Articles about StarTech

USB-C is the greatest thing since sliced bread. The connector is reversible, meaning there is no wrong way to insert it. USB-A, conversely, was hugely annoying in this regard -- for many years, computer users had to suffer through the madness. Not to mention, since the USB-C connector is much smaller, it can be utilized by smartphones and tablets in addition to desktop computers, and laptops.

Of course, there are times when you may need to connect a device that doesn't use USB-C, such as an Ethernet cable, computer monitor, or USB-A flash drive. For this, you can purchase individual dongles, but it is more convenient to simply get a multiport adapter instead. Today, StarTech launches two new such models -- the DK30C2HAGPD and DK30C2DAGPD. They are very much the same, except the former uses HDMI while the latter is compatible with DisplayPort.

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I am old enough to remember the days before USB, and let me tell you -- when it came out, everything changed. It became so much easier to add hardware to a PC -- no need to open the case. USB largely made the term "plug and play" a reality. The problem? The damn thing wasn't reversible! As we all know, you had a 50/50 shot of plugging the Type-A connector in correctly, yet for some reason, it felt like you were almost always wrong the first time. Maddening!

USB-C solved that dilemma, as the connector is reversible. Long gone is the frustration of having to turn the connector around. Adoption of USB-C has been frustratingly slow, with companies like Microsoft still refusing to add it to the Surface Laptop 2. Sigh. With that said, there are many nice USB-C products on the market, and today, StarTech launches a trio. All three products are USB-C hubs, but they are quite different from each other.

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When I bought my first-ever Apple computer in 2016 -- a MacBook Pro with touchbar -- I was a bit nervous about the lack of ports. While on the go, I am pretty much fine with only having USB-C, but when home, I like to connect my laptops to a monitor, keyboard, mouse, and hardwired Ethernet. In other words, I make my notebooks serve double-duty as makeshift desktops too. I would need to leverage dongle/adapters to meet my needs.

Thankfully, the MacBook Pro USB-C ports are also Thunderbolt 3, meaning the laptop is compatible with high-end docking stations. Yes, there are normal USB-C docks on the market too, but the Thunderbolt 3 models are far superior -- they can have more ports and provide better quality video to monitors. Since they are pricey, selecting the best model can be daunting. Luckily, after much testing, I am confident to say I have found one worth your hard-earned money -- StarTech Thunderbolt 3 Dual-4K Docking Station with SD Card Slot.

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While all desktops (and most laptops) have video outputs, having a video input is much more rare. The reason why is simple -- most people don't need such a thing. Quite frankly, outside of some business use, home users never really had much of a need. With the invent of video gameplay streaming on platforms like Twitch, however, this changed. Now, more and more home users want video capture devices to connect a game console to their PC.

Today, StarTech releases its latest such product for both business and personal users alike. Called "UVCHDCAP," it is an HDMI to USB-C Video Capture Device for Mac, Windows, and Linux -- no drivers needed. It uses USB 3.0 Type-B for connectivity, and there is a Type-B to Type-C cable in the box. Your computer doesn't have a USB-C port? No worries, a Type-B to Type-A cable is included as well.

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Both Thunderbolt 3 docking stations and bus-powered USB-C hubs are nothing new. But what about bus-powered Thunderbolt 3 docking stations? Ah, that is a much more rare product. In fact, today, StarTech is launching two bus-powered portable Thunderbolt 3 docking stations that it claims are an "industry first." If you aren't familiar, "bus-powered" means there is no need for an AC adapter -- the port on your laptop powers the dock. This is great because, without a power adapter, you have one less thing to carry.

Why are there two models? Well, while they are both similar, they are are also quite different. The TB3DK2DP features two DisplayPort connections, a USB 3.0 Type-A port, and gigabit Ethernet. The TB3DKM2HD in comparison has two HDMI ports, gigabit Ethernet, a USB 3.0 Type-A port and a USB 2.0 Type-A port. Both portable docks can push two 4K monitors at 60Hz, but only the DisplayPort variant can do 5K at 60Hz. Neither feature female USB-C ports.

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Thunderbolt 3 is awesome. The connection is blazing fast, and for convenience, it uses the same connector as USB-C. It allows a computer user to expand the functionality of their laptop with ease. Keep in mind, however, while USB-C devices will generally work with all Thunderbolt 3 ports, TB3 devices won't work on normal USB-C ports. Ultimately, Thunderbolt 3 is the superior standard. Best of all, it is supported on Windows, Mac, and Linux.

StarTech is no stranger to Thunderbolt 3 adapters, and today, it unveils two new products. The company's motto is "hard-to-find made easy" and both of these offerings match that. One product is a Thunderbolt 3 to eSATA adapter -- quite niche these days. It also offers a USB 3.1 gen 2 Type-A port. The other new product is a Thunderbolt 3 to USB 3.1 controller, which is sort of like a USB hub on steroids.

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Ever since I bought my 2016 MacBook Pro, I have been obsessed with Thunderbolt 3 docks. Why? Because I like to use my laptop as a desktop when I am home. I need to connect a monitor, keyboard, mouse, external hard drive, USB webcam, and more. A TB3 docking station allows me to easily connect all these things to my MacBook Pro with a single cable, while also charging it. This solution works with compatible Windows machines too.

Today, StarTech launches the Thunderbolt 3 Dual-4K Docking Station with SD Card Slot and it looks amazing. As the name implies, it can push two 4K monitors -- one using its DisplayPort, and the other with an included (and optional) USB-C to DisplayPort cable. In addition to dual-4K, it can also handle a single 5K display. Also indicated by the product name, there is an SD card slot on the front. This is very much appreciated, as the MacBook Pro has no such card reader.

