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USB-C hubs and my slow descent into madness (2021)

overengineer.dev

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Re: USB-C hubs and my slow descent into madness (2021)

#21

Post by smoldesu »

somethoughts wrote: post #9

It feels like Apple should have done/should do an official in-house docking system instead of outsourcing such a critical component in the overall system/value proposition.

I actually agree. Normally I'm against proprietary ports, but vendors that have done this in the past have traditionally killed a lot of birds with one stone. Both Dell and Lenovo's docking solutions are fantastic, and don't require expensive hardware to manufacture docks. As a result, you can get the full IO of your computer extended to a dock with 10+ ports for less than $30. Pretty great solution IMO.

Re: USB-C hubs and my slow descent into madness (2021)

#23

Post by ugjka »

vinhboy wrote: post #13

> It honestly feels like no matter what you buy, you get more or less the same hardware, and you’re most likely getting a heavily overpriced product just because some company printed their logo on it. Isn't this like a known thing? Almost all peripherals on Amazon will have dozens of the exact same form-factor with different logos on it. You just buy the one that is the perfect intersection of costs, positive reviews…

if you go for cheap, you might get someone selling stuff with manufacturing defects

Re: USB-C hubs and my slow descent into madness (2021)

#24

Post by ok123456 »

I ran into a problem with one of these docks where the network adapter would randomly start flooding the network if it was left plugged in after the computer was disconnected. It didn't happen every time, maybe once every few months. The guy who had this thing would take off for the day a little before 5 and then total chaos by the time he was pulling away in his car.

Re: USB-C hubs and my slow descent into madness (2021)

#25

Post by aendruk »

vinhboy wrote: post #13

> It honestly feels like no matter what you buy, you get more or less the same hardware, and you’re most likely getting a heavily overpriced product just because some company printed their logo on it. Isn't this like a known thing? Almost all peripherals on Amazon will have dozens of the exact same form-factor with different logos on it. You just buy the one that is the perfect intersection of costs, positive reviews…

The most frustrating part is that I want no logo. It’s the worst of both worlds; no brand reputation, yet still covered in ads.

Re: USB-C hubs and my slow descent into madness (2021)

#26

Post by steveBK123 »

moritonal wrote: post #7

If you want a decent dock you have to spend a bit of money. I went through this pain before accepting the cost and buying a CalDigit Thunderbolt 4 Element Hub[1]. Run's two 4k displays at 60Hz, any peripheral and charges my laptop. So good I bought a second. 1. https://www.caldigit.com/thunderbolt-4-element-hub/

Basically one of the few that actually does what it says on the box reliably.

Even the OWC brand one I had was flakey, at similar $200-400 price point.

Re: USB-C hubs and my slow descent into madness (2021)

#27

Post by blowski »

vinhboy wrote: post #13

> It honestly feels like no matter what you buy, you get more or less the same hardware, and you’re most likely getting a heavily overpriced product just because some company printed their logo on it. Isn't this like a known thing? Almost all peripherals on Amazon will have dozens of the exact same form-factor with different logos on it. You just buy the one that is the perfect intersection of costs, positive reviews…

A lot of the time, sure, this is exactly what happens. But other times, there is a distinct difference in quality. How do you know when you’re in situation A or B? You can’t trust the reviews. You can’t even trust that the seller will send you the advertised product half the time.

Re: USB-C hubs and my slow descent into madness (2021)

#28

Post by someotherperson »

The whole time I was reading this I was hoping that the author would have found something good at the end. This is unfortunate.

I had the same initial hub as the author, and like the author, it died. I think it was branded UGreen or something. I've currently got a Baesus. Likely it's all the same trash.

I had a Dell USB-C dock last year which worked quite well, but it's a chunky thing that isn't great for travelling.

I wish there was a similar guide that ends with finding a product that actually performs. It would be great to see Apple or something try to address this issue without having to buy three dongles.

Re: USB-C hubs and my slow descent into madness (2021)

#30

Post by wnevets »

vinhboy wrote: post #13

> It honestly feels like no matter what you buy, you get more or less the same hardware, and you’re most likely getting a heavily overpriced product just because some company printed their logo on it. Isn't this like a known thing? Almost all peripherals on Amazon will have dozens of the exact same form-factor with different logos on it. You just buy the one that is the perfect intersection of costs, positive reviews…

Amazon is just the dollar store on the internet where every product has 4+ stars.
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