All you need is the right dock.
But economically, it’s something of a nightmare, especially if you use the thing on your lap.
“I use a Thunderbolt dock to keep my setup organized.
Brydge
Before, my desk looked like it was drowning under a sea of cables.
The most common is probably a dock of some kind.
USB-C docks are okay but often unreliable, especially if you rely on themfor an Ethernet connection connection.
Annie Pratte / Unpslash
“I have not had good experiences with those adapters or any USB networking dongles.
Thunderbolt NIC or nothing,” Mac user, app developer, and Thunderbolt fanPaul Haddad said on Twitter.
Annie Pratte / Unpslash
The bestbut definitely not cheapestoption is a Thunderbolt dock.
Brydge
The difference here is that the connection is not a cable.
Instead, it’s a Thunderbolt connection mounted inside the unit.
The downside is that it’s $400.
A cheaper option, albeit with a regular cable connection, isHyper’s new Thunderbolt 4 Power Hub.
It also uses a GaN power source.
Most (perhaps all) Thunderbolt docks use a lot of power and get very hot.
Even thenewer TS4 modeluses one.
Using GaN makes everything much more compact, practical, and energy efficient.
Or the Studio Display
Another option is to use a display as the hub.
For Mac users, the Studio Display is a good option.
The connection to your Mac is via Thunderbolt, so you get plenty of bandwidth for any connected devices.
The display has built-in speakers, a webcam, and three USB-C ports around back.
The Totally Wireless Option
Another option is to go totally wireless.
However you hook things up, though, the desktop-laptop lifestyle is only getting more credible.
And with Thunderbolt and reliable display connections, you really do get the best of both worlds.
