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I think all Mac users can agree: Thunderbolt is both fast and flexible. Not only is it capable of 10 Gbps of bi-directional throughput on each of the dual channels in its original form and 20 Gbps. This one-way adapter (you can't use it to convert a Mac FireWire interface to Thunderbolt) supports a FireWire 800 attachment; you can then use a FireWire 800-to-FireWire 400 conversion cable to.
The main difference between FireWire and Thunderbolt is that Thunderbolt provides a higher data transferring rate than FireWire.
FireWire and USB are standard interfaces to establish communication between electronic devices. FireWire provides a data transferring rate of 400 to 800 Mbps. On the other hand, Thunderbolt provides a data transferring rate of 10Gbps. It is around 12 times faster than FireWire 800 version. Therefore, Thunderbolt is faster and performs better than FireWire.
Key Areas Covered
1. What is FireWire
– Definition, Features
2. What is Thunderbolt
– Definition, Features
3. What is the Difference Between FireWire and Thunderbolt
– Comparison of Key Differences
– Definition, Features
2. What is Thunderbolt
– Definition, Features
3. What is the Difference Between FireWire and Thunderbolt
– Comparison of Key Differences
Key Terms
FireWire, Thunderbolt, USB
What is FireWire
FireWire is an interface that allows high-speed communication and data transferring among devices. It is the Apple version of the IEEE 1394 standard. There are two types in FireWire as FireWire 400 (IEEE 1394a) and FireWire 800 (IEEE 1394b). FireWire 400 provides a data transfer rate up to 400 Mbps, and it is a 6 pin connector. FireWire 800 provides a data transfer rate up to 800Mbps, and it is a 9 pin connector. There are future versions such as FireWire 1600 and 3200 that can support much faster speeds.
FireWire provides multiple advantages. It has thin serial cables. Moreover, it is possible to connect devices together without terminators or complicated setup requirements. Most importantly, it builds the pathway to connect peripherals such as external hard drives, video cameras, audio interfaces, etc.
What is Thunderbolt
Thunderbolt is an interface to connect external devices to a computer. It combines PCI Express and Display port into two serial signals. Therefore, it supports both data devices and displays with high resolutions. Thunderbolt provides a data transferring rate of 10Gbps in both directions. It is a higher rate compared to FireWire. Also, this interface is capable of supporting eight 720p video streams at the same time.
Thunderbolt provides power to connected devices. In other words, it is possible to power an external device that requires 10 watts or less power. Moreover, we can connect multiple devices to one Thunderbolt port in sequence. Thus, it is also called daisy chaining.
Difference Between FireWire and Thunderbolt
Definition
FireWire is Apple version of a standard, IEEE 1394, high-performance serial bus for connecting devices to personal computers. Thunderbolt, on the other hand, is a hardware interface that allows the connection of external peripherals to a computer. Thus, this is the fundamental difference between FireWire and Thunderbolt.
Designer
Apple Inc. is the designer of FireWire while Intel and Apple are the designers of FireWire.
Thunderbolt 2 To Firewire 400
Speed
Speed is the main difference between FireWire and Thunderbolt. That is; the FireWire provides 400-800 Mbps data transferring speed whereas the Thunderbolt provides 10Gbps data transferring rate.
Daisy Chain
Also, it is possible to daisy chain up to 63 devices in FireWire. However, it is possible to daisy chain up to 6 devices in Thunderbolt. Hence, this is a difference between FireWire and Thunderbolt.
Maximum Voltage
Moreover, one important difference between FireWire and Thunderbolt is that the maximum voltage of FireWire is 30V and the maximum voltage of Thunderbolt is 18V.
Maximum Current
Maximum current is also an important difference between FireWire and Thunderbolt. The maximum current of FireWire is 1.5A while the maximum current Thunderbolt is 0.55A.
Popularity
FireWire is more commonly used than Thunderbolt.
Conclusion
FireWire and Thunderbolt are interfaces to allow communication between electronic devices. The main difference between FireWire and Thunderbolt is that the Thunderbolt provides higher data transferring rate than FireWire.
Reference:
1. “IEEE 1394.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 31 Dec. 2018, Available here.
2. “Thunderbolt (Interface).” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 17 Jan. 2019, Available here.
3. “Firewire.” P2P (Peer To Peer) Definition, Available here.
4. “Thunderbolt.” P2P (Peer To Peer) Definition, Available here.
2. “Thunderbolt (Interface).” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 17 Jan. 2019, Available here.
3. “Firewire.” P2P (Peer To Peer) Definition, Available here.
4. “Thunderbolt.” P2P (Peer To Peer) Definition, Available here.
Image Courtesy:
1. “FireWire cables” By Mikkel Paulson – Own work (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Thunderbolt 3 interface USB-C ports” By Amin – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Thunderbolt 3 interface USB-C ports” By Amin – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia
This article refers to Thunderbolt 1 and Thunderbolt 2. You can learn more about Thunderbolt 3 and the Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter for MacBook Pro (2016 and later) and iMac (2017).
Thunderbolt adapters are supported on the following Mac computers:
- MacBook Pro (2011 through 2015)
- MacBook Air (Mid 2011 and later)
- Mac mini (Mid 2011 and later)
- iMac (Mid 2011 through 2015)
- Mac Pro (Late 2013)
Use these guides to identify your Mac computer:
Apple Thunderbolt cable (0.5 m)
Part Number MD862ZM/A
Part Number MD862ZM/A
Apple Thunderbolt cable (0.5 m)
Part Number MF640ZM/A
Part Number MF640ZM/A
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Apple Thunderbolt cable (2 m)
Part Number MC913ZM/A
Part Number MC913ZM/A
Apple Thunderbolt cable (2 m)
Part Number MF639ZM/A
Part Number MF639ZM/A
Thunderbolt to Gigabit Ethernet Adapter
Part Number MD463ZM/A
Part Number MD463ZM/A
Thunderbolt to FireWire Adapter
Part Number MD464ZM/A
Part Number MD464ZM/A
Learn more
Thunderbolt 2 To Firewire
For best performance, make sure that you've installed all available macOS software and firmware updates. You can check by choosing App Store from the Apple () menu, then clicking Updates.
Apple Thunderbolt To Firewire 800
Get more information on Thunderbolt and Apple Thunderbolt cables and adapters: