USB-C

I can't really recommend this product for its asking price. It's not broken, but the fact that SSD speeds don't match what's advertised on macOS (and should really be better in general), the strange assortment of ports, and how loud it can get, I just have to question why someone might get this instead of a competing product. The combination of an external SSD enclosure with some extra ports is fairly uncommon, but there are other options like the Satechi Stand & Hub I've already mentioned or the Beelink Mate Mini if you want Thunderbolt speeds. These products have designs to match the Mac Min

Oleh Strus/Getty Images It's not either/or. USB-C is the connector you plug your charging cables or peripherals into; USB4 is the latest USB standard. It's also important to note that while all USB4 cables use USB-C, older USB-C connectors won't support USB4's higher bandwidth. That means if you plug a USB4 device into, say, a USB 3.2 port, you'll be limited to that standard's max 10 or 20 Gbps bandwidth (depending on the generation), not the 40 Gbps first-gen USB4 is capable of. USB4 launched back in 2019, so if you've bought a new PC or laptop from 2020 onward, there's a good chance your har

Formatoriginal/Shutterstock The most recent USB standard is a whole lot faster than previous generations. Whereas the first generation of USB 3.2 was limited to a measly max data transfer rate of just 5 Gbps, USB4 can hit 40 Gbps. If you regularly find yourself editing and transferring large 4K video files between workstations, you're really going to feel the benefit of that speed upgrade. Unlike USB 3.2, USB4 supports video output. A single USB4 cable can simultaneously tackle speedy data transfers, host a video signal and handle charging. USB4 can also dynamically share its bandwidth between

Alexander_Evgenyevich/Shutterstock USB4 is definitely worth the upgrade if you need fast transfer speeds. The latest USB4 Version 2.0 devices offer bandwidth up to 80 Gbps, which means you can transfer large files in ultra-fast fashion. Said bandwidth allocation also makes USB4 a terrific option if you have a good portable SSD, as the format supports write speeds of up to 4,000 MB/s (upped to 8,000 MB/s with USB4 2.0). If you have your heart set on a shiny new laptop with USB4 ports, you're in for other benefits compared to USB 3.2. The more recent standard boasts excellent support for connect