Road warriors to expand the ports and limited outputs of a USB-C computer now have some other option to make their computer more useful. The USBC-MD103 Plug-in is an affordable and simplified USB-C hub designed for the home office.
As the new generation of laptops gets thinner and thinner, its new, elegant taste has a downside. There’s very little room on some of those thin laptops for the same ports and connections that we’ve all become accustomed to over the years. However, those laptops typically have a USB-C or Thunderbolt 3 port that combines a total diversity of useful purposes into a small two-way connector. A USB-C port can bring force, audio, video, USB, Thunderbolt, and Ethernet signals on an unmarried cable. With the right type of adapter, it is conceivable to mirror all those ports on a device.
Plugable’s new USBC-MD103 multiport adapter is a wonderful way to make a computer larger so that it can be used with an external monitor, keyboard, or other USB devices such as a hard drive or printer. Although it is possible to purchase larger USB-C hubs for workplace use, many home employees with a smart Wi-Fi signal don’t want many USB ports or Ethernet connections. All they want is a video output, a location to connect a legacy USB-A device and an intercom port to force your computer.
This new adapter connects to a computer’s main USB-C port and provides an HDMI 1.4 port that can control an external computer display at resolutions up to 4K-30Hz. There is also an intercom port to force a computer and a USB 3.0 port that can move speeds of up to five Gbps.
The USBC-MD103 features USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 ports and has palm support. It’s small enough to have compatibility in the side pocket of a box bag or laptop. The adapter can even paint with an iPad Pro and will turn a pickup into a functional option for a normal laptop.
In addition to charging it to run with iPad Pro, the USBC-MD103 is also compatible with Windows, macOS, Linux, Samsung DeX and offers enough connections to charge a single monitor, keyboard, mouse, or USB stick to a laptop.
Pricing: $24.95
More information: www.plugable.com
I have been a technical journalist for over 35 years and have written for PC titles for Mac and PC, and I have spent many years writing about audio, images and
I have been a technical journalist for over 35 years and have written for PC titles on Mac and PC and have spent many years writing about audio, images and virtual cameras for a multitude of technical publications. I appreciate all facets of technology, especially the use of devices that make life more enjoyable, artistic and productive. I spend much of my time researching and testing some of the most advanced technologies on the market today.