Review: Kingston's Nucleum USB-C Hub Adds Much-Needed Ports to Your MacBook or MacBook Pro

[alphaod]

There are so many of these already out for years now, I don't see how this one is any different...

It's not like this one supports 87W which is a pity because that would have made it a really good selling point.

 

[smirking]

We've got enough of these legacy port hubs. It's hardly newsworthy.

What would be newsworthy is if someone started making an actual USB-C hub HUB (as in 1 USB-C port becomes 4 USB-C ports).

 

[FelixDerKater]

A dongle a day keeps the shareholders at bay.

 

[Shirasaki]

Sooooooo, if the ports are much needed why are we buying laptops who lack every single usable port on them? Is it because of the Apple logo on the back of it? Because that's dumb.

And that logo does not even glow anymore. What’s the point?

 

[alexgowers]

Surely macrumors is getting paid for these features, it’d be nice to have sponsored or advert in the title. I know legally you don’t have to because it’s on your site but it is very disingenuous to feature what I would class as terrible products on the front page.

 

[Black Tiger]

Just think in a few years they may be able to build a computer that has all these ports built in! - What a world that'd be.

What’s more likely is that those other cable types won’t exist at all and the USB C standard will be fully appreciated for its universality.

 

[Quu]

What’s more likely is that those other cable types won’t exist at all and the USB C standard will be fully appreciated for its universality.

Yes I look forward to HDMI being USB-C and SD/MicroSD. Oh how I'd love a big USB-C memory stick sticking out the side of my camera like a flaccid phallus.

 

[ijbond]

Good job Kingston. You have successfully copied Satechi and other products already on the market for $20 more than their price with identical look and features. (though Satechi has one with an ethernet port too)

Am i blind? I don‘t see any affordable hub with two USB-C ports!!
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Sooooooo, if the ports are much needed why are we buying laptops who lack every single usable port on them? Is it because of the Apple logo on the back of it? Because that's dumb.

Look at MacBook Pro 15“: every buyer has the choice between models with and without USB-C / touch bar. Same speed if using CTO ordering and honestly, who really needs touch bar?

If you need less weight and less size, reducing to one or two USB-C ports makes sense. Then you are able to keep hub and cables at home.

 

[falcn]

Unfortunately, for a current gen Macbooks you still have to choose between 4k@60Hz and USB3. You can't have both, and no hub gonna change that.

If you want 4k, you are locked to USB2.

 

[iisdan]

Wtf, i went wireless 5 years ago, it blows my mind people still use this archaic ****

 

[Black Tiger]

Yes I look forward to HDMI being USB-C and SD/MicroSD. Oh how I'd love a big USB-C memory stick sticking out the side of my camera like a flaccid phallus.

I’m not sure what you’re talking about here. A universal connector and wireless standards are the future of notebook computers. And the industry agrees with Apple as every major manufacturer is moving to USB C only. HDMI? Come on. There are already USB C-based monitors (Apple sells two of them). HDMI is old tech. SD cards? Tech from the early 2000s on its way out, sorry.

 

[gnasher729]

Wtf, i went wireless 5 years ago, it blows my mind people still use this archaic ****

If you are in an office with 50 users, WiFi doesn't cut it. Archaic Gigabit Ethernet all the way.

 

[ChrisA]

I was in an Apple store recently. Looked at new macs that had these nice new ports that don't fit any device I own. I told the sales guy that I'd have to continue using my old Macbook pro until all my old removable devices are replaced.

Seriously if I have to cary and big 4 pound dongle around I'd be better off buying an older used MacBook Pro that works without the dongle.

All the effort the Apple engineers put into making the new mac thin and light is wasted because yu have to cary around a box that is 1/3rd the size of the computer.

Once this gets sorted out the USB-C ports are better. But it might take 5 or more years for this to resolve
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It wasn’t Apple’s finest move by going full USB-C and requiring 99% of the people to buy a hub. Yes I know there is always that one person who is full cloud and doesn’t need any ports. The majority of those needing ports didn’t make sense. But that’s Apple, sometimes they nail it - on this one, way off....

The sad part is that, they are right, people don't ned ports. The biggest use of a computer is consuming media, web surfing, movies, youtube and so on. The vast majority of computer use by consumers is for entertainment.

OK there are a few peole who create this Entertainment content but they are the minority. Apple has rightly concluded that they will make more money selling to the majority. Really who uses SD cards? Ma=ony only hose few people with professional level still or video cameras. What is "professional level? Anything other than a cellphone.

Apple used to be the other way around. They sold to the professionals

 

[Quu]

I’m not sure what you’re talking about here. A universal connector and wireless standards are the future of notebook computers. And the industry agrees with Apple as every major manufacturer is moving to USB C only. HDMI? Come on. There are already USB C-based monitors (Apple sells two of them). HDMI is old tech. SD cards? Tech from the early 2000s on its way out, sorry.

Anyone that owns a DSLR knows SD Cards are not going anywhere. They just announced a new version using PCIe for faster speeds. If all you do is take pics with your phone then you'll not understand.

As for HDMI, it's also not going anywhere. You're talking about computer monitors whilst all TV's including those newer 8K models coming out will all be using HDMI which is also getting new standards.

If all these old ports are so old why did Apple put 10Gb Ethernet on the iMac Pro? - These are "Pro" labelled machines and they need Pro ports. Portable machines like the MacBook Pro should have SD Card slots and HDMI because where I go with my laptop I need to hookup to conference TV's and be able to swap my memory card from my DSLR to my Laptop on the go.

Needing all these different dongles is ****ing annoying.

 

[wilsonlaidlaw]

I prefer the Ansbell multiport port I have, which plugs in direct with 2 USB-C connectors and therefore almost becomes part of your MacBook Pro. It has charge through. It has identical ports to the Kingston device. I feel this is a better solution than a dangly dongle.

 

[theluggage]

What would be newsworthy is if someone started making an actual USB-C hub HUB (as in 1 USB-C port becomes 4 USB-C ports).

Whatever for, when even most “USB C” external drives come with a USB A host cable in the box?

In USB mode*, a USB-C port doesn’t offer anything that USB-A can’t do (even 3.1g2 works over USB A, but the chipset for 3.1g2 hubs was only released recently) and with a USB-C link to the host a hub can’t usefully support more than 1 display connection and still have bandwidth for USB 3.1. Meanwhile, most displays still want HDMI or DP and even among USBC displays only the Apple/LG displays lack DP or HDMI in.

Things might get better when computers supporting USB 3.2 (two USB3.1 streams over a type C cable) and DP 1.4 (4k @ 60Hz with lanes left for USB 3) at which point USB-C will at least have some advantage over USB-A. Until then, USB-C is just a nicer connection than MicroUSB for charging phones....

* Thunderbolt 3 is a different kettle of (much more expensive) fish.

 

[512ke]

USB-C is the future. Apple needs to embrace the future, because they don't upgrade their hardware that often.