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USB-C devices are coming thick and fast lately -- it feels like it is raining dongles and docks! While Apple's MacBook computers aren't the only devices with such ports, they certainly accelerated the popularity. Of course, there are both Windows and Linux machines with USB-C too.

StarTech manufactures many USB-C devices, and now it is releasing three new docking stations. Why three? Well, they offer different features and come in at different price points. Heck, one model even has an integrated 2.5-inch drive bay for an HDD or SSD! All three docking stations can charge/power a laptop too, with a max output of 60W.

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SATA is so out of style. Nowadays, all the cool kids are using much-faster NVMe PCIe-based solid state drives that utilize either U.2 or M.2 connectors; I prefer the latter, but I digress. Of course, to maximize the performance of these ultra-fast drives, you will not only need the appropriate connectors, but PCIe 3.0 too. If you don't have the correct connector, all is not lost. Thanks to PCIe adapter cards, you might able to add compatibility to your system without the need of a new motherboard.

While M.2 adapter cards are very commonplace, U.2 variants are not. Today, StarTech is back with another very useful product -- the U.2 to PCIe Drive Adapter Expansion Card. If you don't have a U.2 connector port, but do have a PCIe 3.0 x4 or higher slot, this card will allow you to connect a compatible drive at top speed. It will work with PCIe 1.0 and 2.0 too, albeit at much slower speeds. You can mount the 2.5-inch U.2 drive (15mm, 12.5mm, 9.5mm, 7mm, and 5mm height) directly on the card, meaning there are no unsightly cables.

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While internal hard drives are great if you are OK with data remaining in a computer 24/7, sometimes you want to physically secure data at the end of the day. No, I don't mean encryption; I am talking literally locking a hard drive or solid state disk in a safe or desk drawer. This is essential for some businesses, where theft of a drive could be catastrophic.

Today, Startech unveils a clever new product that makes this practice easy. It is a 2.5-inch drive enclosure that plugs into a bay adapter on the front of a PC. The adapter itself can fit in both 3.5- or 5.25-inch openings thanks to the included accessory. While the drive connects to the adapter via SATA, the enclosure also has a micro-B USB 3.1 port. In other words, it can be easily removed and then connected to a PC that doesn't have the bay adapter.

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It used to be that laptops were pretty much just for portability. If you wanted, say, tons of storage, a desktop tower was the way to go. Thanks to faster external options using USB and Thunderbolt, it can be easy to add 3.5-inch hard drives with large capacities to a notebook setup. For instance, you can keep an enclosure on your desk, and when you get home or to the office, you can connect it for access.

USB 3.1 Generation 2 is the fastest such USB connection, and it will allow a very seamless experience when connecting an external storage device. True, when using mechanical hard drives, you won't be saturating the 3.1 gen 2 interface, but it can't hurt to have. Today, Startech launches a new such product -- the USB 3.1 Dual 3.5-inch SATA HDD Enclosure with RAID. It can accommodate two 3.5-inch mechanical hard drives. As the "Raid" in the name implies, it can do RAID 0, RAID 1, SPAN(BIG) and JBOD. It even includes both Type-A and Type-C cables depending on your connection needs.

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USB-C is lighting the world on fire. While Apple was not the first company to embrace the standard, its MacBook Pro is definitely a driving force in its increased popularity. There is a huge market nowadays for USB-C hubs and dongles. Heck, I just wrote about an all-new USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter from SCOSCHE.

Today, StarTech launches the USB-C Multi-Card Reader. This dongle is strictly for card-reading, offering compatibility with SD, micro SD, and CompactFlash. Many all-in-one Type-C dongles offer compatibility with SD and its micro variant, but CF is more of a rarity. StarTech is clearly targeting professional photographers, many of which still use CompactFlash.

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Owning a MacBook Pro (2016) has been a very fun experience. While some people are unhappy not having USB Type-A ports, I am happily embracing the Type-C/Thunderbolt 3 ports. Sure, I have needed a dongle a few times when connecting some devices, but it hasn't been too bad. I've even embraced a USB-C dock (with power delivery) to create a Mac desktop experience in my home -- mouse, keyboard, and monitor.

So far, however, I haven't been very satisfied with USB-C docks. I sometimes face issues where USB ports don't work while delivering power. On a few occasions, my connected USB hard drives have disconnected when the Mac goes to sleep, leading to macOS warning messages. The market will soon be saturated with true Thunderbolt 3 docks that should provide a much better experience. Today, StarTech announces a new line of Thunderbolt 3 devices, including docks and display adapters.

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USB-C is a total game-changer for the computer market. The most obvious benefit is that it is reversible -- you can't plug it in "wrong" like prior connector versions. The true magic, however, is that a single cable can be used for a quality docking experience -- including power. In other words, a compatible laptop or tablet can be transformed into a powerful desktop/workstation with ease.

Today, StarTech.com announces a 60 watt charging USB-C dock, with a very unimaginative name. Dubbed the 'USB-C Dual Monitor Docking Station with Power Delivery', it appears to be very useful for both home and business users. Unlike some similar offerings from other companies, it features DisplayPort in addition to HDMI.

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If you work in IT, you know how laborious it can be to get new computers up and running. The best way to do it is with a single image, so you do not need to manually; one by one. In other words, you install a disk image to multiple machines; the image not only has Windows, but other software and settings too

While this can be done in many ways, including over network or using optical media, a hard drive duplicator is probably the fastest. StarTech.com announces a new product that not only serves as a duplicator, but as 6-drive dock too. Offering USB 3.0 and eSata connectivity, it is sure to meet the needs of many businesses and some home users too.

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