USB-C Hub with PD (Power Delivery) and M1 iMac

Question

USB-C Hub with PD (Power Delivery) and M1 iMac

Hi everyone,

there’s an M1 iMac which needs a few additional USB-C ports. So I was thinking about adding a USB-C hub like this one:

I need to connect devices which need power via USB. The specs of the hub say:

Power Delivery (PD): 3.0
Battery Charging (BC): 1.2
4 x USB 3.0 Ports with Charging (BC 1.2) if you connect a power supply to the USB-C PD Port
Charge your notebook computer with the USB-C PD Port

I understand that this use case is meant for MacBooks and not the iMac. Since the iMac does not need Power Delivery is it still safe to plug this hub into the iMac while there’s a power supply connected to the hub? I could go without the power supply, but this would limit me to connecting only low power input devices like a keyboard or mouse.

Any experiences with this kind of setup you can share?

iMac Line (2012 and Later)

Posted on Nov 3, 2021 2:04 AM

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Answer 1

Nov 3, 2021 6:13 AM in response to tbirdvet

I would normally go with your view, but the idea of having a portable hub which can also be used as a powered desktop hub is nice and the specs say

4 x USB 3.0 Ports with Charging (BC 1.2) if you connect a power supply to the USB-C PD Port

which implies that it is required to connect a power supply to power the USB devices connected to it. Maybe I should’ve asked: Is such a setup smart enough to detect that the iMac does not need any power and only the hub’s ports will be powered?

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Answer 2

tbirdvet

Level 6

16,939 points

Nov 3, 2021 5:38 AM in response to Björn Herrmann

The power supply connected to this hub is for charging the laptop and does not help the hardware connected to this hub being supplied power. What you want for your iMac is a powered hub that has the ports you need. It can be a simple USB-C hub with its own power supply or a larger hub from Caldigit or Kensington that has various ports like USB and TB. Here its a hub I use that gives some addition ports:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B081HQLMH4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

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Answer 3

hcsitas

Level 6

13,964 points

Nov 3, 2021 8:10 AM in response to Björn Herrmann

It's bad english - what they mean by the USB-C PD port is that it's an Upstream port that connects to the Host, in your case an iMac. Whether it works or not, I can't say, but it's certainly safe to check it out. If you proceed, be sure it comes with a no-questions-asked full money back return policy. I would avoid it IIWY. All the best!

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Answer 4

Nov 3, 2021 8:46 AM in response to hcsitas

Thanks, I’ll just give it a try. If it’s not working I’ll go the route of a traditional desktop hub with its own power supply. It is not for myself. I only use Thunderbolt Docks with Ethernet and every port I need. It’s for someone who does not want to spend a lot of money.

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Answer 5

hcsitas

Level 6

13,964 points

Nov 3, 2021 8:53 AM in response to Björn Herrmann

You'r welcome.

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USB-C Hub with PD (Power Delivery) and M1 iMac

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