Satechi’s slim USB-C docking station is how the iMac should have been designed in the first place – TechCrunch

The world of Mac peripherals is a lot of complete and utter trash, so it’s a breath of aluminum-scented air to behold. Satechi’s new slim USB-C docking station. The docking station is exactly the same size as Apple’s wireless keyboard. So when not in use, your alphanumerics have a stylish metal hammock to rest and recover. Most importantly, the docking station slides snugly over the stand of the 24-inch iMac, adding a host of easy-to-access features and functionality without ruining the dastardly appearance of your silver design masterpiece. and in glass.

It makes so much sense that as soon as I saw it, I sighed in a way that wasn’t quite sure about the job. Don’t get me wrong, I applaud Apple for its sleek computers, but the company has long leaned pretty deep into form over function territory. The number of times I swore I had to crawl behind my computer to plug in a device for a few minutes, then accidentally pull out the wrong USB cable from the back of it when I was done… That’s a design beautiful and a terrible user experience.

I’m a sucker for a tidy desk, and LOOK AT IT! Picture credits: Satechi.

Satechi, then, rushes in with a product that…works. It’s exclusively designed for 2021 iMac (24-inch) models, and adds additional data storage space and expands the number (and accessibility) of USB ports, all through a single USB-C cable that runs to the back of your trusty workhorse. .

The dock contains a USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 data port (with transfer speeds of up to 10Gbps). It also has USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 data (up to 10Gbps) and a few slower USB-A 2.0 ports. There are also microSD and SD card reader slots; perfect for a grumpy reporter or photographer trying to get some work done.

Another neat trick the USB-C docking station has up its sleeve is a tool-less NVMe SATA NGFF enclosure. That’s a lot of alphabet soup, but in a nutshell, it means you can install a small solid-state hard drive to expand the storage available on your computer, all at 10Gbps speeds.

Add a hard drive to your dock? It’s so logical it hurts. Picture credits: Satechi.

The dock costs $150, but the company has an early bird special that drops the price by $30 if you order now. Deliveries start now. If I didn’t have a dumb Windows box as my work computer, my finger would be twitching on the “Add to Cart” button right now.