Thunderbolt 2 in T7910 worth it?

Question

I have the GPIE cable, but not the Thunderbolt 2 PCIE card. As I understand it, Thunderbolt 3 requires mobo support, and the T7910 doesn't have it, so TB2 is it.

I'm happy with my machine as is (I used a 2080 Ti for graphics and use a displayport cable).

The only thing I can think of where it would be useful would be if I got a TB2 hub to plug my T7910 in, and my laptop (which has a mini TB2) and then I could more easily soft-switch to my laptop. (Is that a thing?)

The main question is whether installing the PCIe card would be worth it.

It may be moot: the card has to install in a specific slot and my graphics card might obscure that slot. But from the standpoint of a curious monkey, what are the TB2 benefits that would drive installing the card? Thanks.

Chino de Oro · Accepted Answer

Hello @WizardOfBoz2 , thunderbolt 2 offers high resolution display and high performance data transfer. Which you already have both in your T7910 so it is not worth it to upgrade.

Your graphics card is capable of multi-display at very high resolutions. Your Ultra-Speed drive is capable of very fast data transfer speed (got the info from your other post). So the benefit of a thunderbolt 2 is not worthy in your case.

WizardOfBoz2 · Answer

Thanks, that's what I figured but it's nice to be certain. I just reinstalled Win 10 and Ubuntu 22.04 and I must say that the thing is working really great.

drhardlove · Answer

I have decided to buy and install the TB2 card because I use a sound card series from MOTU pro, that either connect via usb2 or tb2. I expect to get better transfer results with TB2.

I've read and seen the installation video instructions, many times, but I am a bit confused about what the display port to TB cable does between the graphic card and the TB2 card.

Anybody knows? I am mostly interested in sound production through my Dell.

Why would one connect TB to the graphic card?

Will this tb 2 work with my soundcard, without connecting the graphic card?

I have read that the add on tb2 card, don't work in Ubuntu. But I am on Win10 so that is no issue for me.

Thanks. 🙏

Chino de Oro · Answer

Re: Why would one connect TB to the graphic card?

When you connect graphics card to thunderbolt card, you have enable the thunderbolt card with ability to output one thunderbolt cable can carry both of video signals and data.

On newer systems with thunderbolt 3/4, one USB-C thunderbolt cable can carry video signals, high speed data, and power delivery.

drhardlove · Answer

Thank you very much Chino de Oro.

I guess what is confusing me is that in this short video, the thundebolt port is used only for the graphic card. In the end of the video they connect it. There is no other tb port available.

Are you saying that one can add a tb hub to use it for both graphics and data, or should one choose either or? And by this avoid connecting the graphic card, if one want to use the tb card for other data?

Sorry that I am probably asking about something very obvious here, but I don't know much about Tb at all, and the 7910 is the absolute first generation Dell computers to offer it, so I got scared that it might only support Graphic cards.

They also say that one should install the thunderbolt software before connecting the card. I guess that is only the driver software?

Thanks for your patience.

Regards

Kay 🙏

Chino de Oro · Answer

Not sure of which video or who's they you are referring to and I did not say anything about adding a hub. But, am going to repeat the answer with a clearer example.

Say, if you connected the thunderbolt 2 add-in card to your workstation without connecting the displayport to your video card, you will have one thunderbolt 2 output port (mini-displayport) for data only. Example, you can connect your workstation to external thunderbolt drive for fast transfer speed.

Now, if you connected the thunderbolt 2 displayport to your graphics card, your thunderbolt card still has only one thunderbolt output port but that port will have both of video signals and fast data capability. Example, you can connect it to a Dell monitor with built-in USB hub and the monitor can receive video signals for display and all downstream USB ports on the monitor will work because the upstream USB has been connected to your PC through the thunderbolt cable.

Note that newer thunderbolt port has USB-C connector instead of mini-displayport. You will have to use proper adapter cable for connecting to devices.

Precision Fixed Workstations

Thunderbolt 2 in T7910 worth it?

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