Aukey Link PD Pro USB-C Hub review: Perfect accessory for port-limited Ultrabooks
Source: Windows Cardinal
Let'southward say you only bought a new Surface Get ii. It's a beautiful two-in-1 laptop that's made for life on the move, only its ports are limited to but one USB-C. Besides, the XPS thirteen 9300 — a popular Ultrabook — comes with just ii USB-C. There's a lot of hardware to pack into laptops this small, and it's articulate space for ports frequently takes a hit. Manufacturers are slowly bringing consumers around to simply dealing with the issue, and users are reconciling with the need for a dongle or hub.
Focused attachments that add together a few USB-A ports, an SD card reader or two, or an Ethernet connexion are available. Still, you can also buy hubs that combine a bunch of popular connectivity options. The Aukey Link PD Pro (CB-C71) — as well called the Unity Link PD III in some documentation — is an 8-in-1 hub that connects to the host with USB-C, ideal for a lot of modern laptops, phones, and tablets. I've been using information technology within my usual workflow for a couple of weeks to see what it's all nigh and, ultimately, whether or not it'due south worth a purchase.
Eight-Port USB-C Hub
Aukey Link PD Pro
Bottom line: The Aukey Link PD Pro is a well-rounded, well-congenital USB-C hub with varied connectivity and upwardly to 100W of charging ability back to your device. The host cable isn't removable, and the USB-C port is for power delivery only, but it remains a great option if your laptop is lacking in ports.
Pros
- LED power and Ethernet indicators
- Affordable cost and expert construction
- Viii full ports
- Up to 100W charging power
- Potent port performance
Cons
- Not-removable host cable
- USB-C port is strictly for ability delivery
- No 4K@60Hz support
What I loved about the Aukey Link PD Pro
Source: Windows Cardinal
The Aukey Link PD Pro is made up of an ABS and PC plastic top portion with a zinc alloy base. The hub weighs in at around 0.24 pounds (109g), yet it seems to be built well with no flex or bend at any point. Information technology's light plenty to sideslip into a laptop sleeve pocket or a backpack without noticing it'southward there. Every bit a bit of a bonus for those concerned with the hub getting scratched up, Aukey includes a stitched carrying pouch.
| Category | Spec |
|---|---|
| Connectivity | USB-C |
| Host cablevision | Non-removable |
| Ports | Three USB-A iii.0 HDMI Gigabit Ethernet USB-C (PD simply) SD card reader MicroSD card reader |
| Max display resolution | 4K@30Hz |
| Power commitment | Up to 100W |
| Dimensions | 4.02 10 2.24 x 0.59 inches (102mm x 57mm x 15mm) |
| Weight | 0.24 pounds (109g) |
The elevation of the hub has a single green LED to prove it's plugged in and working, besides as an etched Aukey logo. The bottom has some rubber feet to keep the hub from slipping around on a desk, of import when it'south loaded with peripherals.
Aukey has included eight total ports here, enough to handle nearly all accessories I use on a daily footing. There are SD and microSD card readers for transferring photos, three USB-A iii.0 ports handle 5Gbps data transfer, and an HDMI port offers external brandish back up upwards to a 4K resolution at a 30Hz refresh rate. On the end is as well a Gigabit Ethernet port for times when Wi-Fi isn't bachelor. For a slim travel hub, that's great at all.
The hub has no need for an external ability source to work. However, if your device regularly uses an AC adapter with a USB-C end, it can be plugged into the hub. All connected, it will deliver up to 100W of power back to the host device (say an XPS xiii or ThinkPad L13 Yoga that includes an Air-conditioning adapter with USB-C stop). Using a 65W Air conditioning adapter, I measured 52W of charging power, merely 7W less than I measured plugging direct into the laptop.
Source: Windows Central
Even with all ports in utilise, the Aukey Link PD Pro had no problem keeping up with a heavy workload.
Attaching external storage in the form of a USB-A hard drive, SD card, or microSD card sees it recognized immediately, and there are no issues with ejecting. Some hubs will hang up, only non this one. I tested the speed of the SD menu reader with a card that regularly hits about 164 MB/s read, and 95 MB/due south write with a built-in UHS-Ii reader. Plugged into the hub, I saw read speeds at about 85 MB/s and write speeds at nearly 80 MB/s. If you're a photographer working with a lot of large files, y'all'll no uncertainty want to stick with a speedier UHS-2 card reader, but for almost people working with smaller stills and other regular media, this should be fine.
