The Anker 555 USB-C Hub (8-in-1) meets
the Hiearcool USB-C Hub (7-in-1)
Eight balanced ports, Ethernet, and 4K at 60Hz for around $50. We tested it head-to-head against the Hiearcool USB-C Hub (7-in-1) across 6 key dimensions.
Anker 555 USB-C Hub (8-in-1)
“Eight balanced ports, Ethernet, and 4K at 60Hz for around $50”
Hiearcool USB-C Hub (7-in-1)
“The travel-basics hub two labs picked, at around $20”
Head-to-Head Breakdown
Strengths & Weaknesses
Anker 555 USB-C Hub (8-in-1)
- PCWorld's Best Overall and TechGearLab's top lab score at 85 out of 100, the widest reviewer consensus in the group
- Eight ports including Gigabit Ethernet, dual card readers, and 10Gbps USB-C and USB-A data
- Drives a 4K display at 60Hz over HDMI, which many sub-$50 hubs cannot
- 85W passthrough trails the Plugable's 125W for charging larger laptops
- Macworld noted it can get warm during sustained use
- The SD reader is UHS-I, so it is slower than the UHS-II readers on premium hubs
Hiearcool USB-C Hub (7-in-1)
- PCWorld's Best Budget pick and TechGearLab's Best Travel hub, the only budget model two labs agreed on
- 100W passthrough charging that PCWorld called a standout for the price
- Aluminum shell at 1.8 oz, one of the lightest and most packable hubs here
- No Ethernet and no USB-C data port, so it covers only the basics
- USB-A ports top out at 5Gbps, half the Anker 555's speed
- HDMI is limited to 4K at 30Hz, and the SD and microSD slots cannot be used at the same time
The Verdict
Our Bottom Line
The Anker 555 8-in-1 won because it is the hub the most reviewers keep landing on. PCWorld named it Best Overall, Macworld called it the great-value pick, and TechGearLab gave it their top lab score of 85 out of 100 after testing 13 hubs side by side. No other portable hub earned top billing from three independent outlets.
Anker 555 USB-C Hub (8-in-1)
The Anker 555 8-in-1 won because it is the hub the most reviewers keep landing on. PCWorld named it Best Overall, Macworld called it the great-value pick, and TechGearLab gave it their top lab score of 85 out of 100 after testing 13 hubs side by side. No other portable hub earned top billing from three independent outlets.
- You want one hub that handles displays, wired internet, storage, and charging
- You connect an external SSD and want real 10Gbps transfer speeds
- You drive a 4K monitor and want a smooth 60Hz refresh
- You value the broadest reviewer consensus and a known brand
- You want mainstream capability without paying premium-hub prices
Hiearcool USB-C Hub (7-in-1)
The Hiearcool 7-in-1 won on value because it is the only budget hub two labs independently endorsed. PCWorld made it their Best Budget pick and TechGearLab named it Best Travel, scoring it 74 out of 100 with a 9.0 for portability. It sells for around $20, less than half the Anker 555.
- You want the lightest hub for travel at the lowest price
- You mainly need HDMI, a couple of USB-A ports, and card readers
- You want 100W passthrough charging without spending $50
- You rarely move large files and do not need Ethernet
- You want a spare hub to leave in a bag permanently