Review: StarTech USB-C Multiport Adapter

Looking for an all-in-one adapter that doesn’t use up an entire side of USB Type C ports on your MacBook or Laptop? Then look no further. The New StarTech.com USB-C MultiPort Adapter is one of the smallest and absolute best accessories for anyone that needs more outlets for the MacBook Pro or MacBook Air since 2016.

The Past is the Past!

Prior to 2016, the MacBook Pro Series had multiple ways of expansion and connectivity as part of the unit itself. This included two USB-3 ports, two Thunderbolt 2 ports, an SD card reader slot, a 3.5 mm headphone jack, the MagSafe 2 power connection and an HDMI port. 

Pro users everywhere relied on these key features to quickly connect and detach peripherals like external hard drives, SD cards, flash drives and cameras, to keep up with the demands of their jobs. Since those pro features were removed and replaced with a more aesthetically pleasing MacBook design, the reliance on adapters and dongles have become a serious need. 

The great news is StarTech.com has provided an outstanding and minimalistic solution for the lack of these needed ports. This compact sized multi-port adapter is thin and blends in beautifully with its all matching space grey and black aluminum design. The connection speeds are fast and very reliable!

Simple and Functional

Unlike a lot of adapters that use 2 open ports on your Laptop to function, this StarTech.com device only takes up a single USB-C port and unlocks 8 ways of adaption including the ability to plug in your official laptops USB-C power blockto charge both MacBook and the adapter.The adapter requires 15W to function properly and allocates 85W to maintain charging of your MacBook. This is very impressive since the dock provides 4K at 30Hz using HDMI or 1080p with the VGA connection and still allowing 5Gbps through the 3 USB ports.

• 2 USB-A 3.0 ports
• 1 HDMI Port
• 1 Full Size SD Card Reader
• 1 Ethernet Port
• 1 VGA Port
• 1 USB-C port (For Power as well)
• 1 Audio Jack

All Ports are Fast and Reliable

This small “Mini Travel Dock” multi-port adapter includes a non-removable USB-C cable for connecting to your laptop. The one foot cord is genuinely helpful because it extends long enough away from your laptop in use, and could potentially be easily lost or forgotten if it was detachable. Other adapters can easily pull away with the slightest movement and lose their connection due to the way it attaches. Unlike these others, the StarTech design stays fastened much more securely being it’s a wired connection and not something flush mounted to your computer.

The StarTech.com USB-C Multi-port Adapter fits perfectly in most side pockets of any bag or backpack that is also carrying your MacBook. Having these 3 key features HDMI, USB-C and VGA all in one connection allows for so many little extra uses that are not promoted by StarTech but actually work very well. As an example, connecting a 2018 iPad Pro 11” (USB-C Model) to an external HDMI monitor works perfectly with no extra setup needed. Just plug in the StarTech docks USB-C cable directly into your iPad Pro and plug an HDMI cable from the dock to the Monitor and you’ll get immediate results. Your iPad Pro will have a direct wired connection at anytime with no stuttering and can be used like a computer with the added mouse support. 

Best of the Best

For anyone that is researching adapters and needs something stable for there MacBook Pro, USB-C laptop, Chromebook or latest Android devices, then this StarTech.com USB-C Multi-port Adapter is definitely worth a double take. It handles all the essential ports, and then some. It is small, compact, and perfect for traveling. Plus it only takes up a single USB-C slot on your computer and can extend to harder to reach areas with the added flexible cable connections. You can find this product directly at StarTech.com for $135.99 and as of now this product is on sale at Amazon for $98.57