USB to Thunderbolt cable

[Deleted User]

interstellaflyer said:

I have a late 2013 iMac and it's currently running on an external SSD in and enclosure via a USB port, it's running fine but is a bit slower to boot up than I feel it should be, I've be lead to believe that using a Thunderbolt port might be more efficient and it would certainly please my daughter as it would free up a USB port.   Anyway does anyone know where I can get a USB to Thunderbolt cable as all my searches just bring up USB to USB C and Thunderbolt to Thunderbolt? 

Even if you can find a Thunderbolt (v1/2) to USB convertor, you won't find it any faster because the interface will still only be running at USB speeds rather than Thunderbolt. USB 3.0 is about 5 Gbps vs Thunderbolt v1/v2 at 10-20 Gbps. Your hard drive is probably a SATA interface running at 6 Gbps anyway - not much more than USB 3.0.

They are also terribly expensive - here is an example or two:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/DeLOCK-Thunderbolt-Adaptor-USB-3-0/dp/B0189KUMKU

https://www.amazon.co.uk/StarTech-com-TB2USB3GE-Thunderbolt-Gigabit-Ethernet-Silver/dp/B00PY194CK/

There is a license fee to Intel for Thunderbolt devices so they usually are more expensive than you expect.

What you really need is a Thunderbolt drive enclosure instead to reap the benefits of the speed of the Thunderbolt interface, unfortunately these are hard to find for Thunderbolt version 1 & 2 and typically are expensive multi-bay units costs a couple of hundred quid - I can't find any online at all at the moment but would expect to be paying £100+ anyway for one. I don't think anybody is making them now as Thunderbolt 1/2 is obsolete now anyway.

I'd recommend putting up with the external SSD speeds and just buy a cheap USB 3.0 hub to increase the number of ports for all other devices and save your money for a new iMac in the future.

interstellaflyer

[Deleted User] said:

interstellaflyer said:

I have a late 2013 iMac and it's currently running on an external SSD in and enclosure via a USB port, it's running fine but is a bit slower to boot up than I feel it should be, I've be lead to believe that using a Thunderbolt port might be more efficient and it would certainly please my daughter as it would free up a USB port.   Anyway does anyone know where I can get a USB to Thunderbolt cable as all my searches just bring up USB to USB C and Thunderbolt to Thunderbolt? 

Even if you can find a Thunderbolt (v1/2) to USB convertor, you won't find it any faster because the interface will still only be running at USB speeds rather than Thunderbolt. USB 3.0 is about 5 Gbps vs Thunderbolt v1/v2 at 10-20 Gbps. Your hard drive is probably a SATA interface running at 6 Gbps anyway - not much more than USB 3.0.

They are also terribly expensive - here is an example or two:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/DeLOCK-Thunderbolt-Adaptor-USB-3-0/dp/B0189KUMKU

https://www.amazon.co.uk/StarTech-com-TB2USB3GE-Thunderbolt-Gigabit-Ethernet-Silver/dp/B00PY194CK/

There is a license fee to Intel for Thunderbolt devices so they usually are more expensive than you expect.

What you really need is a Thunderbolt drive enclosure instead to reap the benefits of the speed of the Thunderbolt interface, unfortunately these are hard to find for Thunderbolt version 1 & 2 and typically are expensive multi-bay units costs a couple of hundred quid - I can't find any online at all at the moment but would expect to be paying £100+ anyway for one. I don't think anybody is making them now as Thunderbolt 1/2 is obsolete now anyway.

I'd recommend putting up with the external SSD speeds and just buy a cheap USB 3.0 hub to increase the number of ports for all other devices and save your money for a new iMac in the future.

Thanks, I've now got an enclosure which is USB C and a USB to Thunderbolt lead to try.  I might be prepared to spend £100 but ideally the SSD should go inside and the faulty HDD removed,  unfortunately it's a bonded screen which has a small crack in it outside the viewing area, my worry is further damaging the screen, new ones are the best part of £300.

datostar

My late 2012 iMac which has the same port specs as your 2013 model is running off an external SSD (Samsung Extreme Portable not in an enclosure) and I'm entirely happy with its boot-up time which is at least 10 times faster that the awful 5400rpm internal HDD. I also have 3 Thunderbolt 2 drives (all Lacie) daisychained on one Thunderbolt port. Interestingly, they are slightly faster on a read and write test than the external SSD. I've no desire to try opening up my machine either.  I've never tried any of the Thunderbolts as a boot drive as I prefer the dedicated SSD.  If you can find a 1TB or so Thunderbolt 2 drive (used, perhaps) you might see some slight improvement. Personally, now that mine is regarded as an obsolete machine and can't be upgraded from Catalina I'll just run it into the ground with everything frequently backed up!

interstellaflyer

datostar said:

My late 2012 iMac which has the same port specs as your 2013 model is running off an external SSD (Samsung Extreme Portable not in an enclosure) and I'm entirely happy with its boot-up time which is at least 10 times faster that the awful 5400rpm internal HDD. I also have 3 Thunderbolt 2 drives (all Lacie) daisychained on one Thunderbolt port. Interestingly, they are slightly faster on a read and write test than the external SSD. I've no desire to try opening up my machine either.  I've never tried any of the Thunderbolts as a boot drive as I prefer the dedicated SSD.  If you can find a 1TB or so Thunderbolt 2 drive (used, perhaps) you might see some slight improvement. Personally, now that mine is regarded as an obsolete machine and can't be upgraded from Catalina I'll just run it into the ground with everything frequently backed up!

I couldn't get it to work in the end and if it wasn't for my daughter being a fan girl I'd sell it for spares or repairs as I have 2 home built Windows 10 desktops that out perform it for the sort of things we do.

datostar

Your Thunderbolt ports will only work with Thunderbolt devices, using a proper Thunderbolt cable.  USB-C ports as on current iMacs  have to be also internally connected to the Thunderbolt bus and are marked accordingly.  See the new M1 iMac which comes with 4 USB-C ports, two of which have the Thunderbolt logo and are dual purpose. The other 2 only work with USB devices.