Which adaptor to connect a LED Cinema Display to M3 and M4 macmini

I have a 24" Apple LED Cinema Display (serial no 2A8523Al0K0) connected to a macmini (late 2012). I’m looking to upgrade to a macmini M3 or M4 but keep my Display. Question is, which adapter/s would I need to connect the three-ended cable on my Display to the new M3/M4? Please include links with your suggestions. I am techno-illiterate and afraid of picking the wrong adapter; there are so many of them it boggles the mind! Suggestions for less expensive but safe to use non Apple adapters will be welcome too in case Apple are too dear! Thanks everyone.

Posted on May 13, 2025 6:17 AM

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May 13, 2025 7:15 AM in response to dangerous_curves

dangerous_curves wrote:

I have a 24" Apple LED Cinema Display (serial no 2A8523Al0K0) connected to a macmini (late 2012). I’m looking to upgrade to a macmini M3 or M4 but keep my Display.


There are no M3 Mac minis. There are

  • M1 Mac minis (now discontinued)
  • M2 and M2 Pro Mac minis (now discontinued)
  • M4 and M4 Pro Mac minis


As for that old 24" LED Cinema Display, to connect the video cable, you're going to want a USB-C (male) to Mini DisplayPort (female) adapter. Do not use an Apple Thunderbolt 3-to-2 adapter. The physical connectors on the ends are the same, but the Thunderbolt adapter produces the wrong type of signal for the LED Cinema Display. (That adapter would be what you would need to connect a 27" Apple Thunderbolt Display.)


There are tons of USB-C to Mini DisplayPort adapters on sites like Amazon's.


You may also want or need to connect the USB-A cable from the LED Cinema Display. There are various ways to adapt between USB-C (USB protocol) and USB-A (USB protocol).


The MagSafe cable has no use with a Mac mini, so the main thing you want to do with it is to leave it unplugged – and not touching any metal that might short out pins.

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Which adaptor to connect a LED Cinema Display to M3 and M4 macmini

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