Wildly expansive USB-C hub jacks up new Mac Studio [Setups]

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With the dock it sits on, that Mac Studio is even more formidable.
With the dock it sits on, that Mac Studio is even more formidable.
Photo: Affectionate-Degree3@Reddit.com

A cool aspect of both Mac minis and the newer Mac Studio are the platform-like USB-C hubs festooned with ports and added storage capacity that third parties have designed for them to sit on. Satechi was quick out of the gate with one for the mini, but there are other such cleverly designed, space-saving hubs on the market. And many of them also fit the Studio.

Today’s featured setup boasts a powerful new Mac Studio perched on a Qwiizlab hub as it drives an LG UltraWide display, among other gear.

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USB-C hub greatly expands Mac Studio’s connectivity and storage capacity

Redditor Affectionate-Degree3 (“AD”) showed off the setup in a post entitled, “Used for video and photo editing. 2022 setup.”

AD’s workstation centers on a new Mac Studio sitting on a Qwiizlab Aluminum USB C Hub with SSD Enclosure. The hub was designed for the Mac mini, but of course it fits a Studio, which has the same footprint.

The setup also includes a MacBook Pro and an iPad Pro that have taken somewhat of a backseat since the powerful new desktop arrived.

As AD described it:

My MacBook was purchased a few years ago for video and photo editing. My iPad is also used for photo editing when I want to get more detailed with the Pencil, and I use it for drawing. I rarely use my MacBook now unless I’m traveling since I now have the Mac Studio, but I like to use it for music or videos and “boxing distraction” while I do my work. It’s also helpful since I’m back in school. But the iPad being open is 100% for the photo. Otherwise, it would be closed and off to the side.

Mac Studio and Qwiizlab USB-C hub plus SSD enclosure

The new Mac Studio is Apple’s go-to desktop computer for creative professionals. They can run many apps, sort and edit thousands of photos, play back up to nine streams of 8K ProRes video if they want, and record and mix pro-quality music, among other tasks.

The base version of the machine features an M1 Max 10-Core processor, 32GB of RAM and a 24-Core GPU, plus Thunderbolt 4, USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A and HDMI connectivity. It has 12 ports overall.

But on top of the Mac Studio’s impressive storage and connectivity (actually underneath), the Qwiizlab USB-C hub with SSD enclosure piles on more.

You can add a 512GB SSD plus use the Qwiizlab hub as a docking station for quick access to peripherals (ports are USB 3.1 Type-C port up to 10Gbps, USB 3.0 Type-A port up to 10Gbps, USB 3.0 Type-A port up to 5Gbps and Micro/SD card readers up to 104MB/s).

Impressive display

The Mac Studio and Qwiizlab hub connect to a 38-inch LG 38WN95C-W UltraWide curved QHD+ IPS display. It’s capable of 3840 x 1600 pixel resolution, a 1 ms response time, a refresh rate of 144Hz and Nvidia G-Sync compatibility.

Considering those display specs, AD could or should be a gamer.

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Computers and dock:

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Input devices:

Audio:

If you would like to see your setup featured on Cult of Mac, send some high-res pictures to info+setups@cultofmac.com. Please provide a detailed list of your equipment. Tell us what you like or dislike about your setup, and fill us in on any special touches or challenges.

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