Article 5E9TH Need a USB-C hub for your Chromecast with Google TV? No problem!

Need a USB-C hub for your Chromecast with Google TV? No problem!

by
Ara Wagoner
from Latest from Android Central on (#5E9TH)

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.

Hook it all upAUKEY Link PD Pro USB-C Hub

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Staff pick

This has been our 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.

$38 at Amazon

USB-C data inputAnker PowerExpand 6-in-1 USB C PD Ethernet Hub

ankery-powerexpand-6-in-1-usb-c-hub.jpg

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 you can hook up everything.

$46 at Amazon

Fan favoriteVemont Premium 5-in-1 Type-C Hub

vemont-5-in-1-usb-c-hub.jpg

Vemont's hub has been strenuously tested by /r/Chromecast with a variety of 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.

$22 at Amazon

More than you needTOTU 9-In-1 Type-C Hub with Ethernet

totu-9-in-1-usb-c-hub.jpg

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.

$30 at Amazon

No ethernetAnker PowerExpand+ 7-in-1 USB C Hub

anker-7-in-10-usb-c-hub.png

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 maybe a webcam for video chatting, this slim model is for you.

$26 at Amazon

More power requiredRAVPower GaN PD 90W Wall Charger

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There are very hubs that work when you're using the included USB-A power brick your Chromecast with Google TV came with. Grab this dual-port monster and have plenty of power to spare for your hub and external drives.

$55 at Amazon

Not all USB-C hubs are created

chromecast-with-google-tv-aukey-usb-c-hu

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.

chromecast-with-google-tv-hub-plugged-in

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. The RAVPower 90W charger mentioned above is what I personally use to power my Chromecast with Google TV and my Aukey Link PD Pro, and it hasn't given me any issues yet.

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