In one look
Expert Rating
Benefits
- Equipped with HDMI and DisplayPort
- USB with 10 Gbit/s
The inconvenients
- UHS-I memory card reader only
- USB ports do not provide charging
- Port labels are difficult to read
Our verdict
With the Anker 565, Mac users have a great USB-C hub that they can’t do much wrong with.
Best Price Today: Anker 565 11-in-1 USB-C Hub
$65.99
11 ports on a hub sounds like a lot, and it’s a number more often associated with a full Mac docking station. The Anker 565 is a smaller, more portable solution than a docking station, measuring 5.4 x 2.2 x 0.6 inches (13.7 x 5.7 x 1.4 centimeters). The 565 has its ports spread out along three edges of its square design.
On one side, there are two USB-A 2.0 ports for peripherals like a keyboard and mouse, a USB-A 3.2 port, and a USB-C 3.2 port, both rated at 10Gbps and suitable for storage and other devices that require faster speeds. The USB 3.2 ports offer impressive performance, with data transfer rates of 827MB/s (write) and 864MB/s (read) with a LaCie Rugged Mini SSD.
It’s important to note that the USB-A and USB-C ports don’t charge devices, but that brings us to the ports on the other side of the 565. You’ll find a USB-C PD input port where you can plug in a 100-watt power supply, which then charges the MacBook it’s connected to at 85 watts. You’ll need to supply your own USB-C power supply. Next to the USB-C PD input port are an SD (UHS-I) and microSD card reader, a DisplayPort, and an HDMI port.
Both the DisplayPort and HDMI ports support 4K displays at 60Hz. However, you can only use one display at a time to get those specs. The hub worked when I tested with the BenQ SW272U and SW321C 4K displays. The memory card reader stays within the UHS-I specification, with a maximum of 79MB/s (write) and 91MB/s (read) measured with a Kingston Canvas Go Plus.
The third side of the 565 has a 3.5mm audio jack and a Gigabit Ethernet connection with two activity LEDs. The Gigabit Ethernet port achieved data transfer rates of 62MB/s (write) and 63MB/s (read) when tested with a network attached storage device.
The 565 features an attractive plastic case with an attached nylon braided USB-C cable. The ports are labeled, but the color choice of the labels makes them difficult to read against the dark silver case.
Should you buy the Anker 565 USB-C hub?
The Anker 565 USB-C Hub is a good solution when you need more than what a MacBook Pro or Air offers. You can’t use the USB ports for charging, but that’s okay if your devices don’t need charging or have their own power supply.
Anker’s PowerExpand 555 8-in-1 USB-C hub is a bit cheaper (around $15) but has fewer ports, and we think the 565 offers the best value.
If you need USB ports that charge, more USB-C ports, or Thunderbolt capability, consider a Thunderbolt dock in our roundup.
This article was originally published in our sister publication Macwelt and has been translated and localized from German.
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