One-cable hub/dock solution for M1 MacBook Air?

Right now, I have an A/B switch plugged into the MBA. The A/B switch has two monitors attached, and I can use the A/B switch to choose which to use as my extra display (other than the MBA’s built-in display).

This works fine and dandy, but I also have 3 external drives, plus the charging cable, which means I have 5 total possible connections to go into the 2 ports on the M1 MBA. So I have to choose which devices I have attached at any time. I just want a setup where I can have them all connected at once.

To be fair, I guess I don’t need an A/B switch in the new device, since I already have one.

I’m going to try the *** HUB setup from ***.LTD, see what happens.

Yeah, I’m only using one at a time (to expand the MBA screen real estate). Works fine, but with 3 external drives used periodically, plus two monitors, it’d be nice to be able to just connect them to the MBA via ONE cable and make my life easier.

So, to be clear, I’m already using the A/B switch with the two monitors attached, and I’m happy with how that works. It would just be nice to have everything hooked up via a single cable, making the desk setup simpler (once it reaches the MBA, of course!)

I wasn’t clear. I have the A/B switch with a type C connector going to the MacBook Air or hub.

I just need that to still work when plugged into the new hub, so I can choose which of my two external displays to use at the moment.

Some cheaper hubs seem to mess up when presented with such a switch instead of a single monitor.

Right, I understand about one external monitor at a time, that's why I'm using an A/B switch of my own. All I want to connect to the new hub is that A/B switch (one connection for both monitors).

Anyway, I have an order in, and if that doesn't work, I can always try the OWC Thunderbolt Dock mentioned above.

UPDATE: I got my hub, all the way from London, and the good news is it looks great.

The bad news is that it doesn't recognize my A/B switch properly, as in the monitor says "No Signal".

This is the same A/B switch that works perfectly when connected directly to my MacBook Air. So I'm not happy.

I think it would have worked if I'd forked out another $99 for a special extra-monitor option that's supposed to work with M1 machines, but who knows? Right now it's late Friday in London, so they've gone home after some initial back-and-forth. I'll wait to see what happens Monday.

If no luck, I may just return it and try the OWC Thunderbolt Dock that was mentioned above.

I’m not sure what you’re saying, and it certainly does not match what I’m seeing.

I connect the two monitors to the A/B switch, and then the A/B switch to my M1 MacBook Air. If one is selected, and I go to Settings -> Displays, it shows that display along side the main display, and I can arrange them in their relative positions. If I then select the other display, after a couple seconds the MBA sees that and shows the new display along side the main display. In fact, it remembers which side each display was; currently they’re on different sides, and the MBA remembers that. The MBA does not complain, or act like anything odd has happened “behind its back”.

So what you’re saying may make theoretical sense, but, again, it is NOT how my system works at present.