Ever since USB-C came to the iPad Pro line, users rejoiced. They could finally use some accessories without having to use a lightning adapter. It wasn't until iOS 13 that external storage was enabled, opening up the USB-C port even more.
But the issue remained in the fact that there's only one port on the iPad. If you used it for your external hard drive, you couldn't charge it at the same time.
This is where USB docks have come in; extending the iPad's use by allowing many more ports to be used at once.
We thought we'd give the
Table of Contents
for a spin on the iPad, to see just how well it performed during its time attached to the tablet.
Design - Score 95
It simply plugs into the USB-C port of your iPad, and right away you can use your wired headphones as the iPad charges, or you could use a mouse with the older USB port as well, essentially enhancing the iPad into a workhorse of a machine.
The design matches the iPad, with its angular look and space-grey design, it looks like a product that Apple released alongside the iPad; it's really nice.
The ports include:
- HDMI
- 3.5mm headphone jack
- USB 3.0
- USB-C (Power Dependant)
I thought I'd test the full feature-set at once here, so I hooked up my iPad Pro to my 1440P monitor by HDMI, while plugging in some headphones, while charging it to USB-C, and plugging in a USB pen drive to transfer some photos to the machine.
Everything worked; everything held up as expected, and it did feel as if I was back on my Macbook Air from 2013, working away and not feeling restricted by some software or hardware limitations.
There's really nothing to fault here, only just a wish that a microSD slot is there. Having a Nintendo Switch with its screenshot function, it can be challenging to move the images from console to iPad, so to have a microSD slot in a future version would essentially be the perfect accessory for me.
Price - Score 85
For
it's a fantastic price for what you get. Considering other USB-C docks price themselves at over £50 for similar features, you're getting a bargain here.
The simplicity and ease of use of the dock is fantastic here, and for what you will be able to do with your iPad, HDMI being one, it's a fine price for what you can do with it.
Our Score
Pros
- Great design that mirrors the iPad
- Lots of useful ports, and USB-C can charge the tablet
Cons
- microSD port would have been welcome
This is a fantastic iPad Dock that opens up much more avenues than previous. It saves you from carrying multiple cable sand dongles, as its simply a matter of plugging it in and tailoring it to the jobs for the day.
It's currently available on
so if you have the new iPad Air or an iPad Pro, and you're finding yourself becoming very frustrated by that lone USB-C port, this is an ideal accessory to go even further down the rabbit hole of the iPad-Only lifestyle.
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