Earlier this month, Satechi launched a new docking station for MacBook that delivers as distinctive of a design as we’ve seen. Resting beneath your machine, the brand new Satechi Twin Dock Stand packs 9 ports alongside an NVMe SSD slot for streamlining your workstation.
Fingers-on with the brand new Satechi Twin Dock Stand
Satechi is hardly a stranger to distinctive form-factors on the subject of any product class. That simply goes double for Mac docking stations. The model was the primary to essentially popularize the under-Mac mini hub that has successfully modified the market of equipment for Apple’s most compact macOS machine. Now the corporate is bringing that very same attraction and outdoors the field pondering to MacBooks
An unfamiliar design is the very first thing that you simply’re going to note with the Satechi Twin Dock Stand. It arrives with this wedge-shaped construct that’s made to relaxation beneath your MacBook. It has a pair of cords protruding from the left-hand aspect, with a metallic enclosure wrapped round all of the I/O enlargement tech.
Except for simply preserving your workstation clear from having one other accent scattered about by hiding the hub beneath your machine’s footprint, it additionally angles your Mac, too. It isn’t the steepest slope on the market, however is simply adequately subtle to really make typing extra pleasant. An ergonomic design won’t be the principle promoting level right here, however it’s one thing that Satechi has definitely delivered.
So far as the construct goes, I’ve a 14-inch M2 MacBook Professional that occurs to be the suitable measurement for the Satechi Twin Dock Stand. If you happen to’re rocking one of many bigger 16-inch fashions, you probably gained’t discover it to be as excellent of a match. However the construct could be very sturdy and the rubber padding that your machine rests on ought to preserve every part in place whereas typing.
On the again of that wedged construct are all the ports. Satechi has packed a really sturdy lineup of I/O on the again, and I fairly actually do imply a line. The again is only one port after one other, beginning with Gigabit Ethernet after which wrapping up with a USB-C energy port for passthrough charging. Right here’s a break down of what you get with the particular charging and information charges.
- USB-C PD Move-through Port as much as 75W
- 2 x USB-C Knowledge Ports (5Gb/s & 10Gb/s)
- 2 x HDMI 2.0 Port (4K/60Hz)
- 1 x DisplayPort 1.4 Port (4k/60Hz)
- 2 x USB-A Ports (5Gb/s & 10Gb/s)
- 1 Gigabit Ethernet Port
All in all, this can be a very complete listing of ports and actually delivers every part I’ve wanted. I’ve a reasonably constant setup, with a plugged in audio interface, monitor, USB switcher, and another equipment. Nothing too intensive, however the Satechi Twin Dock Stand by no means appeared to throttle
Alongside all the ports, the dock additionally has one other distinctive characteristic. Packed into that wedge design is an SSD slot. You’ll have to produce your individual drive, however situated behind a panel that clicks off is room for an M.2 solid-state drive. It’s appropriate with each SATA and NVMe drives, and has been such a handy strategy to improve storage. I put in one of many sooner NVMe drives that I personal, and was in a position to constantly get 900MB/s or larger switch speeds. So in case your workflow means enhancing footage or recordsdata off an exterior machine, this ought to be as much as the duty.
It’s not all good, although…
The half concerning the Satechi Twin Dock Stand that I just like the least is the way it really connects to your MacBook. It’s probably the most effective answer to have a pair of cords mix right into a single module and plug into the left aspect, However each time I did use the dock, it simply disrupted the magic of the remainder of the expertise.
The 2 cables aren’t utterly mounted into the little adapter, and they also slide round a – making it powerful to plug each in directly as flawlessly as I’d have hoped for. The cords themselves aren’t additionally the highest quality, and I do know they needed to be so long as they’re to accommodate bigger MacBooks, however the one measurement suits all answer simply won’t have been the play for a $150 accent.
No less than it saves room to make use of your individual MagSafe cable! So although there may be USB-C passthrough, you’ll be able to nonetheless depend on the sooner tech from the charger you already personal.
9to5Toys’ Take
I’ve been utilizing the brand new Satechi Twin Dock Stand for over per week now, and have been so thrilled about it that I have to get some ideas out. If every part I’ve already written wasn’t indicator of how I’m feeling from my hands-on time to this point, let me be extra specific – Satechi has actually delivered one thing particular right here.
Don’t get me flawed, the design isn’t going to be for everybody. I didn’t essentially suppose I’d be offered once I was unboxing it originally of the month. However now right here I’m just a few weeks later shouting from proverbial mountain tops about how a lot I like this. If you happen to nonetheless sort in your MacBook keyboard on a regular basis, that is a fantastic different to one thing like Twelve South’s widespread Curve stands. It really provides you some airflow advantages and a extra ergonomic design, with out having to place your valuable MacBook someplace away out of your fingertips.
The I/O choice, actually the principle cause to purchase this, could be very compelling as nicely. It actually does have every part that I’d need as an M2 MacBook Professional proprietor. The combination between extra future-proof ports and a few legacy USB-A choices are very appreciated, and Satechi doesn’t skimp out on the bandwidth, both! With the ability to really benefit from the 10Gb/s bus speeds right here was so helpful with the interior SSD, and never having to fret concerning the drive slot cannibalizing information transfers.
That each one simply brings me to the worth tag, which actually as pretty much as good because it will get in my e book. At $150, the Satechi Twin Dock Stand checks every part off the listing that I might need. Stable construct high quality? Verify. Expansive ports? En masse! Apple-ready form-factor? it. So if the extra distinctive design right here does catch your eye, Satechi delivers a compelling bundle that will begin with that novelty, however ends with the identical high quality we’ve come to anticipate from the model.
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