It’s refreshing to see Apple correcting some of the crimes of Ives with its new MacBook Pros that ditch the Touch Bar but regain an SD card slot and HDMI. But you can never have enough ports, and Satechi’s new USB-C Hybrid Multiport Adapter has tons of ‘em with a side of extra storage too.
As aesthetically pleasing as an ultra-thin laptop might be, a sleek design that can be slid into an inter-office mail envelope (as Steve Jobs famously demonstrated with the original MacBook Air at Macworld 2008) stops being so thin and portable when you have to pair it with dongles and USB hubs to get a usable number of ports. The new MacBook Pro is another step (back) in the right direction for Apple, but for years, users have suffered.
These hubs can be found relatively cheap now—around $20—if all you’re looking for is a few extra USB-C ports. But if you’re willing to spend more, you can get a hub with a surprising amount of functionality, and even moreso with Satechi’s new $90 offering.
The USB-C Hybrid Multiport Adapter expands a single USB-C port into a 4K HDMI video port, a USB-C PD charging port, plus two USB-A 3.0 data ports. On top of that, a removable cover reveals a slot to insert a SATA M.2 SSD drive that promises speeds of up to 5 GBPS. So not only does the $90 hub deliver more ports and connectivity for older devices, but it’s also an external drive, with the level of storage being dependent on how much extra cash you want to spend because Satechi doesn’t include an SSD. (We’ve seen 1TB SATA M.2 SSD drives for as low as $100.)
The Satechi USB-C Hybrid Multiport Adapter is available now from the company’s online store and can be ordered with either a Space Gray or Black finish.