Question Buy USB Hub

[elegendx]

Hello
I want to buy USB Hub and I'm between the TP-Link UH720 and Logilink UA0229. Which of the two is very good?
For their use I want to be able to connect usb stick and external hard drive.

 

[Paperdoc]

Both have several normal USB 3.2 Gen1 ports (the labels for USB3 have changed), meaning each has a max data transfer rate of 5Gb/s, plenty fast enough for what you plan. Of course, ALL the connected devices must share a single communication channel to the host computer, as is true for all Hubs. Each also has two (TP-Link) or one (Logilink) dedicated "charging ports" useful NOT for data devices but to charge other devices quickly.

The major difference I see is in the power supply module included with each Hub. Any standard USB3 port must supply to its device power at 5 VDC up to 0.9 A max current per port. Now these Hubs each come with power supply "wall warts" that put out 12 VDC, and the Hub converts that to 5 VDC, so we need to do the power calculations in WATTS = Volts x Amps. A standard USB3 port needs to supply up to 4.5W per port. The TP-Link unit has 7 standard ports (max 31.5W) and its power supply provides 12 VDC up to 3.3 A, so just under 40 Watts. That is enough to provide ALL the power for all those ports even when simultaneously fully loaded, plus a bit extra for the charging ports. Not quite enough for max loading on ALL ports simultaneously (the charging ports might need to output 24 W max for two ports), but that never happens.

For the Logilink unit, there are ten normal ports so that is 45W max for those. Its power supply module is rated for 12 VDC at 3.0 A, or 36 W, NOT enough for simultaneous use of all standard ports. PLUS it also has a charging port that might need to output up to 10.5W.

It is NORMAL when you use such a Hub that you may plug into it several devices but use only one to three of them simultaneously. The others are "idling" and using much less than their max power. From a power perspective, the TP-Link is well-equipped for this even if you have one device on a charging port, and will not have any issues. The Logilink unit has a lower power supply limit, but still would do just fine If you are using only 6 or 7 devices at the same time, and maybe something on its charging port. You can decide best how this fits into your plans.

Two further notes on power. Many devices like keyboards, mice, memory sticks, etc, use very little power - not nearly the port limit. Some - especially Laptop Hard Drives - use the max. So that comes into the total power load of the Hub and its connected devices. Regarding Hard Drives, note this. The "Laptop Hard Drives" now sold for USB3 use are specially designed to limit how much power they need, and they DO work just fine when connected to a USB3 standard port. (They do perform a little slower than a desktop HDD because of that design limit on power.) But if you have a common "Extenal Hard Drive" designed for use with a desktop computer, OR if you have made one by mounting a desktop hard drive unit in an enclosure that connects by USB, those drive units need MUCH more power that a Laptop Drive does. That is why these latter types come with their own power supply module that you MUST use, in addition to connecting the USB cable to a computer or Hub for the communication function. When you do that such a drive unit draws very little power from the Hub.

 

[elegendx]

Both have several normal USB 3.2 Gen1 ports (the labels for USB3 have changed), meaning each has a max data transfer rate of 5Gb/s, plenty fast enough for what you plan. Of course, ALL the connected devices must share a single communication channel to the host computer, as is true for all Hubs. Each also has two (TP-Link) or one (Logilink) dedicated "charging ports" useful NOT for data devices but to charge other devices quickly.

The major difference I see is in the power supply module included with each Hub. Any standard USB3 port must supply to its device power at 5 VDC up to 0.9 A max current per port. Now these Hubs each come with power supply "wall warts" that put out 12 VDC, and the Hub converts that to 5 VDC, so we need to do the power calculations in WATTS = Volts x Amps. A standard USB3 port needs to supply up to 4.5W per port. The TP-Link unit has 7 standard ports (max 31.5W) and its power supply provides 12 VDC up to 3.3 A, so just under 40 Watts. That is enough to provide ALL the power for all those ports even when simultaneously fully loaded, plus a bit extra for the charging ports. Not quite enough for max loading on ALL ports simultaneously (the charging ports might need to output 24 W max for two ports), but that never happens.

For the Logilink unit, there are ten normal ports so that is 45W max for those. Its power supply module is rated for 12 VDC at 3.0 A, or 36 W, NOT enough for simultaneous use of all standard ports. PLUS it also has a charging port that might need to output up to 10.5W.

It is NORMAL when you use such a Hub that you may plug into it several devices but use only one to three of them simultaneously. The others are "idling" and using much less than their max power. From a power perspective, the TP-Link is well-equipped for this even if you have one device on a charging port, and will not have any issues. The Logilink unit has a lower power supply limit, but still would do just fine If you are using only 6 or 7 devices at the same time, and maybe something on its charging port. You can decide best how this fits into your plans.

Two further notes on power. Many devices like keyboards, mice, memory sticks, etc, use very little power - not nearly the port limit. Some - especially Laptop Hard Drives - use the max. So that comes into the total power load of the Hub and its connected devices. Regarding Hard Drives, note this. The "Laptop Hard Drives" now sold for USB3 use are specially designed to limit how much power they need, and they DO work just fine when connected to a USB3 standard port. (They do perform a little slower than a desktop HDD because of that design limit on power.) But if you have a common "Extenal Hard Drive" designed for use with a desktop computer, OR if you have made one by mounting a desktop hard drive unit in an enclosure that connects by USB, those drive units need MUCH more power that a Laptop Drive does. That is why these latter types come with their own power supply module that you MUST use, in addition to connecting the USB cable to a computer or Hub for the communication function. When you do that such a drive unit draws very little power from the Hub.

Okay Paperdoc.
Thank you very much 😀