How to Maximize Your Thunderbolt Peripherals' Performance on a Mac

Prior to the introduction of Thunderbolt 4 hubs, connecting multiple devices per Thunderbolt port was only possible by daisy-chaining them. However, with the advent of these hubs, you can now connect more peripherals and experience faster data transfer speeds.

Thunderbolt not only supports high-speed data transfer but also DisplayPort 1.4 video. This means that when multiple devices are connected to a single Thunderbolt port, the bus may become congested. In this case, the total data transfer speed is limited by the upstream connection to your Mac.

For example, if you have a Mac with three Thunderbolt ports and each of them supports up to 32 Gb/s data transfer, only one port can connect to the host Mac. This means that the maximum data transfer speed from devices connected to those ports cannot exceed 32 Gb/s.

In contrast, Apple's latest Macs, such as the Mac Studio M1 Max, have four Thunderbolt ports with their own buses and 32 Gb/s data transfer speeds for each pair of ports. This means you can connect multiple fast SSDs to these ports without experiencing any slowdowns.

To check your Mac's hardware specifications, including its Thunderbolt/USB4 capabilities, head to the System Information section on your computer.

As you accumulate more peripherals and devices, proper planning becomes essential to ensure that they deliver optimal performance. Among all external buses used to connect peripherals to Macs, Thunderbolt is the fastest and most reliable option, making it an ideal choice for demanding applications.

By understanding how to effectively use Thunderbolt hubs with your Mac, you can unlock the full potential of your peripherals and enjoy faster data transfer speeds and improved overall system performance.

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