This $200 gadget solved my greatest iMac problem in lower than 5 minutes

In at present’s supersaturated world of USB Type-C, there’s an abundance of devoted dongles, hubs, and docks out available on the market. These devices fluctuate when it comes to efficiency, port choice, and model identify recognition, however one factor is sort of universally the identical: these merchandise are bodily very boring.

That is the place Baseus’ (lengthily named) Nomos NU1 Air Mac 12-in-1 Docking Station comes into play. Uniquely, this $200 dock is formed like a mini PC tower, giving it a singular look when in comparison with its uninteresting, uninspired set-top field and hub-style friends.

Proper off the bat, I am a fan of the NU1 Air from a match and end perspective. The unit’s 14.2oz (402g) case is enclosed in aluminum, which supplies it a premium appear and feel, and the connected 2.6-foot (31.2-inch) cable is each thick and heavily braided to cut back kinking.

I just like the yellow accenting sprinkled all through the product, which is sufficiently subtle to not look garish, however noticeable sufficient to supply a pop of character. The darkish metallic sheen matches Apple’s House Grey product portfolio completely, although I do want the dock got here in an optionally available silver hue for followers like myself preferring a pure metallic look.

For these protecting rely at residence, the Baseus Nomos NU1 Air Mac 12-in-1 Docking Station homes the next I/O inside its compact 4.7 x 2.6 x 2.5 inch (6.5 x 6.5 x 12cm) chassis.

• 1x USB Sort-C Energy Enter Port (100W PD)
• 2x USB Sort-C Information Ports (10Gbps)
• 2x USB Sort-A Information Ports (5Gbps)
• 2x USB Sort-A Information Ports (480Mbps)
• 1x DisplayPort 2 (as much as 4K@60Hz)
• 1x DisplayPort 1 (as much as 4K@60Hz)
• 1x HDMI 2 (as much as 4K@60Hz)
• 1x HDMI 1 (as much as 4K@60Hz)
• 1x Gigabit Ethernet (1Gbps)

The one lacking ports I might wish to have seen included on this dock are 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10GbE) for sooner wired web throughput, SDXC and microSDXC card slots for added flash storage flexibility, and a 3.5mm AUX jack for wired audio. In fact, Baseus does provide different docking stations with these ports in-built, however, owing to bandwidth limitations, these different docks invariably sacrifice I/O choice in different methods.

Cable litter begone

The Nomos NU1 Air makes fast work of any desk setup

The Baseus NU1 Air solves a really actual, very irritating downside that many Mac and PC customers can relate to: cable litter. My M1 iMac has 4 USB-C ports and one headphone jack to name its personal, but it surely lacks its predecessor’s broader legacy I/O choice. As such, I’ve discovered myself juggling cables and dongles for the higher a part of half a decade, which has created one thing of a cable litter conundrum inside my workspace.

In fact, the NU1 Air is not even remotely the one docking choice out there for buy, and, at $200, it is from the most affordable peripheral, both. That being stated, it affords a trendy design that compliments my residence workplace setup, and its tower-esque type issue takes up much less area on the desk than conventional set-top-box designs.

The entrance of the NU1 Air options each a Sort-C and a Sort-A port for comfort, and the remainder of the aforementioned ports are neatly organized throughout the rear of the unit. I am blissful to report that each one I/O on each the entrance and the again are correctly labeled, which is nice for accessibility.

Twin show growth (two concurrent 4K monitors at as much as 60Hz) is supported, as is speedy 100W charging speeds by way of the devoted Sort-C Energy Supply port. All ports can be utilized concurrently, as long as you will have a robust sufficient charging adapter related to your Mac — regrettably, there is not any wall brick included within the field right here.

I by no means thought I might love a button a lot

The Nomos NU1 Air’s top-mounted lock button is an actual deal with

Placing apart its enticing seems and its assured verticality, the Nomos NU1 Air has one different quirky trick up its sleeve. On the very prime of the unit is a big button, which may be tapped to lock your Mac, or long-pressed to enter energy-saving mode.

The button itself is tactile, but in addition a bit hole feeling when pressed down. It is completely serviceable, but it surely’s not the luxurious clicky expertise I might have hoped for at this worth vary. However, I am surprisingly pleased with its inclusion — I like hitting the massive press goal to rapidly lock my iMac earlier than getting up and strolling away from my desk.

It is value noting that this specific Nomos docking station from Baseus is designed particularly for macOS. The corporate sells various fashions which can be appropriate with Home windows PCs. In my testing, the NU1 Air’s top-mounted button efficiently locked my iMac, my MacBook Air, and even my iPad mini. As anticipated, it did not lock my Floor Professional 12-inch.

Total, Baseus has a slam-dunk on its arms with the NU1 Air Mac 12-in-1 Docking Station. I completely love its exterior design, its type issue makes all of the sense on the earth to me, it comes full of I/O, and its lock / energy-saving mode button is a intelligent inclusion.

I actually want the NU1 Air labored throughout all computing platforms, that it included an SD card reader, and that it shipped with a charging brick, however, even with out these additions, it is nonetheless a superb selection for anybody on the lookout for a premium USB-C Mac dock.

This system was supplied to Pocket-lint by Baseus.