What Kind Of Hub Do I Need?

[jparker402]

I just got a 2021 MacBook Pro 14, and it has three USB C ports. I shopped awhile for a hub to provide some USB A ports, and settled on a non-powered Syntech 4-in-1 Hub. Then this morning I went on YouTube and listened to a new video on what kind of ports I might want. This is when I discovered that my education on hubs may not be sufficient. On my MacBook Pro I have a WD 2TB External HD in one of the USB C ports for Time Machine. In another of the USB C ports I have a Samsung T7 SSD plugged in for Carbon Copy Cloner. Into the remaining USB C port I have plugged in the Syntech USB A hub for connecting my printer (not powering it) and for flash drives. Does my MacBook Pro have the power to drive all these accessories with any more power? I honestly do not know. How does one know if the WD HD and the Samsung SSD are getting enough power? Or the flash drives? Short of needing to use them to restore something and find the downloading didn't work?

 

[xraydoc]

I just got a 2021 MacBook Pro 14, and it has three USB C ports. I shopped awhile for a hub to provide some USB A ports, and settled on a non-powered Syntech 4-in-1 Hub. Then this morning I went on YouTube and listened to a new video on what kind of ports I might want. This is when I discovered that my education on hubs may not be sufficient. On my MacBook Pro I have a WD 2TB External HD in one of the USB C ports for Time Machine. In another of the USB C ports I have a Samsung T7 SSD plugged in for Carbon Copy Cloner. Into the remaining USB C port I have plugged in the Syntech USB A hub for connecting my printer (not powering it) and for flash drives. Does my MacBook Pro have the power to drive all these accessories with any more power? I honestly do not know. How does one know if the WD HD and the Samsung SSD are getting enough power? Or the flash drives? Short of needing to use them to restore something and find the downloading didn't work?

My personal suggestion is, if all this is just sitting on your desk and doesn't need to be mobile with you, that you buy a powered USB-C or Thunderbolt 4 hub. I'd reserve the passive hubs for mobile use when needed.

Popular Thunderbolt 4 hubs are Caldigit's TS4 https://www.caldigit.com/thunderbolt-station-4/ or OWC's Thunderbolt dock https://eshop.macsales.com/shop/owc-thunderbolt-dock

There's others, of course, but these two appear to be well regarded. I personally have the OWC model and I don't have any problems with it on my 14" MacBook Pro (M1 Pro). I did have an issue when I had an M1 MacBook Air where the dock's ethernet adapter would drop, but no such trouble on my MBP. Not sure what the difference here is. The Caldigit has a reputation for being very reliable.

 

[Fishrrman]

"Does my MacBook Pro have the power to drive all these accessories with any more power?"

If it doesn't, you'll find out. The MBP will disable the ports and probably give a warning that the ports are overloaded (too much bus power being drawn).

My advice re the CCC backup is... only connect it when you run a backup. Then disconnect it again. You probably won't need a CCC backup more than "once a day", if that much. I do mine once a WEEK.

I don't use tm -- have enough CCC backups as it is.

I would have recommended a POWERED USB hub (instead of a non-powered one), as xraydoc suggests above.