Enough USB ports on iMac?

For a desktop computer, 4 USB ports is not enough. I got a Toshiba USB Hub for laptop for around $7 .. works just fine.

It is said a USB hub with dedicated power would be better, but my suggestion is you should use USB hub for device which use low powered USB, I use my hub for printer, scanner, xbox wired, iPod and flash drive sometimes.

While the iMac's USB port can be used for more "important" with high speed needed such as Time Machine backup, external HDDs

What about a keyboard with USB ports on. I know the apple wired one dies but I'm guessing they don't do wireless ones with USB ports due to power drain!

And for the record. I think 4 is plenty. I have a printer/scanner/fax all in one which is wireless but could use USB if wanted. For hard drives I also have option of FireWire of thunderbolt and I also have an iPod dock which is in a USB port

I think 4 is plenty, honestly. I have couple of flash drives that are plugged in on and off along with iPhone and iPods. It's not hard to reach around the back and unplug something or plug it in. How much do you think you'll need to access multiple data storage devices while using a majority of the other slots? There are certainly aluminum USB hubs that match nicely to the iMac but for my all-in-one it's not worth it!

consider a powered usb hub
i agree, 4 not enough
also consider a few extension cables, so you can plug in the front

iSayuSay said:

For a desktop computer, 4 USB ports is not enough. I got a Toshiba USB Hub for laptop for around $7 .. works just fine.

It is said a USB hub with dedicated power would be better, but my suggestion is you should use USB hub for device which use low powered USB, I use my hub for printer, scanner, xbox wired, iPod and flash drive sometimes.

While the iMac's USB port can be used for more "important" with high speed needed such as Time Machine backup, external HDDs

Click to expand...

I think 4 USB is just right. I have all mine used up but have no need for more. Seriously, with everything going wireless, the number of interface ports are becoming a thing of the past.

I wouldn't be surprised if the number of ports began to shrink in the future, because of Thunderbolt daisychaining and an increasing number of wireless peripherpals hitting the market.

I think 4 is plenty. I use one for my iPad dock, one for my apple keyboard, one for my card reader, and if I need to connect anything else I usually just connect it to my keyboard.

I use a the firewire port for my backup drive, and my printer is wireless.

It depends on what you have and what you will use it for... 4 is more than enough for me personally, because of my setup. I have a wifi printers so no USB there, I have a 2tb NAS (used for things like application installers and other files I don't use often) so no USB there... The only things i have plugged in are a 2tb drive (for my iTunes library and time machine backups) and a cord for my iPad and iPhones.

Icaras said:

I think 4 USB is just right. I have all mine used up but have no need for more. Seriously, with everything going wireless, the number of interface ports are becoming a thing of the past.

I wouldn't be surprised if the number of ports began to shrink in the future, because of Thunderbolt daisychaining and an increasing number of wireless peripherpals hitting the market.

Click to expand...

Yeah, assuming you use keyboard, trackpad or mouse from Apple. I don't use MagicMouse due to its drawbacks (you know what I mean) .. so a humble Logitech G500 wired USB mouse eat one of my precious USB port.

Surely right, USB ports could be diminished in the future, being less and less standard. Theoretically 1 port of Thunderbolt is enough for multiple device due to daisy chaining feature. But it's not actually that practical

Let's say we're gonna daisy chaining these: iMac --> External HDD --> Thunderbolt display --> External SSD

How if we're gonna need External HDD disconnected? Can it be unplugged without disconnecting display and SSD first? And that could be annoying since you could do the same thing without hassle or annoyance if only you have multiple Thunderbolt port.

It's a serial connections, right? While using USB hub, you can actually manage connections in parallel method.

For me personally, I never found myself needing more than the 4 USB ports that were on my iMac (technically, with the keyboard, it had 5 ports). One port went to the keyboard, one of the keyboard ports hosted the mouse, and the other port would occasionally host a flash drive or SD card reader. For the remaining 3 ports on the iMac itself, one always hosted my external HDD, and another hosted my iPod/iPhone cable. I always had a least 1 port open with the old iMac.

I guess if you need to have a bunch of peripherals connected to your iMac at once, then the 4 USB ports won't cut it... but, for my uses, I find it hard to imagine purposefully using all 4 ports at once.

iSayuSay said:

Yeah, assuming you use keyboard, trackpad or mouse from Apple. I don't use MagicMouse due to its drawbacks (you know what I mean) .. so a humble Logitech G500 wired USB mouse eat one of my precious USB port.

Click to expand...

