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Jul 29, 2023

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By Ed Hardy • 10:00 am, August 1, 2023 Connect the new Plugable USBC-4IN1 hub to a Mac or iPad to add an HDMI port, and two USB-A ones, also. And its USB-C port supports simultaneous 100W power

By Ed Hardy • 10:00 am, August 1, 2023

Connect the new Plugable USBC-4IN1 hub to a Mac or iPad to add an HDMI port, and two USB-A ones, also. And its USB-C port supports simultaneous 100W power pass-through charging and 10Gbps data transfers.

All for under $30.

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Apple’s MacBook Air line is ever so slim and sleek. But the notebooks are not over-supplied with ports — just two USB-C ports and MagSafe for charging.

With the Plugable USBC-4IN1 hub, the selection grows in number and variety. It takes up a single USB-C port on the host computer but adds three more. That includes an HDMI 2.0 port that can drive a 4K monitor at 60Hz.

There are also two USB-A ports. One supports USB 3.2 Gen 2 for 10 Gbps data transfers. The second uses the much slower USB 2.0, but is suitable for a keyboard, mouse or other legacy device.

And the accessory has the aforementioned USB-C port capable of quickly charging even the most demanding MacBooks or transferring large files. “USBC-4IN1 is the first hub on the market to leverage the PS188 chip,” says Plugable. “The innovative chip enables the hub’s compact size, and its unique ability to provide a dual-function USB-C port capable of both 100W power pass-through charging and high-speed 10Gbps data transfer. The USBC-4IN1 is the only hub in its class currently available that can do both on a single USB-C port.”

It plugs in the host computer with a short cable with a USB-C connector on the end.

The peripheral is well suited for turning a MacBook or iPad into the center of a living room entertainment setup. With it, the computer can connect to a TV while pulling video files off an external drive.

The Plugable USBC-4IN1 is now available. Its list price is $29, but there’s a $3-off deal on Amazon.

Buy it from: Amazon

For comparison, the Apple USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter is similar but its sole USB-A port is slower, and its USB-C port doesn’t support data transfers at all. The price for this rival hub is $69.

The USB-C hub works with macOS, iPadOS, Windows and ChromeOS. It requires a full-featured USB-C, Thunderbolt or USB4 port.

MacBook users might be interested in the HyperDrive Duo Pro 7-in-2 USB-C Hub instead. It offers more ports but at a higher price.