Review: Flyland USB-C Hub
gadget review USB usb-c · 4 comments · 300 words · read ~418 times.
I've been sent a Flyland USB-C hub to review. It's a small but versatile unit - perfect for people who need to connect legacy equipment to something with USB-C ports.
For £21, you get 7 ports:
- 3x USB 3.0
- 1x HDMI 4K
- 1x Micro SD
- 1x SD
- 1x USB Power Delivery
It worked perfectly on Linux (more below) and Windows. No drivers required. It also worked on Android. Simple plug and play. Exactly the way USB-C should be.
Downsides
Under heavy use, it does get a bit warm. Not hot to the touch, but definitely on the warm side. That's inevitable when you're pumping that much power and data through a small unit.
The USB-C socket on the hub is for Power Delivery only. That means it doesn't do data. The cable from the the hub transfers both power and data. So you lose a C port on your machine.
You may need to set your BIOS to allow HDMI video over the Thunderbolt port.
Those are fairly minor complaints considering the size and the price.
Linux Info
lsusb shows a bit of a complex set up:
Bus 004 Device 003: ID 058f:8468 Alcor Micro Corp.
Bus 004 Device 002: ID 2109:0817 VIA Labs, Inc. USB3.0 Hub
Bus 001 Device 007: ID 2109:8888 VIA Labs, Inc.
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 2109:2817 VIA Labs, Inc. USB2.0 HubNothing particularly interesting or surprising there. Modern Linux systems should cope with it just fine.
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I’ve got a slightly more ‘optioned’ one of these as my WFH dock. It’s branded Fitfort and has 3x HDMI, 1x Ethernet and some more USB ports, but it looks pretty much identical to the one you’ve pictured. They must be of fairly similar lineage.
It even works with my iPad Pro!
Alex B says:
The Flyland hub is currently showing as priced at £17.84 for me. Personally, I prefer the look of this one at £21.99, which loses one USB 3.0, but adds Gbit Ethernet, VGA, and 2*USB 2.0: https://amzn.to/3giIemK
Avuton Olrich says:
I've bought a couple of very similar hubs (there are many brands like this, likely using the same internals) off amazon, for me the PD always failed (after a month or two).
Would love one to actually have a detachable usb cable so I could increase length and move it under desk. Just nothing seems to be heading into over £100 for a full on usb hub.