Why dongles? Why not complete wires?

[SJTrance]

The idea of dongles seem like an extra step that I would want to take out. I have four main connectors that I tend to use.

- lightening for my iPhone 6S
- USB type A
- USB mini B
- USB micro B

Wouldn't it be easier to source some good quality wires that aren't expensive from companies like monoprice and call it a day? Is there some other piece of the puzzle that I'm missing? As far as obsolete wires, I'm ok with letting them go.

 

[Capt T]

I did that. The new replacement cables are here....no laptop yet...

 

[cmaier]

In some cases I will use dongles instead of new cables because I need to connect various devices both to the new MBP and to my MBA but not at the same time. Easier to remove a dongle than to swap cables.

 

[protoxx]

You need a dongle for things like a thumb drive. Else a usb-c to usb-a M/F cable.

Of course if you're like me and have lots of devices that have usb-a, usb-mini-a, usb-micro-a and usb-b and usb-mini-b-superspeed (I have external drives with all of these plus firewire and thunderbolt), you can either have a number of dongles, buy a bunch of cables and or buy a dock or two.

If I had to do it right now I'd buy at least 1 dongle and two of each of the cable combinations as a start. Likely end up buying 8 or 10 more anyway. Need shore <6" to as long a 6' or maybe 10' depending on devices. 6" cable might be fine for a 2.5" external drive but useless for connecting to a printer.

 

[arbitrage]

I have sourced all the new cables I need.....no dongles for me either. I did buy a couple small USBA-USBC to have in case someone gives me a flash drive or something but for all my main connections (microB, B, Lightning) I got new cables. So no change in my workflow or what I have to carry.

The only dongle I may need is HDMI one but I've used that port like 3 times in 4.5 years with my 2012rMBP so not sure if I care really.

 

[Macalway]

I need a USB-C thumb drive. And a USB-C SSD.

The rest cables, except the thunderbolt adapter, which I think is required presently, and I already own.

Someday dongle-less. One can dream?

 

[protoxx]

Looked on Amazon's top 100 thumbdrives. 4 listings for usb-c, 3 different sized of same one. There were 2 lightning ones for iPhone.

 

[Macalway]

best to just bite the bullet and get a Samsung T3 Portable SSD

https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-T3-P...01AVF6WN2/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

BUT, note this from a review:

"Macbook (out of the box - without installing OS X drivers; standard Apple UBC-C cable):
Write: 38 MB/s / Read: 41 MB/s
With Belkin USB-C 3.1 Cable
Write: 400 MB/s / Read: 431 MB/s
With drivers: (no difference in performance)

If you are going to use it with a USB-C device (notebook, desktop, etc) - definitely use a USB-C 3.1 cable like the Belkin." end quote

Then again, that's for the 12". Who knows......

I don't know.The geek in me sort of likes this new stuff. Im such a sucker 😀