As useful as tablets are, using it like a laptop still offers the best way to get many productivity tasks done. There’s a reason all offices use traditional desktops and laptops, after all. That’s why tons of tablet users always travel with a keyboard and stand to prop the tablet up like a traditional monitor. The Satechi OntheGo Foldable Stand Hub is designed specifically for those types of users.
Billed as a “refined and travel-ready workstation,” the tablet accessory doesn’t just prop up your tablet on a table, it also offers additional ports and a charging facility, so you can plug in your tablet any time you decide to plop down and work at the nearby coffee shop. Simply put, it lets you set up a viable workspace anywhere you go. Just bring a wireless keyboard along and you’re set.
The Satechi OntheGo Foldable Stand Hub is designed to fold flat, so you can easily slip it anywhere in your backpack or work bag. According to the outfit, it can work not just with tablets, but laptops and smartphones, too. Truth be told, we’re not entirely sure how you’re supposed to use it with a laptop, but we guess you can plug it in to have it serve as a docking station for various laptop accessories.
It comes with seven different ports, including two USB-C slots, one for power and one for data. There’s also a USB-A port, an HDMI 2.0 port if you want to plug in to an external display (up to 4K 60Hz), two card readers (UHS-II SD and microSD), and a 3.5mm audio jack for plugging in your favorite wired headphones. Suffice to say, this gives you a fair amount of room to add peripherals to your on-the-go computing setup, allowing you to add everything from monitors and hard drives to memory cards and more.
The Satechi OntheGo Foldable Stand Hub can only hold the tablet at one fixed angle. It doesn’t swivel, rotate, or even open up to a different angle, although it does hold the tablet upright at one of the most common stand angles, so it should be comfortable for most people. Truth be told, we do wish they added at least three angle options, which seems pretty common in this category of accessories, although the lack of it probably shouldn’t hurt it too much, especially with all the handy ports it adds to your workspace.
Do note, it only charges via USB-C, so it can only work with newer iPads and other devices equipped with that specific port. It’s also compatible Samsung DeX devices if you have a phone or tablet that can work with that Windows-like interface. The device itself is cut in an aluminum housing with some reinforced plastic components, so it should be both lightweight and durable enough for regular use. Other features include slim dimensions of just 4.3 x 4.3 x 0.75 inches (width x depth x thickness), a weight of 6.6 ounces, non-slip feet, and a nylon braided cable.
The Satechi OntheGo Foldable Stand Hub is available now.
