The two side monitors use Diamond BVU195 USB adapters (that links to Amazon it’s an affiliate link, so I earn a bit if you buy there). The middle monitor is powered out of one of my Thunderbolt ports (though I’m using the same DisplayPort connection to that I used before). My internal laptop screen (which I’m running at 1680×1050), I use for email. I use my middle screen for writing and main production. I like the side screens being vertical, rather than horizontal, because it makes it easy for me to use them for reading web pages without scrolling as much. My center one is a widescreen running 2560×1440, and the two side screens are running 1600×1200.
My new MacBook Pro Retina is easily able to do the same and should be able to do more, if I wanted. Here are the details of my setup. It also lifts the Mini off the desk, and its built-in air vents help regulate temperature and encourage airflow.My old MacBook Pro had no problems running three external monitors. The crucial point is that these points are front-facing, and not tucked around the back with the unwieldy and unsightly power supply. (Note that you can’t charge devices connected to the USB ports, as they are there for syncing and data transfer only.) Satechi’s Type-C Aluminum Stand & Hub for Mac Mini expands these capabilities with six ports: including a USB-C data port, three USB-A ports, micro/SD card readers, and another 3.5mm headphone jack port. That sounds like a lot, but Apple accessory specialist Satechi believes the Mini needs maxing. The latest models boast two Thunderbolt 3 / USB4 (fast USB-C) ports, two old-school USB-A ports, HDMI 2.0, Gigabit Ethernet, and 3.5mm headphone jack. The Mac Mini, you’d think, has an army of ports in comparison to Apple’s laptops. We tend to think of hubs for laptops, such as Apple’s MacBooks, which lack more than one or two USB-C ports and so require a dock to add further devices.
This is the only docking station with Qi wireless charging for your iPhone. There’s also no USB-C port, so if your laptop only has the one port then you won’t be able to use this dock along with any other USB-C accessories. The big downside is that this is very much a desk dock – it won’t function at all unless plugged into the mains, so you can’t use it on the go, meaning it’s more for beefing up your MacBook at your desk. The whole things feels solid but slick, a perfect match for your Apple gear. The main body is aluminium, with a soft fabric and rubber top to keep any charging devices from slipping around. Best of all, the top of the dock is also a 15W wireless Qi charger – above the max charging capacity of the latest iPhones. There are dual USB-A 3.1 ports, along with Gigabit Ethernet and HDMI on the other, and it supports USB-C PD passthrough charging (60W), so it will double as the charger for your MacBook. If you don’t mind spending a little more, the Symbus Q dock from Moshi offers a lot of functionality in a seriously slick package – it just doesn’t come cheap. Most of the products tested here work with non-Apple USB-C laptops too, but you can read Tech Advisor’s more general roundup of the best USB-C hubs. You can also buy USB-C adapters for the many display standards out there, such as VGA and DVI. You can certainly use a charger at lower power, but remember that it will power up slower than when using a higher-wattage charger, and if too low your laptop might run out of juice altogether when maxed out on power-hungry apps and devices. 12in MacBook and MacBook Air charge at 30W the 13in MacBook Pro at 61W, the 15in MacBook Pro at 87W and the 16in MacBook Pro at 96W. Look for hubs that offer passthrough charging, so you can charge your laptop even though you are using up one of the laptop’s USB-C ports.
#VGA TO HDMI FOR MAC BOOK PRO RETINA PORTABLE#
Other ports to look for include Gigabit Ethernet for faster wired Internet access (without the flakiness of Wi-Fi), and an SD or microSD card reader for adding inexpensive portable storage to your system.
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