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Best
USB-C hub for Chromecast with Google TV
Android Central
2021
The Chromecast with Google TV is a great little streaming box, but it only has one port on it: a single USB-C port through which the device is powered. If you want to add extra storage to the internal 8GB or you want to add Ethernet for faster speeds and fewer buffering issues, you’ll need to get a USB-C hub that offers up a plethora of ports and pass-through charging to ensure your Chromecast with Google TV has the power it needs, too.
Fan favorite:
Vemont Premium 5-in-1 Type-C Hub
Staff Pick
Vemont’s hub has been strenuously tested by /r/Chromecast with various power supplies, including the standard Google TV power brick. While it’s only a 5-in-1, it has Ethernet and three USB-A ports.
USB-C data input:
Anker PowerExpand 6-in-1 USB C PD Ethernet Hub
If you have a big external drive that uses USB-C, there are very few hubs that support it. Anker’s PowerExpand 6-in-1, however, offers both a PD pass-through port and a USB-C data input so that you can hook up everything.
Hook it all up:
AUKEY Link PD Pro CBC71 8 in 1 USB C Hub with Ethernet Port
This has been my favorite USB-C hub for Chromebooks for over a year, but it works perfectly well with the Chromecast with Google TV, allowing you to plug in Ethernet as well as three USB-A peripherals and a microSD card.
More than you need:
TOTU 9-In-1 Type-C Hub with Ethernet
You won’t need the HDMI port on here, but there’s Ethernet, three USB-A ports, Power Delivery pass-through, and both micro and full-size SD card slots. Just make sure you get a beefy power supply.
No Ethernet:
Anker PowerExpand+ 7-in-1 USB C Hub
Anker makes a wide, wide array of USB-C hubs, but this one is best for users who don’t need wired internet. If you just want to hook up an external drive or a webcam for video chatting, this slim model is for you.
We need more power!:
Baseus 45W PD Fast Charging Wall Charger
There are very few hubs that work when you’re using the included USB-A power brick your Chromecast with Google TV came with, so step up to this 45W Power Delivery charger instead. It even comes with a C-to-C cable to plug into your USB-C hub because the USB-A port is not 45W, just the USB-C.
Not all USB-C hubs are created equal
I’d love to tell you that you can dig out your Chromebook’s USB-C hub and just plug it into your Chromecast with Google TV. In fact, our favorite Chromebook hub, the Aukey Link PD Pro, works fabulously with either one. Unfortunately, the reality is that not every USB-C hub is compatible, and that compatibility is also impacted by what you’re using to power your Google TV setup.
Because Google needed to save every penny it could to keep that low price point on the Chromecast with Google TV, it shipped with a dinky USB-A power brick rather than a USB-C Power Delivery charger. This brick is powerful enough to run the Chromecast with Google TV, but it doesn’t have enough leftover power to power most USB-C hubs. Since the charging tech it uses isn’t Power Delivery, most hubs don’t recognize the full power and don’t pass it along properly. If you need a hub that works with the in-box power supply, your best bet is the Vemont Premium 5-in-1 Type-C Hub, which has been tested by multiple users in r/Chromecast over the last few months.
If you’re going to use a USB-C hub with your Chromecast with Google TV, you need more power, so do yourself a favor, and please grab either a 65W Power Delivery Charger or a 90-100W Power Delivery Charger so that you ensure that even if your USB-C hub pulls a few watts and your external drive pulls a few more, you still have plenty of power for everything to run properly. I use a 45W charger with my Chromecast with Google TV, and it hasn’t given me any trouble yet.
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