best usb hub for macbook retina mid 2012

The lack of peripherals is a problem also faced by Thunderbolt, a faster but more expensive connector technology used in other Macs.ģ) Don't say good-bye to Thunderbolt quite yet. For one, don't expect USB 3.1 flash drives to go on sale in the next couple of years.

In tests, USB 3.1 connections aren't reaching the full throughput of 10Gbps, but speeds will get faster as the controllers and chipsets are refined. The MacBook comes with a USB Type-C charging cable, and the others will need to be bought separately.Ģ) USB 3.1 peripherals are not available yet: USB 3.1 chipsets are still being developed and tested, and it could be months before peripherals start appearing. There are other cables besides Type-C for the MacBook to connect to older USB and micro-USB ports. Here are some things to know about the USB 3.1 port in the 12-inch MacBook, and where it may be headed in the future.ġ) USB 3.1 is backward compatible: This means all devices running on USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 will be able to talk with the MacBook port. Apple is clearly looking ahead with USB 3.1, which supports DisplayPort, VGA, HDMI and Ethernet protocols. The MacBook is just 13.1 millimeters thick and its base is dominated by batteries. There's also excitement around the MacBook's USB Type-C cable, which is the same on both ends so users can flip cables and not worry about plug orientation.Īpple incorporated one USB 3.1 port, ostensibly for lack of space. The USB 3.1 port in the new MacBook will initially transfer data at 5Gbps, but observers expect that number to go up as the technology develops. USB 3.1 can technically transfer data between the host computers and peripherals at maximum speeds of up to 10Gbps (bits per second), which is two times faster than the current USB 3.0.

The MacBook is one of just a few devices to carry the new USB port. Apple laid out a similar challenge with its first MacBook Air in early 2008, which had just one USB 2.0 port to connect peripherals and a micro-DVI port to connect monitors.īut the faster USB 3.1 port is significant because it will also be used to recharge the MacBook, as well as to connect to a wider variety of peripherals such as monitors, external storage drives, printers and cameras.

Apple is challenging laptop users to adapt to fewer ports with the bold design of its new 12-inch MacBook, which has just one USB 3.1 port and a headphone jack.

Best usb hub for macbook retina mid 2012