Dockcase Studio Smart USB-C Hub 8-in-1 pairs a useful touchscreen with as many card reader options as a content creator could need — for a price
The Dockcase Studio Smart USB-C Hub is the apex predator of USB-C hubs. Smaller than a bar of soap but packing in a useful touchscreen and a wide array of ports, despite its utilitarian nature it’ll turn heads when people see its display fire up, plugged into your Mac, iPhone, or iPad.
However, it does also come with a big price tag to match its premium finish and features, and you may find yourself looking for similar functionality at a less expensive price point. But if you’re looking for the very best in portable connectivity, look no further.
Price and availability
The Dockcase Studio Smart USB-C hub is currently available via a Kickstarter campaign, with an RRP price of $199, and a ‘Super Early Bird’ price of $139 for the first 200 backers.
Even with the discount, that makes it far more expensive than our current top picks for the best USB-C hubs for MacBook Pro, and more expensive than the Dockcase Smart USB-C 10-in-1 hub that precedes it. You’re paying a premium here for the touchscreen, and a steep one at that.
What I Love
The Dockcase Studio Smart sets itself apart from other USB-C docks thanks to its 1.9-inch (diagonal) touchscreen. An LCD display behind tempered glass with a resolution of 320 x 170, it’s a surprisingly useful addition to a port expansion dock, letting you swipe and tap through the various devices attached, providing information on their respective specs. From transfer rates to temperatures, display refresh rates to power draws, and storage card health, there’s loads of valuable information, particularly for anyone looking to debug their devices or push for their optimum performance.
There are lots of ports to take advantage of here. As well as the host device USB-C connection, you’ve got a USB-C slot for up to 100W power delivery for charging up connected devices alongside another USB-C 3.2 gen 2 port (10Gbps), a full-size USB-A 3.2 gen 2 port (10Gbps), and an HDMI 2.1 port (up to 4K @120Hz or 8K @ 30Hz). But it’s the card readers that are pushing the boat out here, making this a particularly good dock for photographers and videographers. As well as full-size and microSD / TF cards (UHS-II for reading cards up to 2TB in capacity), you’ve also got card slots for CFExpress Type A (up to 800MB/s) and CFexpress Type B (up to 1,000MB/s).
That complete selection should have most scenarios covered for content creators, and the advertised speeds were accurate in testing, too. The dock can get a little hot, but nothing eyebrow-raising, and the onboard display lets you monitor if things are going higher than you’re comfortable with.
It’s a good size too; shaped like a stack of credit cards, and weighing 118g, it measures roughly 98mm x 55mm x 18mm, letting it pop unassumingly in a bag. Matte black, a corrugated metal plate on the underside helps disperse heat. A short USB-C cable, capable of carrying the USB 3.2 gen 2 10Gbps high speeds is included in the box too.
What I Don’t Love
There’s no questioning the Dockcase Studio Smart USB-C Hub is a great device, but at $199 for a hub, you’re at the extreme end of what you’d ever want to pay for something like this.
It has a good port array, and having the ability to see what each of your connected devices is doing is great. But you could argue that it is a tad over-engineered — it’s a premium hub with a premium price tag, and you certainly get what you pay for. But think long and hard if you even need a touchscreen on your USB-C hub — the price tag here puts you into dozen-port desktop dock territory, and I’d be a little worried about casually tossing this into a rucksack in the same way I treat my other USB hubs, what with the glass touchscreen in play here.
I personally would have liked another USB-C input in addition to the host connection and PD 100W slot, too.
Competition
Though it doesn’t have a touchscreen, and is a bit larger with a candy bar shape, I still really like Dockcase’s earlier Smart USB-C Hub 10-in-1 Explorer Edition. It’s got more ports and a cool transparent design, and still provides some info on what’s plugged in. It’s cheaper at an RRP of $159.99 too — though, as stated above, some of the best USB-C hubs for Mac can be picked up much cheaper.
Should you buy the Dockcase Studio Smart USB-C 8-in-1 Hub?
Buy it if…
- You need detailed stats on the devices you use
- You want a wide selection of card readers
- You want to take full advantage of high-speed transfers via a hub
Don’t buy it if…
- You’re on a budget
- You don’t need intricate info on the devices you’re connecting
- You want to a hub you can carelessly throw in a bag
Verdict
It’s easy to love the Dockcase Studio Smart USB-C hub. It’s got a great port selection, is really portable, and offers genuinely insightful information on all manner of stats relating to your connected devices. But it doesn’t come cheaply, and that touchscreen makes it a little more delicate than less advanced hubs, meaning it’s only really for the most demanding — and careful — of users.
Dockcase Studio Smart USB-C 8-in-1 hub
Bottom line: It’s pricey, but a useful screen elevates the Dockcase Studio Smart USB-C hub above the competition. Just make sure you need all its bells and whistles.
