When Apple unveiled the 2021 MacBook Pro in October, we were impressed by the array of ports on this powerful new machine; in our review of the 14-inch MacBook Pro 2021, we praised its inclusion of more than a few USB-C ports, There is a reason for this. When a laptop is your primary work machine, you need to be able to use all your accessories, and most people hate dealing with adapters and dongles. [2021 If you need more ports than the MacBook Pro offers, Satechi has you covered with its new Thunderbolt 4 docking station designed specifically for the MacBook Pro. It is available today, along with other Mac adapters, from San Diego-based peripheral manufacturer Satechi.

The biggest standout is the aforementioned Thunderbolt 4 Dock, available on Satechi's website and at retailers like Best Buy for $299. If you want to make your MacBook Pro the center of your professional-level workstation, the Thunderbolt 4 Dock It has the ports to make that possible. See specs:

Compatible models 2016-2021 MacBook Pro, 2020 MacBook Air, 2018 MacBook Air, 2021 iMac M1, 2019/2017 iMac, iMac Pro, 2021 iPad Pro, 2020/2018 iPad Pro, 2020 iPad Air.

As you can see, Satechi's Thunderbolt 4 Dock answers one of our biggest concerns about the 2021 MacBook Pro: the lack of USB-A ports. Of course, USB-C is the current standard, but many of us still have USB-A accessories, so it would be nice to see device manufacturers add USB-A ports; the Thunderbolt 4 Dock has one USB-A 2.0 port (primarily for charging older USB-A devices for charging) and three high-speed USB-A 3.2 ports that support data transfer rates of up to 10 Gbps, for a total of four USB-A ports.

Still, we wish Satechi had included a UHS-III SD card reader instead of the UHS-II model included here. Of course, for those with older MacBooks, the Thunderbolt 4 Dock's SD card reader would be a welcome addition, but the new 2021 MacBook Pro already has an SD card reader that supports UHS-II format; the UHS- III format is faster, and while a UHS-III SD card is certainly necessary to really take advantage of the UHS-III SD card reader, it is exactly the kind of equipment that only professional photographers and videographers would invest in.

The dock has no HDMI output, only a Thunderbolt 4 port, so if you want to use it with an external monitor, you will need to use a display that connects via Thunderbolt 4 or USB-C.

If you prefer a smaller, less expensive option for expanding your laptop's port options that also uses HDMI, Satechi also has two other USB-C adapters available today for under $200.

The more expensive one, the USB-C Multiport MX adapter, is available from Satechi's website for $179. It has dual HDMI ports for up to 4K output (though special software must be installed to use both at the same time), with one providing up to 60 Hz and the other 30 Hz refresh rate. It also has a USB-C port for charging (up to 100W), a USB-C port for data transfer (up to 5Gbps), and two USB-A 3.0 ports with data transfer rates up to 5Gbps.

The USB-C Multiport MX adapter also includes a Gigabit Ethernet port, a 3.5mm audio hack, and card readers for SD and microSD cards. However, the two card readers cannot be used simultaneously.

You can also get the USB-C Multimedia Adapter M1 from Satechi's website for $149. It also has dual 4K-capable HDMI ports, one supporting 60 Hz and the other 30 Hz. It has the same USB-C ports as its more expensive siblings (one for fast transfers, the other for fast charging) and a USB-A 3.0 port. However, this inexpensive adapter does not include dual microSD/SD card readers or Gigabit Ethernet jacks, and the USB-C charging port only supports up to 85W