Plugable 7-in-1 USB-C Hub price and availability
While the listing price for Plugable’s 7-in-1 USB-C Hub is set at $40, which is already a competitive rate, it’s rarely sold that high. Prices vary but Plugable often slices the cost down to as little as $27, which is a steal for the number of ports this hub offers.
Plugable 7-in-1 USB-C Hub design
The Plugable 7-in-1 USB-C Hub is designed to easily pick up and slip into a laptop bag while feeling sturdy enough so you know it won’t break easily. The hub is made of gray anodized aluminum with a brushed finish, with Plugable’s signature logo on the top. The hub’s design is akin to the color scheme and round edges of a MacBook Pro, and certainly looks like it was developed to compliment that particular style of ultra-slim laptop. Port placement is managed excellently, with space on each side of the device being fully utilized. There’s order in placement, too, as it didn’t look like a bundle of wires being squished into a tiny device when all ports are in use. For a portable USB-C hub, Plugable’s hub has good cable management. The hub’s USB-C cable can’t be removed, which makes it slightly annoying to store. However, the cable is only around 5 inches long, so it won’t get in the way of anything when placing it in a bag or pocket. Coming in at 2.4 ounces (70 grams) with dimensions of 9.5 x 1.9 x 0.5-inches (241.3 x 50.8 x 12.7 millimeters), the 7-in-1 USB-C Hub is as lightweight and compact as it gets when it comes to hubs, especially when it offers seven ports.
Plugable 7-in-1 USB-C Hub ports and connectivity
Not only has Plugable fit each port with convenience in mind, but it has also turned it into a mini docking station of sorts thanks to the various ports it neatly crammed into the hub. On the front side (where the “plugable” logo is facing), you’ll find three USB-A 3.0 ports capable of 5Gbps data transfer speeds, along with an HDMI v1.4 output on the left that can support 4K (3840 x 2160) resolution at 30Hz. On the rear, the hub boasts a microSD card reader and an SD card reader, along with a USB-C Power Delivery (PD) charging port offering 87W of pass-through charging. Note that this USB-C port cannot transfer data or support a video connection, meaning it acts more like an extra USB-C power pass-through port for laptops that have only one USB-C port taken by the hub.
Plugable 7-in-1 USB-C Hub performance
Plugable’s 7-in-1 USB-C Hub works like a charm, for the most part. I simply plugged in the efficiently small piece of equipment into my laptop’s USB-C port and everything worked. I connected my Razer Naga Pro mouse, Corsair K65 RGB Mini keyboard, and SD Card, and found no issues. I also plugged it into an external 4K monitor and there was no noticeable lag. As functional as everything is, the hub has one troubling flaw: its USB-C port. Since it can’t be used to connect USB-C devices to transfer data or be used to connect with external monitors, its sole function is to offer 87W pass-through power to a laptop. Unfortunately, it becomes a useless port if that function doesn’t work properly. When using it on my work laptop, a Dell Latitude 5410, the USB-C PD port didn’t work at all, even when I unplugged every other device from the hub. While Pluggable states that not all laptops support USB-C PD, I’ve had pass-through power delivery work with the same laptop when using the Kensington SD1600P USB-C Mobile Dock. I tested this out on other laptops, including an Acer Spin 5 and a Lenovo ThinkPad. The first USB-C charging port I tried on the Spin 5 didn’t work, but when trying its second port, the battery started charging. When trying it on the ThinkPad, it immediately began charging. To see if it was just a slight hiccup, I tested the Dell Latitude once more, and this time, the hub decided to charge the laptop, albeit at a slower rate than normal. For laptops with only one USB-C port that have no other way of charging, the Plugable 7-in-1 USB-C Hub won’t be the best choice. That said, each laptop I tested on the hub has an alternate way of charging. It’s hardly a deal-breaker, but it’s a shame the USB-C port can’t be used for anything else.
Bottom line
Plugable is known to deliver quality USB-C hubs and docking stations, but its USB-C 7-in-1 Hub knocks it out of the park. At its price (currently listed at $27) and the number of different ports and features it sports, this USB-C hub is a steal. With three USB 3.0 ports with 5Gbps transfer speeds, HDMI 1.4 connectivity which can support 4K resolution at 30Hz, and two SD card readers, there’s not much else a laptop user who is on the move will need. It’s a shame the USB-C 87W pass-through charging is dodgy, but there are many laptops with a separate power supply for charging, anyway. Thunderbolt 4 connectivity would have only made the Plugable USB-C 7-in-1 Hub more of a pocket-sized beast. If you need Thunderbolt 4 connectivity, look no further than the Kensington SD5700T Thunderbolt 4 docking station.
