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Hands-On With Kensington's New $400 StudioDock for iPad Pro
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I wouldn’t touch something like this, but I think maybe some folks are being a bit harsh on the price. $400 is still high but not THAT high for a forum where we talk about magic keyboards, ipad pros, and other Apple tax items.
I put a high value in something that can charge all my devices. I’ve bought a couple chargers that charge my phone, watch, AND iPad and they usually cost north of $100 even for the middle of the road ones. Some cost upwards of $200. Add to that the mount, with additianal ports.... I could see $299 maybe even 349 depending on build quality.
but I won’t be buying it... so I won’t be putting my money where my mouth is.
I put a high value in something that can charge all my devices. I’ve bought a couple chargers that charge my phone, watch, AND iPad and they usually cost north of $100 even for the middle of the road ones. Some cost upwards of $200. Add to that the mount, with additianal ports.... I could see $299 maybe even 349 depending on build quality.
but I won’t be buying it... so I won’t be putting my money where my mouth is.
Looks nice but the use cases for this product are so limited IMO. Until ipad os can run external monitors (not just mirror in weird resolutions) I don't see this product being worth it.
Compared to the Magic Keyboard at $300/$350 it doesn't seem quite as expensive but I have the MK and it is worth every penny and I have my doubts about this.
First, an iPad station that is not portable in the slightest seems like an odd solution. How many people want to dock only at their desk? The MK, while bulky and a bit heavy, still fits easily into a bag and doesn't require a bulky power adapter. It seems to me that if you are fixed to a desk, there isn't much premium for an all in one solution. You can get a pretty nice stand and a small USB-C dock that does the same as this an have money left over for a 4K display.
I'm also trying to understand the iPad Pro user who needs 3 USB-A ports. Everything about this screams over design (especially the price).
One other weird thing, why two Kensington security slots? Seems odd.
I'll eagerly await some user reviews I guess for some explanations. Not everyone has the same requirements but this doesn't meet mine.
First, an iPad station that is not portable in the slightest seems like an odd solution. How many people want to dock only at their desk? The MK, while bulky and a bit heavy, still fits easily into a bag and doesn't require a bulky power adapter. It seems to me that if you are fixed to a desk, there isn't much premium for an all in one solution. You can get a pretty nice stand and a small USB-C dock that does the same as this an have money left over for a 4K display.
I'm also trying to understand the iPad Pro user who needs 3 USB-A ports. Everything about this screams over design (especially the price).
One other weird thing, why two Kensington security slots? Seems odd.
I'll eagerly await some user reviews I guess for some explanations. Not everyone has the same requirements but this doesn't meet mine.
I for one am glad Kensington released this, at this price point - because it made me think "I want this" followed by... "no, I want something like this at a way more acceptable price".
And I found it... $30 for a magnetic stand that works beautifully.
$0 to continue using my USB-C dock solution, with a single cable to plug into my iPad handling power, ethernet and any USB peripherals I fancy.
And I found it... $30 for a magnetic stand that works beautifully.
$0 to continue using my USB-C dock solution, with a single cable to plug into my iPad handling power, ethernet and any USB peripherals I fancy.
How dare you! The Pro Stand has none of the connectivity this bargain offers!
Are vendors/users going to stick with USB-A? Once reasonably priced, quality USB-C cables became ubiquitous, I bought what I needed. It's now more of a nuisance to not have enough USB-C ports.
Hands on with the Kensington stand: "You feel very lightweight using it because of how much lighter it makes your pockets after buying it."
In my opinion, these prices reflect what Apple has done. First, I’m a huge Apple fan/user, but the Magic Keyboard (which I bought on launch day) is an expensive product. The more Apple charges the more other companies think they can follow. Again, no hate on Apple... it just seems likely more companies will follow their lead for accessories.
I would actually love to have the Kensington, but a $400 accessory on top of an already expensive tablet is going to be tough to swallow for a lot of people. I imagine at current prices, a 12.9" iPad Pro with 512GB of storage, the Apple Pencil, and this accessory is more expensive than a 21.5" iMac. Hell yeah you can get a MacBook Air, plus nice monitor for less.
IMHO, this is not an iMac-esque desktop solution; reason being the poor external display support offered by iPadOS. However, Kensington's effort is definitely to be acknowledged here (besides the asked price).
At this stage of iPad OS' development, I'd still prefer having an iMac + a more modest iPad (Air instead of Pro) used together with Sidecar. With that solution, you still have the ports + true desktop workflow (provided by the iMac) + portability when needed (provided by the iPad used alone). Sidecar will handle the tactile aspect in desktop mode. You also don't have to compromise between macOS and iOS as you get both.
Sidecar is really really cool!
At this stage of iPad OS' development, I'd still prefer having an iMac + a more modest iPad (Air instead of Pro) used together with Sidecar. With that solution, you still have the ports + true desktop workflow (provided by the iMac) + portability when needed (provided by the iPad used alone). Sidecar will handle the tactile aspect in desktop mode. You also don't have to compromise between macOS and iOS as you get both.
Sidecar is really really cool!
