The Zagg 6-port Media Hub includes a flip-up iPad stand, an HDMI port, a USB-A port and more, with the standout feature being an easily accessible set of media controls. And all this fits into the same space on your desktop as a more conventional tablet stand.
I used the iPad hub/stand in my home for weeks, and it does its job well. That said, a design quirk might limit its appeal.
Zagg 6-port Media Hub review
An iPad can be the heart of your living room entertainment center. With apps for Amazon Prime, Disney+, Apple TV+, etc., you can access all your favorite shows, but you need a way to get them onto a large screen.
The Zagg 6-port Media Hub can be just what you’re looking for. Connect your TV to its HDMI port, and you can lean back and enjoy. The conveniently placed media controls make starting and stopping the show as easy as can be.
Plus, the tablet/hub includes ports so you can easily watch videos or images stored on a USB drive or SD card.
The 6-Port Media Hub enhances your tablet with six ports: HDMI, USB-C PD, USB-A, SD card reader, micro SD card reader, and an audio jack. All these ports allow you to do things like add another screen to your set-up, transfer data quickly between devices, enjoy music and videos, or even charge multiple devices at once. The 6-Port Media Hub also comes with media buttons, making it easy to play music and more, while you work.
- Add six ports to iPad, including HDMI
- Also a stand
- Handy media controls
- Blocks use of iPad speakers
Table of contents: Zagg 6-port Media Hub review
- iPad stand is ready for your living room
- It’s called ‘Zagg 6-port Media Hub’ for a reason
- Problem with the audio port
- Don’t forget the handy media buttons
- Zagg 6-port Media Hub review: Final thoughts
- Pricing
iPad stand is ready for your living room
When folded, the Zagg 6-port Media Hub is 5.5 inches by 4.3 inches by 0.8 inches. It’s small enough to be relatively unobtrusive next to your TV.
Lift a top flap, and it becomes a kickstand for your iPad. The front edge of the tablet fits into a slot near the front edge of the stand. Thanks to the movable flap, the angle the iPad stands upward can vary between leaning backward about 25 degrees and leaning backward about 40 degrees. That’s not a huge range, but it’s nice to have some options.
Underneath that top flap is a storage slot for the hub’s data/power cable. This is only 6 inches long, so getting it to connect to my 13-inch iPad Pro without the tablet needing to rest on the stand off-center requires forcing the cable to bend at a 90-degree angle, which can’t be good for it. Those with 11-inch iPads will have less of a problem.
The cable can be hidden away inside the hub to reduce clutter in your living room, but it also makes the accessory portable. This could be your travel iPad stand plus hub that makes a range of accessories easily accessible.
It’s called ‘Zagg 6-port Media Hub’ for a reason
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
I hope no one is surprised that Zagg’s tablet/hub has six ports. Adding a range of ports to the single USB-C one built into the iPad is wonderfully convenient for connecting a range of accessories and storage options.
The HDMI port supports 4K screens at 60Hz. I tested it with my Innocn 4K display for weeks and never had a problem.
The hub’s USB-A port is convenient for plugging in a keyboard, which is mostly how I used it during testing. But it’s also useful to access movies and images on removable storage. It supports USB 3.2 Gen 2, so data transfers go up to a theoretical max of 10Gbps. In my testing, copying a 1GB file off an SSD took under 3 seconds. A movie played from that drive started in less than a second.
There are also SD and microSD card slots to let you easily copy images and video from a camera. Transferring a 1GB test file to my computer took about 12 seconds. Or you can open files right off the card.
The USB-C port in the Zagg 6-port Media Hub is primarily intended to let you charge your iPad while using the hub. It can provide up to 100W of power, so it’s ready to juice up today’s and future iPad models. But the port is functional for more than recharging. I tested it with a USB-C external SSD drive, and file transfers went blazingly fast. I successfully use a keyboard with it, too.
Problem with the audio jack
I saved the audio jack for the last port to talk about because it’s my least favorite feature in this whole device.
To be clear, its basic functionality is fine. It’s an easy way to connect wired speakers or headphones to your iPad, and the sound is rich and clear. I tested it with my favorite headphones to be sure.
But the Zagg 6-port Media Hub takes over the audio output for the iPad. With the hub connected, there’s no way to use the speakers built into the tablet, even when there’s nothing plugged into the audio jack. Other hubs with audio ports I’ve tested don’t work that way — with those, audio goes through the port only when there’s something plugged into it.
What this means is Zagg’s stand/hub works wonderfully if you’re going to permanently plug speakers into it … which isn’t an unreasonable requirement for a product called a “Media Hub.” But if you’re not, say goodbye to sound from your tablet.
Don’t forget the handy media buttons
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Across the front are a set of media controls that make starting, stopping and jumping through video or audio a snap. These physical buttons are positioned to be easily accessible, which makes them a noticeable improvement over on-screen controls.
Put your iPad in the Zagg 6-port Media Hub and connect it to your TV, and you can easily pause and restart your movie at the press of a button.
Zagg 6-port Media Hub review: Final thoughts
This hub/stand makes it easy to put your iPad at the center of your home entertainment system. Plug your tablet in, plus your TV and a pair of speakers, and you’re ready to watch movies, stream music, look at vacation pictures … it’s up to you.
★★★★☆
The hub’s demand to completely hijack the computer’s audio is a problem, though. And the connecting power/data cable isn’t well-designed.
Pricing
The Zagg 6-Port Media Hub costs $99.99 — not a bad price considering it’s two accessories in one.
Buy it from: Amazon
The 6-Port Media Hub enhances your tablet with six ports: HDMI, USB-C PD, USB-A, SD card reader, micro SD card reader, and an audio jack. All these ports allow you to do things like add another screen to your set-up, transfer data quickly between devices, enjoy music and videos, or even charge multiple devices at once. The 6-Port Media Hub also comes with media buttons, making it easy to play music and more, while you work.
- Add six ports to iPad, including HDMI
- Also a stand
- Handy media controls
- Blocks use of iPad speakers
Zagg provided Cult of Mac with a review unit for this article. See our reviews policy, and check out more in-depth reviews of Apple-related items.
