Thunderbolt 3. The most powerful and versatile port ever.

Thunderbolt 3 offers a connection with state-of-the-art speed and versatility. Delivering twice the bandwidth of Thunderbolt 2, it consolidates data transfer, video output, and charging into a single compact connector. And with the integration of USB-C, convenience is added to the speed of Thunderbolt to create a truly universal port.

Up to 40Gb/s
data transfer

Supports up to two 4K displays or one 5K display¹

Charge and provide power from any port

Connect new and existing devices

Blazing-fast data transfer. Now even faster.

Transferring data at speeds of up to 40Gb/s, which is two times faster than Thunderbolt 2 and eight times faster than USB 3, Thunderbolt 3 delivers the fastest connection to any dock, display, or device. You can also daisy-chain up to six Thunderbolt devices through a single port without needing a hub or a switch. So connecting a storage device to your computer, and then a display to your storage device, works as it’s meant to — with powerful throughput.²

Less than one minute to copy 14 hours of HD video

Less than one minute to copy 25,000 photos

Less than one minute to copy 10,000 songs

40Gb/s

Thunderbolt 3

20Gb/s

Thunderbolt 2

10Gb/s

USB 3.1

5Gb/s

USB 3

5K resolution. 14.7 million pixels.
One remarkable cable.

Thunderbolt 3 provides twice the display bandwidth of Thunderbolt 2, enabling iMac to support two 4K displays or one 5K display. And with two Thunderbolt controllers in the 15-inch MacBook Pro, you can send graphics to dual 5K displays for the perfect high-resolution photo and video editing setup. Thunderbolt 3 connects to DisplayPort displays and monitors with a cable, while supporting HDMI and VGA displays with the use of an adapter.

5K

4K

1080p HD

More power to you. And all your devices.

With Thunderbolt 3, a single USB-C port can deliver power in both directions. So a port can charge a device or, alternatively, be charged by one. And it’s capable of delivering up to 100 watts of power, so a single cable can be used to connect to a dock or display and charge your MacBook Pro simultaneously.

Up to 100W
of power delivery

Up to 15W for
bus-powered devices

Up to 100W of power delivery

Up to 15W for bus-powered devices

Compatible with your existing devices.

Thunderbolt 3 with USB-C technology is a truly universal connection. With the help of an adapter or cable, you can connect just about any of your devices, including your existing Thunderbolt 2 devices.

Displays

Plug into displays using HDMI, VGA, DVI, DisplayPort, or Thunderbolt.

iOS Devices

Connect to iOS devices like iPhone and iPad.

Accessories

Use peripherals compatible with USB‑A, Micro‑B, and Mini‑B.

Storage

Connect to storage devices like Thunderbolt 2 and USB external hard drives.

Thunderbolt 3 Compatibility

The Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports on iMac and MacBook Pro are fully compatible with your existing devices and displays. Use the chart below to find out which adapter or cable you’ll need to connect to the ports on all your favorite devices.

Shop adapters

Your device port

Connect to iMac or MacBook Pro using

Thunderbolt 2

Apple Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter

USB-C

No adapter required

USB-A

Apple USB-C to USB Adapter

Lightning

Apple USB-C to Lightning Cable

Micro-B

USB-C to Micro-B cable

Mini-B

USB-C to Mini-B cable

Ethernet

USB-C to Ethernet adapter

HDMI

Apple USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter or
USB-C to HDMI adapter

DisplayPort

USB-C to DisplayPort cable or adapter

VGA

Apple USB-C VGA Multiport Adapter or
USB-C to VGA adapter

DVI

USB-C to DVI adapter

Get the accessories, cables, and adapters you need.

Equipped with Thunderbolt 3, your iMac or MacBook Pro is ready to connect to a broad ecosystem of devices.

Shop all Mac accessories