Twelve South Launches StayGo Mini USB-C Hub for Macs and iPads

[MacRumors]

Twelve South today announced the launch of the StayGo Mini, a small USB-C hub that provides a trio of ports for use while on the go.

The StayGo mini is a smaller version of Twelve South's StayGo USB-C hub, featuring a USB-A port, a USB-C port for passthrough charging, an HDMI port, and a headphone jack.

The pocket-sized StayGo Mini is available in either black or white, and it is compatible with Apple's USB-C Macs and iPads.

Twelve South offers a short 0.5-meter cable with the StayGo Mini for use with the iPad, and there's also a longer desktop cable for those who prefer more cord length. It can also be used plugged directly into an iPad or Mac.

The StayGo Mini is available from Twelve South for $59.99.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Twelve South. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Article Link: Twelve South Launches StayGo Mini USB-C Hub for Macs and iPads

 

[cube4ever]

30Hz Hdmi -> Instant Fail in 2021

 

[calstanford]

USB-A is really still a thing for people? Isn't it cheaper in the long run to replace whatever old USB-A device you have with a newer better USB-C one than to keep buying these huge hideous dongles/hubs?

 

[6787872]

pretty cool, i wonder how robust it is though with just the little port holding it in.

 

[GeoStructural]

USB-A is really still a thing for people? Isn't it cheaper in the long run to replace whatever old USB-A device you have with a newer better USB-C one than to keep buying these huge hideous dongles/hubs?

For your everyday drive, yes; but for other equipment is not that easy. I have a Data Acquisition System (DAQ) I use for research that costs around $10K and connects via USB A. I could find workarounds but iPad’s portability plus what I already have is better than re-wiring the whole thing.

 

[mksap11]

30Hz Hdmi -> Instant Fail in 2021

Agree 1000%. 4K/30 is a deal breaker for me (and should be for anyone who has a 4K display).

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

And just as I'm reading this, I get the email announcing it. Too funny...

Wonder why I'd need this. Hmm...

EDIT: Oh...

Storage. It'll take me a while to get into the idea of having storage attach to an iPad. But HDMI is nice. Cool!!!

EDIT: And the standard StayGo has an Ethernet Port!!! No kidding... Hmm... Far out!

 

[f0ma]

I've been using the Satechi hub for over two years, and this one is literally the same with identical set of ports, and Satechi's USB-A is 3.0, not 2.0... what's the point?

 

[DotCom2]

Too pricey for what it is.

 

[Tagbert]

USB-A is really still a thing for people? Isn't it cheaper in the long run to replace whatever old USB-A device you have with a newer better USB-C one than to keep buying these huge hideous dongles/hubs?

You have obviously not been reading comments sections for the last couple of years. Lots of people are vehement that they still have legacy devices that need USB-A. It may be more of a convenience thing at this point with trying to reduce the number of adaptors. Having it built into this hub might simplify that.

 

[DEMinSoCAL]

USB-A is really still a thing for people? Isn't it cheaper in the long run to replace whatever old USB-A device you have with a newer better USB-C one than to keep buying these huge hideous dongles/hubs?

I can probably count the number of USB-C thumb/flash drives on the market on one hand. External portable USB drives that come with a USB-C cable? Same. Scanner? Printer? ZERO come with a USB-C cable. Show me a 3rd party wireless keyboard/mouse set where the receiver is USB-C. There is a myriad of devices that come with only USB-A cables. So it is really still a thing? I would say most definitely.

 

[ikramerica]

USB-A is really still a thing for people? Isn't it cheaper in the long run to replace whatever old USB-A device you have with a newer better USB-C one than to keep buying these huge hideous dongles/hubs?

My sister still has a piece of equipment she needs for her business that uses a serial port, for which she needs a USB adapter.

So yeah, there will be USB-A to USB-C use cases for the foreseeable future.

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

You have obviously not been reading comments sections for the last couple of years. Lots of people are vehement that they still have legacy devices that need USB-A. It may be more of a convenience thing at this point with trying to reduce the number of adaptors. Having it built into this hub might simplify that.

Like in the sports arena, ANT+ was the leader, by default, in the sensor market, and that frequency is saturated, resulting in many people having massive dropouts and connectivity difficulties. The chorus of 'Get new sensors' was galling. If those sensors were a couple of dollars a piece, replacing all of them would be simple. People would be a fool not to, but with some sensors being hundreds of dollars, and most being easily in the $100+ range, it was getting maddening for people to advocate spending that kind of money.

And hearing that USB-A and USB-C are so similar, perhaps more so than different, makes it galling, again, to have people telling others to 'just spend more money and climb on the bandwagon'. Yeah, no....

Until all the devices that have both cables stop including adapters, and 'require' USB-C (like a Sony portable speaker I recently bought, and it's just for charging!), I'll keep my USB-A...

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

My sister still has a piece of equipment she needs for her business that uses a serial port, for which she needs a USB adapter.

So yeah, there will be USB-A to USB-C use cases for the foreseeable future.

