The USB-C dream is to have a single cable that provides connectivity to my external displays, ethernet, USB hub, etc.
All of the components will be stored in a drawer or mounted out of view. A single, long USB-C and/or Thunderbolt 3 cable will connect the hidden messy components to the laptop on the clean visible workspace, as if you were in an Apple Store.
Unfortunately, nearly all of the USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 accessories, dongles, hubs, and docks that I want to use feature a 6-inch or shorter "pigtail" cable for connectivity to the laptop:
If I use such a device, it forces all of the DisplayPort, HDMI, ethernet, and USB hub cables to be located inches from my laptop. They cannot be hidden behind the display or mounted to the back of the desk.
What options exist for converting such a short pigtail cable to instead use a longer, nicer Apple cable?
- USB-C Coupler
- USB-C Extension Cable
- USB-C Female to Male adapter
- Some kind of USB-C hub
Any solution should of course pass through all of the connected ports and accessories. It should also work… which the reviews of many products state they do not.
Is there anything in the USB-C or Thunderbolt spec that prevents these types of solutions from being used?
Best Answer
Looks like products like this now exist:
Reviews are 4.5 stars, over 2.2k reviews, many reviews saying it works for charing as well as extending their USB-C hub, and that use case is explicitly supported in their marketing materials.