You are reading the article Owc Envoy Pro Elektron Ssd Review: Handy, Rugged, And Fast updated in December 2023 on the website Cancandonuts.com. We hope that the information we have shared is helpful to you. If you find the content interesting and meaningful, please share it with your friends and continue to follow and support us for the latest updates. Suggested January 2024 Owc Envoy Pro Elektron Ssd Review: Handy, Rugged, And Fast
External storage devices – Some use/need it for backups, while some carry it around for extra storage space. Whatever your purpose, the OWC Envoy Pro Elektron SSD, winner of the CES Innovation Award 2023, can fit into everyone’s list of requirements.
The device is compact, easy-to-handle, durable, and offers high-speed data transfer. But should you pick it or skip it? Check out my hands-on review for the answer.
OWC Envoy Pro Elektron SSD: An overview and technical specifications
They call this device, “The fastest, toughest mini-sized USB-C bus-powered SSD enclosure in the universe.”
And I have to agree with them, at most points; it is mini, fast, and tough. Both the exterior and interior of the Envoy Pro Elektron are designed to lend a smooth and convenient experience.
Let’s look at the device’s technical specifications:
OWC Envoy Pro Elektron for Mac: Design and storage
Crafted from aircraft-grade aluminum, Envoy Pro Elektron perfectly matches the silver finish of a MacBook. The pocket-friendly SSD is small enough to fit in my palm and weighs just 85 g.
And despite the dainty profile, there is nothing delicate about it. On the contrary, the all-metal exterior offers waterproof, dustproof, and crushproof protection.
Furthermore, its rubber feet prevent the SSD from slipping and keeps your desk scratch-free. So, whether it sits at your desk at home/office or travels with you across seven seas, the Envoy Pro Elektron is well-suited for all occasions.
As for storage, there is no compromise there as well. Let me put that in perspective by illustrating some examples. My 1TB drive can hold up to:
4.3 million MS Office documents
200,000 photos
200 high-definition movies
41.6 hours of GoPro 4K footage
24+ PS4/Xbox games
OWC Envoy Pro Elektron USB-C SSD: Hardware and performance
OWC packs some of the best technologies currently available. Thanks to the Asmedia ASM-2362 controller and NVMe M.2 interface, Envoy Pro Elektron is roughly twice as fast as compared to previous generations of SSDs.
As per OWC, if all systems are a go, the drive can offer up to 1011MB/s sequential read/write performance. However, it fell a little short on the claim and averaged around 930MB/s read/write speed in our tests.
Notably, that’s definitely not a bad score and at par with its competitors. And with these numbers, you can directly play your favorite game without lag, efficiently edit large videos on the run, and more.
OWC Envoy Pro Elektron SSD: Compatibility
A great thing about Envoy Pro Elektron is its wide plug and play compatibility, from Big Sur to Sierra, iPadOS to Windows.
Additionally, it accompanies a Type-C cable with a tethered Type-A adaptor to incorporate support for Thunderbolt 3, USB-C, and USB-A devices.
What’s more? You can also boot the device as per your need, from single APFS, HFS+, exFAT, etc.
Envoy Pro Elektron also comes with Acronis True Image OEM software. It enables flexible backup options – weekly, monthly, or non-stop backups, and safeguards from data threats like malware, ransomware, or cryptojackers.
Our verdict: Is OWC Elektron SSD worthy for Mac users?
From the sleek, silver design and Thunderbolt 3 support to high-speed performance and robust build, everything on the OWC Envoy Pro Elektron feature list is on-point for a Mac user.
Pros
Masterfully engineered form factor
3-year warranty
High read and write speed
Free backup and data protection software
Cons
A bit on the expensive side
Speed boost limited to compatible devices
Buy now
Author Profile
Arshmeet
A self-professed Geek who loves to explore all things Apple. I thoroughly enjoy discovering new hacks, troubleshooting issues, and finding and reviewing the best products and apps currently available. My expertise also includes curating opinionated and honest editorials. If not this, you might find me surfing the web or listening to audiobooks.
