Reddit reviews Satechi Slim Aluminum Type-C Multi-Port Adapter with USB-C Pass-Through, 4K HDMI, USB 3.0 - Compatible with 2020/2018 MacBook Air, 2020/2018 iPad Pro, 2020/2019 MacBook Pro (Space Gray)

I admit it's expensive but this isn't unusual for the market. USB C hubs like this are about £50

Does $500 include the monitor, keyboard and mouse?


For mounting your MacBook Pro properly to desk, you have 3 real options depending on if you want to be able to work from it (unlikely) or just have it closed in clamshell mode and use an external keyboard and mouse to mount vertically to save desk space.
Option 1: Rain Design mStand (comes in Silver and Space Grey) $40. I use this personally when I have my MBP set up next to my 5K iMac and 27" Thunderbolt Display.
https://www.amazon.com/Rain-Design-mStand-Laptop-Silver/dp/B000OOYECC
Option 2: Twelve South BookArc (comes in Silver and Space Grey) $50 - for use in clamshell mode only
https://www.amazon.com/Twelve-South-Space-Saving-Vertical-notebooks/dp/B016EWLDTE?th=1
Option 3: General vertical laptop stand (I have it in Silver, unsure how well their space grey matches) - $20. Cheap, minimalist, but does the job. Clamshell mode only.
https://www.amazon.com/Vertical-Adjustable-OMOTON-Aluminum-Chromebook/dp/B074PPGHMC


Next is an external keyboard, I'm going to stick with an Apple aesthetic for this recommendation and not any gamery mechanical ones. Depending on if you want a numeric keypad or not, there's either Apple's Magic Keyboard 2 or a Satechi wireless one with a numeric keypad. I don't think Apple's Magic Keyboard 2 with Numeric Keypad is worth an extra $70 over the Satechi.
Option 1: Satechi Wireless Keyboard with Numeric Keypad (comes in all colours) $80.
https://www.amazon.com/Satechi-Aluminum-Bluetooth-Keyboard-3-Device/dp/B07F2SF4RH
Option 2: Apple Magic Keyboard 2 (without numeric keypad - White only) $99.
https://www.apple.com/shop/product/MLA22LL/A/magic-keyboard-us-english


For mice, I'd avoid Apple's Magic Mouse like the plague because words can not describe how bad it is to use.
I'd recommend mouse that you can also use with just your MBP while on the go, not heavy, big mice that only really belong on the desktop at home. No mouse really stands out to me apart from this one, honestly.
Logitech MX Anywhere 2s (unfortunately they stopped making them in white) $50. Can connect via bluetooth so no dongles.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071VK5KXN


For monitors, at this price range you won't have a neat 1 cable display and power solution like you'd get from a 23.7" 4K LG UltraFine display for example or HDR10, or Retina. 1440p 27" displays are a bit out of this price range, but I'd personally sacrifice pixel density and get a 1080p display anyways so I still have a 27" display.
Option 1: HP 27es 1080p 27" bezel-less IPS display (Silver) $219.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N9H3BI4
Option 2: ASUS VZ239H-W 1080p 23" bezel-less IPS display (Silver) $139.
https://www.amazon.com/ASUS-VZ239H-W-1080p-Monitor-White/dp/B07489Q7TY/


Then you need cables to connect your MBP to the display (the keyboards and mice are bluetooth). If you only have 2 TB3 ports, you may want to buy a multiport adaptor or else you will have 0 free ports with my solution (as you need the other port for power).
USB-C to HDMI cable (Black) $12.6. I have it to connect my MBP to my 4K TV and it works flawlessly.
https://www.amazon.com/CableCreation-Thunderbolt-Compatible-MacBook-Chromebook/dp/B06XDMKQKJ/
If you need a multiport adaptor, I'd recommend this Satechi one (comes in all colours) - $60
https://www.amazon.com/Satechi-Aluminum-Multi-Port-Adapter-Charging/dp/B01J4BO0X8


Total price as configured (BookArc + Satechi Wireless Keyboard with Numeric Keypad + MX Anywhere 2s + HP 27es + USB-C to HDMI cable) = $412. If you need a mulitport adaptor and don't have one already, it'll be $472.

