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Twelve South has just taken the wraps off its brand new USB-C hub, StayGo. AppleInsider goes hands on with this versatile accessory for Macs and iPads.
There are more USB-C hubs on the market than we can count. Many of them are near identical with small, subtle aspects to differentiate them. Twelve South took at least some steps in helping StayGo stand out.
Jumping right in, the part that sets StayGo apart from the pack is the dual cables it arrives with. One cable is a longer USB-C cable that has a right-angle connector on one end so it doesn't jut out unnecessarily from the side of a Mac.
Having that right-angle on one end really makes a difference in tight spaces. We have our one Mac running in clamshell mode in BookArc up against a wall. A right-angle cable allows it to get closer to the wall and free up more space on the desk.
That longer cable is great for the desk and office locations but when you travel, the length becomes burdensome. The included mini cable is six inches in length, and can be housed right within the StayGo itself. There is a small tab that be used to slide it out, but otherwise it stays completely hidden inside the housing.
This isn't the first USB-C Hub that ships with a short and a long cable — check out the Uni Dock and Uni Hub for our most recent alternative. However, it is the first that allows one of those cables to be stowed away.
There are eight ports in total on the StayGo. Along one side are three USB-A, HDMI, Ethernet, and USB-C ports. The USB-C port can handle 80W of passthrough power as well as data. The HDMI port is capable of supporting up to 4K resolution at 30Hz.
On one end of the body are dual SD and Micro SD card readers, which are unfortunately limited to UHS-I rather than the faster UHS-II we'd hoped for.
Another USB-C port is used to connect to your iPad Pro or your USB-C enabled Mac. It would have been nice to see another USB-C rather than three USB-A ports and this is something we'd like to see manufacturers stop skimping on.
The ports are well-built and useful. They are a good fit for the bulk of users.
We've been using the StayGo for the past two weeks, and it has been a helpful accessory to have around. If you ignore the second cable, StayGo basically amounts to just another USB-C Hub that we've seen time and time again, so the addition is a nice touch, and the extra bulk that the storage bay requires isn't a problem.
If you like the idea of always having a small cable ready to go, pick up the StayGo. If you don't find yourself needing it, and prefer something slimmer, it would be best to shop around.
Pick up the Twelve South StayGo USB-C Hub now for $99.99 from Twelve South's website.
I wish we'd start calling these docks or mobile-docks or something other than hubs. Every time I see one, I think... finally, a real USB-C hub? Then, no. It's just another dock variant. I suppose hubs is a proper term too, but not in the way the term was used in the past of such devices. A USB-A hub has one USB port that plugs into the computer, etc. then a bunch of USB-A out ports, so one can plug in many USB-A peripherals. Wouldn't a USB-C hub plug into your USB-C port and then provide a bunch of USB-C ports to plug all those supposed USB-C devices everyone should now have into? Doesn't anyone need such a thing? We would if we're going to convert all our current USB devices to the C type. That said, this 'dock' looks well thought out. I like the dual cables and the right-angle one. With a desktop, the straight is fine, but for a laptop, it's a pain. But, it only really has one USB-C port, so you don't lose the one you have (on your Mac) when you plug it in. Will these kind of things work with non-Pro iPads though? ie: if you converted to Lightning and attached it? I was just thinking of that the other day about the new ability to read external storage and such, and then I thought... can we plug in that external storage (or other things like this) to non-Pro iPads? We just need that conversion kit?
This is not a dock. A dock would would normally have a 100-240v AC power input and then power your laptop and include a hub for the various power and data connections to most other devices, keyboards, or mice.
DangDave said: This is not a dock. A dock would would normally have a 100-240v AC power input and then power your laptop and include a hub for the various power and data connections to most other devices, keyboards, or mice. I suppose. Again, the terminology is quite fuzzy. Most USB hubs of the past also had AC power, though. Some didn't. But, I think you're onto something in terms of 'docks' being something a laptop was plugged into at a desk to quickly connect all the peripherals. What we call the mobile version, I'm not sure. That's why I suggested mobile-dock. A hub, at least in terms of USB (and as much as I can remember in the computing world) has typically been a kind of one-to-many communication distribution system.
I suppose. Again, the terminology is quite fuzzy. Most USB hubs of the past also had AC power, though. Some didn't. But, I think you're onto something in terms of 'docks' being something a laptop was plugged into at a desk to quickly connect all the peripherals. What we call the mobile version, I'm not sure. That's why I suggested mobile-dock. A hub, at least in terms of USB (and as much as I can remember in the computing world) has typically been a kind of one-to-many communication distribution system.
cgWerks said: Wouldn't a USB-C hub plug into your USB-C port and then provide a bunch of USB-C ports to plug all those supposed USB-C devices everyone should now have into? yes
It's not a hub or a dock. It's a port replicator.
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