Surprisingly Powerful and Compact: How This Affordable 8-in-1 Adapter Defies Expectations

Discover How This Compact Yet Powerful 8-in-1 Adapter Defies Its Cost: A Review

Satechi 8-in-1 USB-C Multiport Adapter V3 with 8K

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

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ZDNET’s key takeaways

The Satechi 8-in-1 USB-C Multiport Adapter V3 with 8K is available on Amazon for just $100.
This is a compact adapter that’s packed with ports, even offering Ethernet support, and it comes in three different finishes that look great paired with Apple products.
There’s no microSD card slot, no USB-A, and no 3.5mm headphone jack.

Thin and light laptops have spearheaded the shift towards USB-C ports, making them now the standard across a broad spectrum of devices. These compact connectors unlock vast potential for accessory innovation, a fact quickly capitalized on by manufacturers of hubs, adapters, and docks.

Also: I love everything about this budget Android tablet (especially the price)

Premium accessory maker Satechi has been at the top of my list of favorite hardware makers, and this company has once again knocked it out of the park with its new 8-in-1 USB-C Multiport Adapter V3 , a compact adapter that’s absolutely brimming with powerful ports.

ZDNET RECOMMENDS Satechi 8-in-1 USB-C Multiport Adapter V3 with 8K Encased in a sleek aluminum enclosure, this 8-in-1 adapter comes with a tangle-free braided USB-C cable. View at Amazon

Satechi 8-in-1 USB-C Multiport Adapter V3 with 8K features

1 x USB-C PD port - Passthrough with up to 100W input and 85W max output (no video/data)
1 x HDMI port - up to 4K 60Hz/120Hz/144Hz or 8K @ 30Hz with supported host device/monitor
3 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Ports - up to 10Gbps
1x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Port - up to 5Gbps
1 x SD 4.0 Card Reader - UHS-II, up to 312Mb/s, 2TB Max
1 x Gigabit Ethernet - supports 10/100/1000Mbps
Connector - Type-C, Thunderbolt 3/4 and USB4 compatible
Finishes - Silver, Space Gray, and Midnight
Note that M1/M2 MacBook Pro and M1/M2 MacBook Air laptops only supports a single external display at 4K/60Hz.

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While a couple of USB-C ports is all I need most of the time, it’s nice to have access to more when you really need it. Whether that be an HDMI port, Ethernet, or an SD card reader, this 8-in-1 USB-C multiport adapter has you covered.

This adapter, like everything else Satechi makes, oozes an Apple-style design aesthetic with rugged practicality. It is a beautifully crafted adapter, and quite portable: it’s just as at home on a desk as it is on the road. The aluminum and plastic construction is not only tough but also dissipates the heat generated by the adapter when in use.

And it works well.

Ports galore!

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

After several weeks of solid use, my adapter still looks like new. And the adapter stays cool to the touch even when the dock is pushed to its limits.

And while Satechi is best known as a manufacturer of accessories for the Apple ecosystem, this adapter will work on all sorts of devices, from MacBooks, iPads, and iMacs, to devices such as the Lenovo Yoga, Microsoft Surface, Google PixelBook Go, and even the Steam Deck. Simply put, these adapters are exceedingly versatile.

Also: This one accessory can turn your Mac Mini or Studio into a ‘pro’ machine

As I expect from a Satechi product, this dock lives up to everything listed on the spec sheet, with all the ports delivering the promised performance. I’ve filled it up with connections, ran it for an extended period of time, and the dock performed flawlessly.

There’s even an Ethernet port!

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

One thing to bear in mind about this adapter is that it’s a modern design, and as such doesn’t have what we now considered to be legacy ports such as USB-A and 3.5mm headphones jack. If you need those, there are other adapters that are better suited to your needs. But if you can do without these ports, this is as close to being a perfect adapter as you can get.

ZDNET’s buying advice

The Satechi 8-in-1 USB-C Multiport Adapter V3 with 8K is a logical upgrade to Satechi’s previous offering. It adds high-resolution 8K/30Hz support along with support for the latest USB 3.2 Gen 2 standard, delivering a blazing-fast data transfer rate of up to 10Gbps.

Throw in the UHS-II SDcard reader, which is capable of transferring files three times faster than a UHS-I card reader, and you have a powerhouse adapter that fits in the palm of your hand.