Baseus have loads of promising docking stations and USB-C hubs, a few of which (just like the Baseus UnionJoy Professional) you’ll see us overview over the approaching months — however the EliteJoy Gen2 12-Port Kind-C Hub Adapter isn’t its best.
Whereas this mannequin isn’t prone to make it onto our record of finest USB-C hubs anytime quickly, it’s to not say it isn’t an effort with none positives — it’s merely a product that has one deadly flaw and exists as considerably of an outlier amongst Baseus’ wider catalog.
So the place did all of it go mistaken for the EliteJoy Gen2 USB-C Hub? Let’s discover out.
Baseus EliteJoy Gen2 USB-C Hub worth and availability
The Baseus EliteJoy Gen2 12-Port Kind-C Hub Adapter is out there on the Baseus web site and on Amazon for $89.99.
For USB-C hubs inside an analogous worth vary, now we have Kensington’s $79.99 G1000P USB-C Mini Dock and Targus’ $104.99 USB-C Twin HDMI 4K Docking Station to check towards.
Whereas each these hubs are far more moveable choices, the Baseus hub has them each beat on the quantity and number of ports. Nevertheless, whereas extra in quantity, the ports discovered on the EliteJoy are usually slower than every of its counterparts.
That being stated, the EliteJoy’s distinctive design and performance as a laptop computer stand and a USB-C hub make it far much less of a 1:1 comparability. Whereas the EliteJoy has a particular case use in thoughts, these equally priced hubs lack the identical rigidity and supply extra versatility as a transportable or momentary possibility as an alternative of a static docking station.
Which hub is well worth the asking worth right here is fully all the way down to what you anticipate from it. Nevertheless, Baseus’ trademark pricing is very aggressive, packing a substantial quantity of ports and energy for its price ticket.
Baseus EliteJoy Gen2 USB-C Hub design
I’m an enormous fan of devices, particularly these that may double up on duties. For that cause, the Baseus EliteJoy Gen2 USB-C Hub actually caught my consideration. Not solely is the Baseus EliteJoy an 11-in-1 USB-C hub, but it surely’s additionally a laptop computer stand — elevating your system and selling a extra ergonomic-friendly tilt to cut back wrist fatigue and threat of repetitive pressure accidents (RSIs).
The hub’s 11 x 2.3 x 0.8-inch, wedge-like form is designed to comfortably accommodate 13-inch laptops — although, a generously sized and affixed Kind-C USB 3.1 Gen 1 (5Gbps) host cable can help bigger gadgets for those who don’t thoughts a bit of overhang.
A gentle silicon pad emblazoned with Baseus branding adorns the floor of the hub to advertise a greater grip in your laptop computer and keep away from any potential scuffing or scratching. The hub’s aluminum chassis weighs simply 267 grams (9.4 ounces), however crops itself firmly in your desk via two grippy, rubber toes alongside its base. With the added weight of your laptop computer, unintentional journey received’t be a difficulty.
Every of the hub’s 11 ports level to the rear, making cable administration an easy expertise. Nevertheless, it may be tough to find the best port by contact alone if it’s worthwhile to join one other system or accent whereas your laptop computer is in place.
Regardless that you received’t see a lot of it whereas in use, the Baseus EliteJoy definitely appears the a part of a premium hub. Sturdily constructed and providing a slim and trendy design, I can’t fault the Baseus’ hub from a visible standpoint. It appears nice, and that cable administration? Beautiful. Spot a cable past the host connection, I dare you.
Baseus EliteJoy Gen2 USB-C Hub ports and connectivity
The Baseus EliteJoy Gen2 USB-C Hub is an 11-in-1 port growth for USB-C, USB4, and Thunderbolt laptops.
After hooking up your USB-C laptop computer charger to the Baseus EliteJoy hub, you’ll be left with 10 ports of various varieties to utilize. The speeds on supply received’t blow you away as even the extra fashionable USB-C ports cap out at 5Gbps (~500MBps). Nevertheless, the choice of ports on supply is kind of good, with a strong mixture of legacy, show, and knowledge I/O to choose from.
