With the introduction of the iPhone 15 (Plus) and iPhone 15 Pro (Max), Apple has finally started the complete transition to USB-C and Thunderbolt. At least for some devices, because the new accessories for iMac still have a Lightning connector.
USB-C is a universal connection standard for connecting electronic devices. It is a small, reversible and versatile port that supports both data transfer and power supply. In addition to USB-C, you also have Thunderbolt, which is the same connection, but with different specifications. We list the differences for you.
Differences between USB-C and Thunderbolt
USB-C and Thunderbolt are both universal connectors with the same connection. The difference lies in the speed and possibilities. Below we list the details for you.
- Speed ​​and Bandwidth: Thunderbolt offers significantly higher speeds and bandwidth than USB-C. Thunderbolt 3 and Thunderbolt 4 can transfer data at speeds up to 40 Gbps, while USB-C has slower speeds, typically down to 10 Gbps for USB 3.1 Gen 2 or earlier.
- Compatibility: USB-C is widespread and compatible with many different devices and accessories, while Thunderbolt is less common and mainly used in specific applications such as high-end laptops and professional peripherals.
- Power supply: USB-C supports power delivery, allowing you to charge devices using the same cable. Thunderbolt 3 also supports power delivery and can charge even more powerful devices thanks to its higher wattage support. This allows for super-fast charging.

- Daisy Chaining: Thunderbolt offers the ability to daisy-chain devices, meaning you can connect multiple devices to a single Thunderbolt port, while USB-C does not support this natively.
- Connecting external devices: You can easily connect external devices such as an external hard drive or screen to a USB-C port. However, the possibilities and performance are limited. For example, you can connect two external 6K screens to a Thunderbolt 4 port at the same time, while USB-C is limited to one screen.
- Price: Thunderbolt devices and cables are often more expensive than their USB-C counterparts due to the advanced features and performance they offer.
Thunderbolt for Apple products
Apple’s product range is divided into USB-C products with a USB 2, USB 3.1 Gen 1, USB 3.1 Gen 2 port or Thunderbolt 3/4 with speeds up to 40 Gbps. Especially the high-end devices like the MacBook Pro support Thunderbolt, while the iPad has USB-C. An overview:
Products with USB 2 USB-C port
up to 480 Mb/s
- iPhone 15 or later
- iPhone 15 Plus or later
Products with USB 3.1 USB-C port
up to 10 Gb/s
- iPhone 15 Pro or later
- iPhone 15 Pro Max or later
- iPad 10th generation or later
- iPad Air 4th generation or later
- iPad mini 6th generation or later
- 11-inch iPad Pro 1st and 2nd generation
- 12.9-inch iPad Pro 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th generation
- 12-inch MacBook

Products with Thunderbolt 3 or 4
up to 40 Gb/s
- 11-inch iPad Pro 3rd generation or later
- 12.9-inch iPad Pro 5th generation or later
- 13-inch MacBook Pro from 2016 or later
- 15-inch MacBook Pro from 2016 or later
- 16-inch MacBook Pro from 2021 or later
- 13-inch MacBook Air from 2018 or later
- iMac from 2017 or later
- 24-inch iMac
- iMac Pro
- Mac mini from 2018 or later
- Mac Pro from 2019 or later
- Mac Studio from 2022 or later
- Pro Display XDR from 2019
- Studio Display from 2022
Check your Apple product documentation to see what speeds and version the USB port has. This can be done via this specification page from Apple or via this handy ports overview for Mac.