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Compact USB-C hub quick review
Intro
From time to time I acquire laptop computer accessories not because I need them personally, but to satisfy my curiosity on how well they actually work. Also, I run a business building ergonomic workstations for corporate fleets and home offices and I like to keep up-to-date on what’s out there in case clients have questions. My focus has been on stationary desktop accessories like docking stations rather than portable gadgets. But today I’ll review two portable USB-C hubs that I’ve been using for several months.
Full disclosure: While this is not a sponsored post, the products reviewed were provided at no cost for evaluation purposes. Products received in this capacity are destined for teardowns and/or charitable donations.
Contenders
Uni 5-in-1 hub (~$29.99 USD via Amazon) vs Hootoo 6-in-1 HT-UC007 (~$49.99 USD but often on sale for $29.99-$34.99 via eBay) (affiliate links)
Features
For the extra cost and size, the Hootoo 6-in-1 offers laptop charging (USB-C PD power supply not included) and more power to the USB 3.1 ports (~10W compared to 6W on the Uni). Curiously, the HooToo has one port marked with a lighting-bolt icon indicating it should support more power, but all ports seem to support a maximum of 10W. If you frequently charge your smartphone from your laptop, the HooToo will probably charge twice as fast as the Uni. Uni: 4/5 HooToo: 5/5
Price
The HooToo is $20 more expensive but is sometimes on sale for about the same cost as the Uni: Uni: 5/5 HooToo: 4/5
Usability
The Uni cable sheath is a high quality flexible material and is slightly longer than the HooToo which helps to position the hub relative to a laptop. Typical in this class of device, both units have ports on 3 sides which means a messy bundle-o-cables when all ports are in use. However, if you’re only using HDMI and one USB port for a monitor and mouse, the Uni has these coming out the same side while the HooToo has all USB ports on one side and the HDMI on the other. Because of this, I found setup easier with the Uni.
The Ethernet jack on the Uni is a regular full-size port with LED indicators for link and connection speed. The Hootoo uses a compact clamping style Ethernet port which is more difficult to use since you have to press to open the clamp with one hand while plugging the cable in with the other. This Ethernet port style lacks status LEDs. Uni: 5/5 HooToo: 4/5
Style and Feel
Both units feel “nice”. The rubberized bottom of the HooToo is good quality and the chassis is 3mm thinner, potentially making it easier to slip into a pocket. But the overall compactness and fit and finish of the Uni is superior. A minor nitpick is Uni’s style choice of black USB ports. USB 3.x ports are typically blue to indicate higher functionality compared to black USB 2.0 ports. But the Uni doesn’t have 2.0 ports that need to be distinguished from 3.x ports, so they are not violating any specs here. Uni: 5/5 HooToo: 4/5
Repairability
Reparability is related to style. In general, the more stylish the device, the more difficult it is to repair. This is the case with the Uni as its lovely single piece aluminum chassis is impossible to open without severely damaging it. While the HooToo has no exposed fasteners, the rubberized bottom can be pried open exposing the bare circuit board for diagnostics/repair with minimal damage. Uni: 0/5 HooToo: 4/5
Reliability
I had no reliability issues with either unit. Both worked flawlessly for months with multiple laptop computers, USB accessories, and monitors. Uni: 5/5 HooToo 5/5
Performance
Both hubs are based on a ViaTech USB-C hub chipset and Realtek Gigabit Ethernet so transfer speeds are similar. There are more performant chipsets, but these are not common in this price class. Uni: 4/5 HooToo: 4/5
USB PD Compliance
The HooToo hub has some compliance issues with its USB-C power delivery. My 90W power supply advertised 20V @ 4.5A to the HooToo hub. This same 20V @ 4.5A was advertised to the laptop PC. But the HooToo hub consumes some power and also provides power to 3 USB ports! When I plugged in a few USB devices, I was able to overdrive my 90W USB-C power supply by 13 watts. This violates the USB-IF specification.
What the HooToo firmware should do is “de-rate” the available power to the Laptop based on how much power needs to be reserved for itself and the downstream USB ports. So in my example, the HooToo should have de-rated by at least 13 watts and thus advertise 20V @ 3.8A to the laptop.
Many inexpensive hubs leave this logic out to save costs. For most customers it is not an issue. But if you have a laptop that can charge at 100W, I do NOT recommend using a hub like this. When USB devices are connected, there is a possibility of overdriving the power supply causing overheating , shutdowns, and permanent damage. If you have a lower power laptop, this hub will be OK. But consider using a USB-C power supply that exceeds the OEM specification of the your laptop. For example, if your laptop came with a 60W power supply, use a 65W model or higher. Uni: N/A HooToo: 0/5
Verdict
If you anticipate needing to charge a moderately sized laptop or a hefty cellphone, the HooToo, even with its PD compliance issues, may be the better choice. If you prefer a smaller, stylish, and easy-to use hub at a low cost, the Uni is better. The Uni is my personal favorite due to the flexible cable and the fact that I already have a desktop docking station and don’t need the extra bulk of charging. But Uni also offers models with built-in charging.
Addendum
Since receiving these hubs and writing the article, I learned that HooToo brand products (part of the SunValley group along with Vava, RavPower, U-Spicy, and TaoTronics) have been removed from Amazon presumably for farming bogus product reviews. This doesn’t necessarily mean they make poor products, but I do frown upon disingenuous marketing shenanigans.
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