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dark_dar

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Nov 18, 2023
1
0
I have a question regarding the set up for my M1 Air. I am looking to expand the number of USB ports I have and I occasionally carry my laptop with me, so ideally I want to be able to just connect 1 usb cable to my M1 and get everything working, so ideally the hub/adapter should be capable of power delivery to the laptop as well. I have spent hours researching and reading reviews and it's getting to a point where I'm just exhausted of it.

It seems that have of the hubs I find have so many negative reviews on Amazon, with how their ports are breaking all the time.

I do know that M1 Air doesn't support 2 monitors natively, and while at the moment I'm using a single monitor in my set up and I don't feel the need for more, there is a chance that I will upgrade my laptop to something more capable in a couple of years. Ideally I'm looking for an adapter that will be more or less future-proof, meaning that dual 4k 60Hz is a very nice to have option.

I was almost ready to give and just get a Caldigit hub, but they are much more expensive in Europe than in the USA. One I liked seems to cost about 400 EUR instead of 220 bucks.

So would anyone here with a similar set up be willing to share their experience and offer some advice?
My requirements are: at least 2 USB-C ports, power delivery. I don't really need a card reader slot or an ethernet connection. I have external camera and a microphone, which require power.

Would a simple adapter like this one do the job? https://www.amazon.com/MultiPort-Adapter-Docking-Station-Ethernet/dp/B0CJBJRC3F
It feels weird that USB hubs cost so much more, do I pay for the 4k monitors support mostly?
 

JPack

macrumors G5
Mar 27, 2017
13,568
26,266
In general, the cheap hubs will work initially. After a few months, they overheat and disconnect frequently. This especially true if you load up the hub with multiple displays and Ethernet connected.

The docks and hubs that cost a couple dollars are designed for reliability. They receive firmware updates as needed.

If you want two external monitors on M1, you're limited to docks that use the DisplayLink chip.
 
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