There was a time where every Apple product came with an excess of dongles fearing you would need to use them (but most people didn't). I must have a shoebox worth of display related white adapters before HDMI was shipped in Macs.
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M1: iMac lack of ports
- Thread starter Bill Av
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I have a leaked meeting notes of how Apple decided to limit the iMac to 4 ports.
Meeting notes: Everyone brainstorm how many devices a typical person would connect to an iMac.
- 1st external monitor
- printer
- scanner
- 1st external SSD/Hard Disk
- 2nd external SSD/Hard Disk
- 2nd external monitor
- wired mouse (for those having trouble with Bluetooth connection on Big Sur)
- wired keyboard (for those having trouble with Bluetooth connection on Big Sur)
Decision: We'll give them 2 ports, and if they want 4 they'll have to pay extra.
Meeting notes: Everyone brainstorm how many devices a typical person would connect to an iMac.
- 1st external monitor
- printer
- scanner
- 1st external SSD/Hard Disk
- 2nd external SSD/Hard Disk
- 2nd external monitor
- wired mouse (for those having trouble with Bluetooth connection on Big Sur)
- wired keyboard (for those having trouble with Bluetooth connection on Big Sur)
Decision: We'll give them 2 ports, and if they want 4 they'll have to pay extra.
You still haven't listed a specific device you're unable to connect to a USBC equipped 24" iMac - as was the context of my question.
Instead, you've gone off on a tangent about connecting stuff willy nilly.
Interestingly you might notice that current model Lenovo and HP laptops include a USBC port now, so the world is indeed progressing in that direction. It's vaguely reminiscent of the extensive uproar when Apple began dropping optical drives from their systems. In time the rest of the world followed suit.
I don't believe I remember that time, when was this?
I've only been buying Apple products for the past eleven years or so.
My point was that you were framing the situation wrong. The issue was never about not being able to connect a device to USB-C. It was about having to spend extra effort to connect devices to Macs, because the rest of the world is still predominantly USB-A.
This time it didn't happen. Apple started going USB-C-only in 2015, but the rest of the world still considers USB-A a useful port six years later.
Huh? I asked my question in response to someone claiming they will buy a mac mini instead of 24" imac because they don't want to have to replace all of their peripherals, none of which are USBC.
I was specific in my question and its context.
If you feel a driving need to have this other conversation, which has been done ad nauseam already, I'd suggest you resurrect one of the myriad threads and see if anyone's interested in rehashing the same stuff yet again.
2 USBC, but they also have 2 USBA and HDMI (and SIM) (Thinkpad X1 Carbon -- and it's lighter than the M1 MBA)
And then there's my Lenovo Desktop, 1 USBC, Thunderbolt, 8 USBA, 2 DP, Ethernet, Wifi (latest version), 4 Mini DP.
That said, I don't really mind USBA's being dropped on the iMac, but that does make it require dongles and messy.
What I really have come to loath is only 2 ports on my M1 MBA!
... and comes with a dongle for ethernet.
FWIW, the MBA has had just the two ports since they went Retina in 2018. So that's not an M1 thing as much as it's a model / market placement choice by Apple.
As for "dongles" - for the things you connect to your M1 MBA regularly I'd suggest just switching the cables over and being done with it.
Micro-B to USBC cables are inexpensive even in the USB3 flavors. Same for USBC to Lightning cables. Displayport to USBC cables work well, presumably same for USBC to HDMI. I switched to a USBC card reader years ago. I don't use flash drives, but if I needed one I'd probably grab one of the Sandisk or other dual-port models.
True! The dumb thing isn't thick enough for an RJ45 port. I have a USB dock though, and I use its ethernet.
I'm old enough that I once owned one of these...
RJ45 port clicked out when you needed it.
dang kids, get off my lawn!
We didn't do ethernet back then, it was all token ring, but I still have token ring PCMCIA cards in the parts closet.
In case you need it?We didn't do ethernet back then, it was all token ring, but I still have token ring PCMCIA cards in the parts closet.
Well the first MBP with HDMI was 2012 retina which is already 9 years old. I am positive this was when they stopped shipping display dongles in laptops (the mini still had a HDMI to DVI, and Mac Pro classic came with like DVI to VGA).
Prior to that, some generations of MacBooks / iBooks always had a sort of semi uncommon "mini DVI" or mini VGA", where Apple had to bundle a pin-to-pin dongle that converts it to the fat regular port. Only on MBPs / PowerBooks where you had a direct fat DVI port and I vaguely remember they ship with a DVI to VGA just in case people need it out of the box. As a result a regular Mac owner would end up with so many unused display dongles enough to fill a box.