Why would you need an Apple input device for your computer? Logitech is a real leader in wireless peripherals. I know because that's all I used to own before investing heavily in Apple. Also, bluetooth is a real popular wireless interface and since it just released a new version, I can only see the bluetooth market growing even bigger.

iSayuSay said:

Surely right, USB ports could be diminished in the future, being less and less standard. Theoretically 1 port of Thunderbolt is enough for multiple device due to daisy chaining feature. But it's not actually that practical

Let's say we're gonna daisy chaining these: iMac --> External HDD --> Thunderbolt display --> External SSD

How if we're gonna need External HDD disconnected? Can it be unplugged without disconnecting display and SSD first? And that could be annoying since you could do the same thing without hassle or annoyance if only you have multiple Thunderbolt port.

It's a serial connections, right? While using USB hub, you can actually manage connections in parallel method.

Click to expand...

That's a good counter point for daisy chaining. Breaking the link will cut of any device coming after it is inconvenient, especially when using multiple drives.

Yea, I don't see hubs going away, even when Thunderbolt starts to really take off. I bet we'll see a number of TB hubs in the market eventually. So I still think that the number of ports on Macs will either remain or shrink eventually, but that will keep hubs popular and marketable in the future.

I'm interested in seeing the new designed Mac Pro too. If it's as smaller as these rumors claim to be, then I'm guessing the number of ports will also take a hit as well.

I'd like 5-6 USB ports, but luckily USB hubs are fairly cheap. I'd rather Apple concentrate on getting USB 3 than offer more ports.

I daisy chain FW devices, it's really not a pain..... How often do you tear these types of devices apart anyway?!

4 is definitely not enough....that's why I have a 7-port powered hub attached to one of them.

I have a usb hub on my desk that connects to the iMac, having the ports there is more practical anyway

i posted a thread about this the other day but no one responded...anyway here is what I got to solve my issue...i personally think it does have enough...but i hate reaching around the back to just plug in a thumb drive ...i ordered this:

http://ny-vminternet-d02.ny.fitchratings.com:9100/fitch/jsp/general/login/LoginController.faces

It has 2 usb ports built in as well as being a universal media reader.

IMO, a Desktop does not have enough USB ports if you have to either, A. use a USB hub, or B. Have to unplug a device from a port in order to use it for another device.

For me, 4 is not enough... I currently use my four ports for the following (Razer Mamba Wireless Receiver, External HDD, Wireless Headset Receiver, and USB hub). It would be better if I was solely using the Wireless Keyboard and Mouse, but I did not really like the Magic mouse.

I really like Bluetooth devices, but right now most Bluetooth devices are designed for mobile device, usually meaning smaller devices. I would love to replace my Wireless Headset (uses USB wireless dongle) and full size mouse with Bluetooth alternatives, but have not found acceptable replacements yet.

I like this one, gives me 7 extra ports

Edit: maybe they have redesigned this product (cheaper components) based on the negative Amazon reviews. I have had two attached to (2) iMacs at home for the past 4 years, not a single issue.

4 ports is enough for me, but it depends on person.

My keyboard, mouse, iPhone, and printer are all wireless.

The only things I plug into USB are my external hard drive, Axiom and flash drive as needed.

In the past I've used up to 9 USB devices

4 usb ports are just not enough , today everything is usb and it will stay so for quiet some time , but as i did not want to clutter up my desk with cables all over the place , which actually contradicts having a all in one computer and then cluttering up the desk with cables and peripherals
there was for me only one choice , a wireless usb hub , all peripherals can stay somewhere else and my desk is free , no wires to see, no mess just the Mac on the desk , i know i am not a fan of wireless keyboards and mice and such things , but only because they need battery changing all to often , but that hub is mains powered and the sender receiver is powered by the usb port , works great for up to 5 meters , ok the manufacturer claims 10 meters , but i didn't want to store my peripherals that far away
and here it is

http://www.belkin.com/pressroom/releases/uploads/07_11_07WUSBHub.html

I had 1 left on the back of the iMac(2011). I didn't like having to reach in back to temporarily plugging in a device. I solved my problem with this:

http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Macessity/LKEYSTAND/

daveb98 said:

I had 1 left on the back of the iMac(2011). I didn't like having to reach in back to temporarily plugging in a device. I solved my problem with this:

http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Macessity/LKEYSTAND/

Click to expand...

^^That's expensive. This is cheap: http://www.amazon.com/Ports-High-Sp...9?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1311730101&sr=1-9. Slap that on the back and you'll have plenty!

pawtracks said:

I like this one, gives me 7 extra ports

Edit: maybe they have redesigned this product (cheaper components) based on the negative Amazon reviews. I have had two attached to (2) iMacs at home for the past 4 years, not a single issue.

Click to expand...

That's the one I've had since March 2008...it's been a great hub for over 3 years....they must have really cheapened them or I just got really lucky.

I don't need many USB ports on my iMac:
- Wireless keyboard
- Wireless mouse
- Wireless printer
- Firewire HDD (Time Capsule would use no port at all)
- Wireless headset
- Wireless iPhone sync, powering it in my bedroom when i sleep

All i use now with USB is an USB stick, which leaves me having 4 free ports most of the time.