I have backups on floppy disks, and still have my external Sony floppy disk drive! I have a label maker that requires a 9-pin cable to update it. Yeah, artifacts that some seem to want to put in the Smithsonian, are being used by real people every day. Necessity is the mother of invention, with cables and adapters all to keep it working

 

[NMBob]

USB-A is really still a thing for people? Isn't it cheaper in the long run to replace whatever old USB-A device you have with a newer better USB-C one than to keep buying these huge hideous dongles/hubs?

Ooo. You're post is popular!
Out of 40 years of personal electronic stuff I JUST bought something that uses USB-C. A Samsung 500GB SSD drive...but thankfully it came with a USB-C to USB-A cable.
We have easily over $400,000 worth of function generators, precision multimeters, precision power supplies/analyzers, oscilloscopes, etc. out in the lab. I think one has a mini-USB connector. Just about all of them have GPIB if that helps.

 

[ikir]

30Hz Hdmi -> Instant Fail in 2021

This device is pretty nice but with 60hz HDMI would be much more better.

 

[JosephAW]

Where’s the lightning port version of this for the rest of the iOS universe?

 

[psxp]

Is there a cheaper/better alternative? I would like HDMI/USB-A 3.0/USB C at minimal

 

[kirbyrun]

Is there a cheaper/better alternative? I would like HDMI/USB-A 3.0/USB C at minimal

Does this work for you?

Monoprice Consul Series USB-C HDMI Adapter with VGA, Gigabit Ethernet, 2-Port USB 3.0, USB-C 100W PD 3.0 - Monoprice.com

Extend your reach and grasp new possibilities with your USB Type‑C® equipped computer using the Consul Series of USB‑C® adapters. Featuring USB Type‑C 3.1 functionality, the

www.monoprice.com

 

[ignatius345]

USB-A is really still a thing for people?

Yes. It’s been a universal standard for decades. Those billions of devices and cables don’t just disappear overnight. Nor should they.

Isn't it cheaper in the long run to replace whatever old USB-A device you have with a newer better USB-C one than to keep buying these huge hideous dongles/hubs?

No, it’s not. And you don’t have to spend $60 on a hub or adapter either. Also throwing stuff into landfill for no reason is a **** thing to do.

 

[sean+mac]

Is there a cheaper/better alternative? I would like HDMI/USB-A 3.0/USB C at minimal

There are a ton of these things out there. I just picked up for CAD$30 (well under half the price of this one once factoring in currency) https://www.amazon.ca/iCAN-Type-HDMI-Adapter-Black/dp/B07N8HLHH6 (from Canada Computers but easier to link Amazon) and so far am happy. Both the Twelve South and this one are 30Hz HDMI, which isn't ideal, but gets the job done for occasional use cases.

One perk of this one is the USB-C port can actually be used for things other than passing through power. I actually got this over a slightly more expensive iCan one which also had a headphone jack for that reason. Take with a grain of salt: it can be very hard to tell with reading specs if the USB-C port is useful or not beyond providing power.

 

[HackMacDaddy]

Such a shame we need stupid dongles for basic stuff.

 

[jimimac71]

If OWC doesn't have it, I don't need it.
I would not want something that doesn't use a cable.
Too much potential stress to the port.
My G3 iMac only had a CD reader, so I had a 3.5 floppy drive.
As late as 2006, my HP desktop also had a CD reader and a 3.5 floppy.
My 2007 iMac (avatar) has a slot load DVD writer.
These days my use of an optical drive is limited.
I use thumb drives plenty and the occasional micro SD card.

 

[oneMadRssn]

30Hz Hdmi -> Instant Fail in 2021

Does the iPad support more than 30Hz display out over USB-C?

 

[Dreamail]

Is there a cheaper/better alternative? I would like HDMI/USB-A 3.0/USB C at minimal

It seems to come down to size, price and usability. There is no one device that can do it all.

All top specs, in a cheap package that is the size of the StayGo Mini and can be clipped-on directly - I have not seen such a device. Must be hitting some design limitations somewhere.


If you want something as tiny and portable as the StayGo Mini you typically only get USB-A 2.0 and 30Hz HDMI.
Anything that offers higher specs seems to be larger or more cumbersome to use.

The Apple USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter for example does HDMI at 60Hz.

USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter

USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter lets you connect your USB-C or Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) enabled Mac to a HDMI display, standard USB device, and charging cable. Buy now at apple.com.

www.apple.com

But it is more expensive and is also a massive dongle in comparison to the StayGo Mini. It's much bigger than it looks in the photos.

The design point of the StayGo Mini is that you do not have a clunky box hanging off a tiny 3-4 inch connection cable. Like the Apple adapter kind of dongle design. This design is really not practical when holding the iPad in your hands while standing presenting or when it is rested on your lap. Those kind of dongles are desk use only.
The whole point of the StayGo Mini is that the device is tiny and you can attach it directly to the iPad Pro, with no dongle cable hanging off of it dangling about.
There are not that many alternative "clip-on" devices available. And the ones offering USB-A 3.0 or 60Hz HDMI are all larger, as far as I can tell. Less portable, more clunky.

It comes down to the trade-offs that you are wanting to accept.
Size versus price versus features versus usability.