Live data from Hacker News

Show HN: I built a website to better compare USB-C hubs found on Amazon

usb-hubs.org

161–170 of 280 posts

Re: Show HN: I built a website to better compare USB-C hubs found on Amazon

#162
The key factor esp for video is “does it support thunderbolt” (to which the answer today for these price points is “no”).

For a laptop you want TB 3 for high frame rate video and fast drives. For an iPad Pro, it’s not necessary (and I carry one of these listed devices in my bag with me)

Re: Show HN: I built a website to better compare USB-C hubs found on Amazon

#163
post #154

For choosing the right product based on a list of spec requirements I can highly recommend the price comparison website Geizhals [1]. They offer an insane amount of filter options over a wide category of products. Want USB C hub with Power Delivery, Gigabit LAN, a card reader and at least 2 display options? Here are your options: [2]. Also works for Mainboards, TVs and a whole lot of other stuff [1] https://geizhals.…

This one is my favorite site of this type: https://www.productchart.com It has an awesome interface and covers the US and the UK.

I've been working for 2 years on a successor for productchart! Modern UI and KISS, check it out here : https://picked.cc

Re: Show HN: I built a website to better compare USB-C hubs found on Amazon

#165

Earlier quoted context omitted.

To work around macOS' awful monitor restrictions (i.e. lack of general MST support), we bit the bullet and got a Dell WB19TB [1] (Thunderbolt dock). It sucks from a wiring perspective but it works. [1] https://www.dell.com/en-us/work/shop/dell-thunderbolt-dock-w... (To those that go down this route, be aware: you cannot use both DP ports on this dock as-is -- again, macOS lacks MST support. One monitor must be connec…

I wouldn't trust Dell with this. I have a Dell monitor that I bought because it has a USB-C port that supported both PD and video. But it turns out it doesn't work well with MacBooks (constantly loses connection, and messes with the MacBook's sleep). Dell acknowledged the issue and released a patch that fixed it ... for Windows machines. They refuse to fix it for MacBooks because they don't want to support a competit…

What model monitor is this?

Re: Show HN: I built a website to better compare USB-C hubs found on Amazon

#166
Of all these there are probably half a dozen devices that are free of defects. This site does nothing to help me filter out the rest. For me, the way I approach this is I just find an Anker-made thing that most closely matches what I need and buy it. It might cost a few bucks more, but it works.

Re: Show HN: I built a website to better compare USB-C hubs found on Amazon

#167
post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I like wirecutter for this. Their picks are rarely the most expensive and they try to recommend things that last long. I am happy they can make a dollar or two of my referral link pick for the research work they do.

I feel like they’ve been slipping recently in order to maximize referral income. There’s been a number of things they’ve suggested that are simply no where near the best. I’d use them as a guide but not a definitive answer - that should go for any site with affiliate links.

I agree. A lot of the highest quality products are not sold on Amazon any longer due to the myriad of issues and I have noticed that unless the site has a referral program or is a member of one, I rarely see a recommendation for their product. Or even a mention of their product. I could be wrong, but I'm not sure they have any recommendations for products that aren't sold with an affiliate program.

Re: Show HN: I built a website to better compare USB-C hubs found on Amazon

#168

Earlier quoted context omitted.

4k60 + gigabit is not possible without going up to Thunderbolt 3 - there isn't enough bandwidth otherwise. The best you can do is 4k60 + USB 2.0 (so a gigabit Ethernet connection would cap out at ~300mbps in practice.) See https://www.bigmessowires.com/2019/05/19/explaining-4k-60hz-... DisplayPort 1.4 changes this, but everything seems to be stuck on 1.2 100W is, of course, possible. I use a CalDigit USB-C Pro Dock w…

>>100W is, of course, possible. I don't think it is. The dock itself uses quite a lot of power, that's why the highest you can find is about 85-90W. USB-C cables support max of 100W so I don't think it's physically possible to accept 100W and output 100W at the same time.

Well, with these power pass-through hubs like what the website has, you're correct.

I was thinking more of a proper dock that has its own power supply. My dock has a 150W power brick, and then it supplies 85W to my laptop. In theory, the numbers could be 165W and 100W.

Re: Show HN: I built a website to better compare USB-C hubs found on Amazon

#170
post #109

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Two 4k @ 60 Hz is either Thunderbolt (which is fine for Macs but has a price and I would rather buy like https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=38575 or https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=31261 instead of a noname company) or DisplayLink which is to be avoided at all costs. This hub is Thunderbolt as can be deciphered from "Does not support MacBook models with single USB-C port" (see https://support.apple.com/en-…

It doesn’t support macs with a single port because it takes two ports, uses each one. That changes the bandwidth calculator math. This adapter was, I believe, also announced at CES 2020.

Oh I see now https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/71z-IlmfZeL... the single plug misled me to think it's just one USB C. Crafty.
Post reply on HN