My 2013 MacBook Pro Retina has outlasted three newer laptops in my house, mostly because I refuse to retire a machine that still types beautifully and runs my writing apps without complaint. The catch is that every modern accessory expects USB-C or Thunderbolt 3, while the 2013 model has Thunderbolt 2 and USB 3.0. Dongles bridge that gap, and after years of trying cheap ones that died or never worked, I have settled on a small set of reliable adapters.
I evaluated each dongle on actual data throughput, build quality, and whether it played nicely with the Mac after sleep cycles. Here is what I now keep in my travel bag.
Quick Comparison
| Product | Price | Best For | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple Thunderbolt to Gigabit Ethernet Adapter | $29 | Hotel wired internet | 4.7/5 |
| Anker USB-A to HDMI Adapter | $39 | Extra external display | 4.5/5 |
| Sabrent Thunderbolt 2 to USB-C Adapter | $49 | Modern USB-C drives | 4.4/5 |
| Anker USB 3.0 SD Card Reader | $19 | Camera card imports | 4.6/5 |
| Apple Mini DisplayPort to HDMI Adapter | $34 | Reliable presentation output | 4.5/5 |
1. Apple Thunderbolt to Gigabit Ethernet Adapter - Best Overall
Hotel and conference WiFi is still terrible in 2026, and a wired connection bails me out every trip. This first-party Apple adapter pulls full gigabit speeds, never needs drivers, and survives years of bag tossing. Mine has lasted nine years now and shows no sign of giving up.
2. Anker USB-A to HDMI Adapter - Best for Extra Display
The 2013 MacBook Pro has limited display outputs, but Anker’s USB display adapter (using DisplayLink drivers) extends to a third screen reliably. Resolution maxes at 1080p which is fine for spreadsheets and reference docs. The driver is stable on macOS Catalina and below; newer macOS versions through patchers may need DisplayLink’s latest beta.
3. Sabrent Thunderbolt 2 to USB-C Adapter - Best for Modern Drives
When my external SSDs all switched to USB-C, this adapter saved me from buying new drives. It delivers Thunderbolt 2 speeds to USB-C devices and lets me chain a modern external SSD to the old Mac at faster-than-USB-3 throughput. Watch the cable length; the short stub keeps things tidy on a desk.
4. Anker USB 3.0 SD Card Reader - Best for Photographers
The Anker SD reader hits real USB 3.0 speeds, which matters when offloading 64 GB of camera card per shoot. The small form factor tucks into a side pocket of my camera bag, and it includes a microSD slot for drone footage cards. Construction is solid and I have never had a card hang on this reader.
5. Apple Mini DisplayPort to HDMI Adapter - Best for Presentations
When I give talks, having a dead-simple Mini DisplayPort to HDMI cable in my bag means I can plug into any conference projector. Apple’s first-party adapter has the best handshake reliability I’ve found; cheaper ones occasionally fail to detect the projector and force a reboot mid-talk.
What Matters Most
For a 2013 MacBook Pro, the port mix is Thunderbolt 2 (mini DisplayPort form factor), USB 3.0 type A, HDMI, and SDXC. Buy dongles that match those ports natively rather than chaining multiple adapters. First-party Apple adapters are pricier but reliably wake from sleep, which budget USB display adapters sometimes won’t. Avoid dongles requiring drivers from sketchy manufacturers, because they will break on the next macOS update.
My Setup
I keep the Apple Ethernet adapter, the Anker SD reader, and the Mini DisplayPort to HDMI cable in a small zipper pouch that lives in my MacBook bag. The Sabrent Thunderbolt to USB-C adapter stays on my desk so my main external SSD can keep its modern cable. Total cost of the kit is under $200 and it has kept my 2013 MacBook Pro fully functional for nine years now.
Common Mistakes
The biggest mistake is buying generic Thunderbolt adapters that turn out to be Mini DisplayPort only. They look identical but lack the Thunderbolt data lanes. Always confirm “Thunderbolt 2” in the listing before buying. Another mistake is daisy chaining multiple dongles into a fragile tower that breaks on the first travel bump. Get the right single adapter for each use case.
Final Recommendation
For most 2013 MacBook Pro users, the Apple Thunderbolt to Gigabit Ethernet adapter and a good Mini DisplayPort to HDMI cable cover 80 percent of real-world needs. Add the Anker SD reader if you shoot photos, and the Sabrent Thunderbolt to USB-C adapter if you’ve already upgraded your external storage. With these dongles in a pouch, this old machine continues to earn its keep.
Frequently asked questions
Does a 2013 MacBook Pro support modern USB-C accessories?+
Not directly because the ports are Thunderbolt 2 and USB 3.0; you need a Thunderbolt-to-USB-C adapter to use most modern accessories.
Will macOS Big Sur or later support 2013 MacBook Pros?+
Officially Apple stopped supporting most 2013 models after macOS Big Sur, but OpenCore Legacy Patcher keeps them on newer macOS for users who want to push it.