- #Apple usb hub for macbook portable#
- #Apple usb hub for macbook pro#
- #Apple usb hub for macbook software#
- #Apple usb hub for macbook plus#
That's why a lot of people will choose to connect one or more external monitors. They also come with hefty power adapter, so they're much more suited to being used in a fixed location.Īfter using a MacBook for a while, you might get frustrated by the screen size or get sick of hunching over at your desk. The only potential downside to a docking station is that they tend to be larger and heavier than USB-C hubs. The number of ports is generally a lot more than a standard USB-C hub. That can range from 3-screen display, 8K support, and 40 Gbps data transfer speed. In addition to having a range of common ports, docking stations will generally support some higher-end functionality.
#Apple usb hub for macbook portable#
USB-C hubs are smaller, lighter and more portable than docking stations, and usually come with a mix of common ports like HDMI, USB, USB-C, SD/microSD card slots, and Ethernet. USB-C hubs and docking stations share the same basic functions, but there's a big gap in price.
The only thing left to decide is whether you need a USB-C hub or a docking station. Whether you need an Ethernet port, an HDMI port, USB ports, or basically anything else, it couldn't be easier to do. If you have a monitor that uses an HDMI port or a DisplayPort instead of USB-C, then you'll need more than what your MacBook has to offer to connect to it.Īn easy way to solve this problem is to get your hands on a USB-C hub or docking station to turn one of your MacBook's USB-C ports into much more.
#Apple usb hub for macbook plus#
Nowadays, you only get a couple of USB-C ports plus a 3.5 mm audio jack. In the past, MacBooks came with an Ethernet port, HDMI port, card slot, and more. There’s no official word on whether Apple’s rumored M2-equipped MacBooks will have similar limitations when they’re released, but we can only hope you won’t need an expensive hub to connect multiple displays.Since 2016, Apple has made a lot of big changes to the number of ports you get with a MacBook.
#Apple usb hub for macbook pro#
The external monitor situation has been an unfortunate limitation of the first generation of Apple Silicon MacBooks, and, thankfully, the newer M1 Pro and M1 Max-powered machines have native support for multiple external displays. There’s also a DC input for powering the dock. Image: AnkerĪway from its display connectors, the Anker 563 dock also has a USB-C port that can provide up to 100W of power to a host machine, a 1Gbps Ethernet port, a USB-C port with 5Gbps of data transfer speeds and 30W of power delivery, a USB-A port that’s 5Gbps and 7.5W, and two USB-A ports that are data-only at 480 Mbps.
#Apple usb hub for macbook software#
(It advertises that the hub is plug and play without the need for drivers, but there’s still software you need to install.) Alternatively, Macworld has a good rundown of your other multi-monitor options with various docks and hubs on the market, although be warned that some of them aren’t officially supported by their manufacturers. A second key limitation is that you’ll need to have DisplayLink software installed to get your M1 MacBook to output to this many monitors, and experience with previous hubs suggests the results can be temperamental.Ĭompeting accessory manufacturer Hyper announced a pair of USB-C docks last year designed to run two displays off an M1 MacBook. But that might not matter if you’re using it for watching video content (which is rarely above 30fps) or productivity software. You’ve probably spotted a key limitation here, which is that the first HDMI port only goes up to 30Hz at 4K, which will mean a connected monitor won’t feel particularly smooth to use. The specs of the monitors it lets you attach. But we’re most interested in the display connectors, which consist of an HDMI port that can go up to 4K at 30Hz (it’s unclear what the maximum refresh rate is at lower resolutions), a second HDMI port that can do 2K (aka 1440p) at up to 60Hz, and a DisplayPort that’s also capable of 2K at 60Hz. The Anker 563 dock has a total of 10 ports, including USB-C, USB-A, 3.5mm audio, and Ethernet. It’s designed to overcome a key limitation of Apple’s M1-powered MacBooks which, by default, can only output to a single external monitor.
Anker has announced a new $249.99 10-in-1 USB-C hub that, among other things, allows an M1-equipped MacBook to output to three external displays, MacRumors reports.