Satechi, a well-known hub-maker, has created a new dongle which combines additional ports with a slot for an SATA SSD M.2 slot. This allows you to expand both your storage and IO while occupying only one port. Although it doesn't include an SSD, the Satechi USB-C Hybrid Multiport Adapter has a catchy name. Although this concept has been used by other brands, it is not new. However, we will be discussing the pros and cons of the Satechi USB-C Hybrid Multiport Adapter.
It's a standard hub with unobjectionable features. It has a 100W USB-C PD passing through (that will provide your computer with approximately 85W after it has taken energy to operate), two USB 3.0 ports and an HDMI port that can drive a 4K monitor at 60Hz. There is also an M.2 port that allows you to add a SATA SSD.
Satechis' new hub has a major problem: it costs $90. I find Satechis aluminum designs very attractive, but that is only if you are willing to spend money. Even at this price, it does not come with an M.2 SSD. You will need to spend more money if you don't have one.
If all-in-one is not an option, there are more cost-effective and performant options.
Ankers PowerExpand is available for $10 more. It includes USB-A ports and an HDMI port. There's also a USB-C PD passthrough and 256GB built-in storage. Although you don't have the option of putting a larger SSD in, it is significantly less expensive than the Satechis option when you consider the additional cost of purchasing a separate M.2 SSD. Another option is to buy one of Satechis' other hubs, which adds microSD and SD card slots, and a 256GB flash disk. This would be very close to the price for the USB-C Hybrid Multiport Adapter.
A flash drive will perform slower than an SSD under normal circumstances. The second caveat to Satechis' new hub is that you can only access the SSD at USB 3.0 speeds (equal to 5 Gbps). This will severely limit the performance even of the SATA SSDs the hub supports. According to the website of Satchis, NVMe drives are not allowed. You should get an external SSD if you require a fast SSD. If not, you can just buy a flash drive.
This product is difficult to recommend unless it has absolutely no ports. If you have an iPad Pro or Air with only one USB-C port, or a MacBook Pro or Air with two, and need to increase your storage, then this product is right for you. This could be beneficial for IT professionals who are constantly removing drives from laptops and need a single solution to read and insert them. It is difficult to recommend it for everyone else. We hope you find some other suggestions useful.
