j5create - USB4 Dual 4K Multi-Port Hub - Space Gray/Black

I have 2 external monitors and only 2 usb-c ports on my laptop. One of the ports is for power. So this adapter worked perfectly for my needs.

THE USB-C hub for the ROG Ally. Would definitely recommend.

Since the deployment of the USB-C port on computers, quality hubs have become a must have accessory. In my opinion, one of the best features of the USB-C standard is that it offers a one cable solution to set up multiple displays. The 100W of power delivery is enough to power a laptop, power the hub, and provide power to the ports. Remember that it is pass-through power, which means that the hub must be connected to a power adapter in order to pass the power to your laptop. I would recommend using the most powerful adapter you have up to 100W. This is because the hub needs 15W to operate, so the maximum power it will actually deliver is 85W. Thai will not be a problem for most laptops, but if your compact laptop only came with a smaller adapter you might have problems if it needs a specific wattage to properly operate, which some compact laptops do. What really sets this hub apart from other hubs is the inclusion of a USB4 controller. This is what allows the use of dual 4K display outputs. It accomplished this by upping the bandwidth. Even if you don’t have a video card that is 4K capable I think that the higher bandwidth will be beneficial to anyone. Another thing that I really like about this hub is that it is completely plug and play and does not require the user to manually download a driver. All that is necessary is to connect it and windows automatically detects the hub and configures the driver. Having to manually download a driver can be a problem if you are trying to use it with a work device that you don't have administrator privileges on to install a new device. Thankfully that will never be an issue with this hub. This j5create does everything you would expect from it, and does it well. It looks good, has a nice number of ports, and is small enough to easily transport. It is perfect for someone who travels a lot or someone that doesn’t need more than 2 displays. If you need a 3 monitor set up or need to connect a large number of devices, then you might want to get a larger hub that has 3 display outputs and more ports. This hub will now be my primary hub to take when I travel.

It’s hard to get fired up about something as innocuous as a hub…it either works or it doesn’t. So does this one work—definitely…precisely as advertised! Whether it’s the hub for you or not depends entirely on how you feel about the price, design, and most importantly, the kind of number of ports. In terms of design, this j5create hub isn’t exactly what you’d call svelte. Sure, it’s portable and should tuck neatly into any bag or case, but it’s slightly on the larger side compared to some competitors’ offerings. I have it pictured next to my ASUS ZenBook Flip S13 and as you can see it takes up a somewhat sizeable chunk of real estate next to the 2-in-1. The captive 8” USB-C pigtail is fairly thick and feels high quality, but it’s surprisingly quite flexible. Yet, at *only* 8 inches long, nearly all of the pigtail cable requires a pretty substantial bend if you want easy access to the ports or to fold it out of the way of your mousing hand or anything else you normally keep close to your machine. A slightly longer cable, or better still, a modular cable that disconnected from the hub and allowed you to choose your cable length for optimal placement, would have been greatly appreciated. It also would have been nice if at least one of the ends had the option of a 90-degree connector for strain relief; the connection point at the hub end especially only has a small collar to help reduce the effects of long-term cable strain and bends. The enclosure feels solid but is still a bit on the lighter side which means it will move around fairly easy when plugging/unplugging cables or dongles; there are no bumpers or feet so I do not know what prolonged use and movement on a table or desktop might slowly do to the pristine finish. The aluminum construction, side ventilation slots, and shallow side heat fins help with heat dissipation when the hub is pushing a dense video signal or two—and the hub does get warm to the touch during such heavy use. The top of the enclosure features lightly etched “j5create” and “USB4” logos; text indicating the function of each port is printed next to each port opening on the bottom of the enclosure…it’s a very professional and uncluttered look and would be perfectly at home next to a high-powered Mac or professional workstation. Finally, getting down to ports and performance, it’s honestly just a bit of a mixed bag. First, you probably need to note the physical layout of the hub. The DP output is at the end of the hub while the USB-C power delivery input, USB-C 10Gbps data/DP output, USB-A, and HDMI ports are on the side. Depending on where your power brick is located and where you need to snake one of those often beefier and inflexible DP cables, you might end up having your USB or HDMI ports in an inconvenient place, especially if you plug/unplug dongles, thumb drives, or video cables fairly often. All video ports, including the DP-out via the USB-C port, are capable of outputting up to 4K resolution at 60Hz; however, if you connect dual displays, the hub only supports a maximum of 4K at 30Hz to TWO monitors which was slightly disappointing given the way this hub is marketed. The USB-C “Power In” port is exactly that, a PD3.0 port that is just for power delivery; sadly, you cannot hook a drive/dongle or data cable to this port and expect it to do anything. The hub can handle a maximum of 100W through the PD port with 85W of pass-through; this means a beefy enough connected power adapter will feed juice for both attached peripherals and charge up your computer. Both the USB-A and USB-C data throughput is rated up to 10Gbps which was REALLY nice for high-speed file transfers, especially to my NVMe-based USB-C drives. Unless I’m reading it wrong, the manual implies that if you’re not using high-power USB devices, you don’t need to plug an adapter into the power delivery port to use the hub; but using the Thunderbolt 4 port on my ASUS ZenBook, the Thunderbolt 3 port on my HP Omen laptop, and the USB-C port on my Steam Deck, I could not get a simple USB 2.0 headphone dongle to connect using the hub…but as soon as I plugged in a power adapter to the hub’s PD port, the dongle synced right up with my headphones…YMMV. Fortunately, video connection was driverless and quick…I pulled up my Windows 11 desktop on our 4K TV via HDMI and USB-C using a USB-C to HDMI converter cable almost immediately once I adjusted Window’s settings to detect/extend to an external display. I noticed no dropouts, stutters, or other digital artifacts during 4K desktop and video streaming all evening long. My main PC display is a 3440x1600 ultra-wide; my ZenBook found it using the hub’s DP connection immediately. I was also pleasantly surprised to discover that the video output from my Steam Deck was smooth, colorful, and absolutely rock solid during gaming. Using the j5create hub, I was able to get the deck to display on our 4K TV and connect to my Xbox Elite 2 controller via wireless dongle (quicker and more stable than Bluetooth)…if you need a single hub that you can take from work to play, this one is it! I wish the hub had at least one more USB-C or USB-A port (or both) for peripherals, and the omission of a high-speed Ethernet jack seems a bit glaring given that many such hubs are often used with ultra-thin laptops/notebooks that rarely feature Ethernet ports anymore, but the high-speed USB4 capabilities and the stable, artifact-free video performance of the j5create hub make it a little easier to overlook these shortcomings. While not quite as well-appointed with a rainbow of ports as some other high-powered and high-priced USB-C hubs and docking stations, this is still a well-built, flexible, and capable hub for simplifying and unifying your multi-monitor workspace.

I have been searching for a Multi-Port for a long time and Im so glad I came across this one. I currently use a Samsung Chromebook which only has USB-C ports. This is such inconvenient because most of my electronics have a type A port. I have several SD and Micro SD cards with files I've been wanting to download to my computer. This Multi-Port Hub has made it so easy to transport all the files and images. It doesn't require a special program to be installed in order to work. You just plug it in and within seconds you have all that you need, Convenient for people who are not computer savvy like me :) but I try. Great to have different devices plugged in. It's small and light weight so it can be carried anywhere. I was able to utilize most of the ports. This device worked well with my chromebook, windows and my sons gaming laptop. Its power comes from the main source which in my case is my laptop so make sure you have enough power. It's definitely a must have device since now a days most of the electronics have different ports. I really love it and will surely get a lot of use around my home.