Lauco’s surprisingly feature rich USB-C hub launches on Kickstarter
Laptops feature fewer and fewer ports these days, with some like the MacBook featuring a single USB-C port that doubles as its charging port (luckily the Air and Pro aren’t as bad). Most laptops are not in such dire shape, but SD card readers, Ethernet jacks, and HDMI ports are almost always missing from the newest ultralights.
USB-C hubs are a dime a dozen, but almost all of them have major limitations. They’ll limit your charging abilities to somewhere around 65 watts, which is fine for many notebooks but not enough for some. And almost every time, the HDMI port only supports output at 4K30, and 4K30 isn’t very usable with a computer.
Lauco aims to change that with what they call the “smallest and most powerful” USB-C charging hub around. These hubs are made out of tempered glass and aluminum alloy. There are two versions, an 8-in-1 and a larger 12-in-1. Both feature up to 100W charging (85W at the laptop and the rest reserved for other functions), a 10W wireless charger on top, a 4K60 HDMI port, dual USB-C 3.0 5Gbps ports, a USB-A 3.0 5Gbps port, and an SD/microSD UHS-1 card reader. The larger version adds a second 4K60 HDMI port (though they run at 4K30 each when both used), two extra USB-A 3.0 ports, and a 1Gbps Ethernet jack. The smaller is around 85 x 130mm while the larger one is around 105 x 170mm.
Besides being used for a laptop, you can also use it with your phone if it features a desktop mode. And when not in use as a hub, you can use it as a plain old wireless charger. Even when you’re not near an outlet, this hub can wirelessly charge your phone at five watts when plugged into a computer. This hub packs a ton of features into a surprisingly small package and will make for a great travel accessory.
The Kickstarter for the Lauco hub has just launched and you can still pick up your choice of hub for 50% off. An 8-in-1 hub will cost you $59 while the 12-in-1 will cost you $75. After those limited pledges are taken up the price goes up to $69 and $89 respectively. Both also come with a short and beefy C to C cable as well as a drawstring pouch for keeping it safe. Hit the link below to check it out!
Source: Kickstarter