Ever since Apple went all-in on USB-C with its modern MacBooks, many consumers have found themselves missing the wide range of connectivity that used to be available in its older offerings. This has lead many of us to buy various dongles over the years and, much like backpacks, to always be on the lookout for an upgrade. With a sturdy connection and svelte design, the recently-released AUKEY USB-C Hub goes to great lengths to be the ideal dongle for most.
AUKEY USB-C Hub: Refined and reliable
My reliance on external connectivity has been dwindling for years. It actually came well before Apple switched entirely to USB-C on its portable computers. For this reason, it didn’t take long for me to convince myself to take the plunge. Keyboard issues aside, I have little to complain about outside of the occasional lack of USB-A, SD card, and HDMI connectivity. This is where the 7-in-1 AUKEY USB-C Hub comes to the rescue.
It connects via two Thunderbolt 3 ports, making it a MacBook Air and Pro exclusive model that will not work on Apple’s now-retired 12-inch Mac laptop. In exchange for giving up two Thunderbolt 3 ports, I was thrilled to receive connectivity for two USB-C, two USB-A, SD, microSD, and HDMI. Throughout testing on my MacBook Air, I used each port and never noticed a downgrade in performance.
While my needs are far from intensive, I had no issues quickly creating a bootable microSD card for my Raspberry Pi, transferring some photos and 4K video to my Sony USB-A/C thumb drive, connecting to my 42.5-inch 4K LG monitor, and charging my MacBook at full speed. One thing worth noting is that the HDMI port is only capable of displaying 4K30 and 1080p60, but users can easily achieve 4K60 by connecting via Thunderbolt using a cable like this one.
Having used similar adapters from many other brands in the past, one thing that stood out to me about this AUKEY USB-C hub is how sturdy it was when connected to my MacBook Air. In most instances I was able to detach cables without having to hold the hub in place.
Having spent a few weeks using AUKEY’s 7-in-1 USB-C Hub, it’s the first hub I’ve used without experiencing a single issue in that timeframe. Pair its reliable performance with a clean look, sturdy connection, and wide variety of ports and I can confidently say that this is the one and only hub that I plan on using for the foreseeable future.
Pricing and availability
Regularly $49.99, the recently-released AUKEY USB-C Hub is currently priced at $44.99 for Amazon Prime members. Even better, AUKEY has provided 9to5 readers with coupon code XY55B229 (expires on August 12, 2019), which further reduces the cost to $35.99. The 7-in-1 AUKEY USB-C Hub was officially released in May and is available for order now.
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