You're reading Owc Envoy Pro Elektron Ssd Review: Handy, Rugged, And Fast
Samsung 990 Pro Ssd Review: Mighty Fast, But Not A Bargain
Pros
Top-tier everyday performance
Available with and without heat sink
Cons
Pricey
Slightly off the pace with our 450GB write
Our VerdictThe Samsung 990 Pro NVMe SSD is a top-tier performer. That, and the company’s sterling reputation would make it an attractive option—if there weren’t equally competent drives available for quite a bit less.
Best Prices Today: Samsung 990 Pro NVMe SSDRetailer
Price
$149.99
View Deal
The Samsung 990 Pro is one of the best NVMe SSDs on the market. But where once Samsung’s SSDs were ahead of the performance curve, this one is merely level with it—placing fourth overall in our testing.
It’s a very tight race for the top spot, but the 990 isn’t the winner, and Samsung still prices the 990 Pro as if it were a dominant performer. That currently makes it a bit of a hard sell.
Note: This review is part of our ongoing roundup of the best SSDs. Go there to learn more about competing products, what to look for in an SSD, and buying recommendations.
Samsung 990 Pro: Design and featuresThe 990 Pro is your standard 2280 form factor (22mm wide, 80mm long) M.2, NVMe SSD. It’s PCIe 4 x4 utilizing 176-layer TLC NAND, with 1GB of primary caching DRAM for every 1TB of NAND. The controller is an in-house Samsung design that, according to the company, offers a 50 percent improvement in power efficiency over the 980 Pro.
The 990 Pro is available either with a heatsink or without (tested). The label on the non-heatsink version also serves as a heat spreader, so unless you’re pounding on the drive constantly by transcoding high-resolution video or gaming, you probably don’t need the heatsink. Also, many performance motherboards provide their own heatsinks.
Retail pricing is $170 for the 1TB capacity, and $290 for the 2TB version sans heatsink. Add $20 if you want said heatsink. Those prices are significantly higher than what the top-ranked WD SN850X was available for on Amazon at the time of this writing.
mentioned in this article
WD Black SN850X
Read our review
Best Prices Today:
We can only compare using the prices that the company provides until the drive actually shows up in retail. However, the older 980 Pro is just as heavily discounted as the SN850X, so if you see the 990 Pro for more competitive prices, that would make the drive a far more attractive purchase.
This is a box shot of the 990 Pro without a heatsink that we tested. Most users won’t need one.
Samsung provides a five-year warranty which is mitigated by a 600TBW (terabytes that can be written) per 1TB endurance rating—i.e., the warranty expires when either limit is exceeded. TBW ratings are extremely conservative as a rule, so you will likely be able to write more to the drive.
600TBW per 1TB is actually quite a rather low allowance given the 990 Pro’s premium pricing.
PerformanceIn some tests, the 990 Pro rocked; in others it fell a bit off the pace of the other top competitors; and in one test (the long 450GB write), it was surprisingly mid-tier in performance. Add it all up and it was the fourth fastest drive we’ve tested, though not lagging by much. It’s an extremely tight contest between the best drives.
CrystalDiskMark 8 (shown below) was largely one of the 990 Pro’s strong points. It was fastest in two of the tests, and a hair behind in a third; however, a surprisingly weak single-queue read performance sabotaged its aggregate score. Note that the WD SN850X included in the comparison is the fastest drive overall we’ve tested to date.
In terms of pure sequential performance under CrystalDiskMark 8, only the single-queue read performance holds the 990 Pro back. Longer bars are better.
If not for that weak single-queue/thread performance, the 990 Pro’s aggregate CrystalDiskMark 8 performance might’ve placed it only a tick out of first place. Note that this aggregate is our totaling of the results, not something CDM8 provides.
This is an excellent aggregate throughput score, albeit slightly behind the competing WD SN850X and Adata Legend 960. Longer bars are better.
