Satechi Multiport 8K V3 USB-C Hub Test: the almost perfect ally for Apple MacBooks

Satechi is an accessories manufacturer that offers products of all kinds, whether chargers, USB hubs or charging stations, using Apple’s marketing codes. Its accessories are therefore designed exclusively for “fruity” products, such as Mac Mini docking stations, and/or available in the appropriate colors. It is thus possible to acquire a USB-C hub perfectly matched to the latest MacBook Pro, that is to say in silver gray, space gray or space black.

The Multiport 8K V3 is the latest compact USB-C hub from Satechi. It exclusively features USB-C ports and is equipped for the first time with a UHS-II standard SD card reader. Enough to delight photographers thanks to the speeds allowed. If you absolutely need full-size USB ports (USB-A), you will have to turn to the previous version, the Multiport 4K V2.

Construction & Ergonomics

The USB-C Multiport Adapter 8K With Ethernet V3 (its full name) is a USB-C hub that allows you to extend the connectivity of a computer equipped with a USB-C port. Its format is relatively compact: 11.4 x 5.4 x 1.1 cm, similar to that of an external SSD. The braided cable is relatively short since it measures just under 14 cm excluding the plug. The whole thing weighs 120g so will easily fit alongside a laptop when traveling.

In terms of port distribution, there is an HDMI port and three USB-C ports on one side, while on the other side there is a fourth USB-C port next to the SD card reader. Finally, at the end of the hub, sit an RJ45 port and the Power Delivery compatible USB-C port.

The supported standards correspond to an HDMI 2.0 port, which makes it possible to announce 8K 30 Hz compatibility which will only be useful for viewing videos. We will therefore prefer to use 4K 60 Hz, while gamers will turn to Full HD 120 Hz definition. The USB-C sockets are distributed equally with two ports capable of transmitting data at 5 Gb/s, the other two at 10 Gbps.

Satechi had the good idea of ​​integrating a full-format SD card reader supporting the UHS-II standard, the theoretical limit of which peaks at 312 MB/s. The RJ45 port, more conservative, is satisfied with the Gigabit standard. Finally, the USB-C Power Delivery port, which transmits power from your charger to your PC, is limited to 85 W, more than enough to power the majority of laptops.

The Satechi Multiport 8K V3 has an aluminum shell responsible for evenly releasing calories from its components. We recorded a temperature of 40°C after a day of work connected to our MacBook Air M1.

Performance

To evaluate the performance of the Satechi Multiport 8K V3, we connected a 4K TV, a Crucial X8 external SSD, an Ethernet cable and an SD card capable of up to 300 MB/s.

On the 10 Gb/s USB-C ports, our SSD reached its maximum speed of 1055 MB/s, a value very close to the 10 Gb/s USB-C standard. Logically, the 5 Gb/s USB-C ports are almost half as fast and our SSD could not exceed 546 MB/s.

Nothing to report on the side of the Ethernet port to the Gigabit standard with a deposit of 976 Mb/s recorded by connecting to our local network at 2.5 Gb/s.

The UHS-II standard SD card reader allowed a throughput of around 280 MB/s on our PNY X Pro 90 card. This significant value will delight videographers and photographers in a hurry.

Finally, we had no trouble connecting our computer to our 4K TV with a refresh rate of 120 Hz; the HDMI 2.0 standard is therefore perfectly respected.