The USB-C hub I use is this one:https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01J4BO0X8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

And then I use a USB to HDMI which you can find here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01C6HBJOA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I've had no problems with this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01J4BO0X8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071P1JYT1 if you want something simple but good

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01J4BO0X8 if you want something that does a bunch of stuff but costs way more

I've been considering one of these:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B019R9ILTG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_4JdhzbWJ6QP0F

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01J4BO0X8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_IKdhzbAXXAPWS

I'm using this https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01J4BO0X8 - recommended by https://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-usb-c-adapters-cables-and-hubs/

It has "two USB 3.0 ports, Type-C pass-through charging port, and 4K HDMI (30 Hz) video output"

Has been working fine for me so far

How does the breaksafe compare to the stock cable in terms of charge times?

Also, how is the HooToo dongle holding up? Ive read some reviews that it struggles to power more than 2 devices at a time.

Im on the fence between that and this Satechi one

This is the one I've heard good things about https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01J4BO0X8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_KWUSzbG07PYZA

Why don't you just buy one single dongle?

https://www.amazon.com/Satechi-Aluminum-Multi-Port-Adapter-Charging/dp/B01J4BO0X8/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1482477769&sr=1-2&keywords=satechi+usb+c

As a cover all solution, I’ve had a really good experience with this hub from satechi

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01J4BO0X8

You’ll need to buy some adapters for SD cards, etc, but for HDMI, power pass through and USB ports it has been perfect for me.

It looks great and hasn’t affected WiFi at all for me.

If you want me to test any particular scenarios let me know, and I’ll see what I can do.

1. Hub: https://www.amazon.ca/Satechi-Aluminum-Multi-Port-Adapter-Charging/dp/B01J4BO0X8/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1503097585&sr=8-3&keywords=satechi
   
   
2. Then USB-a to HDMI: https://www.amazon.ca/Victsing-Adapter-Windows-2560x1440-Resolution/dp/B071W3RL6M/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1503097557&sr=8-3&keywords=usb+a+to+hdmi
   
   
3. Plug USB-c into the hub so you can provide power

What you want is something like this that is compatible with the Switch. I suspect Nintendo will release something like it in the future. Since they have supply issues already, I don't blame them for not rushing out various accessories.

https://www.amazon.com/Satechi-Aluminum-Multi-Port-Charging-Chromebook/dp/B01J4BO0X8

Alt(ernate) mode is using USB-C for something other than USB, in your case HDMI (it can also do DisplayPort, ThunderBolt, MHL) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB-C#Alternate_Mode_partner_specifications

The idea is it's not like DisplayLink that has to encapsulate the video data in USB traffic, alt mode uses the same signalling as the native interface. Less latency, higher performance.

Seems like you got it working though I suspect not ideally. Basically you have 2 displays hooked up via DisplayLink, something you could accomplish for much less $$$ I think. The 4k HDMI connection is why that doc costs more, and you're not getting to use it.

You have a couple of option I think. This looks like it might do the trick: https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-USB-C-Docking-Station-Delivery/dp/B01IBNK6V0

Has native alt mode DP and HDMI (if your monitors only have HDMI no DP you can also get a cheap $15 DP to HDMI to have 2 HDMI).

But because you are only really using the dock for video it seems, you can probably get away with just an adapter + DisplayLink device. It's generally more reliable that way than a dock IMHO.

So get something like this that has alt mode HDMI and a couple of USB3 ports: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01J4BO0X8/

Then plug in a DisplayLink adapter to one of the USB ports (your 2K HDMI Adapter from plugable for example). What you've created with your current setup is like plugging in 2 DisplayLink devices to a USB-C to USB3 hub (which is another option, buy a second 2K HDMI Adapter from plugable, return the dock and just get a USB-C to USB3 hub and plug in both 2K HDMI Adapter from plugable into the hub.)

I have this one and it's awesome. I've also heard really good things about this one, recommended by WireCutter.

The Wirecutter did a review of various USB-C accessories here: http://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-usb-c-adapters-cables-and-hubs/

That included evaluating two (small) hubs, though neither have ethernet.

Is there anything stopping you from getting a generic USB-C hub and plugging a USB-ethernet adapter into it? E.g. the Wirecutter's recommended USB-C hub with a USB3 to ethernet adapter?

Ah I see well, I was thinking chaining some adaptors, but you right according to this https://satechi.net/blogs/news/thunderbolt-3-vs-usb-c-whats-the-difference-1

I did see some hubs (for example) that seemed pretty useful , I also read some older therefore cheaper GPUs would be functional some bottlenecks worse than others