For those that don’t know, USB-C is the latest standard (AKA next generation) of USB connector, providing incredibly high data throughput which means it can be used not only for traditional peripherals but also for more data intensive hardware such as video and high-speed storage devices.
The QacQoc USB C Hub is powered by and connects to the host device via a USB-C port, expanding the device by providing a wide range of connection options with the following ports:
- 3 x USB 3.0 Ports
- 1 x HDMI Port
- 1 x Ethernet (RJ45) port
- 1 x USB-C Port
- 1 x SD Card Reader
- 1 x Micro SD Card Reader
Physical / Build Quality
The unit comes presented in a fairly nondescript box and is well packaged/padded to protect against damage.
What impressed me most upon unboxing the unit was how solid and heavy it felt, giving it a satisfying weight and feeling of quality.
The unit was actually much smaller than I expected and that meant it fits nicely in the post-it-note pocket of laptop bag which is a big plus!
The styling of the unit is clearly geared towards macbook users.
The unit has one hard-wired cable which connects it to your device, I would prefer to have seen this as another USB-C port to allow me to choose my own cable for connecting the device (for example, if I wanted a longer one).
Laptop Performance
Upon plugging the device in, I tested the performance of various ports on my laptop and home network and compared them to the native ports.
I’m happy to report that the card readers, Ethernet ports and USB-C port all provided speeds as fast as the native ports on my laptop.
What was most surprising is that the USB Ports worked much faster than my native ports. Transferring a 600MB file from a USB 3.0 flash drive on my native port showed speeds peaking at about 83MBps but transferring the same file using one of the ports on the USB-C hub to the same flash drive showed speeds at around 102MBps.
Mobile Performance
My mobile phone doeesn’t have a USB-C port I’m afraid so I have asked a friend to evaluate the unit for me and provide some feed back, watch this space!
Full Disclosure: I received a free demonstration unit from QacQoc for evaluation purposes.
