The TS3 Plus had just an SD card reader, while the TS$ has both SD and microSD slots.Īnd the dock’s 98W charging is a big plus for owners of larger-screen laptops the TS3 Plus had an impressive but still lighter 87W max charging power. That said, everyone will benefit from the TS4’s more numerous, faster and more powerful USB ports, and, if they have the right setup, the 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet too. Apple’s TB3 MacBooks already include most (but not all) of the TB4 benefits see above. Windows TB3 owners might do better upgrading their laptop to a fully certified TB4 computer if their current TB3 PC is feature limited, as some are. So Windows users with a TB3 laptop might be better off with a TB4 computer, while Mac users have most of the basic benefits already.Īlthough TB4 is backwards compatible, Thunderbolt 3 MacBook or Windows users have no obvious need to upgrade as they won’t benefit from Thunderbolt 4’s smarter features. To label a computer Thunderbolt 4 or USB4 compatible, manufacturers have to follow all the rules. It might, for example, not even reach the maximum 40Gbps bandwidth or not support dual displays. Manufacturers of Windows computers, on the other hand, could pick and choose which features they liked, so you had to check your specifications to see what benefits had been bestowed on your machine. Thunderbolt 4 compatibilityĪside from the extra ports, power and about a centimetre in height, the main difference between the TS3 Plus and the TS4 is the inclusion of the latest certified Thunderbolt 4 technology.įor Apple users, the differences between TB3 and TB4 are fewer because Apple always gave them everything that TB3 could offer.

It’s neither sleek nor shiny-it is grilled to aid heat dissipation-but it has functional beauty. Aside from that, the TS4 continues the handsome looks of the TS3 Plus.

Thunderbolt 4 to hdmi cable