When it came to the real world, the 990 Pro was a bit behind the other top drives in small file/folder writes, but aced the single large-file write. The 21-seconds read speed is the fastest we’ve seen, matched only by the otherwise slower Teamgroup Cardea A440 Pro.
Again, the margin of loss in our 48GB transfers was minuscule for the 990 Pro. Good stuff. Shorter bars are better.
What did surprise us a bit was the 990’s uneven transfer rate while writing a 450GB file to its cells. With an empty 2TB SSD with plenty of NAND for use as SLC secondary cache, this is usually very smooth and even. The result was the 990 Pro lagging about a half minute off the pace set by the fastest performers in this test.
This is a decent time for the 450GB write, but not as fast or steady as we were expecting from the 990 Pro. Shorter bars are better.
The numerous dips and bumps in speed you can see below were likely because of granular real-time allocation of more NAND for secondary cache duties. The best 450GB write time we’ve seen on our new test bed was 206 seconds by the 4TB Crucial P3. Having that much NAND helped the P3’s cause. It lagged in other areas.
We’re not used to seeing these types of peaks and valleys from a Samsung drive, but the overall speed was still very good.
The performance differences we’re pointing out here are minor. You could take any of the top PCIe 4 drives and never notice the difference subjectively. In other words, they’re all very, very fast.
Should you buy Samsung’s 990 Pro?While Samsung’s 990 Pro didn’t set any records, it’s still one of a handful of drives vying for the top performance spot. It’s an excellent drive; however, much of its competition is significantly more affordable, making it harder to recommend.
Adata Elite Se880 Portable Ssd Review: Fast, Affordable, And Tiny
Pros
Very fast, over-20Gbps USB connection
Extremely small form factor
5-year warranty
Cons
Slows considerably during long contiguous writes
Somewhat low TBW rating
Our VerdictIf you’re looking for a super small, fast, and affordable portable SSD for everyday light use, there’s nothing better than the Adata Elite SE880. Video pros should look elsewhere though due to slow long writes.
Best Prices Today: Adata Elite SE880 SSDRetailer
Price
$79.99
View Deal
Adata
$84.99
View Deal
No external SSD we’ve seen can match Adata’s Elite SE880 for portability. Indeed, it’s more the size of a USB thumb drive than the larger rectangle that describes most external SSDs. The SE880 is also very fast at everyday tasks—aces with our smaller 48GB data set and the synthetic benchmarks.
This review is part of our ongoing roundup of the best external drives. Go there for information on competing products and how we tested them.
Adata Elite SE880: Design, specs, and priceAvailable in 500GB and 1TB capacities ($79 and $129, respectively), the titanium gray and black SE880 measures a mere 2.55 inches long, 1.38-inches wide, and just 0.48-inches thick. It weighs only 1.1 ounces and virtually disappears in your pocket. Adata ships the drive with both a Type-C to Type-C and a Type-A to Type-C cable to cover both USB-connection scenarios.
Adata’s Elite SE880 is a great, super-portable external SSD for everyday use. It’s not, however, for pros writing large chunks of data continuously.
The SE880 uses TLC NAND memory and has a SuperSpeed 20Gbps interface, aka a USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 drive. That means it’s capable of around 2GBps transfers when attached to the appropriate 20Gbps port. 3.2 2×2 ports aren’t common, but USB4/Thunderbolt also supports 20Gbps if you happen to have one those. This should be welcome news to Apple silicon users (who have T4/USB4 ports), as they can get Thunderbolt-like performance at a significantly lower price point.
Adata warranties the Elite SE880 for five years, or 300 terabytes written (TBW) per 500GB of capacity. That’s not an amazing TBW rating, but few users will ever even write that much data. If you expect to, you’ll either need to spend more for a different drive or take your chances.
