I've been searching for a few days for a USB 3.0 hub I can connect to my mid 2011 iMac through the thunderbolt port. I'm surprised there are so few choices, and the choices there are, are expensive. Plus the choices there are have other connections that I don't need (or are obsolete), like esata, or firewire 800. I just need some USB 3.0 ports.
Has anyone found a decent hub?
Thanks in advance
iMac, macOS High Sierra (10.13.6), mid 2011
FWIW, anything Thunderbolt will be expensive. Intel imposes fairly
high cost licensing for the technology and since the demand is not
as high as simple USB3->USB3 hubs, that cost isn't getting spread
out over a large number of produced units, i.e. products are expensive.
About the best you'll be able to do is a product like:
Kanex Thunderbolt to eSATA + USB 3.0 Adapter - Apple
and then add a simple USB3 hub to it.
Shopping somewhere like Amazon or Newegg might find you
something similar or perhaps a bit cheaper.
As for un-needed ports, it is likely the chipsets available to make the
adapters only come with various extra port options.
FWIW, anything Thunderbolt will be expensive. Intel imposes fairly
high cost licensing for the technology and since the demand is not
as high as simple USB3->USB3 hubs, that cost isn't getting spread
out over a large number of produced units, i.e. products are expensive.
About the best you'll be able to do is a product like:
Kanex Thunderbolt to eSATA + USB 3.0 Adapter - Apple
and then add a simple USB3 hub to it.
Shopping somewhere like Amazon or Newegg might find you
something similar or perhaps a bit cheaper.
As for un-needed ports, it is likely the chipsets available to make the
adapters only come with various extra port options.
Try OWC. They have a good multi-port hub under $200 that connects to the TB1/2 ports on later model iMacs. The one on the 2011 iMac may only be for video out. Check before spending money on hubs. The high-speed port on it was FW800.
Thunderbolt 1 to USB 3.0 hub for 2011 iMac