The enterprise finish of the hub options all of the ports on supply together with
- (Host, wired) 1 x Kind-C USB 3.1 Gen 1 (5Gbps, 100W of Energy Supply)
- (Energy) 1 x Kind-C (20V, 5A)
- 3 x Kind-A USB 3.0 (5Gbps)
- 1 x Kind-C USB 3.1 Gen 1 (5Gbps, Knowledge solely)
- 1 x HDMI 1.4 (Helps shows as much as 4K @ 30Hz)
- 1 x HDMI 2.0 (Helps shows as much as 4K @ 60Hz)
- 1 x DisplayPort 1.2 (Helps shows as much as 4K @ 60Hz)
- 1 x Gigabit Ethernet (RJ45)
- 1 x SD Card reader
- 1 x MicroSD Card reader
- 1 x 3.5mm audio out jack
Positive, the port choice here’s a little on the sluggish facet and it probably will not lower the mustard for customers with loads of exterior storage wants. Nevertheless, its selection can’t be denied. Past choosing an audio out as an alternative of a 3.5mm audio combo jack there’s not an excessive amount of to choose at close to choice.
Baseus EliteJoy Gen2 USB-C Hub efficiency
Relating to equipment, docks, and hubs just like the Baseus EliteJoy, there’s no testing like real-world testing. I used to be all set to discover a dwelling for this hub over the approaching week and put it to the take a look at. Sadly, a bit of factor known as the legal guidelines of thermodynamics had different plans in thoughts.
I sometimes run hubs and docks via the identical battery of checks, certainly one of which includes hooking the whole lot up and leaving the hub or dock to energy my machine whereas it runs via YouTube movies in a single day. I’ll then abandon my publish and go about my life, able to return the following day and test on the battery stage.
I sometimes run this take a look at hooked as much as a small 13-inch, 39W laptop computer, which needs to be greater than accommodated by a docking station or hub that advertises as much as 100W of Energy Supply. Nevertheless, after I returned to the Baseus EliteJoy Gen2 USB-C Hub the next morning the laptop computer was utterly useless.
I checked via the connections, the ability sockets, and the laptop computer charger related to the hub. I left no stone unturned in looking for out why the EliteJoy had failed in such a means. That’s till I reconnected the whole lot and tried once more, this time staying put to see what would occur.
The primary hour or so of utilizing the Baseus EliteJoy doesn’t appear to be a lot of a difficulty. The ports labored advantageous, my exterior monitor ran easily whereas related to the hub, and the improved ergonomics made typing away on the laptop computer a deal with. However over the course of that hour, issues began to get heat. Heat to the purpose the place the floor of the laptop computer turns into uncomfortable to the touch. Heat to the purpose the place the laptop computer’s followers started firing up so loud you’d swear takeoff was imminent.
Because it seems, the design of the Baseus EliteJoy had one main flaw — warmth. Not solely was the hub producing a substantial quantity of warmth by itself, however the laptop computer it housed was doing in order effectively. Mixed, the 2 had fashioned some kind of air-frying hell within the hole beneath. The place beforehand there was an 11-port, ergonomic, workstation at my fingertips, there was now a tiny open-air kiln that might be used to successfully bake pottery for doll homes.
The thermal build-up was so dangerous that it induced appreciable efficiency drops earlier than the hub determined to cease providing a cost to the host laptop computer altogether. As a substitute, it started to disregard the Energy Supply enter from my laptop computer charger fully and siphon energy instantly from the host with a purpose to maintain itself operational.
I risked the identical outcomes with a extra highly effective laptop computer solely to see the consequences worsen significantly. Merely put, the Baseus EliteJoy is a incredible thought on paper, however a nightmare in actuality. That may be a disgrace, because it seemed nice, took up subsequent to no further desk area, and offered loads of ports for my day by day peripherals.
Outlook
The Baseus EliteJoy was a catastrophe throughout testing. There’s no telling what the influence of extended utilization beneath these thermal situations might be, however what I do know is that I wasn’t comfy risking it for an excessive amount of longer.
Whereas I can applaud Baseus for his or her design and intentions, the EliteJoy’s practicality is rendered moot by poor thermal administration. The EliteJoy would make for a reasonably helpful free-standing hub, although its elongated type would then turn out to be cumbersome and awkward to place on most desks.
After taking the EliteJoy for a take a look at drive I can’t in good religion suggest it. Nevertheless, after having spoken with a Baseus consultant about these points, the model reacted positively to the criticisms and hopes to do higher if it continues with any additional revisions.
Whether or not or not the docking station laptop computer stand mixture is a kind of ideas that fly a bit of too near the solar to be really efficient stays to be seen, however I’m greater than keen to offer the following effort a shot if Baseus can discover methods to resolve these thermal hurdles.
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