Friday, December 13, 2024
AccessoriesReviews

Plugable’s TBT4-HUBC is a Thunderbolt 4 Hub with great functionality

Plugable‘s new TBT4-HUB3C, is a good fit for macOS and Windows users looking for a solid Thunderbolt 4 hub that also provides excellent charging capabilities.

About the TBT4-HUB3C

According to the folks at Plugable, it’s the only hub designed to transform the full functionality of your laptop’s USB-C or Thunderbolt port into three equally functional ports – including display, data, and charging features. 

I can’t attest to that. However, if your Mac laptop  supports two extra displays, the TBT4-HUB3C will support two displays. Plus, with all three downstream Thunderbolt ports, you can connect external devices such as monitors, storage drives, or network adapters with no dilution in performance on any of the devices.

One of my favorite features of the the TBT4-HUB3C is that it can power a Mac laptop with 60W Power Delivery, which is very convenient. What’s more, you can daisy chain up to six devices.

Some computer accessories require you to purchase cables separately. Thankfully, the the TBT4-HUB3C comes packaged with a USB-C to HDMI 2.0 adapter and 0.8m Thunderbolt 4 cable.

About Plugable’s Thunderbolt 4 cables

On the other hand, speaking of being sold separately, Plugable is also offering two new Intel Thunderbolt 4 Certified cables: the TBT4-40G2M and the TBT4-40G1M. They’re designed to “match the hub’s performance for connecting peripherals with ease.”

Over three feet in length, the TBT4-40G1M is one of the longest Thunderbolt 4 passive cables on the market. The TBT4-40G2M doubles that length to over six feet. Both offer support for up to dual 4K displays, data transfer speeds up to 40Gbps, 100W Power Delivery, and Thunderbolt 4 certification. This means both are backward compatible with USB4, Thunderbolt 4, Thunderbolt 3, and USB-C.

The TBT4-HUB3C is now available on Amazon for $189 with a $15 off coupon, the TBT4-40G1M for $33.95 with a $5 off coupon, and the TBT4-40G2M for $59.00 with a $10 off coupon.

Review overview

Functionality10
Included accessories9.5
Price9

The Pros

  • Provides three equally functional ports
  • Has 60W Power Delivery
  • Comes with an adapter and cable

The Cons

  • Not the most compact hub around
  • Boring in appearance

summary

9.5No matter if you’re working with a Thunderbolt 4, Thunderbolt 3, or USB-C device, you’ll get a great experience with the the TBT4-HUB3C.

Dennis Sellers
the authorDennis Sellers
Dennis Sellers is the editor/publisher of Apple World Today. He’s been an “Apple journalist” since 1995 (starting with the first big Apple news site, MacCentral). He loves to read, run, play sports, and watch movies.