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Egypt, Cairo
1 Level
698 Review
58 Karma

Review on πŸ”Œ KEYMOX 11 in 1 USB-C Laptop Docking Station: Triple Display (Dual 4K HDMI & VGA) Adapter for HP Dell MacBook Pro and Windows - 1Gbps Ethernet LAN, 100W PD, 4 x USB, SD TF Card Reader by Chris Russell

Revainrating 4 out of 5

Seems to work with M1 MacBook Pro for short flashes

Update: I originally said it works with M1 MacBook Pro. This is only partially true, and using it with the M1 could damage your Mac. There are USB-C hubs that will literally blow up the board in your Mac when using power, unless you're running macOS version 11.2.2+. The hub gets very hot and the Mac automatically ejects any hard drives connected to it. I've also noticed that the USB 3 ports are much slower than normal even before they get warm. Using it for 5 minutes for a quick backup or file transfer is probably fine if you have macOS 11.2.2 installed, but I wouldn't use this for more than a few minutes on an M1 Mac, and I probably won't use it Do this more generally as the heat generated is so hot it will almost burn your hand. I just found out about the USB-C hub issue and was lucky I had Big Sur 11.2.3 installed so the computer didn't explode. This time I also used it without the power supply, which probably saved me from other problems. Firstly, the description says it doesn't work with M1 Macs, but I got it anyway just to see. It turns out to work fine. I was able to use the USB-C port to charge my new MacBook Pro M1 2020, as well as use a second monitor with a VGA output, and use a USB device through the USB-3 port. The device became very strong when charging the port hot plugged in and the cable seems a bit finicky when it comes to powering the laptop. I noticed that if I moved the cable a certain way, my Mac would say it was plugged in but not charging. However, I think it's great and plan to use it for hub connections, but will probably stay away from the charging feature and just use the Mac's second USB-C port to charge this hub as a hub only. I just upgraded from a 2015 MacBook with two USB 3 ports, an SD card slot, and a pair of Thunderbolt 2 and have used them all (except I've always had to use Thunderbolt 2 to VGA or other adapters with those ports). So, as you move to new MacBooks with two USB-C ports, you'll quickly find that until the USB-A port form factor is phased out by product manufacturers and most computers with USB-A form factor ports are phased out. We will need USB-C hubs for a long time to come. And even with that, USB-C offers so much power and data that it makes sense to give people a few USB-C ports and let people choose pocket hubs with the right ports, and it makes everything look neater. So overall this hub works well, and while it's not officially supposed to work with M1 Macs, it seems to work fine. The build quality is really good and gives the impression that Apple is making an aluminum product. The only issue I have with this device is the quality of the cable that connects it to your computer's USB-C port. The rubber feels nice, but there is something flimsy about it and it doesn't feel like it will last long unless you use it in the same spot in the same position all the time.

Pros
  • Fingers crossed
Cons
  • Lots of things