If you still need USB-A, you could do what I did for my work laptop that has only 2 USB-ports. I got one of these:
It's inexpensive and works great for the few remaining USB-A devices I have and doesn't require any additional power.
AUKEY USB C Hub in Aluminum with 4 USB 3.0 Ports, Ultra Slim USB C Adapter for MacBook Pro 2017/2016, Google Chromebook Pixel, Samsung S9/S8, and More
AUKEY USB C Hub in Aluminum with 4 USB 3.0 Ports, Ultra Slim USB C Adapter for MacBook Pro 2017/2016, Google Chromebook Pixel, Samsung S9/S8, and More
smile.amazon.com
It's inexpensive and works great for the few remaining USB-A devices I have and doesn't require any additional power.
Anker USB C Hub, 555 USB-C Hub (8-in-1), with 100W Power Delivery, 4K 60Hz HDMI Port, 10Gbps USB C and 2 USB A Data Ports, Ethernet Port, microSD and SD Card Reader, for MacBook Pro and More
Model Number: A8383 Anker 555 USB-C Hub (8-in-1) The High-Speed Data Transfer, Pass-Through Charging, and 4K Media Hub All The Ports You Need Turn your device’s USB-C port into 8 ports, allowing you to transfer data in seconds, stream media in unrivaled clarity, and provide high-speed pass-throug...
www.amazon.com
This is working really well on my M1 MBP. 4k HDMI out at 60hz, almost every port used. Sure does get warm, but it's working (with ethernet too).
PLEASE ADVISE ASAP! Short story I am wondering if I need to upgrade from anemic 2 port iMac to 4 ports. Full story:
Got m1 iMac base model with upgraded RAM and storage. Mainly used in Logic X. I had to wait a few days for a USB c to USB A hub to arrive (usb 3). I then plugged in my two USB 2.0 hard drives, one which is set for time machine and other for external storage. I was able to transfer files to the external storage, and also to back up to the time machine at the same time. Everything seems fine. Then the next day the hard drive with time machine doesn't show on desktop. I find the setting in disk utilities to make it appear and it passes first aid but time machine won't detect it. So I decide to erase it and start fresh: but Mac OS refuses to erase it even after I try ever possible thing in Terminal. So I plug it into my PC and erase it no problem in windows, then plug it into the Mac and it works again. Erase it in disk utility and set it up as time machine, it works fine, does backups. Next day it once again disappears from the desktop. It shows in disk utility but once again can not be erased on the Mac and cannot be detected by Time Machine.
So my first thought is get rid of the USB Hub and buy another one. Excuse my ignorance but until now I was unaware that you could not plug external HDs (let alone two of them together) into many USB hubs. I've never had this problem before because I used to have more than enough ports. The "better" usb hubs are $100!!?!?!? Is this a problem I can solve with a USB Hub and is it going to be worth it?
Am I going to be able to solve this problem without it costing a lot? And if it costs that much am I just better off trading in my new computer and upgrading to the model with more ports? I've only had it for one week but apparently the return policy is now two weeks so I need to decide quickly. Time is of the essence because if I order a USB Hub to test another hub there could be a delay in getting it. 4 ports would be enough for me. One for audio interface (one of my interfaces is data only, I have a portable bus powered one I sometimes use), two for external HDs, sometimes one more, that's all I need.
SECOND OF ALL: obviously USB 2.0 hard drives are not very good. I was planning on buying new hard drives but there are a lot of things on the list of things to buy so I had put it off. Either way these ones can be kept as further archive. I am considering SSD as an option for one or both if the price is right. Is there a way to solve this problems with a cheap USB Hub if I used one SSD (less power draw?)
Once again forgive my total ignorance. This is a problem Apple just had to create isn't it?
Got m1 iMac base model with upgraded RAM and storage. Mainly used in Logic X. I had to wait a few days for a USB c to USB A hub to arrive (usb 3). I then plugged in my two USB 2.0 hard drives, one which is set for time machine and other for external storage. I was able to transfer files to the external storage, and also to back up to the time machine at the same time. Everything seems fine. Then the next day the hard drive with time machine doesn't show on desktop. I find the setting in disk utilities to make it appear and it passes first aid but time machine won't detect it. So I decide to erase it and start fresh: but Mac OS refuses to erase it even after I try ever possible thing in Terminal. So I plug it into my PC and erase it no problem in windows, then plug it into the Mac and it works again. Erase it in disk utility and set it up as time machine, it works fine, does backups. Next day it once again disappears from the desktop. It shows in disk utility but once again can not be erased on the Mac and cannot be detected by Time Machine.
