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Apple's era of adapters is a philological by-product of the transition we have entered: by declaring war with perfect timing on all ports other than USB-C ( and Lightning, apparently) Apple is on the crest of a transformation that will take a couple of more years but which will end with the prevalence of the new format over dozens of old ports. Anything that fails to adapt to USB-C / Thunderbolt will be transmitted via Wi-Fi or will become legacy.
Now, however, we are in a completely different world: today we suffer from the need for adapters. Which, like all artifacts, express in their form the intention of those who conceived them. And, from the point of view of Apple and other mainstream manufacturers of this type of instrument, there is a great void. That's what the perfect adapter is about the presenter, the Mac user who feeds on PowerPoint and Keynote, switching from a projector to a high definition monitor.
Let's frame the presenter problem
Apple does not offer a built-in adapter with VGA and HDMI. And even the Ethernet solution is left behind (understandably given the company's desire to bet everything on Wi-Fi). And most third-party producers are also playing the “professional presenter” card badly. A pity, because beyond the individual sectors in which a person works, having an Apple laptop and not being able to connect it to a projector is a pity, especially since there is not always an Apple TV nearby …
So here come some third-party solutions, such as the one that the writer talked about during the test of the MacBook Pro 13 of 2016 with and without Touch Bar, the excellent SD1500 USB-C Mobile Kensington Dock which we then reviewed more extensively here and placed pole position in our roundup of the best USB-C adapters on the market.
The new arrival of the “wild bunch”
In the meantime, the new version of the ultra-compact D has been added to the “wild bunch” of adapters. ell, designed for the computers of that company but which, of course, works in all respects even with MacBook.
This is Dell DA200, updated version as regards interface speed video and data, always ultra-compact and easily portable. We have also visually compared it to the Kensington and the overall size is about half: it plays in its favor to have the plugs on both sides instead of all on one side only, and to have resorted to a flat cable for the USB connection- C, which “disappears” better in the body of the accessory.
The possibility of folding the short USB-C cable is in the opinion of the writer a strategic aspect for compactness and portability: there are also other lower priced products from Asian manufacturers that have a different choice and leave the rigid cable protruding from the back of the adapter. The same choice, however, also made by Apple that poses some problems of ergonomics and above all portability: a “rigid” T shape makes it difficult to keep two or three of these objects in the bag, which in any case get entangled with cables and bunches of keys. On the other hand, a substantially square-shaped adapter is able to disappear into the pocket of a bag or backpack without many problems.
Flexibility
Another important aspect of this adapter is the speed and “capacity” of connection . Dell DA200 is black, sleek and we have seen small in size. Its four interfaces are fast: the USB 3 with USB 3.1 Gen. 1 connection, the HDMI which supports a resolution of 2,048 x 1,152 pixels at 60 Hz and the VGA that supports a resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 pixels at 30 Hz. maximum is 2,048 x 1152 pixels at 60 Hz. The network card is Gigabit and does not require any driver as it happens for other third-party cards and as it happens in the Microsoft world with some versions of Windows or some PCs and netbooks.
Paradoxically, in fact, both in the experience of the writer and in that collected through the network, the small Dell DA200 is proving to be a gem especially for Apple users, given that with some hardware combinations on PC seems to create some problems. Furthermore, with regard to the operation of this type of portable adapter devices such as this one and for “stable” desktop docks, the order of connection must always be taken into consideration. It is usually best to first connect the cables to the adapter and then the adapter to the computer and not vice versa.
In conclusion
The small adapter has a big flaw: it does not have the possibility to charge the Mac because it lacks a pass-through USB-C port. It's kind of the elephant in the room, especially if you have a MacBook 12 with only one USB-C port. But it is not born with this purpose: the extendable cable allows you not to clutter the second USB-C port on MacBook Pro without Touch Bar and in those with the Touch Bar the problem does not even arise since the ports are 4, two on each side.
In the PC world there are still (many) laptops without traditional power supply, as Apple did with a radical choice. So the problem of having an adapter with a USB-C plug through does not arise. Not to mention that it would have levitated the already high price per se (it is the second defect): it is proposed at 93.20 euros.
Instead, from the point of view of design, of lightness and compactness of design and functionality (if you need to use the Mac in the classroom by keeping it connected to monitors or televisions, connections via Ethernet and maybe even put a USB stick) this DA200 adapter, sometimes indicated by Dell also with the part number 470-ABRY, it's perfect.
Pro Beautiful and compact design, with high quality plastic materials All the interfaces you need if you are a fan of Keynote Works better with Mac than with PC
Against High price Does not allow to charge Mac
Price and availability The Dell DA200 adapter can be purchased directly from this page of the Dell Italia website at a price of 93.20 euros plus shipping costs.
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