[New Release] PowerExpand Direct 6-in-1 | Anker's First USB-C Adapter Made for iPad Pro is Now Available!

Insider · May 6, 2020, 4:32am

Anker has just released its first USB-C adapter made for iPad Pro… Take a look at PowerExpand Direct 6-in-1!

Features & details

Massive Expansion: Make the most of your iPad Pro with the addition of 6 ports, allowing you to transfer data in seconds, stream media in unrivaled clarity, and provide high-speed pass-through charging.
Crystal Clear Video and Audio: The HDMI output lets you connect to any TV or display with an HDMI port to stream video in up to 4K@60Hz resolution, while the 3.5 mm headphone jack supports full digital 48kHz/16-bit transmission for a completely unhindered listening experience.
Universal SD Card Compatibility: The SD and microSD card slots support virtually all SD card formats for seamless access to photos and other media files.
Transfer Files in Seconds: Sync full movies, seasons of TV, or an entire photo library at speeds up to 5 Gbps via the USB-A port.
High-Speed Pass-Through Charging: Connect a 38W or above USB-C Power Delivery charger and USB-C to C cable to the hub’s USB-C port to provide full-speed pass-through charging to your iPad Pro, all while keeping the full functionality of the hub’s other ports.

Pricing and Availability: Anker’s PowerExpand Direct 6-in-1 is available to order now from amazon.com for $59.99 and should begin shipping immediately.

What are your thoughts on Anker’s first USB-C adapter made for iPad Pro? Be sure to let us know with a reply!

TechMan · March 19, 2020, 9:33pm

Ahh, just another thing I would have to spend money on if I get the new iPad Pro

Thanks for sharing!

Shenoy · March 19, 2020, 9:42pm

Nice new release… thanks for sharing!

like Techman said… if I get an iPad Pro, I will definitely spend for this USB-C hub

professor · March 19, 2020, 9:51pm

Not a criticism of this dongle, nor necessarily of the iPad, it is of peopling buying a tablet which is meant to do a few things and trying to make it do more. Should buy a laptop instead with all the ports to your needs.

There are different ways to solve some of these issues.

Shenoy · March 20, 2020, 12:04am

Great New application of RPi 4 new usage!

ikari04warrior · March 20, 2020, 2:26am

Seems like it will be a hit

TechMan · March 20, 2020, 12:19pm

The iPad Pro really is capable of replacing a lot of people’s laptops…

professor · March 20, 2020, 2:05pm

If you’re eluding to the processing power, yes, most collectively own way more processing power than we need, and yes a new tablet can do a lot

I meant if you buy a tablet use it as such as by the time you add keyboard , dongles, it ends up more expensive than a laptop.

Insider · March 20, 2020, 7:47pm

There’s another key reason more people don’t choose iPad, @professor. Despite some gradual improvements Apple has made to the software over the past few years, there still aren’t very many professional applications that most people who pay over $1000 for a computer are looking for… For example, Adobe products are limited, there’s no Final Cut Pro, and even the Office 365 software is lacking compared to its desktop counterparts.

Insider · May 6, 2020, 4:32am

UPDATE

Anker’s PowerExpand Direct 6-in-1 is now available to order from amazon.com for $59.99 and should begin shipping immediately.

professor · May 9, 2020, 7:00am

In hindsight, and seeing other hub reviews, feedback, they should offer a bundle with the other parts to make that photo of imagined use case viable.

They’ll need to be an above average USB-PD charger to power the hub with enough spare power to pass-thru to the ipad, so a charger higher than the one an iPad needs.

Then the display and other devices, that looks like a Powerstrip opportunity, so again, does one of their Powerstrips have high enough USB-PD port to be the above PD hub input?

What the photo is not showing is the iPad battery is draining fast and there’s no USB-PD input to the hub.

The lack of a bundle will simply cause the power problem to be in negative reviews, the 38W thing will not be understood by majority of consumers who will for example plug in the ipad’s charger and complain the ipad battery is draining. The bundled iPad charger is 18W, less than 38W so most people by default will find the hub does not work.

The simplest way for Anker to head off, solve preemptively, is to edit the Amazon listing to point explicitly to recommend one of their Powerstrip or Powerport towards the higher end of Power. They’d make more $$ too. Or to add a new SKU with a bundle.

Think it through. You have this:

Combined with this:

Means by my calculation you’ll need a minimum 65W to have both highest speed iPad charging and power the hub with peripherals?

So this?

I’m not seeing a Powerstrip with 65W PD? The most powerful shipping has 45W, so not enough.

So that’s my recommendation, point to and/or bundle the 60W charger so users of the hub get maximum benefit.

Insider · May 9, 2020, 4:00am

This does not support 65W PD output anyway, only 45W.

professor · May 9, 2020, 7:10am

Thanks, edited my error out.

Anker’s hubs create the problem the higher Wattage PD chargers are scarce and expensive. I can hear from the future all the negative hub reviews from this charger lack.

Dez_S · May 9, 2020, 6:29pm

Competitively priced. Looks like a USB-C hub that I already own for my iPad Pro 11".

I use my iPad daily and works perfectly for my needs as a photographer when traveling, minus the weight of a laptop.

professor · May 9, 2020, 7:51pm

I may have made a mistake mis-reading. Does this mean the hub takes 8W for itself, the iPad full speed charging is 30W, so total 38W minimum for fastest charging, so say a 45W charger?

If you connected 30W what would happen? Not function or pass 22W so not quite full charging?

What benefit is there with connecting 60W if the iPad cannot benefit from more than 30W.

This is the biggest risk, need to clarify before purchase.

Insider · May 12, 2020, 9:34pm

Currently just $47.99 with code CHUBA8362.

juggleypaul · September 2, 2020, 8:28am

I’m fairly confused as to why the graphic on the page says “:60w Max Input”. From my basic knowledge of electronics a PSU can supply as many watts as it likes because electronic devices draw power from power supplies, power supplies don’t push power to devices. So as long as the voltage is right for the device, the wattage shouldn’t be an issue as long as it’s enough to power the device. So an 87w MacBook Pro usb-c Power adaptor should work with this as it will only draw what it needs. Or am I wrong?

TechMan · September 2, 2020, 2:08pm

The iPad Pro can only support 60w PD input. If you use a higher wattage charger, only 60w will be delivered to the iPad. It’s safe to use a higher wattage PD charger, as the iPad will only take the 60w that it is safe to take.

Does that answer your question?

professor · September 2, 2020, 5:19pm

Two different Watts here.

True the Device will have a max it draws and it should not draw more than it’s max. So if a device has a max of 60W it won’t draw more than 60W.

Introduce a hub.

If the hub is a max of 60W and the device attached is max of 60W then as the hub takes power for itself, then less than 60W gets to the device attached to the hub.

So if you’re adding a hub you either must have a hub and charger which supports a higher max than your device, or accept your device will get less than it’s maximum.

Similarly if you attach peripherals to a device, its fastest recharge time is lowered by some of its input then being diverted to the peripherals. It’s just that the trend in devices is fewer ports, so more of an argument for hubs so it reverses the problem.

Insider · September 2, 2020, 5:08pm

Pretty sure iPad Pro can only accept up to 30W.