So my first thought is get rid of the USB Hub and buy another one. Excuse my ignorance but until now I was unaware that you could not plug external HDs (let alone two of them together) into many USB hubs. I've never had this problem before because I used to have more than enough ports. The "better" usb hubs are $100!!?!?!? Is this a problem I can solve with a USB Hub and is it going to be worth it?
Am I going to be able to solve this problem without it costing a lot? And if it costs that much am I just better off trading in my new computer and upgrading to the model with more ports? I've only had it for one week but apparently the return policy is now two weeks so I need to decide quickly. Time is of the essence because if I order a USB Hub to test another hub there could be a delay in getting it. 4 ports would be enough for me. One for audio interface (one of my interfaces is data only, I have a portable bus powered one I sometimes use), two for external HDs, sometimes one more, that's all I need.
SECOND OF ALL: obviously USB 2.0 hard drives are not very good. I was planning on buying new hard drives but there are a lot of things on the list of things to buy so I had put it off. Either way these ones can be kept as further archive. I am considering SSD as an option for one or both if the price is right. Is there a way to solve this problems with a cheap USB Hub if I used one SSD (less power draw?)
Once again forgive my total ignorance. This is a problem Apple just had to create isn't it?
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Here’s a cheap hub that works for me on Amazon. It’s only USB 3.0 but that should be fine for your needs.
If you want true thunderbolt to take advantage of the bandwidth you’d have to spend a lot more.
I’d personally just get the 4-port iMac myself but that’s because I am always needing more ports (I have a 2018 top spec mini and still have 3 hubs connected to it).
I’m perfectly happy with the four USB ports and Ethernet jack. If I need more I’ll get a hub but most of my accessories are wireless
I literally don’t want a mess of wires on my desk so unless I have to I’m not doing a hub or more wired accessories. It’s 2021 so I’m trying to avoid a rats nest of wires.
I literally don’t want a mess of wires on my desk so unless I have to I’m not doing a hub or more wired accessories. It’s 2021 so I’m trying to avoid a rats nest of wires.
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It's funny how they reduced the number and type of ports just to make it what, a few mm thinner, just to need a hub mess with mixed results of even getting them to work properly.
Update: I spoke to AppleCare and am going to return my base iMac for the model with more ports. I would have needed two separate USB hubs just to run my computer which is unacceptable and doesn’t save money. Honestly they should have just put more ports on it or they should have been more clear in the marketing.
I’m all for getting the machine that suits your needs, but I’m not sure what Apple could have been more clear about? That the base machine only has two ports? You knew that. I’ve never had trouble running drives off a USB hub, but if you’re using bus-powered drives, then generally an inexpensive passive hub is going to be problematic if you’re not using externally-powered drives.
But, if you’re going to need a big powered hub, then you’re probably better off with the 4-port machine instead.
They could have clarified the use case. In the marketing for the four port they could specify something like “more ports for connecting external storage”. Unless warned about it most people are not aware that a USB hub could have issues with this. No one I have asked was aware of that issue but most of us have always had enough ports. Lack of ports is a brand new issue and the downsides of it (using bus powered devices) should be clarified. Unless I missed something I don’t think they really specified that. I don’t think it’s common knowledge yet.
Very disappointed with ports.
I have 3 OWC Thunderblade V4 drives connected to a OWC TB4 Hub. So that’s one TB port taken with three drives.
I also have various other drives that I can connect to another OWC TB4 hub. However that means everything is connected to the same bus!
I want to see more TB ports and at least 2 TB bus’s.
Also want to see a 10GBe port rather then having to use my current 10GBe to TB adapter.
I have 3 OWC Thunderblade V4 drives connected to a OWC TB4 Hub. So that’s one TB port taken with three drives.
I also have various other drives that I can connect to another OWC TB4 hub. However that means everything is connected to the same bus!
I want to see more TB ports and at least 2 TB bus’s.
Also want to see a 10GBe port rather then having to use my current 10GBe to TB adapter.
What the??? Apple couldn't have been more clear in the marketing. They showed and mentioned the ports array in the keynote and on the website. You're clearly not happy with what you bought so either you didn't truly check out Apple's web pages or your looking for reasons to blame Apple which couldn't be more wrong.