this post was submitted on 24 Nov 2024
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I do have 4, but except for extremely rare circumstances I only ever use one. A single USBC cable handles an external display, power, plus extra accessories like a keyboard via a built-in hub in the monitor. If you wanted to that monitor also supports daisy chaining another monitor without having to plug it into the laptop.
Obviously it's quite a subjective thing, but if you happen to use tools from after USBC was a thing and your laptop routine is pretty established, I think you can get a ton of simplicity and function out of those ports.
That's great for a docking station setup. But if all you need is docking stations at home and the office, just get a mini PC/ mac mini.
Laptops are supposed to be useful without a docking station, and if all you have is USB-C you can't even read most thumb drives.
Well I also use my laptop in isolation away from those docked environments, so it is useful.
To be honest I'm not sure I've plugged in a USB drive in the last year, likely much longer. But I do keep a tiny A to C adapter in my bag, so if need be I can easily plug a traditional A connector in. If I were to buy a usb drive today I'd get a USB C or hybrid one.
Having to carry dongles and hubs to connect to devices severely impacts the convenience of a laptop.
I agree, but I really don't do that. What I do remember 10 years back is carrying around a bunch of different cables for each of the ports I had, which is practically the same issue.
I only carried cables if I was carrying the device that required the cable. If I needed to plug into something where I was going, whatever device I was using had a USB-A cable already.
With .ost modern laptops, you have to carry a hub so you can use that cable.
I think it's a pretty subjective experience honestly. I get by just fine carrying a single USB C cable. The USB A adapter comes out extremely rarely for me. Wherever I go, everything uses USB C.