The solution to our pro-port woes.
One of my biggest pet peeves with the newer MacBook Pros is that they don’t include the ‘pro-level’ ports that most creative professionals — especially photographers — crave. While I love my Apple computer and wouldn’t trade it for any other type of machine, I still miss having the ease of slipping an SD card into the side of my computer without having a cable dangling from it. Apparently, accessory designer, Kanex, heard our collective plea and created a very stylish, functional solution in the iAdapt 7-in-1 Multiport USB-C Hub + Card Reader.
DETAILS
iAdapt 7-in-1 Multiport USB-C Hub + Card Reader not only provides the ability for users to connect to their favorite devices, but it also provides power delivery while you work. The hub features USB-C power delivery along with USB 3.0 data delivery speeds. There are Micro SD and SD card slots available along with an HDMI 4K port. This hub was specifically designed to work with the MacBook Pro. It plugs in flush with the laptop and the space grey, aluminum finish matches the finish of the MacBook Pro.
SPECS
| USB-C Female: | 87W Pass-Through USB-C PD Charging |
| HDMI: | 4K/30Hz HDMI 1.4 HDCP 1.4/2.2 supported |
| USB 3.0 x2: | 10Gbps Transfer Speeds through USB 3.1 Gen2 technology |
| SD/MicroSD: | Supports up to 2TB SD and MicroSD cards |
| Finish Color: | Space Gray Aluminum housing |
| WARRANTY: | 1-Year Limited Warranty |
Compatible with: MacBook Air (2018), MacBook Pro (2016) 13-in. and 15-in., MacBook Pro (2017) 13-in. and 15-in., MacBook Pro (2018) 13-in. and 15-in., MacBook Pro (2019) 13-in. and 15-in.
USER EXPERIENCE
The iAdapt 7-in-1 Multiport USB-C Hub + Card Reader is a very well designed product. It arrives in a standard white and yellow Kanex box. There is a nice image of the product on the cover of the box and if you open the lid, you can see the real device inside. The box provides a lot of details about the hub and does a nice job protecting it during transport. Because the operation is largely plug-n-play, there is no quick start guide or manual included. There are also no drivers that need to be installed and as soon as it’s plugged in, you can start using it.
I ended up using the hub in a couple of different ways. First, I used it to transfer files from one external hard drive to another. While I was testing out this hub, I happened to also be working on condensing files from several different hard drives. This ended up being a perfect test run for the Kanex iAdapt hub because I was able to connect USB-A connected drives to USB-C connected drives through the hub. File transfers seemed to be the same speed as if the hard drives were plugged directly into my laptop and it was much easier than having an extraneous cable strewn across my desk while I worked.
I also used the hub to download photos from an SD card. Again, the process was seamless and it went flawlessly. I was surprised at how easy it was to use the iAdapt hub. I only had one issue with a hard drive randomly ejecting and I believe it was caused by user error and not the device. I’m also a big fan of how it blends right in with the side of the computer. There is absolutely no gap between the computer and the hub. I truly appreciate how Kanex designed this little wonder.
CONCLUSION
At nearly $80, this type of hub is an investment. There are options out there that aren’t quite as expensive, but they don’t integrate quite as well with the MacBook Pro’s physical space. It is a space-saving device and I feel that people who work remotely and from mobile locations would benefit from this the most. I love the hub small form factor because I can easily slip it into my laptop sleeve and be able to connect to most devices without any hassle. I think it’s definitely worth the cost of purchasing the hub.
For more information, visit kanex.com, Facebook, and Twitter.
