HAVIT HV-TPC78 USB3.1 Type-C HUB
Specification
- 2*USB 3.0
- 1*HDMI (HDMI Up to 4K@60FPS)
- 1*USB-C PD Charging Port
- Colour: Gray, Gold
- Aluminum Alloy Body
- USB Type-C 3.1 Input
- Weight: 45g
- 10.8 x 27 x 1 cm Dimension
Where To Buy
Like Their Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/HavitTech/
Unboxing – HAVIT HV-TPC78 USB3.1 Type-C HUB
The HAVIT HV-TPC78 USB3.1 Type-C Hub is the brands most affordable USB C Hub with an HDMI port. You can view more about the brands’ list of products by visiting their main website or online store.
Like most of HAVIT’s products, the HAVIT HV-TPC78 USB Hub comes with the brands’ trademark packaging. The white and black themed packaging where the black box is inside the white box. The front highlights the actual design of the product. It also highlights its main marketing features. The back displays more information about the hub. Such as the country origin, certification, specification, and more.
The packing has a nice and smooth feeling to it with an elegant overall aesthetics. Taking the white box out reveals an appreciation message from the brand. Thanking consumers who bought their product.
So nothing much else can be seen with the packaging of the product. Taking its content out reveals that it only contains 3 items. The actual product, one “Tell Us Your Thoughts” card and the user manual.
Closer Look – HAVIT HV-TPC78 USB3.1 Type-C Hub
A closer look at the hub reveals all of its supported number of ports as well as its build. Touching the hub alloy will give you a tank like build. Thanks to its aluminium alloy body. The hub is available in two colours as of this writing, grey and gold.
As the product name dictates, the hub uses a type-C male input. So compatibility can be an issue. However, it supports all laptops and desktops that have a built-in female USB type-C port.Such as Macbooks, a laptop that has a USB-C port, and desktops the has the same ports as well.
The first port that we are going to look at is the HDMI port. According to specs, it is capable of supporting up to 4K@60fps display. The data transfer of USB 3.1 is 10 Gbps. With 4K@60fps, the minimum requirement to support such resolution is about 6 Gbps of bandwidth. Therefore, the Hub can support such resolution which is nice.
Another awesome thing about this port is that you can use it on a desktop that has a USB Type C female port. Giving you the option to add another monitor if your system allows. We tried it using the following system…
- ASRock Gaming K4 Z170
- Intel i7-6700k (Supports up to 4x 1080p display)
We were able to use this kind of setup with one of our monitors. So with the built-in ports for display on the motherboard, we were able to set up a 3-way display monitor without a video card. That’s definitely a plus for this hub.
Now taking a closer look at the USB ports, the product specification dictates that these USB ports are USB3.0. Nothing much else can be said about these ports. We did test the USB ports though if they are legit USB 3.0.
Using CrystalDiskMark, we tested our SanDisk USB3.0 16GB with a read/write speed of 50MB/s and 250MB/s respectively. The image above shows that we got a desirable result. Showing these ports are true USB3.0 ports.
Now last but not the least, the HAVIT HV-TPC78 comes with a female USB Type-C port. This Type-C port features a Power Delivery (PD) Technology. Meaning, while using this hub on a laptop or supported device, the USB Type-C female port enables you to charge the laptop by other means. That means you can use a plain smartphone charger with a Type-C to USB Type-B connector cable to charge the battery of the laptop. Pretty neat feature.
With that in mind, the HAVIT HV-TPC78 USB3.1 Type-C Hub can also be used on a Type-C Smartphone.
With a smartphone, all features of the hub are usable except for the HDMI port. Apparently, using this hub to connect a smartphone to a monitor or TV via HDMI cable doesn’t work.
As you can see in the image above, we tried to connect our smartphone to our TV to see if we will get any display. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work. As can be seen in the image above, our TV which is an LG 40-UB800T displays that it is not getting any video signal.
Final Thoughts…
The HAVIT HV-TPC78 Type-C USB HUB is probably the brands most affordable USB hub that’s a type-C. It has a nice overall quality build thanks to its aluminium alloy body and the cable feels solid despite being short. Furthermore, the cable also features protection for the cable that prevents any damages or wire snapping when bending the cables. Which is definitely a welcome feature to have. It adds to the overall durability of the product.
Despite being an uncommon feature to have from a USB Hub, the HDMI port and the female type-C USB port are also a welcome feature. Which gives any user flexibility.
The only odd thing that we find to be divisive or something that made us go “Hmmmm…” is the number of USB ports and the so-called Power Delivery (PD) Technology. First off, it would have been better if there were 3 USB 3.0 ports given the design of the product. Second, the Power Delivery (PD) Technology. As stated above, this technology allows you to charge any laptop using this hub via smartphone charger or any charger that has a USB type-C cable. We did test it and it does charge our laptop. Output wise, our laptop’s default charger has an output of 2.37A 19V. The smartphone charger we used has an output of 2.4A 5V. It looks like voltage will not be a matter of concern given that both chargers are capable of producing the same output amperage. We weren’t able to test though if we will get the same amount of charging time for both chargers.
With its overall feature, functionality, quality, and price, we are awarding the HAVIT HV-TPC78 Type-C USB Hub the Back2Gaming Silver AWARD.
FAQs
- Can I use this on any laptops or desktop?
- Yes, as long as those laptops and desktop have at least one female type-C USB port.
- Can I use this on my Smartphone that has a type-C USB?
- Yes, though the HDMI port will not work.
- I have a type-C female USB port on my computer, can I use the HDMI to add an extra monitor or display?
- Yes, as long as your processor or built-in display adaptor supports the overall display resolution.
- If I use the hub on my type-C smartphone, can I plug my type-B smartphone?
- Yes, you can. They will find each other and will give you the option to transfer files from phone to phone. Sharing your phones battery charge may also be possible.
- Can I charge my laptop using this hub and my laptop’s default charger at the same time?
- Yes, we tried it, though we suggest not do it. We strongly believe that your laptop’s battery is not designed to receive a charge that’s more than the output charge stated on your default charger.
- What resolution can this hub support?
- Up to 4K UHD running at 60 frames per second refresh rate.
- I don’t have a type-C port on my computer, can I use a type-C to type-B USB adaptor?
- Yes, you can but you will be limited to a 5Gbps bandwidth instead of 10Gbps. May also cause compatibility issues.
- With that setup, 4K@60FPS may not be supported. Minimum of 6Gbps for this setup.