It’s quickly becoming clear that USB-C is the way of the future, but that still raises some issues when so many of our devices use connectivity options that are stuck in the past. Add in the fact that devices like the new 12-inch MacBook or the latest Chromebook Pixel only pack one or two of these ports, and we can be left with continuing qualms over connectivity.
We’ve seen docks and adapters meant to solve this problem already. Apple, for example, sells adapters that add one USB-C port, one USB 3.1 port, and a video port (HDMI or VGA). That might sound fine, at least until you see what OWC has got planned.
The upcoming OWC USB-C dock makes every other dock we’ve seen so far look positively spartan by comparison. The dock adds one USB-C port and three USB 3.1 ports on the back, as well as another USB 3.1 port on the front, but that’s only the beginning.
All of the USB 3.1 ports offer full power to support bus-powered devices, and two of them are high-power for charging mobile devices. The dock also adds 3.5 mm audio jacks (one in, one out), an ethernet port with support for gigabit ethernet, an SD card reader, and an HDMI port with support for 4K video.
While the dock aims to be compatible with any computer you might want, it’s clearly aimed at 12-inch MacBook owners. In order to perfectly match your MacBook, the dock is available in gold, silver, and space gray. And because all those ports are too much for the dock itself to run off of bus power, it includes its own 80-watt AC adapter.
The OWC USB-C dock is planned to ship in October of this year, but pre-orders are available now. The price is $129, but considering that Apple’s more limited offering sells for $79, this doesn’t look like a bad deal.
If you can’t wait until October, take a look at the Hub+ from No NDA. It doesn’t offer the same number of ports, but it does have a built-in lithium ion battery.
