Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Computing
  3. News

MacBook Pro 2016 users can avoid death by dongle with new USB-C hub

By

hyperdrive usb c thunderbolt 3 hub kickstarter campaign port featured
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Apple’s 2016 MacBook Pro made quite a splash when it was introduced in October 2016. The new OLED Touch Bar stole the show, and the drive toward ever-thinner devices was also on display with the new MacBook Pro models being the thinnest ever.

One consequence of making the machines so thin is that every legacy port was removed, leaving the MacBook Pro with either two or four USB Type-C connections and nothing else. Apple’s unpopular solution is a bundle of dongles, which is costly and inconvenient for anyone who needs to connect to most of today’s external devices. The HyperDrive Compact Thunderbolt 3 USB-C hub aims to solve that problem, and it’s available for ordering now in a Kickstarter campaign.

hyperdrive-usb-c-port
Image used with permission by copyright holder

More: Apple slashes the price of USB-C dongles over MacBook Pro port outcry

Recommended Videos

Basically, the HyperDrive plugs into two of the USB Type-C connections on a 2016 MacBook Pro and offers up a host of full-speed ports without the muss and fuss of dongles. The following ports are supported on the MacBook Pro with and without Touch Bar:

  • MicroSD UHS-1 104Mb/s slot
  • SD UHS-1 105Mb/s slot
  • 2 x USB 3.1 Gen 1 5Gb/s port
  • USB-C 5Gb/s port
  • USB Type-C Thunderbolt 3 40Gb/s port with max 100-watt power delivery
  • HDMI video 1080p @ goHz, 4K @ 30Hz port

What separates the HyperDrive from other snap-on hubs is its status as the first that uses two USB Type-C connections to maximize bandwidth. The HyperDrive offers up to 45Gb/s bandwidth to support the use of all seven ports at the same time. The Thunderbolt 3 port provides a full 100 watts of power to fully charge the MacBook Pro at either 61 watts for the 13-inch model and 87 watts for the 15-inch.

One issue that has popped up regarding the 2016 MacBook Pro is Apple’s decision to support only the newest Thunderbolt 3 controllers. According to Sanho Corporation, maker of the HyperDrive, the hubs work “perfectly” with the 2016 MacBook Pro hardware and so shouldn’t suffer from these issues.

Related

The HyperDrive can be ordered now at Kickstarter, and should be delivered to Early Bird buyers in February 2017 and to everyone else in March 2017. Purchase options range from the $49 Early Bird option for a single Silver or Space Gray HyperDrive, which is 50 percent off the expected retail price of $99, to $690 for a 10-HyperDrive bundle.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Mark Coppock
Mark Coppock
Computing Writer
Mark has been a geek since MS-DOS gave way to Windows and the PalmPilot was a thing. He’s translated his love for…
The MacBook Air 15 vs. MacBook Pro 14: the easy way to decide
Apple's 15-inch MacBook Air placed on a desk with its lid closed.

Picking out a new MacBook isn't as easy as it used to be.

The hardest choice in the lineup might be between the 15-inch MacBook Air and the 14-inch MacBook Pro. Both are now offered with the same M3 chip, despite there being a $300 difference in the base models. But when similarly configured, there's actually only a $100 difference between these two laptops.

Read more
Another excellent laptop challenges the MacBook Pro and falls short
The keyboard and trackpad of the MacBook Pro.

The MacBook Pro 16 remains undefeated as the best 16-inch laptop you can buy. From the incredible battery life to the impressive performance, the M3 Max MacBook Pro has become an unstoppable force.

Still, plenty of competitors have come along to potentially challenge it, and when I came across the updated HP Spectre x360 16, I wondered if it might make a worthy rival. As impressive as it is, though, it still doesn't have what it takes to dethrone the MacBook Pro.
Specs and configurations

Read more
Why one of my favorite laptops still struggles against the MacBook Pro
HP Spectre x360 14 2023 front angled view showing display and keyboard.

HP released an updated version of its premier consumer laptop, the excellent Spectre x360 14, and it remains one of the best 2-in-1s you can buy. It's well-made, offers a ton of flexibility, and is one of my favorite laptops I've reviewed.

But it's going up against the Apple MacBook Pro 14, which sits alongside the HP on our list of best laptops. When it comes to laptops that are both portable and powerful, though, the Spectre x360 still falls behind the MacBook Pro in some important ways.
Specs and configurations

Read more