HYPER unveils a trio of Google-certified 'Works With Chromebook' USB-C products
When someone tells me that Chromebooks are only good for surfing the web, I have to do my best not to angrily laugh in their face. That opinion is just so ignorant and outdated. The truth is, Chromebooks run the excellent Chrome OS Linux distribution, which is more than capable for business, education, and personal use. You aren't limited to web apps either -- you can run many desktop Linux and Android apps nowadays. Oh, and Chrome OS is more secure than Windows 10 too.
Most new Chromebooks come with a USB-C port, letting you connect many great accessories, such as docks and dongles, to expand its usefulness. Yeah, you can even turn a Chromebook into a makeshift desktop by connecting a monitor, mouse, and keyboard. And now, HYPER has unveiled a trio of Google-certified "Works With Chromebook" USB-C products.
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What does this designation mean? Quite simply, if Google certifies a product as "Works With Chromebook," then you can be confident about its Chrome OS compatibility. With that said, many USB-C devices that lack such a certification will work with Chromebooks just fine, but you can never be 100 percent sure. These new HYPER products are guaranteed to be compatible.
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HYPER's new "Works With Chromebook" USB-C products are quite different from each other. The most impressive is the HyperDrive 14-port USB-C Docking Station, which essentially transforms your Chromebook into a desktop. Not only does this dock charge your Chromebook, but it adds USB-A, Gigabit Ethernet, HDMI, DisplayPort, and 3.5mm audio.
The other two products are designed for portability -- the HyperDrive 5-port USB-C Hub and the HyperDrive USB-C 2.5Gbps Ethernet Adapter. The former provides USB-A, Gigabit Ethernet, and HDMI. It is ideal for tossing into a bag for portable port expandability. The latter is a much more specialized product, providing multi-gig networking for those that need it. With that said, the dongle is backwards compatible with Gigabit Ethernet, of course, so it would be a wise buy even if you don't need 2.5Gbps connectivity today.
All three products will be available here beginning August 2021, meaning they should be ready for purchase before the next school session. As you can expect, the HyperDrive 14-port USB-C Docking Station is the most expensive of the trio; it is priced at $239.99. The HyperDrive 5-port USB-C Hub will go for $79.99, while the HyperDrive USB-C 2.5Gbps Ethernet Adapter will cost $49.99.
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