To encounter how well the hub works under pressure, I connected at in one case an SD bill of fare, a microSD bill of fare, external solid-state drive (SSD), external hard-disk drive (HDD), 2.4GHz wireless dongle, FHD monitor, and the laptop'southward Ac adapter. Despite documentation mentioning that only ane storage solution will work at a time, I was able to admission all storage simultaneously.
I was opening photos from an SD card, reading an ebook from a microSD card, streaming video and audio from hard drives, using a wireless mouse, and projecting to an external 1080p display (at a 56Hz refresh rate) without so much as a hitch. Even without the AC adapter plugged into the hub's USB-C port, there didn't seem to exist any consequence with ability.
Source: Windows Primal
Because Thunderbolt 3 uses the USB-C form factor, this hub is totally fine if your laptop has the more powerful port, and you don't desire to leap for a far more expensive Thunderbolt 3 docking station. I tested the hub with all ports in employ again using Thunderbolt 3, and, as expected, there were no bug.
The Link PD Pro is designed to work with a lot of devices. When information technology's not connected to your Windows device, information technology can likewise piece of work with macOS or iPadOS, besides as Android and Chrome OS. Paired with my Samsung Notation nine, information technology excels under DeX, Samsung's app that makes it easy to plow your telephone into a PC. If you're in a pinch and need to project your phone onto a brandish or use external storage, this hub will get the job done.
What I dislike about the Aukey Link PD Pro
Source: Windows Central
Considering the $38 toll tag, high build quality, and solid operation of the Link PD Pro, it'southward hard to dislike. Withal, there are some things to brand a note of earlier making a last decision.
The host cable, which is long enough at six inches to leave enough space to plug everything in but not long enough to crusade its own cable tangles, is not removable. This isn't a huge deal, only keep in mind if something happens to the host cable, you're likely not going to be able to utilize the hub at all without a complete replacement.
A USB-C port is built into the hub, merely good luck using it for data; information technology's meant for power delivery only. If your laptop uses an Ac adapter with USB-C end, this is how you evangelize up to 100W of ability back to your device. On something like the XPS thirteen 9300 with just two Thunderbolt 3 ports, this is very important. USB-C charging can also work in contrary, but like the USB-A ports, don't expect anything miraculous. I measured at most but 2W going back to a phone continued with USB-C, which isn't much better than the USB-A ports. They have a combined 4.5W output, so shouldn't be relied on for charging. If you lot demand a hub with USB-C ports for data or USB-A ports for charging, yous'll want to look elsewhere.
Should y'all buy the Aukey Link PD Pro USB-C Hub?
Source: Windows Central
The Aukey Link PD Pro USB-C hub is easy to recommend to anyone who wants something slim and lite that nevertheless delivers strong performance. Its lack of a USB-C port for data is a drag for anyone who needs multiple USB-C connections. The SD menu readers piece of work well simply don't match up to a UHS-II reader, actually only a trouble for power users transferring large files. And the non-removable host cable would pose a problem if damaged. But other than those qualms, this hub has been a bang-up addition to my arsenal over the concluding couple of weeks.
It handled everything I threw its way, including external monitor, multiple external storage solutions, and Ethernet, and didn't seem to have a problem keeping upwardly. Information technology even kept my laptop charged while in apply, allowing me to unplug and hitting the route without worrying about bombardment.
Proceed in heed there are other options out there if you lot don't often apply removable SD storage, don't need Ethernet, or desire some USB-C ports with data instead of just power. But at the asking price, the Aukey Link PD Pro is a great option that I'll go on in my laptop bag for utilise with Ultrabooks.
Viii-Port USB-C Hub
Aukey Link PD Pro
Not bad performance, high-quality build
Add three USB-A, HDMI, SD, and microSD readers, Ethernet, and USB-C power delivery with this hub, platonic for Ultrabooks where ports are express.
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Source: https://www.windowscentral.com/aukey-link-pd-pro-review
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