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Satechi Debuts Pro Hub Mini for New MacBook Pro Models

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Satechi today announced the launch of the Pro Hub Mini, a new USB-C hub that's designed for Apple's 2021 MacBook Pro models. The hub is meant to add ports that are unavailable on the new MacBook Pro models, including USB-A ports and an Ethernet port.

satechi-macbook-pro-hub.jpg

Available in either silver or space gray to match the finish of the MacBook Pros, the Pro Hub Mini has one USB-4 port that supports up to 96W charging, data transfer speeds up to 40Gb/s, or a 6K 60Hz display, one USB-C data port that supports transfer speeds up to 5Gb/s, two USB-A 3.0 data ports that support transfer speeds up to 5Gb/s, one Gigabit Ethernet port, and one audio jack port.

The hub is designed to attach to the left side of a 14 or 16-inch MacBook Pro model, and it takes up two USB-C ports and covers the headphone jack, hence the addition of a secondary headphone jack.

Pre-orders for the Pro Hub Mini are available from the Satechi website starting today, and it is set to ship in January. The Pro Hub Mini is priced at $70, but customers who use the promo code PROHUB to pre-order can get a 25 percent discount.

Article Link: Satechi Debuts Pro Hub Mini for New MacBook Pro Models
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2021/11/10/satechi-pro-hub-mini/
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Finally the MBPs have all the needed ports and you're going to get this ugly thing? Yeah, perhaps for working at a desk so that you connect only one USB-C, but otherwise I really don't see the point. Besides, this is more expensive (69USD) than other more basic USB-C docks that will already do the job.
 
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RalfTheDog said:
Have they changed the distance between the USB C ports on the new MBPs? If not, why would the old devices not work?
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It is the same distance. The problem is for the ones that take up two USB C ports that you then either have to block the magsafe port or the headphone jack. This new one provides you with the headphone jack on the hub so you don't lose out on the functionality.
 
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chucker23n1 said:
Ethernet would make it much thicker.
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How thick are those Ethernet ports with a spring-loaded hinge that fold down when not in use? I’ve seen that as a dongle-free solution on other slim laptops, but I genuinely don’t know how thick they are. (A hinge seems pretty un-Apple, but their SD reader does leave half the card hanging outside the instead of properly fully seating with a spring, so they do make some weird choices already.)
 
ZipZilla said:
should have put it on the brick like the new Hot Wheels iMac, but I guess Apple has their reasons
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Yes, I'm a bit surprised they didn't go that route.

braket said:
How thick are those Ethernet ports with a hinge that fold down when not in use? I’ve seen that as a dongle-free solution on other slim laptops, but I genuinely don’t know how thick they are.
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I'd be wary of the reliability of those. I've had colleagues with several of those and they always feel like they break apart if you look at them wrong.

braket said:
(A hinge seems pretty un-Apple, but their SD reader does leave the card hanging out the side instead of properly fully seating with a spring, so they do make some weird choices already.)
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This is true, but the SD card is removable (and kind of designed to be for short bouts of use). This hinge would be permanent.
 
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braket said:
Yikes. That’s a no from me dawg.
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Yeah, not so great. For less than $30 you can get a "dock" with all the ports that connect via a 6" cable instead of being flush up against the MBP (yet higher). The dock with cable doesn't use both TB ports or block the audio port either.

Something like this

The Satechi just did not match the look of the new MBP very well.
 
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dmylrea said:
Yeah, not so great. For less than $30 you can get a "dock" with all the ports that connect via a 6" cable instead of being flush up against the MBP (yet higher). The dock with cable doesn't use both TB ports or block the audio port either.

Something like this

The Satechi just did not match the look of the new MBP very well.
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And that one also has HDMI.
 
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As much as I dislike hanging dongles, I’m thinking this is mostly going to be on one’s desk. Why then is there a need to flush mount it and block 2 usb-c ports?
 
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As much as I'd have loved to see an ethernet port, it has pretty much disappeared from all laptops other than the very large gaming machines.

With regards to the USB-A, I know lots of accessories tgat still use the A port, however I'd rather have a future proof system than a computer with 2 ugly obsolete ports on in 2 years.
 
They make some nice hubs at a nice price.

Waiting for someone to make a 140W desktop one for the new MBP 16". Reached out to OWC and they don't currently know when they may offer such.
 
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