External drives · Speed, cables and hardware
Should I plug my fast drive into a hub or dock, or directly into the Mac?
Short answer: Directly into the Mac is best. Hubs, docks and monitor ports share bandwidth and power, which can slow the drive or make it drop off. If you use one, prefer a powered hub and compare speeds with Run benchmark.
Directly into the Mac is best. Hubs, docks and monitor ports share bandwidth and power between everything plugged into them, which can make the drive slower and, with bus-powered drives, occasionally cause it to drop off — and a drive that disconnects mid-task interrupts whatever was using it.
If you must use a hub or dock, prefer a powered one and run Run benchmark in Choose Drive (or Transfer Drive) to compare speeds both ways. If you see unexpected disconnect notifications, try a direct connection first.