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Review: OWC's 'USB-C Dock' Expands MacBook Connectivity Options With Ten Ports
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I use the Apple HDMI adapter with a USB keyboard & mouse to operate my rMB in clamshell mode for "desktop" work. Works great - and just one cable plugged into the Macbook. I Would expect the OWC to work in the same way.
seriously what does that have to do with people tripping over the cord or not?
does the cord have to be plugged in all day for a 1 second accident to happen?
Happy (very happy!) to report that we have taken delivery of this OWC dock and that its driving the Sharp PN-K321 without a problem (although I have not tested full screen video and would be surprised if it could do it w/o dropping frames). Also, and importantly, its working great with the little gold macbook closed. Now to head on over to 12 south and BookArc ! So happy that my wife can have this setup. I just love the idea of having an ultra portable and then hooking it up to a huge monitor.
UPDATE! Youtube "4k" (not real 4k ? but who cares) looks fantastic; no frames dropping even with action. Just so happy and feel so lucky to have this setup!
[doublepost=1485565917][/doublepost]This hub does NOT work w/ 15" macbook pros. Just so you know.
Since the launch of Apple's Retina MacBook last April, users have been looking for ways to expand the functionality of the single port included on the machine, a USB-C that can support a multitude of functions including power and data. Many third-party companies have begun shipping single-use dongles and small hubs for MacBook fans to be able to get full use out of their ultra-thin 12-inch notebooks.
All pictures in the review are of a pre-production unit lacking proper screen printing with port designations
OWC's USB-C Dock is one of the first full-featured alternatives for the MacBook. At $159.00, the 8-inch by 3.5-inch dock comes with ten ports for users to take advantage of: four USB Type-A, one USB Type-C, an SD card reader, HDMI with 4K display support, Gigabit Ethernet, an audio headphone jack, and one USB 3.1 Type-C computer link.
The first thing that should be noted is that the dock requires two included cables to fully function: an external 80W power source that plugs into an outlet, and the USB-C cable that connects everything to the MacBook. Thankfully, the power adapter also charges the MacBook while it's in use; after that initial setup, most things plugged into the dock work without any added steps.
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Article Link: Review: OWC's 'USB-C Dock' Expands MacBook Connectivity Options With Ten Ports
If you understand where Apple is headed, you'll know this all makes sense.
Apple is on a kick to make everything wireless. If that means removing ports from notebooks, then they'll do it. Do you enjoy sitting at a desk all day? No? Then come to Apple. They'll give you drugs (technology) to make it so you can edit video at the lake. All storage is going to cloud, charging is wireless, and internet is wireless. Do more with less.
Apple is on a kick to make everything wireless. If that means removing ports from notebooks, then they'll do it. Do you enjoy sitting at a desk all day? No? Then come to Apple. They'll give you drugs (technology) to make it so you can edit video at the lake. All storage is going to cloud, charging is wireless, and internet is wireless. Do more with less.
It's a "DOCK"
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A breath of fresh air!
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Except this dock, works with GEN 1 too. This Lappie is a delicious piece of kit. AMAZING SCREEN,KEYBOARD, and Touch Pad
Know what? I'd like to finish working while I'm still at the desk so that I can go and enjoy the lake (or whatever) without needing to take my work with me... and I'm more productive at the desk with a couple of big screens, a proper keyboard, an upright chair, all the peripherals I might need already connected and fast, reliable, unmetered Internet. All that adds up to more lake time.
Now, using a laptop at the desk is nice, because you can easily pick it up and take it to meetings etc. or shuttle between desks.
Having a dock at your main desk is great, because you can just pull one wire and go.
Needing to carry a dock (or a bunch of dongles) to the lake (or meeting room) because some genius living in fantasy land where USB-C, HDMI, DisplayPort, SD card etc. are "legacy" has decided to remove all the standard ports except USB-C is not so good.
Turned up at a meeting without my DisplayPort-to-VGA dongle the other day (its even a pain that we have to carry those, but you have to draw the line somewhere) - the host quickly turned up an adapter (in the past, it's been me with the spare dongle in my bag). Try that with USB-C in 2017 and you're not gonna be so lucky. Now, come 2020 USB-C may be everywhere, but by then you'll have had to upgrade your 2016 Mac with its soldered-in everything because you wanted that 3TB TechNotAnnouncedYet SSD or SnarkPort interface...
