Satechi Thunderbolt 4 Slim Hub Review
This device is ideal for creative professionals, the sleek Thunderbolt 4 Slim Hub can provide 40Gbps bandwidth for connecting external displays and high-speed peripherals while simultaneously delivering 60W of charging to the host device. It features three Thunderbolt 4 downstream ports that support daisy chaining up to six Thunderbolt devices to maximize your creative space.
This is the latest Thunderbolt 4 technology that provides upgraded bandwidth for video and data, fast transfer rates of up to 40Gbps, and backwards compatibility with USB 4, USB-C Gen. 1 & 2. With 3 x Thunderbolt 4 ports that fully support and speeds up to 40Gbps and 15W charging for phones and tablets.
Also, 1x USB-A port up to 10Gbps and 1x upstream Thunderbolt 4 port up to 60W charging to the host device so you do not have to connect a power cable to your laptop. The daisy chain allows for up to 6 levels of Daisy-Chaining from the downstream Thunderbolt 4 ports, giving users more accessibility with what they can connect to the hub.
Thunderbolt 4 docks are now much more widely available, meaning that it’s much easier to get a high speed dock that works with your laptop. But unfortunately, while they’re relatively widely available now, they’re still quite expensive. Thankfully, however, that price seems to now be coming down a little through products like the new Satechi Thunderbolt 4 Slim Hub.
To be clear, the new hub isn’t necessarily cheap. At $200 you’re still putting down a hefty chunk of change to get it. But considering the fact that previous hubs have come at $300 or more it’s bringing down the price a little.
Satechi Thunderbolt 4 Slim Hub design
Generally speaking, the Satechi Thunderbolt 4 Slim Hub is a good-looking device. It has a sleek, slim design that Satechi is well-known for with their other products. Moreover, the black and grey color scheme fits nicely with Apple devices, and fits with the rest of Satechi’s lineup.
The hub itself is quite small which helps when you don’t have much room on your desk or in your bag. That, of course, does impact the port selection — but there’s definitely room for a hub that prioritizes portability over a huge port selection, especially for those looking for something to take on the road.
The Satechi Thunderbolt 4 Slim Hub has three downstream Thunderbolt 4 ports, one upstream Thunderbolt 4 port (for connecting to your laptop), and a USB 3.2 Gen 2 data port at up to 10Gbps. The selection is far from comprehensive — most people would have liked to see an SD card slot, for example, but at least it expands on the selection on offer by your laptop. The Thunderbolt 4 upstream port supports charging at 60W, which is fine, but not incredible. Many competitors can charge at 100W or more.
Satechi Thunderbolt 4 Slim Hub in use
The Satechi Thunderbolt 4 Slim Hub is specifically designed for use with Apple products. It supports newer Macs, along with modern iPads that have a USB-C shaped port. Satechi notes that they do not recommend using it with a PC with a Thunderbolt 3 port, but it can be used with a Thunderbolt 4-equipped PC.
That slim build does indeed make it easy to carry in a bag or backpack, but it’s still a little bigger than an average USB-C dongle or hub. That said, it does offer quite a bit more in terms of port selection and speed, so if you’re looking for something with more features that can go with you then Satechi’s Thunderbolt 4 Slim Hub is worth a look.
Wrapping Up
The Satechi Thunderbolt 4 Slim Hub is a good, portable option for those that need a dock with more ports than what their laptop offers. It’s also relatively affordable compared to many other Thunderbolt 4 docks on the market, though it still isn’t cheap. But it’s not actually the cheapest hub with this selection of ports. The OWC Thunderbolt Hub has the same selection of ports and the same charging speed, at $50 less than this.
The Thunderbolt 4 Slim Hub’s sleek and modern aesthetic aligns with the simplicity and minimalism of the Apple Ecosystem. Made from aircraft grade aluminum, the Thunderbolt 4 Slim Hub not only looks stylish, but is also built for durability and efficiency.
It can be used with your 2022 M2 MacBook Air to connect to one external monitor. HDMI cable from the monitor to the Thunderbolt 4 port on the hub (HDMI to Thunderbolt dongle used).
The hub is sleek and will give no issues. It instantly connects. it is Lovely, users will really like that it has the Thunderbolt 4 ports. Many hubs are based on Thunderbolt 3 and an added bonus is that the MacBook power cable does not need to be used as the hub charges the laptop. The only caveat is that the MacBook will not natively support dual external monitors.
