Resolved Dock or adaptors

[etaleb]

Guys - newly moving to Mac M2 from a PC and have a connectivity question. I currently use 3 periperals all connnected to USB ports - external spinning HDD, Jabra 40 Evolve wired headset & speakers. Given there are only 2 USB ports on the Mac, should I get thunderbolt to USB adaptors or simply invest in a dock. I can get a USB dock or maybe a Thunderbolt HDD enclosure. Some make/models would be helpful


Thanks

 

[Bigwaff]

A USB hub should suite you fine but make sure it’s a powered hub if those peripherals don’t have their own power supplies. I would imagine any decent brand hub will do. I’ll let others name make/models but I would simply google for reviews.

 

[sracer]

I just received a Satechi hub for my M2 Mac Mini....
There's an internal SATA SSD slot. I installed a 2TB WD Blue drive for Time Machine, and have an external 1TB Samsung T7 SSD for all of my media.

Satechi Mac Mini Hub & Type-C Stand with SSD Enclosure – Mac Mini Stand - Fits M.2 SATA SSD, USB-C Data Port, Micro/SD Card Readers, USB-A, Headphone Jack Port – For Mac Studio, Mac Mini M1 (Silver)

Satechi Mac Mini Hub & Type-C Stand with SSD Enclosure – Mac Mini Stand - Fits M.2 SATA SSD, USB-C Data Port, Micro/SD Card Readers, USB-A, Headphone Jack Port – For Mac Studio, Mac Mini M1 (Silver)

www.amazon.com

 

[dwig]

Guys - newly moving to Mac M2 from a PC and have a connectivity question. I currently use 3 periperals all connnected to USB ports - external spinning HDD, Jabra 40 Evolve wired headset & speakers. Given there are only 2 USB ports on the Mac, should I get thunderbolt to USB adaptors or simply invest in a dock. I can get a USB dock or maybe a Thunderbolt HDD enclosure. Some make/models would be helpful


Thanks

What "Mac M2"?? Do you mean "Mac mini M2"??

If so, there are 2 USB-A 3.1gen1 ports and two USB-C ports that support up to TB4 and can "fall back" to TB3 and USB 3.1gen2. Just plug your headset and speakers into the two USB-A ports and get a USB-C to whatever (USB-microB 3.0, ...) cable to replace the existing cable you've used with the HDD. A new cable is far better and stacking a USB-A to USB-C adapter on your existing cable, though that will work. That will still leave one TB4 port open for future use and you can always add a hub (preferably powered) later if/when more ports are needed.

 

[etaleb]

I had no idea you could use TB4 just like USB-C and it's the same connector. My speakers and Jabra 40 headset are not replaceable cables so I'll just proceed with a female USB-A to male USB-C adaptor.

Does it matter if I connect my 7200rpm external HDD to the USB-A or USB-C port? I guess the latter is faster?

Thanks!

 

[thebart]

I had no idea you could use TB4 just like USB-C and it's the same connector. My speakers and Jabra 40 headset are not replaceable cables so I'll just proceed with a female USB-A to male USB-C adaptor.

Does it matter if I connect my 7200rpm external HDD to the USB-A or USB-C port? I guess the latter is faster?

Thanks!

It's a spinning disk. The port will not be the bottle neck. You can use the slower USB A port.