It would be great if everything worked wirelessly these days, but whilst Apple may be pushing the idea laptops only need one or two USB-C ports, the reality is many of us still need to connect to a variety of different accessories and other devices throughout the day. Apple’s frugality with ports has created a booming industry in dongles and other peripheries, and today we’re taking a look at Juiced System‘s answer to the dongle issue – the VertexHUB.
What does it do?
The VertexHUB is a USB-C data and charging hub, which means that you can either connect it to your laptop via USB-C and it will act as a hub for up to four USB-C devices and three USB-A devices – allowing you to transfer files between any or all of them at USB 3.1 gen 2 speeds of 10 Gbit/s and charge them at the same time. So if you need to connect to a number of memorysticks, external HDDs, tablets, or smartphones at once, this is the tool for you.
Alternatively, you can just connect it to the mains via the bundled 12V 3A DC mains adaptor and you have a charger capable of charging seven devices via those same ports.
Looks
The VertexHUB is a sleek matte black metal device measuring 135x65x20mm with the four USB-C ports on the top, the three USB-A ports on the back, and the power port and USB-C port to connect to your laptop on the side. It comes bundled with a very ordinary-looking 2-port (US-style) mains adaptor and two strong nylon cables – one USB-C to USB-C and on USB-A to USB-C.
In use
All our peripherals connected to the device and appeared on the Windows 10 laptop without any hiccups and showed to be charging normally, and transferring between all of them was a breeze at USB 3.1 gen 2 speeds. No surprises, which is exactly what you want with a hub like this!
Whilst all our peripherals did charge via the hub, we should point out that there is no PD (power delivery) fast charging here, so don’t expect your phone or tablet to be half-charged in record times, and it does not offer enough juice to charge a laptop.
Conclusion
If you need to connect up a series of USB-C or USB-A peripherals then the VertexHUB might be exactly what you need – it looks good and feels well-made in the hand. UK users should be aware, however, that the supplied wall charger is for the US market and you will need an adaptor.
Buy
Price at the time of review: $65 (about £50) from Amazon.com
