What is a TB 3/4 port? Either it's a thunderbolt 3 port which is backward compatible with thunderbolt 2 regardless of the bios. Or it is a thunderbolt 4 port which only support thunderbolt 2 with thunderbolt firmware 31 or lower.
Thunderbolt 4 is of course backward compatible with thunderbolt 3 regardless of the bios/thunderbolt firmware.

 

Last edited: Jun 25, 2024

hmmm. but they will with my Mac right?

 

Yes all Mac's that has thunderbolt 4 will work with thunderbolt 2 devices because Intel did not implement the firmware restrictions on Mac. Or something along those lines.....

As a golden rule if you wanna buy new hardware for Windows and have thunderbolt 2 devices buy Asus motherboards. Even though I like Intel as a company they should be slapped by a class action lawsuit regarding this matter. And be forced to make a thunderbolt firmware downgrade tool.

 

Last edited: Jun 24, 2024

That's kinda the buried lede here though isn't it? as not really being mentioned here though to any degree if it's relevant but...

That the intel kernel, and/or whatever OS being run on it, has been found to be compromised on a security level? And on the other side of that garden, that the Apple one, and macOS 'is' due to their (granted, and again, I'm not fanboi, 'helicopter mom' nannying over their) ecosystem?

Or is that incorrect?

(and I'm not asking rhetorically, as I don't know...)

 

True that. I love my RME, but this is POS marketing to conceal real objectives of lowering costs is downright a POS move. Much like apple ditching headphones and chargers in the new iphones stating that the reason is to protect the environment and saying that everyone already has a charger at home - meanwhile the cable that comes with the phone is lightning to usbC and the old chargers are all usb A. Motherf... you either have to buy a new cable or a new charger. and how about someone's first phone? meanwhile, the chargers that used to ship "free" with the phones probably cost apple 1€ but they sell it to you on the side in their store for 30€. Meaning that they saved 1€ and created a new revenue of 30€ a pop for phone chargers (its probably more than 30€ at this point. i stopped buying the iphone every two years after the 13 pro. don't think that after the X there has been a real need to upgrade save for camera maybe...) obviously every company went after them. If apple can swing it - and it can because of the fanboys, then everybody else can.
apple claiming that they think of music first and foremost and ditching audio jacks for bluetooth with the inherent latency they introduce is just playing musicians for fools.
It's the same with hotels saying that you should use the towels two days in a row because it's better for the environment. While that is true, it's just a good collateral effect for what they aim which is to reduce their own costs - NOW, if they did shift that cost cut to the costumer, then maybe I could be on board. Use the towel for two days in a row and we don't charge as much on the second day. the environment wins and you too. ok. nice. same with apple. i haven't got a problem with apple, but i do have a problem when these POS companies lie to my face like that. good guys my ass. win is the same. they just don't have them fanboys jumping and applauding when they finally introduce something the other team has been using for years. like apple patting themselves on the back and doing circles around themselves for introducing type c connectors in their phones. they even used that as a selling point in their last apple thing, when everybody knows this was mandated in court by the EU. shame shame shame. Although I understand that it is something to use as a valid selling point to a fanboy or a martian that didn't follow the news of late. like their motto "it just works". right, I have an iphone and i know how it goes. you can find the same unanswered complaints about known issues wither in apple forums as you can in microsoft ones. just works my a$$. in a way, it's not that i have a problem with apple. what i do have a problem with is the way they want to make you believe they are in the right and people just eat that up. they have amazing computers. yea. that's true. but i've heard the fans of their supposedly super silent computers going crazy just like the windows machines. just don't come lying to our faces.

 

bios updates are good yeah, just make sure the brand of computer you buy keeps releasing them. As much as I loved my zenbook pro, during the 8 years it served me like a champ, Asus only released one single bios update. graphics drivers updates and whatnot never received anything after the first year the laptop was released. the usb fast charger stopped working after 2 years and they never fixed that driver. in fact, having installed the Asus live update is a pure joke. you ain't getting nothing from that. like buying a hisense tv: updates? never. meanwhile the samsung one keeps updating firmware now and again...

 

I understand you are on a rant here and all, but don't go bringing the fans in on this with my Mac MBP...

They've come on once or twice (and I was trying them with something...and even pushing the unit, they don't kick in) but the one or two times they have, I could barely hear them....

I'm sure they will come on more in the future. But they ain't no problem right now.

And I'm not lying to you.

 

Last edited: Jun 25, 2024

I know mac's noise fan is amazing, but it's not non existing. i've worked with quite a few models and depending on the session there was some serious noise fan going on. not windows laptop levels, but still..

 

Oh yeah, my old 4,1's and 5'1 that have been recently semi retired, can be leaf blowers, and my older intel laptops were hair dryers at times absolutely.

I just haven't had a problem with my new one... at all...yet. I'm sure it will start kicking in more and more as I decide to keep throwing more at it. (the 'stress' tests I have done I'm not sure are completely indicative of some workflow).... but as of now I would record acoustic guitar or delicate vocals with it 3 feet away kinda thing... and I'm not used to that.. .

the 3nm chips and whatnot, well one would think they would " present some challenges, such as increased power density, heat generation" etc... but it runs pretty cool 'so far'.. but waiting for the other shoe to fall..

 

it's a similar story as when motherboard BIOS updates "patched" Spectre & Meltdown security vulnerabilities of Intel CPUs, which resulted in some undesired performance loss

 

Been at this 45 years now both professionally and now just for enjoyment. I’ve used the EMU 1616m PCIe version for many years now in my main room .. no noticeable latency or stability yes, but I also have 2 RME Babyface Pro (FS and non FS) I use in other rooms here, and I also have no noticeable latency or stability issues with them either, lastly also have not the brand new .. but previous generation Apogee Duet in another room .. no noticeable latency or stability issues with it either. They all sound excellent, are faster than my ears or fingers on fast piano passages can discern. I bought the first RME for iPad use several years ago, and I liked it so much I recently bought the newer FS version for a Z790 box I built last fall which does have 2 Thunderbolt 4 ports .. but don’t need em. If it works .....................