Satechi 7 Port Hub Usb 31 With Charging Ports Review
The enquiry
- Why you lot should trust me
- Who this is for
- How nosotros picked
- The best USB-C hub: Anker PowerExpand 8-in-1 USB-C PD 10Gbps Information Hub
- Flaws but not dealbreakers
- A cracking array of data ports at a lower cost: Anker PowerExpand+ 7-in-1 USB-C PD Media Hub
- If y'all need more USB-C ports: Satechi 4-Port USB-C Hub
- If you need to hook upwardly a lot of USB-A accessories at once: Anker 10-Port 60W USB three.0 Hub
- The contest
Why you lot should trust me
I've been roofing mobile and figurer accessories for more than than a decade. During my tenure, I've reviewed more 1,000 iOS and Mac products, including dozens of hubs and docks over several iterations of this guide.
Who this is for
USB-C hubs and docks permit y'all hook your old stuff up to your new stuff. Many new computers, including Apple'south MacBook models and Dell's XPS 13, have but USB-C ports. If you demand to connect flash drives, printers, an Ethernet cable, a display, or any other accessories you already ain, a USB-C hub or dock lets you hook them all up to a single USB-C port at once. If you simply need more USB-A ports, a hub or dock that accepts that cablevision standard is withal a great pick.
If you're looking for a more-powerful desktop docking option and your computer's USB-C ports also support Thunderbolt 3, y'all might consider a Thunderbolt 3 dock, which can connect to more than monitors and transfer data faster, though yous take to pay quite a bit more for the privilege. If you're simply looking for a way to become more USB-C ports, unfortunately you're out of luck: As of mid-2021, we have all the same to observe any USB-C hubs or docks that add extra USB-C data ports.
How nosotros picked
We researched and tested hubs with a number of different port layouts, ranging from models with just USB-A ports to those with USB-A plus power pass-through, video output, Ethernet connectors, and SD card slots.
We tested each hub with a MacBook Pro (xvi-inch, 2019). Our tests included the following:
- USB-A speed: Although USB-A ports generally don't support data-transfer rates every bit fast as those of USB-C or Thunderbolt three connectors, information technology's still important to be able to transfer information quickly. Nosotros ran AJA System Test speed tests using the Samsung T5 Portable SSD (500 GB) to mensurate transfer speeds. Since SSDs are faster than spinning hard drives, our use of the T5 ensured that the speeds we measured weren't hindered by the bulldoze. Most of the hubs nosotros tested advertised USB 3.0 speeds, which max out at 640 megabytes per second on newspaper. Our measured speeds landed largely in the 400 to 425 MB/southward range; we eliminated any model that was noticeably slower.
- HDMI: A hub tin can be very useful at a desk-bound, especially if you desire to claw your computer upwardly to an external monitor. We connected each of the hubs via HDMI to a Philips 272P7VUBNB/27 monitor with the resolution gear up to 4K, and we used the Blur Busters UFO Move Exam to ostend the refresh rate. Near hubs support but a 30 Hz refresh charge per unit (the epitome refreshes 30 times a second) at 4K resolution, but a handful now back up a smoother lx Hz rate, and nosotros prefer those hubs that do.
- Ethernet: A wired Ethernet connectedness is near always faster than Wi-Fi and is more reliable, too. Most hubs with Ethernet ports support gigabit speeds, meaning data can transfer at up to 1,000 megabits a second. For each model in the exam group, we verified the connection speed in Network Utility on a Mac, which displays the maximum link speed. (Notation that unless you have reliable Gigabit Ethernet service, you won't be able to measure if the port is actually performing at full speed.)
- Oestrus: Because hubs and adapters can get hot during use—specially, judging from our feel, when Ethernet is in employ—we also measured the temperatures of our picks with an infrared thermometer after 15 minutes of continuous data and Ethernet apply to make certain they weren't dangerously hot. Equally a representative from Satechi (a prolific hub and accompaniment maker responsible for one of our former picks) explained to the states: "All the bandwidth that goes to Ethernet, HDMI, USB and SD card ports requires energy consumption and that's transferred to heat. Operating temperatures betwixt 86-122 degrees Fahrenheit … are normal." We didn't measure anything at or even close to 122 degrees, but we would accept butterfingers whatever model going over that temperature as a safety chance.
