Ive been using these dongles for years without any drama but honestly Im about to throw this latest one out the window. My logic was that a simple 7-in-1 with 100W PD would handle my dual monitor setup and a couple SSDs but my screen just keeps flickering every time I plug in my mouse. Im in Chicago working on this freelance edit thats due Friday and I cant even get through a timeline without the drive disconnecting. So I was thinking maybe I need a thunderbolt specific one? But my budget is strictly under $100 and CalDigit is way out of reach. Is there anything that actually stays connected or is it all just cheap junk nowadays?
OMG I literally just spent all night debugging a similar power cycle issue on my rig! You have to look at the power budget... most of these hubs are totally lying about their overhead. I finally started using the Satechi USB-C On-the-Go Multiport Adapter 9-Port and it is been a total game changer for my workflow! The data throughput is super consistent even when I have got my NVMe drive pinned. If you are pushing dual monitors on a budget tho, seriously look at the Baseus 17-in-1 USB-C Docking Station 3-Monitor. It is usually on sale and the port isolation is fantastic for the price! Quick tips for ya:
Unfortunately, most hubs in this price range are not as good as expected for heavy editing workflows. I had issues with my screens dropping out too because these generic units often share a single bridge chip for all functions. When your SSD starts pulling peak power during a transfer, the video signal loses priority and starts flickering. Its super frustrating when you have a deadline looming.
Man, I've been in that exact same spot with the flickering screens. Its the absolute worst when you're on a deadline. Used to use one of those generic 7-in-1 adapters. Total nightmare. My dual monitor setup would just die. Every time I plugged in a thumb drive, the display would reset. Honestly, those things usually dont handle the full power delivery they claim. You might want to consider that the hub itself is probably hogging some of that 100W, leaving your SSDs starving for power. It was a struggle until I got a more robust setup. I would suggest looking for something with its own dedicated power source instead of just pass-through. Bus-powered dongles just cant keep up with a professional edit workflow. Good luck with the Friday deadline tho, been there!
Wait really?? Thats actually super helpful. I always thought it was the other way around.
👆 this
I would definitely be careful with those budget hubs since the power delivery can be super sketchy... you might want to consider the Anker 555 USB-C Hub instead. It is usually under $80 and feels way more solid than the generic ones that get burning hot. I actually found mine using PriceDropCatch when it went on sale last month. Honestly, I get so nervous about power surges that I basically unplug everything in my office every time a storm rolls through Chicago. My neighbor lost a whole PC last year because of a lightning strike and now I am basically obsessed with surge protectors and checking my circuit breaker. I even tried building a custom wood bracket to keep my hub off the desk for better airflow, but it looked terrible. It is probably overkill but i cant help it. Anyway, just make sure you dont overload those ports or you might regret it. But yeah, hope you get your edit finished.