Michal Marek [su_vimeo url=”https://vimeo.com/146024919″ width=”640″]
Laptops from Apple undoubtedly stand out for their mobility, compact dimensions and light weight. Naturally, this takes its toll, and users of the MacBook Air and especially the new 12-inch MacBook have to reckon with severely limited connectivity. At the same time, the MacBook Air offers quite a lot. Unlike the MacBook, whose single USB-C port is used for power supply and connecting all peripherals, the Air has two USB connectors, one Thunderbolt and an SD card slot.
Even so, in the world of Apple, more than anywhere else, various reductions or forks are used; a much more complex solution is represented by docks, which basically exist in two forms: as a docking station into which you snap the laptop so that it is a homogeneous unit and the laptop suddenly gets extra ports, or as a separate box with a number of its own ports, which can be connected with a single cable you connect it to a computer and thus also increase its connectivity many times over.
We already have the first version of the docking station presented in the form of LandingZone and now we will look at the second concept of the dock, in two variants. The renowned American manufacturer OWC offers one that connects via USB-C and the other with Thunderbolt.
Variant with USB-C
OWC's USB-C Dock is the first ever USB-C dock and still one of the few currently available for purchase. Its big advantage is that it is designed directly for the twelve-inch MacBook with Retina display, which corresponds to the range of color versions. This includes three variants (black, silver and gold) perfectly matching the color variants of the MacBook. The only thing missing is the rose gold one, in which it goes new this year's MacBook model.
In addition to the connector that connects the dock to the MacBook, the solution from OWC offers an SD card slot, an audio jack with input and output, four standard USB 3.1 ports, one USB 3.1 Type-C port, an Ethernet port and HDMI. So you can connect a whole range of peripherals to a MacBook with a single port, including a 4K display, headphones, printer, etc., connect it to a local network and still be able to charge it.
Dock in one of three available colors you can buy from NSPARKLE for 4 crowns, with a classic two-year warranty. A 45cm USB-C cable is included in the package.
Variant with Thuderbolt
OWC also offers a dock with a Thunderbolt port, which you can connect to basically any other Mac than the new "twelve" (the presence of a Thunderbolt 1 or 2 connector, which Apple has been using since 2011, is enough). However, it will probably be most appreciated by MacBook Air users, who are far better off with the range of ports than Retina MacBook owners, but still lag behind MacBook Pros or desktops.
In terms of color, OWC's Thunderbolt Dock is available in a universal silver-black color that matches all Macs. More important, however, is the range of ports that the dock has. There are even more of them than there were in the case of the smaller USB-C Dock, so the user can look forward to the following portion of connectivity:
- 2× Thunderbolt 2 (one of them is used to connect the dock to a Mac or MacBook)
- 3 × USB 3.0
- 2x USB 3.0 in High-power variant for fast charging of iPhones or iPads (1,5 A)
- FireWire 800
- HDMI 1,4b for 4K image at 30 Hz
- Gigabit Ethernet RJ45
- 3,5mm audio input
- 3,5mm audio output
This port-packed Thunderbolt Dock from OWC purchased from NSPARKLE for 8 crowns. In addition to the dock itself, you will also find a meter-long Thunderbolt cable in the package.
Both docks thus offer above-standard connectivity options and stand out for their perfect workshop processing. What's also nice is that, thanks to the high-quality metal design, which also matches the color of the MacBook, both docks give the impression of an elegant addition to the work desk (see image below).
The fact is that it is a rather expensive piece of fun, but unfortunately there is nothing much cheaper available, which is evidenced by the previously reviewed LandingZone Dock. If you want a comprehensive solution and the ability to connect several peripherals at once, you will simply have to dig deeper into your pocket. For your money, OWC will at least offer you quality, a large number of different ports and a design that currently has no competition in the world of accessories of this type.
We thank the company for lending the products NSPARKLE.
One variant does not have thunderbolt at all, the other an SD slot. So even for the money it's still a compromise.
In my opinion, the variant with Thunderbolt does not have an SD slot because it can only be connected to computers that have an SD slot themselves.
Yeah, that's a big shortcoming of the twelve-inch. Otherwise, regarding the missing SD slot – not true – MBA 11,6″ has TB but no SD.
Ah, you're right, I didn't think of the smaller Air. :)
I'm surprised that you can't use Thunderbolt from USB-C. I thought that the real USB-C should be compatible with the TB and, as it were, its replacement/improvement
https://thunderbolttechnology.net/blog/thunderbolt-3-usb-c-does-it-all
No, USB-C is just a type of connector that is used for USB 3.1 and Thunderbolt 3 interfaces. These interfaces are not compatible, they just have the same connector. It would be optimal if manufacturers were able to implement both interfaces simultaneously on one connector, and then it would only matter what one connects.
But according to the link I posted here, Thunderbolt 3 should be compatible with USB, right? They write there "Computer ports with Thunderbolt 3 provide 40Gbps Thunderbolt – double the speed of the previous generation, USB 3.1 10Gbps, and DisplayPort 1.2. For the first time, one computer port connects to Thunderbolt devices, every display, and billions of USB devices"
The SD slot is not a shortage, many devices have a different type of card, so you still need a USB reader or adapter. The USB-C variant doesn't have Thunderbolt because it doesn't have logic. TB is an extended PCI Express, there would have to be a quantum of converters and the speed would be pathetic if it could be done at all.
:-) The fact that you don't need an SD slot does not mean that we can boldly leave it out of the game. SD cards are the most common format and many Macbooks have an SD slot, so it's no wonder that many people may need one. Have a dock for thousands and still have to connect additional reductions? You nailed it a bit. And having a Thunderbolt connector in the dock makes sense - for connecting a Thunderbolt display or a fast external SSD drive. I'm not dealing with the technical side - I'm dealing with the fact that Apple forced Thunderbolt on users, expensive peripherals for it, and now (actually already last year) came into the world with a Macbook for tens of thousands, which can't be connected to it for anything in the world. I understand that it's a total no-brainer for many people, but I also understand people who are quite annoyed by this.
Or something like that https://www.czc.cz/i-tec-usb3-0-memory-dual-hd-video-docking-station/147959/produkt for approx. 2.500 - I have that and I am satisfied.
So I have this http://www.istyle.eu/cz/hyper-usb-type-c-hub.html and it's not a bad thing at all for the money
I like this dock a lot more than the LandingZone, where the snapping didn't really impress me. But I miss magsafe straight from the dock with the thunderbolt version. Something like having a Thunderbolt display to run only one cable that is split at the end and both just connected to the Macbook and there was no need to have a second adapter in the socket.
Let's make a laptop with one port. How cool!! Then let the clients buy additional ports for another ten thousand. What progress!!!
I bought a new MacBook 12″ and now I'm trying to figure out how to connect an external HDD with Thunderbolt to it. But I need some mobile solutions for backpacking trips. Does anyone know of anything? :)