- Ability pass-through: All the hubs nosotros considered also take a USB-C port that allows you to plug in your charger without taking up a second port on the computer itself (if it even has a 2d port). USB-C supports power at up to 100 watts, while laptops take anywhere from 30 watts (for a small machine such every bit the MacBook Air) to 45 watts (for many midrange laptops, as Chromebooks tend to be) to 97 watts (for the xvi-inch MacBook Pro). We've establish the Power tab in macOS's System Report to accurately report the wattage of the ability source, and in our tests nosotros compared the figures stated there against what each visitor advertised.
- SD card: Photo and video files can be quite large, so with a fast SD-card transfer rate you won't have to await around to import a day's worth of shots from your card. Since SD cards are less commonly used than USB ports these days, this feature isn't as important. Nosotros ran AJA System Test on a 64 GB SanDisk Extreme Pro, the fastest UHS-I carte we tested in 2020. Nosotros've measured read and write rates with this carte at 93.78 MB/due south and 84.58 MB/due south, respectively, in other tests; with these hubs, the fastest read speeds were about 89 MB/south, and write speeds reached 75 MB/s.
- microSD card: Taking what nosotros knew near SD cards, nosotros practical the aforementioned thinking toward microSD cards, which are used less often these days and are naturally slower. We ran the same test equally above using the SanDisk MicroSDXC card for Nintendo Switch. Figures for the best-performing hubs came close to what we've seen in other tests, with read speeds around 89 MB/s and write speeds maxing out at about 59 MB/s.
We also took size into consideration. People often employ their hubs with a portable setup, so the smaller and lighter a hub is, the better.
The best USB-C hub: Anker PowerExpand viii-in-1 USB-C PD 10Gbps Data Hub
Our pick
Unlike other hubs nosotros tested, the Anker PowerExpand 8-in-ane USB-C PD 10Gbps Information Hub can ship a clear, crisp image to high-resolution 4K monitors without sacrificing the smooth motility and animation of a loftier screen-refresh rate. It's the best mode to add together the widest array and greatest number of the fastest ports to your USB-C–based computer. Plus, the sturdy and highly portable design makes it handy on the get or even as a semipermanent desk accessory.
Ports and features
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The most noteworthy feature of the PowerExpand viii-in-1 is the video output from its HDMI port. Since this product category launched, we've been disappointed to see that every hub has limited its video indicate to a 30 Hz refresh rate at 4K resolution. Only this Anker hub is 1 of a scattering of newer models that—finally—allow for 60 Hz, and then they permit 60 refreshes of the display per 2nd, or double the number of images per second compared with a xxx Hz refresh charge per unit. The result is an experience as smooth as you go on the screens of most laptops, and it's far nicer than the jerkier 30 Hz movement we're used to.
| Read (MB/s) | Write (MB/s) | |
|---|---|---|
| USB-A | 525.3 | 469.iii |
| USB-C | 524.7 | 470.7 |
| SD card | 86.0 | 76.3 |
| microSD carte du jour | 84.3 | 56.seven |
Read and write speeds on the Anker PowerExpand 8-in-one Data Hub, in megabytes per 2nd.
There are some kinds of ports that all hubs must have, and some that are nice but not necessary; the PowerExpand viii-in-i hub has the essentials and omits anything superfluous. In our tests, this Anker model's ports worked equally expected. Its USB read and write speeds were faster than those of USB 3.1 Gen ane models (that is, pretty much all the other hubs we tested) by about 22% for reading data and 12% for writing—on a par with the speeds of other USB iii.ii Gen 2 models we've tested. The Ethernet port, which is useful if you need a hardwired net connection, measured at i gigabit per 2nd, as advertised.
The PowerExpand 8-in-i also has SD and microSD card slots on one edge for photo and video transfers. Their speeds match the fastest we've seen in our tests over the by several years.
