iPad Pro Sony MRW-S3 USB-C hub - UHS-II SD, 100 W PD, 1 GB/s (USB 3.1 Gen 2), HDMI 4Kp30, USB-C, USB-A

[EugW]

This Sony MRW-S3 looks like a great hub, and has the benefit of being from a company which isn't some small 3rd tier Chinese manufacturer that just sells on Amazon or whatever.

https://www.sony.net/Products/memorycard/en_us/mrws3/?j-short=mrws3

I hope this works with both the 2019/2020 iPad Pros and with my 2017 MacBook. (I only need USB 3.1 Gen 1 speeds.) Unfortunately, my guess is this will be insanely expensive.

https://www.sony.com/en_us/SCA/comp...SD-microsd-reader-for-efficient-workflow.html

Sony Electronics Launches World’s Fastest Smart Multifunction USB Hub with UHS-II SD/microSD Reader for Efficient Workflow
Sony Electronics - 07/12/2019

SAN DIEGO — July 12, 2019 — Sony Electronics today continues to make ultra-high-speed, reliable and efficient workflow a reality for professionals, with the introduction of the MRW-S3 – the world’s fastest UHS-II SD/microSD card reader and USB Hub with USB 3.1 Gen 2 and up to 100W USB Power Delivery (USB PD) and HDMI output capability support.

Sony has also introduced an addition to its TOUGH SD card range with the launch of the TOUGH SF-M series.

Power through projects

Professional photographers, videographers and creators no longer need to worry about carrying numerous adapters or fret about using up ports on their latest PCs with USB Type-C TM ports. The MRW-S3 is a one-stop solution for fast and reliable data transfer in the form of a handy USB Hub.

The world’s fastest UHS-II SD and microSD card reader handles everything from high-resolution RAW image files to 4K videos and allows the user to maximize their creativity affording more time to spend on retouching and editing content.

The MRW-S3 is also the fastest USB Hub supporting USB 3.1 Gen 2 which provides ultra-high-speed data transfer of up to 1000MB/s2. This brings out the full speed of each USB device so that professionals can make the most of their high-speed External SSDs like Sony’s SL-M and SL-C TOUGH specification series.

In addition, the MRW-S3 can receive up to 100W USB Power Delivery (USB PD)3 to ensure stable and reliable connections with USB devices. Users can be notified by the USB power level indicators if each port is ready to be connected at max power supply levels, eliminating worries of sudden disconnection due to poor power management.

Simplify your work life

The MRW-S3 has a HDMI output with 4K 30fps capabilities, to connect to external monitors without the hassle of carrying extra adaptors or sacrificing limited ports on your PC4.

The powerful USB Hub has a durable aluminum body with a wave surface to prevent scratches, while the grip makes handling easier than ever, especially when connecting and disconnecting devices. The MRW-S3 weighs a mere 95g and comes with a detachable USB-C to USB-C cable for connecting to the host PC and helps prevent cable damage. This cable also can be used for connecting to USB 3.1 Gen 2 devices or to a USB PD AC adapter up to 100W, thanks to its embedded eMarker.

 

[A.R.E.A.M.]

Is this an advertising post? Sonys hub is also most likely made in china in the same building probably as those other hubs you diss.

Meanwhile theres a handful of good hubs out there that can work now and in the future. Ive 3 of them just for the 3rd gen iPad Pro . Depending on what features/options you need on a hub, you can get some that are just as good as this one you linked.

For on the go this hub looks a little too bulky. nice on a desktop though...

 

[EugW]

Is this an advertising post? Sonys hub is also most likely made in china in the same building probably as those other hubs you diss.

Meanwhile theres a handful of good hubs out there that can work now and in the future. Ive 3 of them just for the 3rd gen iPad Pro . Depending on what features/options you need on a hub, you can get some that are just as good as this one you linked.

For on the go this hub looks a little too bulky. nice on a desktop though...

Agreed it's a bit bulky. Nonetheless the reason I posted this is because in my experience in the past, big name brand third party companies get better support in macOS / iOS than other third party companies, and also tend to suffer less specific issues like overheating or weird glitches, etc., although YMMV. For example, for the Anble one I have, it usually works fine, but gets hot with file transfers, and annoyingly will disconnect ALL USB drives when unplugging just one of them, even if I have supplemental power connected. I can work around all these issues, but it's annoying nonetheless, and apparently many of the third party hubs using similar chipsets have one or more of these same issues (particularly with regards to heat).

Also, this device specifically has USB-C. Most of the third party ones I've seen do not provide USB-C at all, except for power pass-through. It's strange. 95% of the USB-C hubs out there assume you don't actually want to use USB-C, so they only provide USB 3.0 ports, except for the power pass-through. Then another 4% of USB-C hubs out there have USB-C only for audio connections. No drives supported. The Sony one I posted includes both a USB-C port (with drive support) and a USB-A port. Also, not only does it support USB-C, it actually supports USB 3.1 Gen 2, which is 10 Gbps. That's rare, as most support Gen 1 only. This port also supports UHS-II SD and up to 100 Watts power delivery.

Judging by the specs, this is definitely not the same chipset as most of the hubs out there. Whether or not it's actually better in real world usage remains to be seen, but like I said, often times the big name brands do tend to have better support and less glitchiness. Unfortunately, we also do not know the pricing yet either, but I'm guessing it's going to be expensive.

BTW, Apple makes its Macs and iPads in China too, sometimes by the same manufacturing companies. That alone does not necessarily impact quality. These mass manufacturers depend upon the design and QA as specified by the company that contracts them, so we can have top tier quality items and crappy items coming out of the same factories.