Adata Elite SE880: PerformanceWith the exception of our 450GB write test, the SE880 proved an exceptional performer, outpacing the excellent WD Black P50 gaming SSD shown in the charts below. The SE880 managed well over 2GBps reading and nearly 1.9GBps writing on CrystalDiskMark 8. Note that the WD is a 2TB drive with more cache to play with.
mentioned in this article
WD Black P50 Game Drive SSD (1TB)
Read our review
Best Prices Today:
The T7 Shield is a 10Gbps USB drive, but we included it to illustrate the difference between the two USB flavors. And, unfortunately, to also show slow the Adata was with the 450GB write.
Adata’s Elite SE880 showed its mettle in CrystalDiskMark 8. Higher numbers (MBps) are better.
Where the Elite SE880 really excelled was in our real-world 48GB transfer tests. Note that these are new numbers for all three drives garnered on our PCIe 4 testbed.
The Adata Elite SE880 pretty much aced our 48GB transfers. It beat the more-than-respectable WD Black P50 by an impressive 53 seconds overall. Shorter bars (seconds) are better.
Where the SE880 loses out big time is in long contiguous writes such as the 450GB image file we test with. The idea behind this test is to show where secondary cache runs out. That is the 50GB mark with the SE880, where the write speed dropped precipitously from around 900MBps to vacillate between approximately 135MBps to 425MBps. In other words, writing natively (the full three bits) to the TLC cells was a comparatively slow process.
This is not the test where you want a longer bar. The SE880 was extremely slow writing our 450GB image file. This is not the drive for that sort of task. Shorter bars (seconds) are better.
You can see the phenomenon below. It’s a rather early drop as such things go. Again, our test SE880 was 1TB, while the WD and Samsung were both 2TB drives. Having 2TB means that quite a bit more NAND is available for use as secondary cache (MLC/TLC/QLC written as SLC).
The speed shown is 315MBps in this capture, but those valleys are as low as 125MBps.
For everyday work and the average user, the SE880’s performance is great. But it’s not the best choice if you routinely write large amounts of data to your external storage.
External USB drive tests currently utilize Windows 11 64-bit running on an MSI MEG X570/AMD Ryzen 3700X combo with four 16GB Kingston 2666MHz DDR4 modules, a Zotac (Nvidia) GT 710 1GB x2 PCIe graphics card, and an Asmedia ASM3242 USB 3.2×2 card. Copy tests utilize an ImDisk RAM disk using 58GB of the 64GB total memory.
Excellent for the average userThe Adata Elite SE880 is a heck of a bargain for the average user, and, for a fact, it won’t weigh you down or unduly burden your wallet. Pros writing large amounts of data continuously, however, should look for something with better sustained write performance.
Realme 2 Pro Performance And Gaming Review: Fast And Fluid
The Realme 2 Pro (starting at Rs. 13,990) is the latest offering from Realme’s smartphone line-up, and the company has put in a considerable amount of effort to market the Realme 2 Pro as a competent smartphone which can justify the ‘Pro’ suffix. The Realme 2 Pro packs the Snapdragon 660 SoC with up to 8 gigs of RAM, which are some solid specs for a budget smartphone these days, and it does not disappoint.
The Snapdragon 660 powers the Xiaomi Mi A2 and the Vivo V11 Pro, both of which fared well on the performance parameter, but has Realme done a commendable job at optimizing the Snapdragon 660’s processing grunt with ColorOS 5.2? Well, there is only one way to find out- subjecting the device to an intensive gaming and performance test.
Realme 2 Pro Specifications:Display 6.3-inch FHD+with 90.8% screen-to-body
ProcessorSnapdragon 660
RAM4/6/8 GB RAM
Storage 64/128 GB, expandable upto 256GB via microSD card
Rear Camera16MP + 2MP
Front Camera16MP
Battery 3,500mAh
OSColorOS 5.2 based on Android 8.1 Oreo
Connectivity GSM, WCDMA, LTE, GPRS, EDGE
Sensors Light & distance sensor, acceleration sensor, gyroscope, geomagnetic sensor
Realme 2 Pro Performance and Gaming ReviewBefore we start going through synthetic benchmark figures and give a final verdict about the Realme 2 Pro’s overall performance, do keep in mind that synthetic benchmarks are just numbers and do not reflect actual prowess of a smartphone. This is why we prefer to do an exhaustive test based on in-hand performance and practical usage scenarios, and this is what we are going to do in the Realme 2 Pro’s case.