When we connected Nekteck'due south 100W PD 3.0 GaN Wall Charger to the hub, our 16-inch MacBook Pro reported receiving 85 watts—plenty for the MacBook Pro to stay powered and to charge at only a little slower than full speed. The PowerExpand 8-in-one tin pass enough power for most laptops to charge at full speed, whether the laptop is a Chromebook, an ultrabook, or merely nearly any smaller MacBook.
This aluminum hub is a bit larger than comparable devices, at 4.8 inches long, 2.2 inches wide, and 0.6 inch thick. Its 7-inch USB-C cable is long plenty that y'all should exist able to position the hub as needed, and the cable feels sturdy but not so stiff that it's difficult to keep the cord where you want it.
Flaws merely not dealbreakers
This Anker hub'southward price has jumped dramatically in 2021, from a usual selling price of $60 to $xc at this writing. Such a price hike isn't unique to this particular product or to Anker, though, as chip shortages, shipping delays, and Amazon'southward make delistings have thrown a major wrench into the works for hubs and docks. If you lot tin can't justify spending nearly $100 on a hub, consider our upkeep pick.
The PowerExpand 8-in-1's two USB-A ports are somewhat tightly arranged adjacent, so you may not be able to connect multiple flash drives or thicker plugs at a time.
Like many USB-C hubs we've tested, the PowerExpand viii-in-1 gets hot during use. We measured it at 108.7 °F after 15 minutes with the USB-C power cable and a USB drive plugged in. That's warm enough to be noticeable when you lot touch the hub, simply not then much that it's dangerous—every bit nosotros noted to a higher place, that'southward within the normal operating temperature for this kind of accessory. Your laptop'southward charger probably gets hotter than that.
A great array of data ports at a lower cost: Anker PowerExpand+ 7-in-i USB-C PD Media Hub
If you need more than USB-C ports: Satechi iv-Port USB-C Hub
Also great
Satechi four-Port USB-C Hub
More USB-C ports
Satechi'southward hub is the merely one that transforms ane USB-C port into four. Merely with middling transfer speeds and no support for video or charging, information technology is best for accessories like keyboards, mice, and backup drives.
Buying Options
A hub that adds many unlike kinds of connectors to your reckoner can be useful if y'all need to hook upward to many different kinds of accessories. Merely if you're more concerned about calculation more USB-C ports, especially if your calculator has a limited number of them, nosotros recommend Satechi's 4-Port USB-C Hub. Information technology's the just reputable model we've establish that splits one USB-C port into iv. And though it's limited to data transfer, and not video or ability passthrough, it performs exactly every bit well as promised.
- Four USB-C 3.2 Gen 1
Our tests showed the Satechi's data speeds were in the range we'd expect from USB-C 3.two Gen i ports, and about the aforementioned as we measured on the PowerExpand+ seven-in-1 Media Hub. If you're regularly transferring large amounts of data, you lot might feel limited by the speeds. But if y'all're just leaving a drive connected for Time Machine backups or occasionally plugging in a flash drive, yous'll be fine.
| Read (MB/south) | Write (MB/s) | |
| USB-C | 419.0 | 415.3 |
Read and write speeds on the Satechi 4-Port USB-C Hub, in megabytes per second.
If y'all desire to connect to an external monitor, charge a device, or practice passthrough charging to your calculator, this hub is not the right choice for y'all. Its ports do data, and data only.
The Satechi hub is 2.4 inches foursquare and less than a quarter inch at its thickest point, making it smaller than the rest of the models in this guide (not needing to accommodate taller ports, such as USB-A, allows information technology to be this thin). Its 8.75-inch, permanently attached cablevision feels sturdy and should be long enough that you can position information technology as needed without it being unwieldy.
If you demand to hook upward a lot of USB-A accessories at once: Anker 10-Port 60W USB iii.0 Hub
Besides peachy
Anker 10-Port 60W USB three.0 Hub
The about ports
If you need to plug a lot of accessories into the older-standard USB-A port, this hub from Anker is a better choice. It has seven USB 3.1 Gen i data ports and iii loftier-speed charging ports facing up, and so cables and plugs have up less room on your desk.
