The solutions in this article work with these Mac models, which have Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports:. iMac Pro. iMac models from 2017. Mac mini (2018).

MacBook Pro models from 2016 or later. MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2018) MacBook Pro (pictured), MacBook Air, iMac Pro, iMac, and Mac mini have multiple Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports. If your Mac has only one port like this, it's a MacBook with USB-C. That port supports all but the Thunderbolt solutions in this article. MacBook has just one port, which supports USB-C but not Thunderbolt.

IPad Pro 11-inch and iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation) have one USB-C port. Learn more about. Information about products not manufactured by Apple, or independent websites not controlled or tested by Apple, is provided without recommendation or endorsement. Apple assumes no responsibility with regard to the selection, performance, or use of third-party websites or products. Apple makes no representations regarding third-party website accuracy or reliability. Risks are inherent in the use of the Internet. For additional information.

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Search Wirecutter For: Search Reviews for the real world Browse Close. Browse Close. Photo: Nick Guy is the best way to connect a USB-C computer to a high-definition TV or monitor if you already have an HDMI cable you like. The Plugable is our pick because it’s fairly inexpensive, its plastic body won’t take up much room in your bag, and it works properly with both Windows PCs and Macs, so it’s the most versatile (it supports 60 Hz 4K video for Windows PCs, but only 30 Hz 4K for the 2016 MacBook Pro we tested it with). Some other models’ spec sheets explicitly list that they don’t work with the newest Macs, or we found customer reviews warning that they don’t. Most people who want to connect a Mac to a 60 Hz 4K monitor will be best off doing so with a DisplayPort cable or adapter. If you absolutely need to use HDMI you’ll need to make sure that your monitor or TV is HDMI 2.0-enabled, and use an HDMI 2.0 adapter and HDMI 2.0 cable; Apple recommends Belkin’s.

Even then, you may need to adjust the settings on the screen so that it doesn’t default to 30 Hz operation. DisplayPort works without all of this rigmarole, and is cheaper, too. The best USB-C–to–DisplayPort cable. Photo: Nick Guy Every USB-C–to–DisplayPort cable we tested worked perfectly, offering a pixel-perfect image and full 60 Hz performance, even at 4K. That said, we recommend the because it’s the only one of the five cables we tested that has a clip on the DisplayPort plug housing to hold the plug in place securely—you have to squeeze the clip to release the cable from the port.

China Type C Usb 3.1 To Vga Cable Adapter For Macbook

This is only a tiny advantage, and the, and, which are all identical to one another but missing the aforementioned clip, work just as well if the Cable Matters cable is out of stock or more expensive. The Cable Matters comes in 3-foot, 6-foot, and 10-foot lengths. We focused our research on simple, inexpensive adapters and cables from reputable companies. There are more expensive options that provide extra features, such as passthrough power or USB-A ports, but this guide is specifically about video accessories. In general, we recommend USB-C-to-video cables that plug directly into your computer and your monitor rather than adapters to make older cables USB-C-compatible, because cables cost around the same price and there’s one less thing to accidentally disconnect. But if you already have a cable you’d like to keep using—because it’s already wired into your setup or it’s a specific length— an adapter may be better.

Macs don’t support a 60 Hz refresh rate at 4K resolution over HDMI, but PCs with HDMI 2.0 ports do. We tested each adapter and cable with both a MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports) and the early 2018 USB-C–only to ensure compatibility across platforms. This was especially important when it came to HDMI, as, but PCs with HDMI 2.0 ports do. For the male-to-male cables, we connected directly to the monitor we were using, and we used cables we knew to be good to connect the male-to-female adapters. We used a for HDMI and DisplayPort testing and an older Dell monitor with DVI and VGA inputs for those connector types.

To measure the refresh rate, we relied on the. The competition. Unless specified below, almost all of the cables and adapters we tested worked the way they were supposed to, and in many cases the difference between a pick and a non-pick came down to a few Amazon reviews, a price difference, or better shipping options.

USB-C–to–HDMI The product listing for the says it works with Apple’s 2016 MacBook Pro models, but we can’t recommend it because too many customer reviews on Amazon say they’ve experienced issues using it with those computers. The has a warning that explicitly says “NOT compatible with late 2016 MacBook Pro.” The and both work well, but were more expensive than our pick when we tested and don’t provide any advantages. The and performed well and are both a little cheaper than our pick, but they also felt cheaper in terms of materials and build quality. The adapters we tested from, and were plastic, although they still seemed well-made. We prefer our pick, but if it’s out of stock any of these would do. Performed fine and had a cute fold-up design, but we found it hard to unfasten (outweighing the cuteness of said design).

Looks expensive (and it is) but it felt flimsy to hold and didn’t outperform our pick. We liked USB-C to HDMI cables from, and, but none compared to our pick from Choetech in terms of build quality or the clever right angle USB-C connector. Works just as well as our pick, the Plugable USB-C to HDMI 2.0 Adapter, but is a little longer and more expensive without any benefits. USB-C–to–DisplayPort adapters The, and are identical to one another and work as well as our top pick—they just lack the clip that locks the DisplayPort plug in place. Don’t hesitate to get one of these if the price is particularly good or if our pick is out of stock. Works as well as our pick, but Monoprice’s shipping isn’t quite as convenient as purchasing from Amazon, especially not if you’re an Amazon Prime member. Is also a strong contender, but it is more expensive than our pick by a fair margin without any benefits.

China Type C Usb 3.1 To Vga Cable Adapter For Mac

USB-C–to–DVI is just a bit shorter than our pick, but it otherwise works as well. Is more expensive than our pick without performing any differently, and it has a large plastic collar around the cable that makes it less convenient to take with you. USB-C–to–VGA The and (currently unavailable) both lack screw holes to hold the attached cable in place. It’s a small fault, but considering that everything else performed just as well, it’s enough to knock these cables out of the running. The, and are all functionally equivalent to our pick, but they cost more and offer no advantages.

The worked well in our testing, but enough customer reviews cite failure over time that we don’t feel comfortable recommending this adapter. The performs as well as our adapter pick, but it’s a little more expensive when you factor in shipping. The costs the same as our pick and works just as well, but doesn’t have as many customer reviews to back it up.

China Type C Usb 3.1 To Vga Cable Adapter For Macbook Air

Reported the proper resolution and refresh rate in our testing, but the image on the display looked fuzzy and the laptop screen blacked out during some of our tests. Further reading.