Gigabyte Z690 Aero G + i5-12600K + AMD RX 6800 XT

[CaseySJ]

According to Apple" Specs for my 2021 M1 MBP:


So that tells me that Monterey supports TB 4 & USB 4.

Reference: https://www.apple.com/macbook-pro-14-and-16/specs/

On x86 version of macOS Monterey we see Thunderbolt/USB4. This whole nomenclature business with USB is no doubt the handiwork of a twisted clueless mongrel.

• Although Intel has given Thunderbolt to the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) to be added as a license free feature, there are some restrictions.
• Manufacturers who advertise USB4 can choose to include or exclude Thunderbolt. There is no license fee to include Thunderbolt, but there are additional costs for the chips/controllers involved.
• Thunderbolt in USB4 is based on Thunderbolt 3, not on Thunderbolt 4.
• Thunderbolt 4, however, includes all of USB4 -- but not the other way around.
• Manufacturers cannot use the word "Thunderbolt" without paying a license fee, but they can use the word "USB4" without a license fee.

Apple uses the term Thunderbolt/USB4. They are original co-developers of Thunderbolt so perhaps they're exempt from a license fee or they pay a lower fee. This isn't important. What's more relevant is that this phrase does not include Thunderbolt 4.

Because Thunderbolt 4 is different from USB4, a manufacturer would have to call it by its full name.

Apple Silicon Macs support Thunderbolt 4, but the controller is built into the M1 SoC and is probably modified/customized by Apple. The drivers (kexts) for that controller are not compatible with Intel's Maple Ridge. Nevertheless, macOS still recognizes Maple Ridge as a Thunderbolt device (device-id 0x3711) but attaches the Titan Ridge driver to it (device-id 0x15EA).

I was actually surprised to see Maple Ridge even being recognized. macOS does this by not taking the Device ID literally, but by using bit flags to determine which class of device this is and attaching a relatively cross-compatible driver.

 

[CaseySJ]

Wouldn't it work by connecting a dGPU output to the 'DP IN' port on the back panel? Is the OS even relevant to what video signal is passed through?
Of course, unless the monitor is Thunderbolt-only, there's absolutely no reason to do that rather than attaching directly the monitor to the dGPU…

This has me intrigued. Will actually try it on Z690 platform and report back.

 

[Stork]

Yes, just not by way of Maple Ridge. Right?

You guys are right. The only source I could find that talked about the chipset for TB4 my MBP is:

Both M1 Pro and M1 Max are loaded with advanced custom technologies...
Additional integrated Thunderbolt 4 controllers provide even more I/O bandwidth...

Reference: https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2021...the-most-powerful-chips-apple-has-ever-built/

That clears this Maple Ridge discussion for me: TB4/USB4 is built into the M1 Max & Pro processors. Consequently, we can only assume it's the same code as Intel uses in it's Maple Ridge chipset and is supported in Monterey.

Of course, if my olde age brain had thoroughly read @CaseySJ's post, then I wouldn't be having this discussion. Sigh...

 

[CaseySJ]

Wouldn't it work by connecting a dGPU output to the 'DP IN' port on the back panel? Is the OS even relevant to what video signal is passed through?
Of course, unless the monitor is Thunderbolt-only, there's absolutely no reason to do that rather than attaching directly the monitor to the dGPU…

This has me intrigued. Will actually try it on Z690 platform and report back.

@Sn0wMan,

@etorix is correct! On the Asus ProArt Z690-Creator I did the following:

• Connected DisplayPort cable from AMD RX 6800 XT to DisplayPort IN-1 on rear IO panel.
• Connected Belkin Thunderbolt 3 Dock Pro to Thunderbolt Port 1 on rear IO panel.
• Connected Asus 4K monitor to DisplayPort output on Belkin Dock.
• Works like a charm...

 

[Sn0wMan]

@Sn0wMan,

@etorix is correct! On the Asus ProArt Z690-Creator I did the following:

• Connected DisplayPort cable from AMD RX 6800 XT to DisplayPort IN-1 on rear IO panel.
• Connected Belkin Thunderbolt 3 Dock Pro to Thunderbolt Port 1 on rear IO panel.
• Connected Asus 4K monitor to DisplayPort output on Belkin Dock.
• Works like a charm...

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@CaseySJ Just tested, I think it is not working on Z690 Aero G.
I connected my RX560 DP out to motherboard DP in
Connected Caldigit TS3+ to Maple Ridge Thunderbolt 1
Connected my second monitor to Caldigit.

Second monitor shows no signal.

 

[CaseySJ]

...
I connected my RX560 DP out to motherboard DP in

• Do you mean DP-In on the GC-Maple Ridge add-in-card?
• There is a DisplayPort-In on the motherboard rear IO panel, but it is only for connecting a monitor to the USB-C port on the same rear IO panel.
• Please try connecting DisplayPort cable from RX 560 to DP-In #1 on the GC-Maple Ridge card.

 

[Sn0wMan]

• Do you mean DP-In on the GC-Maple Ridge add-in-card?
• There is a DisplayPort-In on the motherboard rear IO panel, but it is only for connecting a monitor to the USB-C port on the same rear IO panel.
• Please try connecting DisplayPort cable from RX 560 to DP-In #1 on the GC-Maple Ridge card.

Thanks, changed to GC-Maple Ridge card DP IN.
1. Connected DisplayPort cable from RX 560 to mini DP-In #1 on the GC-Maple Ridge card

Monitor connected to Caldigit dock still shows "no signal".

Update:

Since no signal when monitor connected to Caldigit Dock, I connected my monitor to the large DP port on the GC-Maple Ridge card, the second monitor works!

 

[Sn0wMan]

• Do you mean DP-In on the GC-Maple Ridge add-in-card?
• There is a DisplayPort-In on the motherboard rear IO panel, but it is only for connecting a monitor to the USB-C port on the same rear IO panel.
• Please try connecting DisplayPort cable from RX 560 to DP-In #1 on the GC-Maple Ridge card.

@CaseySJ, I did not see any Thunderbolt device in system report. But my monitor could connect to the GC-Maple Ridge card and works. Is this normal?

 

[CaseySJ]

Speaking of Thunderbolt docks, this little creature just crossed my view...

• 18 ports! The most ever.
• 2.5 GbE Ethernet port -- yes, finally!
• 3 USB-C ports (2 in front, 1 in back) -- all 10Gb/s
• 5 USB Type A ports (1 in front, 4 in back) -- all 10Gb/s
• 3 Thunderbolt 4 ports -- 1 for computer, 2 downstream ports
• DisplayPort 1.4 output port
• 98W charging capacity
• US $359.95

CalDigit’s new TS4 Thunderbolt 4 Dock has the most ports ever

18 ports, including five USB-C ports

www.theverge.com

 

[CaseySJ]

@CaseySJ, I did not see any Thunderbolt device in system report. But my monitor could connect to the GC-Maple Ridge card and works. Is this normal?

This gets asked all the time so it was addressed in Step 10 of the build guide:

Gigabyte Z690 Aero G + i5-12600K + AMD RX 6800 XT

CaseySJ's Intel Alder Lake i5-12600K: Gigabyte Z690 Aero G + Intel i5-12600K + AMD RX 6800 XT Please do not quote this guide in its entirety. Post a link instead. 10 Dec 2021: All P-cores, E-cores, and Hyper Threads now working!! This guide is made possible by the wonderful teamwork on...

www.tonymacx86.com