Buying Options
*At the fourth dimension of publishing, the price was $70 .
- 7 USB-A 3.2 Gen one
- Three 12-watt USB-A
The Anker 10-Port 60W USB 3.0 Hub is the all-time hub for most people who demand to connect a lot of devices at in one case. It has a great, usable pattern that most competitors lack: Sporting seven upright-facing USB-A data ports (3.2 Gen 1) plus three USB-A charging ports each capable of supplying 12 watts, it's i of the few multiport USB-A hubs we trust that are still available as USB-C becomes the new standard.
We connected seven of our favorite flash drives to the hub and transferred data to them while besides charging an iPad on one of the hub's charging ports. It was simply equally speedy as the best of the other large hubs nosotros tested—only they all had worse designs in one way or another.
All 10 of the hub's ports face upward to reduce desk-bound clutter, so you don't take a bunch of USB plugs sticking out in every direction. Although Anker advertises the three charging ports as providing 2.1 amps (or 10.five watts) each, nosotros measured them at 2.4 amps each (12 watts). Anker told u.s. that when all the ports are in use, individual ports "might not accomplish the max 2.4A value," and so the company under-promises on performance. This hub's measured results indicate that it tin can charge even ability-hungry tablets, as well as smartphones and other devices, at fast rates. (There's no harm in plugging your phone into a 12-watt charging port—the phone will draw only as much electric current as it needs.) This Anker hub also kept all our devices connected and charging—we didn't experience any unexplained disconnections during our tests. And the charging ports piece of work even if the hub is connected only to its Air conditioning adapter and non to a computer.
It'south yet just a black rectangle, but it'southward sturdy, designed with an LED indicator for each data port, and equipped with lengthy AC and USB cords for piece of cake setup. It'due south also covered by an eighteen-month warranty. Note that this 10-port hub comes with a USB-A cablevision, so if you're looking to connect it to a USB-C–based computer, yous'll need a USB-C–to–USB-B cable.
Anker's USB hubs are especially reliable. Ane Wirecutter editor has been actively using a variant of this pick since 2013, and information technology's still working well, then nosotros're confident this hub will last you.
The competition
USB-C hubs
Ugreen'south 9-in-ane USB C Hub was our one-time upgrade pick for an Ethernet connexion, only like all of the other models we've dismissed, its video output is limited to 30 Hz at high resolution.
Vava's VA-UC010 and Aukey's Link PD Pro USB-C Hub (CB-C71) are a fiddling slower than our picks. Of their three USB-A ports, just 2 support USB iii.0 speeds, with the last limited to two.0 rates. Only they each accept an Ethernet port, so if that's of value to you lot and one of these models pops upwardly at a great price, go for information technology.
Aukey's 12-in-1 USB-C Hub (CB-C78) is large and expensive—for the price, you lot become two HDMI ports and iv USB-A ports, among others. In our testing, its SD and microSD read and write speeds were much slower than those of other models.
Despite advertising sixty-watt ability pass-through, Anker's PowerExpand+ 7-in-i USB C Hub (similarities in proper name aside, this model is different from our budget pick) put out just 48 watts in our tests.
Twelve South'due south StayGo comes with both a short USB-C cable (which you can store within the unit of measurement) and a longer cablevision; the combination allows you to easily use the hub at your desk or on the go. Unfortunately, at 5 inches long and 2.4 inches broad, this model is larger than almost of the hubs nosotros've seen, and in our testing it didn't produce a proper xxx Hz refresh charge per unit even at 1080p resolution, let lone lx Hz at 4K. It's also the near expensive hub we tested.
Kingston'southward Nucleum is 1 of the few USB-C hubs to characteristic a USB-C data port in addition to one for power, but it lacks an Ethernet connectedness. If you value that extra USB-C port and don't need Ethernet, consider it.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-usb-c-hubs-and-docks/
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