Meetings with computers...those usually don't go well because everyone is so into their own computer instead of the meeting but sometimes you simply need those because of collaboration. In those cases the old skool way of presenting ones screen doesn't work. It is cumbersome to share a VGA/HDMI connection and simply impossible to have any interactivity. For those kind of meetings tools like ChromeCast and AirPlay are better tools but tools like ClickShare are even better as they are not limited to desktops and notebooks. The problem with ClickShare on notebooks and desktops: you may need to plug in some USB controller (on smartphones and tablets you can only use an app but there is software for notebooks and desktops too so you may not have to use a USB controller).
For presentations something like VGA/HDMI is perfect because all it needs to do is show your presentation. Everything else comes from the presenter.
Either way, when you are using a desktop or a notebook, you still have to carry something with you (be it an adapter, be it a USB stick). Yes one can argue those things can get lost but it is no different than having to borrow pen and paper during a meeting or some course: it is very unprofessional as it shows you did not come prepared, don't take care of your belongings and/or don't have much responsibility. Is that how you want to come across? There are lots of people who've lost clients due to behaviour like that. Internal meetings are a different world though; you can get away with a whole lot more. Hence why I don't think USB-C will make things any different than from how they are right now and how it has been for some years.
For presentations something like VGA/HDMI is perfect because all it needs to do is show your presentation. Everything else comes from the presenter.
Either way, when you are using a desktop or a notebook, you still have to carry something with you (be it an adapter, be it a USB stick). Yes one can argue those things can get lost but it is no different than having to borrow pen and paper during a meeting or some course: it is very unprofessional as it shows you did not come prepared, don't take care of your belongings and/or don't have much responsibility. Is that how you want to come across? There are lots of people who've lost clients due to behaviour like that. Internal meetings are a different world though; you can get away with a whole lot more. Hence why I don't think USB-C will make things any different than from how they are right now and how it has been for some years.
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does anyone know if this dock is usb 3.1 gen 1 or gen 2. I worry that if its only gen 1 then there is going to be some bandwidth constraints when a monitor, ethernet and an external SSD are connected
Got tired of juggling a lot of cables (power and 2 adaptors, monitor, mouse, keyboard...) back and forth, so I saw this for cheap pretty much with the ports I needed, and since I don't need TB3, went ahead and got it recently.
Does the job, but I'm having a few hiccups with it on my 2018 13' MBP. When I connect/disconnect the computer, the hub loses power for a fraction of a second, which is enough for it to require a restart from time to time. This is especially noticeable when I have my phone charging on it, it stops charging and quickly gets back to it. This is worse with the bundled 100W adaptor. I've been using a 75W one from an old Toshiba laptop and it isn't so bad, but still happens.
Is this an issue with the device powering a computer that maxes out the power delivery output, or is this solvable with a good power supply?
I know that this dock was probably made with the smaller 30W MacBooks in mind, but it does support power delivery up to 60W, so I thought it would be good with my 60W MBP...
I'm also open to alternatives such as running it without power delivery (I don't mind having the cable for it connected just for data and the original power adaptor connected to another port of the computer, but I don't think that's possible) and even for another USB-C with similar ports.
Does the job, but I'm having a few hiccups with it on my 2018 13' MBP. When I connect/disconnect the computer, the hub loses power for a fraction of a second, which is enough for it to require a restart from time to time. This is especially noticeable when I have my phone charging on it, it stops charging and quickly gets back to it. This is worse with the bundled 100W adaptor. I've been using a 75W one from an old Toshiba laptop and it isn't so bad, but still happens.
Is this an issue with the device powering a computer that maxes out the power delivery output, or is this solvable with a good power supply?
I know that this dock was probably made with the smaller 30W MacBooks in mind, but it does support power delivery up to 60W, so I thought it would be good with my 60W MBP...
I'm also open to alternatives such as running it without power delivery (I don't mind having the cable for it connected just for data and the original power adaptor connected to another port of the computer, but I don't think that's possible) and even for another USB-C with similar ports.