Compatibility - new Macbook air, old thunderbolt display, powercord and VGA

[EricaV]

I'm thinking about going from an early 2015 Macbook pro R to a new Macbook air but want to check out how adaptable it would all be with old displays and power cords. The deal breaker would be that I want to use my old Thunderbolt displays - (one at a time) and a VGA display (one at a time) with the new Macbook air. I see that there is an adapter but the thunderbolt port that comes out of my displays is a male that goes into the laptop and I can't tell if the adapter will work with that (it also looks like a male).

Also- is there any way to adapt the old power cords ? I use my 2015 MBP at 3 locations so I want to anticipate if I what adapters I would have to upgrade or assess ahead of time if I would be out of luck with compatibility.

Finally- I do have a thunderbolt Adapter on the VGA display that works fine, coudl I put an additional adapter on that for the new Macbook Air ?

Any help appreciated !!

 

[jdb8167]

I'm thinking about going from an early 2015 Macbook pro R to a new Macbook air but want to check out how adaptable it would all be with old displays and power cords. The deal breaker would be that I want to use my old Thunderbolt displays - (one at a time) and a VGA display (one at a time) with the new Macbook air. I see that there is an adapter but the thunderbolt port that comes out of my displays is a male that goes into the laptop and I can't tell if the adapter will work with that (it also looks like a male).

Also- is there any way to adapt the old power cords ? I use my 2015 MBP at 3 locations so I want to anticipate if I what adapters I would have to upgrade or assess ahead of time if I would be out of luck with compatibility.

Finally- I do have a thunderbolt Adapter on the VGA display that works fine, coudl I put an additional adapter on that for the new Macbook Air ?

Any help appreciated !!

Apple's Thunderbolt 2 to Thunderbolt 3 adapter is bi-directional. I haven't used it on an Apple silicon Mac to Thunderbolt Display since my M1 MacBook Air 3 years ago but it worked fine. I no longer have the TB Display. I have used the TB2->TB3 adapter when connecting my M2 MBA to my 2013 Mac Pro and it also works for that.

Apple used to make a VGA adapter but that was years ago. For VGA you are probably going to have to look on Amazon or something. Not many people still use VGA with Macs.

Edit: Apple actually has a USB-C to VGA adapter still for sale.

Edit 2: If by power cord you mean a MagSafe 2 adapter from 2015 then no, that will not work. I think the 2015 could charge with USB-C though I don't remember clearly.

 

[EricaV]

Thank you ! Great to know that adapter is bidirectional. If it works with the Thunderbolt display I wonder if it might work with the VGA, I already have a VGA to TB2 so maybe I can just put a TB3 adapter on the VGA to TB2. Would love to know if anyone has tried it- I'm not in this office much and would rather not have to buy another monitor.

Any way to adapt the old powercords or would I have to just buy new ones.... Apple makes them so expensive.

 

[jdb8167]

Thank you ! Great to know that adapter is bidirectional. If it works with the Thunderbolt display I wonder if it might work with the VGA, I already have a VGA to TB2 so maybe I can just put a TB3 adapter on the VGA to TB2. Would love to know if anyone has tried it- I'm not in this office much and would rather not have to buy another monitor.

Any way to adapt the old powercords or would I have to just buy new ones.... Apple makes them so expensive.

Just updated/edited my post.

 

[Bigwaff]

Any way to adapt the old powercords or would I have to just buy new ones

I've used this brand adapter in the past to charge my 2019 MBP w/ my TBD

Elecjet Powercells

elecjet.com

There are many brands.. probably all the same manufacturer w/ different labels. These do get hot, especially when the laptop starts to draw power and sometimes the devices outright fail, but they didn't seem to harm the battery. If you do go this route, purchase multiple ones, otherwise, you'll be stuck when it eventually burns out.

 

[EricaV]

I've used this brand adapter in the past to charge my 2019 MBP w/ my TBD

Elecjet Powercells

elecjet.com

There are many brands.. probably all the same manufacturer w/ different labels. These do get hot, especially when the laptop starts to draw power and sometimes the devices outright fail, but they didn't seem to harm the battery. If you do go this route, purchase multiple ones, otherwise, you'll be stuck when it eventually burns out.

Great info, thank you so much !!

 

[EricaV]

Apple's Thunderbolt 2 to Thunderbolt 3 adapter is bi-directional. I haven't used it on an Apple silicon Mac to Thunderbolt Display since my M1 MacBook Air 3 years ago but it worked fine. I no longer have the TB Display. I have used the TB2->TB3 adapter when connecting my M2 MBA to my 2013 Mac Pro and it also works for that.

Apple used to make a VGA adapter but that was years ago. For VGA you are probably going to have to look on Amazon or something. Not many people still use VGA with Macs.

Edit: Apple actually has a USB-C to VGA adapter still for sale.

Edit 2: If by power cord you mean a MagSafe 2 adapter from 2015 then no, that will not work. I think the 2015 could charge with USB-C though I don't remember clearly.

Thanks again- surprised there's a direct VGA adapter, but that's awesome...