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

[Dreamail]

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

Yes, the latest iPad Pro models can.

If you check out the Apple "USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter" (linked in the post above), it lists which iPad model does only 30Hz and which can do 60Hz in which resolution.

 

[ijordano]

Why do none of these adapters ever support 2 USB-C data inputs?

 

[Tech198]

That's one hell of an attachment you got right there.

 

[Ray2]

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.

Other than wired headphones, what do I do with the peripherals that are plugged into the hub and “dangling about”? Not to mention a coupling cable is included as Twelve South anticipates few will use peripherals while holding the iPad in your hands. This is the sort of stuff Apple nails. They use a dongle.

 

[VaruLV]

USB 2.0 for 60$ ?!
NO, thanks, wasted opportunity like with those other portable'ish(usb c powered) hubs with either two usb-c ports with one for data but no 3.5mm port or with 3.5mm but no usb-c data ports.

 

[Dreamail]

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

30Hz Hdmi -> Instant Fail in 2021

It really depends on what you need it for.
I got mine in the mail today and I am really impressed with the small size, build quality and features.

The issue with many of these small adapters is that the USB-A port is often limited to 500mA output.
Even the expensive Apple USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter does that.

Why is this a problem?
I have an external Blu-ray player and that draws more than 500mA.

Using the Apple USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter, even though it has a power pass-through, does not allow me to attach my Blu-ray player and charge my MacBook at the same time. The Blu-ray player fails to spin up the disc as is suffers a power shortage.

But the StayGo Mini works! Its USB-A port provides more than 500mA power. (900mA I think...)
So I can indeed charge my MacBook -while- binge-watching whole anime series on Blu-ray.
For me it is not important whether that USB-A port is 2.0 or 3.0, it needs to provide enough power for my Blu-ray player - which none of the other small adapters and dongles I tried did. The StayGo Mini is the first tiny adapter I found that does.

So in my book it is a much better adapter, than even the much more expensive Apple one.
It works for me.

For presentations or movie watching 30Hz is fine. The Blu-ray discs don't offer more frames per second anyway.
You only need more when connecting a monitor for computer work or gaming. Which I do not.
But of course YMMV.