About UAD Thunderbolt Compatibility with Windows 10 and 11 Systems
- The latest UAD software is compatible with Windows 10 and Windows 11 (64-bit editions), and all Thunderbolt-equipped Apollo and UAD-2 products (Apollo X series, Apollo 8, Apollo 8p, Apollo 16 MkII, Apollo Twin, Apollo Twin MkII, Apollo Solo, Arrow, UAD-2 Satellite Thunderbolt, and first-generation silver Apollo/Apollo 16 models equipped with a Thunderbolt Option Card).
- Apollo Thunderbolt models can be combined with UAD-2 PCIe cards and UAD-2 Satellite. For details, see this article.
- All Thunderbolt Option Card models for Apollo are compatible.
- Apollo Thunderbolt cannot be combined with Apollo FireWire or Apollo Twin USB (multiple Apollo connection types are incompatible).
PC System |
Compatible UAD Thunderbolt Products |
Windows 10 or 11 |
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Windows 10 or 11 |
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Windows 10 or 11 |
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UAD Thunderbolt PC Compatibility Requirements
- A Windows 10 or Windows 11 (64-bit editions) PC featuring available Thunderbolt 3 or Thunderbolt 4 is required.
- PC systems with Thunderbolt 4 are incompatible with Thunderbolt 1 or Thunderbolt 2 devices.
- A qualified Thunderbolt 3 to Thunderbolt adapter (not included) is required to connect Universal Audio Thunderbolt 1 or Thunderbolt 2 products to PC systems with a Thunderbolt 3 port (Thunderbolt adapters are not compatible with Thunderbolt 4).
- Apollo Thunderbolt audio drivers for Windows are 64 bit only. 32 bit DAW applications are incompatible.
- Thunderbolt to FireWire adapters, and Thunderbolt hubs, are not tested or supported and may cause unexpected behavior.
- PC systems with Thunderbolt 1 or Thunderbolt 2 ports are not tested or supported.
- Using Apple's Boot Camp to run Windows on Mac computers with Apollo or UAD-2 devices is not tested or supported.
- For general UAD system requirements, see this article.
General System Notes
- A Quad Core i7 or better processor is recommended for optimum performance.
- 2016 and later systems that have a 6th-generation Intel Skylake processor (or greater) and Thunderbolt 3 (Alpine Ridge) controller with a Thunderbolt 3 port are expected to be compatible.
- Intel platforms launched in 2020 and later such as 10th generation Intel Core vPro platforms or 10th generation Intel Core desktop processors may not be compatible with Thunderbolt 1 or Thunderbolt 2 devices.
- Thunderbolt 3 products listed on Intel’s Thunderbolt Technology Community page are expected to be compatible.
- Systems that use Thunderbolt 3 add-on cards may require additional configuration. For details, check the manufacturer's documentation that came with the system or add-on card.
Qualified Thunderbolt 3 to Thunderbolt Adapters
The following Thunderbolt 3 to Thunderbolt adapters have been tested for compatibility with Thunderbolt-equipped Apollo audio interfaces and UAD-2 Satellite Thunderbolt.
Note: The adapter connects between the Thunderbolt 3 port on the computer and the Thunderbolt-equipped Universal Audio product. Thunderbolt 4 ports are incompatible with Thunderbolt 3 adapters.
- Startech Thunderbolt 3 to Thunderbolt Adapter (Product ID: TBT3TBTADAP)
- Kanex Thunderbolt 3 to Thunderbolt Adapter (Product ID: K170-1051-BK6I)
Qualified Adapter Notes
- The qualified Thunderbolt 3 adapters are compatible with connections to external Thunderbolt 1 and Thunderbolt 2 devices.
- Thunderbolt 4 ports are incompatible with Thunderbolt 3 to Thunderbolt 2 adapters.
Apple Thunderbolt 3 to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter Notes
- The Apple Thunderbolt 3 to Thunderbolt adapter (Product ID: MMEL2AM/A) has been found to be incompatible with certain Windows systems in our internal testing. As a result, we do not recommend this adapter for Windows Thunderbolt systems.
- The Apple adapter is incompatible with hot-plugging the adapter into the computer’s Thunderbolt 3 port. However, the adapter is compatible with hot-plugging the Thunderbolt cable into the adapter.
Known Incompatible Systems
We have received a number of user reports of incompatibilities between UA Thunderbolt interfaces and certain Clevo laptop models. User reports indicate that affected systems experience distorted audio at all sample rates or distorted audio at sample rates other than 96 kHz.
Clevo is an OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) that manufactures laptops that are re-branded and sold by independent retailers. These laptops are often sold by retailers under their own brand name and the Clevo branding is typically absent from the system. See below for help identifying your system model.
How To Identify Clevo Systems
If you are unsure about your system model, you can check the model by following these directions:
- Press Win+R to open the Run dialog, or open the Start menu and click on the "Search" field
- Type msinfo32 and press Enter
- On the System Summary page, the model number should be listed next to "System Model"
If the "System Model" matches one of the specific models listed below, or contains “P7xxDM”, then it will likely be affected by this issue.
Affected Clevo System Models
The following Clevo system models have been reported to be affected by this issue:
- P7xxDM2-G
- P750DM2-G
- P750DM3
- P770DM
- P775DM3-G
BIOS Updates
If you own one of these affected systems, we suggest contacting the retailer from where you purchased the laptop to see if there are any BIOS updates available. Some users have reported improvements after installing available BIOS updates.
Windows Configuration
For help configuring your Windows PC for use with UAD Thunderbolt devices, please see the articles below:
Configuring Windows for Thunderbolt
Windows Setup - Required Settings
Windows Optimization - Optional Settings
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