And the OP's computer only has TB2 ports. Yes, you can connect TB2 devices to a computer having TB3 ports (via adaptors). I use Firewire 800, Ethernet, Thunderbolt 1 and 2 with adaptors, whether external add-ons or built into the dock. Thunderbolt 2 is usable with Thunderbolt 3 with an adaptor. Was already mentioned (see bold text above), won't help anybody who only has TB2 ports on their computer, as it is the case for the OP.
I'm planning on upgrading to a new MacBook Pro with USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 and will get the dock, too. I travel to various client offices, so want the ability to quickly unplug-replug with the minimum of cables. I use it with a 2012 15" MacBook Pro Retina, a G-Tech Thunderbolt 3 RAID, a couple of LaCie Firewire 800 and Thunderbolt 2 hard drives, external monitor, keyboard, trackball, Ethernet for an 11x17 LaserJet printer. I have a Thunderbolt 1 dock from them and it's excellent. It will also power and charge up a new MacBook with USB-C/Thunderbolt 3. OWC makes a Thunderbolt-3 dock with an SD Card reader in the front panel. I just googled for comparisons of TB2 docks and in the handful of articles that compared various TB2 docks, none of the docks had an SD card slot. I'm pretty sure these were A/C-powered docks the expectation being that you'd use them for attaching and detaching your "stay at home" peripherals not for adding SDxC slots on the road. There were several Thunderbolt 2 docks, aimed at Mac owners, that had SDxC readers, back in the (not long gone) days when rMBPs still had SDxC slots. That is because Apple discontinued SD card readers on a number of their products. Incidentally, two of the announced TB3 docks have SD carders, showing how much these docks are directly at MBP users, given that the MBPs with TB3 have lost their SD card slot.
Except for the fact that it appears that no TB2 dock with SD card reader exists. In principle, a TB2 dock with SD card reader would be such an insanely-expensive-for-absolutely-no-benefit SD card reader. If anything bottlenecks you, it is likely to be the speed of the HDD to which you are copying the files, or, perhaps, overhead within the GUI/filesystem/OS. A fast SDXC card might be rated for a maximum read speed of 95 MB/s. USB 3.0 has a nominal bandwidth of 5 Gb/s (625 MB/s).
I don't think any SD cards are fast enough to hit the USB3 ceiling so Thunderbolt 2 will not download any faster. A USB 3.0 only version of the hub that supported the same modules was $54. The hub appeared to be (educated guess) using Thunderbolt to add one or more external USB 3.0 ports. It was a $200 hub to which you could add up to four $25 – $35 card reader modules.Īll indications were that the modules were USB-only. There is at least one card reader with Thunderbolt connections – not counting some of the general-purpose Thunderbolt hubs that add many kinds of ports.
Does anyone know if there's an SDHC card reader with Thunderbolt 2 connections or if I am SOL and have to make due with USB 3 until I upgrade to a MBP with Thunderbolt 3/USB-C?