Moreover, we’ll also compare the Realme 2 Pro’s synthetic benchmark scores and real-life performance with two other which pack the same processor to give you a better idea. So, let’s begin with the Realme 2 Pro’s benchmarks first.
Realme 2 Pro BenchmarksWe started the Realme 2 Pro’s benchmark test with AnTuTu, and the device didn’t disappoint, scoring an impressive 133324 points, which is in line with other devices packing the same Snapdragon 660 SoC. However, the Realme 2 Pro performed slightly better than its rivals, the Xiaomi Mi A2 and the Redmi Note 5 Pro, all thanks to the 8GB of RAM which give it a slight edge.
Coming to the more graphics intensive 3DMark benchmark, the Realme 2 Pro scored 1235 points in 3DMark’s Sling Shot Extreme – OpenGL ES test and 975 points in the 3DMark’s Sling Shot Extreme – Vulkan.
Gaming PerformanceWhen it comes to real-life performance, the Realme 2 Pro is a fairly great performer. We put the Realme 2 Pro through a host of games ranging from lightweight titles like Angry Birds, 8 Ball Pool and Subway Surfer to graphics intensive games such as PUBG, Asphalt 9: Legends, Injustice 2 and Mortal Kombat X.
However, tweaking the graphics settings to the maximum permissible limit in some games resulted in sporadic stuttering and occasional lags. But then, for high-end mobile games which are made for flagship chipsets, the mid-range Snapdragon 660 can only serve you long enough. Here’s how Realme 2 Pro fared at gaming:
I started the Realme 2 Pro’s gaming review with PUBG, and to put it simply, the gameplay was above par. The battle royale game was to the default graphics setting on the first boot, and as I completed a few matches, I noticed that there was no lag, frame drop or stuttering at all.
The next game I tried was ‘Injustice 2’, and truth be told, I was again surprised at how well the fight game played out on the Realme 2 Pro. The device rendered the animations smoothly, and the cinematic visuals between the fights smoothly transitioned back to the combat without a hitch.
In the case of Asphalt 9: Legends, there was some stutter and noticeable frame drop, especially while driving supercars at high speed and taking sharp turns, and it also happened while doing stunts.
I saved the best for the last- Mortal Kombat X, one of the most visually pleasing and resource intensive games out there. The gameplay was smooth, but what annoyed me the most was how the game’s native aspect ratio was stretched out to fill out the Realme 2 Pro’s tall 19:9 display.
The Realme 2 Pro offers a native full-screen mode for gaming and media consumption, which uniformly covers the area adjacent to the teardrop notch with a bar for a uniform look. But there was some anomaly. In case of PUBG, when the full-screen mode was not enabled, the notch covered half of the shoot button, however, the issue was resolved when I applied the full-screen mode.
Another sore point was the curved bottom bezel, which covers some UI elements while playing a game. For example, in the case of PUBG, the rounded bottom bezel covered a significant portion of the ‘X’ button used to go back to the previous screen, and as a result, it was a minor hassle to tap it precisely every time.
While the device definitely did get hot, it did not get heat up enough to the level of getting uncomfortable. Interestingly, when the protective cover is applied, the temperature only rose by around 4-degrees, and there was minimal to no effect of the higher temperature on the in-hand experience.
UI optimization flaws aside, the Realme 2 Pro handled all games we tested decently well. So, if you’ve been planning to buy the Realme 2 Pro and were in doubt regarding its gaming prowess, you can rest assured that the device will handle all games you throw at it with ease.
