Update:
== WARNING ==
I did some additional testing on the hub and its a complete scam.
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The odd issue with flaky USB support on certain PCs led me to do some additional digging. It turns out not every PC supplies enough power to a USB-C device to power a USB 2.0 hub when the device is utilizes the Displayport feature. Thus certain PCs can only use a USB-C connector for either display output or USB; not both simultaneously. This led to discovery that this hub is only USB 2.0.
All USB ports although they appear to be USB 3.1 ports are actually USB 2.0. I have included a photo of the USB device tree showing all devices including ethernet are connected to a 2.0 hub. The ethernet is also 10/100 not gigabit. But that's understandable since ethernet over USB 2.0 could not take advantage of gigabit speeds.
If the description of this hub at least aligned with its actual capabilities it would be fine. But the facts are they clearly went to extra mile to disguise this hub as having USB 3.1 capabilities when it does not.
Hubs that include HDMI with 4K 60Hz support only have USB 2.0 capabilities since the Displayport signals on the USB-C connector take up all the high speed lanes. This hub is no exception. Those other hub are at least advertised this limitation; while this hub attempts to deceive you.
If you purchase this hub be aware of this limitation. Otherwise immediately ask for your money back.
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This is the only USB-C hub with HDMI 4K @ 60Hz that I could find at this price. Yes, it actually works at 60Hz. This must be a feature added in a recent revision as mine came with a 60Hz sticker stuck to the outside of the shrink wrap.
This is a slim hub; about the size of two packs of 5 stick gum placed end to end. Far slimmer than competing hubs and most importantly far lighter. It weighs around 63.5g or just over 1/8 lbs. However, it uses the same construction as its competitors. Essentially its a flat metal tube with two plastic end caps. This gives it a look that compliments metal body notebook PCs like Apple Macbook, HP Spectre, or Dell XPS.
The downside is its single side design. All ports (other than ethernet) are crammed on one side. This means its easy for one port to block another. If your devices don’t have slim plugs; don’t expect to place them side-by-side.
This issue could mostly be avoided with cleaver port placement. Such as placing the smaller USB-C 3.1 port between the two USB-A ports. However, this would not remedy usage with every device. It would be preferable if a slim hub design came with ports on both sides.
The hub also reverses 8w from any power adapter plugged into it** If your notebook doesn’t charge at full speed when plugged into the hub you should upgrade to a more powerful adapter.
I also noticed two quirks with the hub.
It does not power properly with every device with both sides of the plug. On a macbook I did not notice an issue. However, on several PCs either the USB ports failed to power properly or it did not activate USB PD when plugged in right side up; the hub needed to be flipped over.
The USB-C port on my hub was very tight. I needed to push the plug into the notebook to the point where I tought it might damage the receptacle.
** Technical Note:
The hub correctly reports a lower amperage available from the power adapter. Thus preventing the adapter from overloading and possibly causing damage to your equipment. However, it only reserves this amount from 20v PD. If your notebook or smartphone for whatever reason requests anything less than 20v make sure your power adapter has enough wattage to both power/charge your device and supply an additional 8w to the hub.
| Brand | XVZ |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | XVZ |
| Hardware Platform | Laptop |
| Hardware Interface | Ethernet, HDMI |
| Wattage | 60 watts |
| Batteries Included | No |
| Batteries Required | No |
| Data Transfer Rate | 5 Gigabits Per Second |
| Number of Ports | 3 |
| Product Dimensions | 16 x 3.1 x 1.5 cm; 68 Grams |
| Item Weight | 68 g |
| Manufacturer | XVZ |
| ASIN | B07SVFYNGW |
| Date First Available | 6 June 2019 |
