OWC Travel Dock E, Twelve South ActionSleeve 2
A great USB-C hub for your travels
€65 (about £56) FROM OWC, owcdigital.com FEATURES 1x Gigabit Ethernet port, 1x USB-C passthrough (100W), 2x USB 3.2 (5Gbps), 1x HDMI port, 1x SD card reader, 15cm USB-C cable with stowaway groove, 174g weight
As Apple charges towards USB-C everything, alternative ports are getting harder to find on its devices. But you might still need USB-A peripherals, Ethernet cables, and more. In that case, you need a hub, and OWC’s Travel Dock E is a good one.
This device adds a Gigabit Ethernet port to the company’s regular Travel Dock. It also comes with two USB 3.2 ports (running at 5Gbps), an HDMI 2.0 port supporting 4K at 60Hz, an SD card reader and a USB-C passthrough port that provides 100W of power. It’s one of the only hubs with both Gigabit Ethernet and 100W of passthrough power, in fact.
It all comes wrapped in a sturdy aluminium and plastic chassis that feels like it can take a beating. Combined with its handy stowaway groove for the USB-C cable, it’s well designed for travel.
The only real problem is that USB-C cable. It’s very short – just 15cm at a stretch. That’s fine with a MacBook or Mac mini, but on desktop Macs you might find the hub doesn’t sit flat on the ground. But then, this isn’t aimed at desktops.
The ideal port arrangement in a hub depends on your needs, but if you want Ethernet, then this is a great choice. Its slot selection and 100W passthrough power also make it attractive for your travels. OWC’s free Dock Ejector app that safely dismounts the hub is the cherry on top. Alex Blake