AndrewWhat is the Satechi USB-C Hybrid HUB?
In this review of the Satechi USB-C Hybrid Hub I want to go a bit into what got me so excited about this and what it is. In around 2019 I decided to ditch having a personal computer and go full iPad Pro for 90% of my computing needs. With that decision came some exploring and changes in the way I did a few things. One of the biggest issues to date has been USB-C, dongles, and storage for photography while on the go.
Well the Satechi USB-C Hybrid Hub is aiming to fix that. In this one device you get the USB-C hub that everyone has come to know and hate love with your typical ports which is great, but you also get built in SSD storage! Ports and storage in one small device, oh boy!
I love only taking my iPad Pro when I travel, no more laptop and weight that comes with it. So I’ve been on the lookout for a solution like this that frankly doesn’t break the bank. Yes, I know there are some out there such as the Gnarbox, but I really don’t want to drop $500+ on a portable storage device. So let’s talk a little about what’s this hub offers, it’s pros and cons, and if I will continue using it.
Features of the Satechi USB-C Hybrid Hub
We know that this is a USB-C hub that extends your available ports for devices such as the iPad Pro and MacBooks. So now that we know that as a baseline let’s talk features.
- SSD Enclosure – fits SATA M.2 SSD (not included) Supports sizes 2230, 2242, 2260, 2280. Does not work with Nvme
- 4K HDMI display output – up to 60Hz
- Fast USB-C PD charging up to 100W
- Includes two USB-A 3.0 data ports – up to 5 Gbps
It comes in two great colors, a Space Gray or Matte Black (I went Matte Black).
What’s to like about the Hub
What do I like about this Satechi USB-C Hybrid Hub? Well first of all it is built rock solid. As with most of Satechi’s products it’s finished well, the production is solid, I don’t worry about this being something cheap that will fall apart after a year or two or use.
It looks great as well, I did opt for the Matte Black knowing it would not match my Space Gray iPad Pro, but I keep my iPad in a matte black case so it looks perfect.
The storage solution is super fast and responsive on any device, so it feels as if I’m using my Samsung T5 or something something similar. It’s fair to mention that this is dependent on the drive you install.
The ports it offers are for the most part all anyone should need and will handle most everyones given situations. Even though originally Satechi mentioned that the USB-C port was for pass-through charging only, I was able to use it for data transfer in some cases and that was BIG.
At the end of the day it’s a USB Hub with built in memory, what’s not to like?
What’s Not So Great
This device checks off nearly everything I had hopes it would for my needs. That said, it does fall short in a few areas.
First off, I REALLY wish it had an SD card slot. I know this would probably make the device a little larger but it would make this the perfect solution for myself or really any traveling photographer that doesn’t trust the whole Gnarbox solution.
I’m not sure if this is a limitation of the hub or USB-C but the iPad struggled to detect both the SSD in the hub and an SD card from within my Nikon Z6ii camera. There was a work around to make it work, but it kinda defeated the purpose of this device.
Using another dongle to connect via USB-C and read the SD card to transfer photos. I did try to connect my camera via USB 3 and have power run into the USB-C, that didn’t work. The above photo was the only thing I was able to get to work.
Cost
There are two factors to the cost of this device. The first is the device itself, it comes in at $89. This really isn’t that horrible considering you can spend that easily on a decent USB-C hub. The second factor is the SSD, I had a PNY 500GB SSD that runs around $55. For under $150 it’s pretty hard to beat for MOST users.
You can check the current prices for both on Amazon :
Final Thoughts
This one is tough. I suppose the answer comes with the fact that I’m still using the device. Truth be told it didn’t solve my desire of having one hub that handled the storage & transfer of my photos and docs easily. I wish that it was able to pull directly from my USB-C enabled Nikon Z6ii camera and didn’t need that work around with the SD card dongle. However, it will work for the time being and given that the investment was $89 over let’s say $500+ for a Gnarbox, I’m happy with it.
I feel that this will be an always evolving journey, figuring out how to get everything my MacBook Pro had but with less and on an iPad Pro. Let’s call it baby steps and this one feels like a good step in the right direction.
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