Best MacBook Pro Accessories: Dongles and More…

09 February, 2018, by Anthony Jemerson

The 2016 dramatic redesign of Apple’s MacBook Pro – one of the most impressive recent Apple’s innovations – meant the end of USB-A and the dawn of Thunderbolt 3/USB-C. And the new development stage of Apple’s accessories can be called the dongle era.

Indeed, whatever you need to plug, you use dongles. An external monitor, a keyboard, a wired mouse: there are dongles for everything. And third-party producers have responded with plenty new dongles, and all kinds of docks and adapters, which are a big help for the MacBook users.

Now, we present a compiled list of the best MacBook Pro accessories, not all of them being actually dongles. Even if you have a complete set of dongles for your MacBook Pro, on our list you will find new models to raise your device to even better level.

The small dongle above is the Nonda USB-C to USB-A mini-dongle. This class of accessories is called lifesavers. The least expensive of this list ($9) and very practical, it is the most necessary item that MacBook Pro owners should take with them wherever they go. You don’t know when you will next need to plug in a mouse, a keyboard or any other peripheral. And lifesavers will easily cope with the connection without cluttering up the ports. In addition, the small helpers match the color of your MacBook.

When in need to use more than one USB-A ports simultaneously, you can take advantage of the services provided by the Anker’s four-port hub. Its price ($17) is a little higher relative to the competing single-port adapters, but the Anker’s hub is truly versatile as it virtually turns one port into four. Its connection is through a thin cable, which prevents crowing out with other USB-C ports on your MacBook.

If you can afford some extra expenses, your best choice will be probably the OWC Thunderbolt 3 dock. The accessory has the impressive number of 13 ports, which include four USB-As, SD Card slot, an S/PDIF audio output, a Firewire 800 port, ethernet port, two USB-C ports, mini DisplayPort, headphone jack, and yet another USB-A port mounted on the front panel. But the price starts at $300.

The next item on our list is the wireless mouse Logitech MX Master. The small and comfortable cover actually hides inside plenty of useful features. It is connected either through a USB wireless receiver or through Bluetooth (when you have no dongle in hand at the moment). Logitech MX is equipped with a smart hand-feel; the extra buttons are in just the right positions. The mouse is designed as an all-day item. Being cheaper than many of the competitors (like Apple Magic Mouse); Logitech MX Master is much easier to use.

Now, one more Bluetooth accessory. You may feel a little tired of the butterfly switch keys mounted on your MacBook Pro (it is common knowledge that they are not for everyone). Then try the Apple Magic Keyboard. Being slightly more expensive ($89), the Bluetooth keyboard really deserves your attention. Since it is a wireless option, your USB-C ports will not be overcrowded with too many wires.

The BenQ PD3200U – such is the name of a new professional designer monitor. Maybe this is the very item that will make your workstation complete and perfect. If you work from a MacBook Pro at a desktop workstation, you will certainly consider this 4K device. With its pitch-perfect color accuracy, the 32-inch monitor is a powerful designer assistant and a strong competitor in its market segment. With the starting price of $800, the BenQ PD3200U is still cheaper than many monitors of similar size. And working with this 4K device is just like working on a big-screen TV!