t work with Apple’s Thunderbolt display. It remains to be seen whether this will increase Thunderbolt’s adoption, and by how much. Plantronics wo2 driverI also had a brief look at a pre-launch version of the XPS 15, which is arguably even better. I reviewed an earlier version of the Dell XPS 13 here. The last three are players in the business workstation market.At the moment, I think your best bet would be the latest models in the Dell XPS range, because they all feature Type-C ports that support USB 3.1, DisplayPort 1.2, and Thunderbolt 3. However, Wikipedia has a List of Thunderbolt-compatible devices, while the Thunderbolt Technology website has a searchable database of products.The “early adopters” include Asus – which sells Thunderbolt-capable motherboards – and Acer, Dell, HP and Lenovo. The outputs include another DisplayPort, five USB 3 ports, and an audio jack for speakers. It’s the monitor to get if you want a bigger picture and more workspace in Windows or OS X, since its 2560 x 1440 resolution is ideal for photos, videos, and gaming.” You can even adjust the height!I haven’t seen this model myself, but I’ve used Dell monitors – including an UltraSharp model – for more than a decade, and would not hesitate to recommend them.The Dell’s inputs include two HDMI ports, a DisplayPort, a miniDisplayPort, and a USB 3 port. According to The Wirecutter website: “It has the best picture quality of any monitor we tested right out of the box. Depending on its age and condition, you could probably sell your monitor privately or on eBay and make enough to buy a PC monitor that’s as good or better.For example, you could buy a Dell UltraSharp U2715H for £384 or less. I don’t have either to try, and I have not found convincing evidence on the web.One advantage of Apple products is that they retain some resale value. At 3.9lbs/1.78kg, it’s not much heavier than a 13.3-inch MacBook Pro (3.5lbs, 1.58kg).In general, I’d look for something with an Intel Skylake processor and a Type-C port that supports Thunderbolt 3, but I don’t know if such a machine would work correctly with your Apple monitor. All our journalism is independent and is in no way influenced by any advertiser or commercial initiative.By clicking on an affiliate link, you accept that third-party cookies will be set. And if you decide to switch back to a Mac, a DisplayPort converter cable will enable it to work with that as well.Have you got another question for Jack? Email it to article contains affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission if a reader clicks through andMakes a purchase. None the less, like most PC monitors, it will work with almost every PC or Mac on the market, including the Apple MacBook.Buying a PC monitor will enable you to buy whichever laptop, desktop or workstation you like.
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