Buy Realme 2 Pro from Flipkart: (starting at Rs. 13,990)
Best Rugged Cases For The Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro
The Redmi Note 6 Pro is Xiaomi’s latest attempt at producing a premium yet affordable handset. The product was launched in India not so long ago, and if you’re thinking of buying it, then you might want to also consider getting a case to go with it.
With broken screen repairs going as far as $150, it’s a good idea to invest in a durable case. Rugged cases are the best option for those with really slippery hands. If you know yourself to be clumsy, a tough rugged case will take the day-to-day abuse without flinching, while keeping your phone in pristine condition should you ever want to re-sell it.
So to make it easier for you, we rounded up some rugged phone cases that are guaranteed to safeguard your new and shiny device.
Norby Rugged Heavy Duty Case
A rugged case designed by Norby that will provide perfect fitting to your Redmi Note 6 Pro. Made from a combination of soft silicone and military grade plastic, the cover offers 360-degree edge-to-edge protection for your phone. Complete with a carbon fiber texture on the back, this case will also enhance the look of your device. Grab it in Armor Gray, Armor Gold and Armor Black.
Buy at Amazon (INR 299)
Zynke Shockproof Case
Zynke made a sleek and slim rugged case for the Redmi Note 6 Pro which has been reinforced with shockproof technology. The product also features bumpers with anti-shock cushion technology to protect the vulnerable parts.
Snapping the case on your phone will also provide extra grip, so you won’t have to worry about your slippery hands doing a number on you anymore. Available in Black.
Buy at Amazon (INR 229)
Golden Sand Rugged Case
The rugged case made by Golden Sand is made of TPU and has Anti Shock Corners. It’s made using eco-friendly materials that are sturdy enough to offer 360-degree protection. The cover features a raised lip that safeguards the display, while the unique brushed silk/carbon texture on the back makes the device a lot more grippy.
Buy at Flipkart (INR 499)
Johra Dual Layer Rugged Case
Johra has a dual layer rugged case available for the Redmi Note 6 Pro too. It features a flexible TPU inner layer to safeguard against shocks and drops and a strong PC outer layer for extra toughness.
What’s more, the textured design on the back, ensures your phone will never slip out of your hands again. The case also has a built-in kickstand that’s perfect for when you want to watch a video or make a video call. Get it in All-Black, or with Red or Blue accents.
Buy at Amazon (INR 395)
Related articles:
shellmo Rugged Amor Case
Check out this form-fitting case for the Redmi Note 6 Pro which features a hard shell to protect your phone in any scenario. The surface benefits from the hard coating in order to add a slip-free grip. Coming with a very slim profile, this case is 83% off at Flipkart right now.
Buy at Flipkart (INR 115)
So now that you have an idea of the rugged cases that are available on the market, which would you get for your Redmi Note 6 Pro?
Review: Satechi’s Aluminum Imac Stand Affords Handy, Front
Satechi’s Aluminum Monitor Stand Hub is designed to elevate Apple’s all-in-one iMac while providing the added functionality of a hub with front-facing ports. Should you consider it over other iMac stands? Watch our hands-on video review for the details.
Specifications
Aluminum construction
Space saving design
Supports up to 31 pounds
Built-in cable management
SD & Micro SD Card Slots
Audio jack port
3 x USB Type-A ports
1 x USB Type-C port
Price: $89.99
Unboxing and design observationsUnboxing the Satechi Aluminum Monitor Stand Hub (we’ll just call it the Satechi iMac Stand from here on out) is a straightforward affair. A relatively simple cardboard box and some styrofoam to protect its contents is about all you’ll find outside of the product itself.
The majority of the iMac Stand, outside of the hub on the underside, is comprised of a solid piece of aluminum. Underneath the raised legs, which create an elevated shelf-like effect on a desktop surface, you’ll find four rubber feet to keep the Satechi iMac Stand nice and secure on its resting area.
I’m not a fan of how the rubber feet poke through the aluminum to attach to the underside of the stand. It means that you’re constantly subjected to look at the little rubber nibs that stick through the surface for the two front feet. One could say that I’m nitpicking, but I consider it a valid criticism since it’s front and center on your desk.
Satechi Aluminum iMac Stand video reviewSpecial thanks to Skylum, creators of Luminar 3 for sponsoring 9to5Mac on YouTube.
Subscribe to 9to5Mac on YouTube for more videos
iMac stand propertiesSatechi offers its stand in both space gray and silver aluminum colors. The company sent over its silver model for me to test, which doesn’t look bad when paired with my space gray iMac Pro, but would probably look somewhat better underneath a standard 5K iMac. “Installing” the stand takes only a few seconds, although depending on how much cable mess you have behind your iMac, lifting it and resting it on the stand could prove to be challenging.
The Satechi iMac Stand will provide iMac users with close to two inches of additional height, which could make a big difference in usability considering that the iMac has no built-in vertical adjustment. The added height is nice, if not a bit limited. It’s worth noting that other stands, like Twelve South’s HiRise Pro, provide several different height settings and can raise you iMac significantly higher.
Speaking of the Twelve South HiRise Pro, it features a substantial storage area that can be hidden behind its magnetic front cover. Satechi’s stand also creates a storage area underneath the iMac with about an inch of clearance. This area might be handy for storing small accessories — I use it to store my space gray Magic Trackpad — but it’s not large or accessible enough to provide a lot of extra storage benefits.
Connecting to iMacBelow the top surface of the stand is where you’ll find the location of the 7-port front-facing hub. The hub comes with a permanently attached USB-C uplink cable, and features a cable management area on the underside to store said cable. The uplink can be connected directly to one of the USB-C ports on your iMac, or you have the option of using the included USB-C to USB-A adapter in an effort to keep the iMac’s precious Thunderbolt 3 ports free.
I, of course, opted to use the included adapter, because using the USB-C ports provides no measurable benefit over using USB-A. At the end of the day this is still just a standard USB 3.0 connection (5Gbps), so it makes no sense to use up a Thunderbolt 3 port when a USB-A port can provide the same functionality.
Lots of ports, but limited in scopeOne of the best and worst qualities about the iMac is its rear-facing I/O, because you’re provided with a clean front design experience at the expense of easy I/O access. Personally speaking, I think Apple made the right decision to stick with rear-facing I/O, but that doesn’t make it any less annoying when attempting to connect accessories.
Having access to 7 different ports thanks to Satechi’s Hub is nice, but you’ll need to temper your expectations as far as performance is concerned. For starters, the SD Card slot is not UHS-II-enabled, meaning it’s noticeably slower than the built-in SD Card slot on the iMac Pro. For 5K iMac users, this won’t be a big deal.
The USB-C port is also just a USB port, meaning you can’t connect a Thunderbolt 3 accessory to the front-facing I/O and expect it to work. Again, this might seem obvious, but it’s worth noting. Satechi also notes that the USB-C port isn’t intended for charging other devices. In other words, it’s primarily designed around transferring data between your Mac and the connected accessory.
That’s not to say that having quick USB, SD Card, and headphone jack access isn’t nice. In fact, I find myself at times using the SD Card slot on front due to the convenience, even though I know it’ll be slower than the SD Card slot built in to my iMac.
9to5Mac’s TakeAt first glance, the $89.99 asking price for the Satechi stand seems a little on the expensive side, but if you price a hub that attaches to the bottom of your iMac for front-facing I/O, along with a basic stand, the price seems reasonable for what you get.
The Satechi Aluminum Monitor Stand Hub for iMac is a good product, and will prove to be useful for those looking to slightly raise their iMac display off the desktop. It’s especially useful for someone like me, who utilizes an adjustable standing desk.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Update the detailed information about Owc Envoy Pro Elektron Ssd Review: Handy, Rugged, And Fast on the Cancandonuts.com website. We hope the article's content will meet your needs, and we will regularly update the information to provide you with the fastest and most accurate information. Have a great day!