In case you missed it, we recently reviewed two other members of the Moshi Q Wireless Charging Collection: the Otto Q and Porta Q 5K. Our Moshi Symbus Q review takes a look at the third device in the collection: a stylish and compact USB-C hub with wireless charging.
Specifications
The Moshi Symbus Q Compact USB-C Dock With Wireless Charging has the following features and specifications:
- Compact docking station for any USB-C or Thunderbolt 3-equipped laptop.
- Thunderbolt-3 compatible and 100% plug-n-play, no drivers needed.
- Qi-certified wireless charging.
- Supports Apple 7.5 W and Samsung 9 W wireless fast charging.
- Charges through cases up to 5 mm thick.
- HDMI port for adding an external display (4K@30Hz, 1080p@60Hz).
- Gigabit Ethernet port for wired data transfer up to 1000 Mbps.
- 2 USB-A ports for connecting a keyboard, mouse, or hard drive.
- USB ports offer data transfer at rates up to 5 Gbps (USB 3.1 Gen 1).
- High-speed USB port for charging your smartphone or tablet (2.1A).
- Full USB PD function for fast-charging USB-C laptops (up to 60 W).
- Integrated Smart LED charging indicator.
- Dimensions: 4.57″ x 2.83″ x 1.26″ (11.6 x 7.2 x 3.2 cm)
- Weight: 23.28 oz (660 g)
What’s in the box
- Moshi Symbus Q
- Power Adapter
- Power Cord
- Quick Start Guide
Design
The Moshi Symbus Q Compact USB-C Dock with Wireless Charging definitely fits in with the rest of the Moshi Q Wireless Charging Collection. While sporting a similar look, it is by far the highest quality device of the bunch. This is apparent the moment you take it out of the box due to its heft.
The Symbus Q has the same Nordic Gray fabric top as the other two wireless chargers in the series. Instead of a silicone ring that mirrors the shape of the device, the silicone strips on the top of the Symbus Q portray a cubic design.
The top 7/8-inches of this USB-C hub is crafted from aluminum and is finished in the brushed aluminum style. The top edge which angles into the fabric top surface is finished to expose the shiny silver of the aluminum. The front side houses the two USB-A 3.1 Gen 1 outlets, one high-speed (2.1A) for smartphone or tablet charging. To the left of this is the Moshi logo printed in white with a small LED light on the far left to indicate it is plugged in and powered on.
The left and right sides are smooth with no ports. The back side houses (from left to right) the RJ-45 Ethernet adapter, full-size HDMI port, and the power port.
The bottom of the hub, as well as a 3/8-inch tall base, are constructed of a fairly solid black plastic. The attached USB-C cable extrudes out the back of the base. The bottom of the base is covered with a black silicone pad for added grip when placed on your desk. The USB-C cable is plastic wrapped — given the attention to the design we would have loved to see it fabric wrapped — and the USB-C plug on the end is cased in aluminum as well.
As far as USB-C hubs go, this one definitely takes the cake as far as looks and visual appeal is concerned. With many newer laptops being designed with limited ports, USB-C hubs are becoming more popular than ever. While the Moshi Symbus Q does add a few more ports, there are many other USB-C hubs out there that offer even more. That being said, depending on your needs, a couple of USB-A, an RJ-45, and HDMI port may be plenty enough.
Ease of Use
As with any other USB-C hub, the Moshi Symbus Q is pretty much plug-and-play. Simply connect the included power adapter into the USB-C hub and plug it into a wall outlet. Once that’s done, plug the USB-C cable into a free USB-C Thunderbolt port on your laptop and you’re good to go.
Once it’s connected, you can plug in USB-A devices like keyboards and mice, USB drives, Ethernet cables, and an external monitor via HDMI.
Performance
Performance is definitely important when it comes to USB-C hubs. After all, what’s the point of adding extra ports if they’re lacking speed and performance. Just to recap, the Symbus Q performance features include:
- Supports Apple 7.5 W and Samsung 9 W wireless fast charging.
- HDMI port for adding an external display (4K@30Hz, 1080p@60Hz).
- Gigabit Ethernet port for wired data transfer up to 1000 Mbps.
- 2 USB-A ports for connecting a keyboard, mouse, or hard drive.
- Full USB PD function for fast-charging USB-C laptops (up to 60 W).
As far as wireless charging is concerned, we only had a Pixel 3 to test that out on. During our tests, wireless charging did seem to be about the same as other wireless charging pads we tested with the Pixel 3. On that note, in case you’re unaware, the Pixel 3 is limited to 5W of wireless charging on chargers that don’t integrate Google’s proprietary technology.
When connected to a 4K monitor, we had no issues getting the indicated refresh rates. While 30Hz isn’t the greatest, it’s decent enough for web browsing, videos, and basic office tasks.
The USB-A ports worked fine as well with data transfers from a USB drive reaching similar speeds as if plugged directly into the laptop. Keyboards and mice both worked as expected when plugged into the USB-C hub as well.
I normally use my laptop wirelessly but when connected to the Symbus Q with an Ethernet cable attached, my connection speed was about the same as my wired desktop testing station. Finally, the hub also offers up USB PD (power delivery) functionality to a maximum of 60W. Unfortunately, my laptop requires 90W so it obviously complained that it was using an underpowered source.
Overall, I really didn’t have any issues with the performance of the Moshi Symbus Q USB-C hub.
Price/Value
Most USB-C hubs fall into the sub-US$50 range while those with power delivery reach upwards of $100 or so. The Moshi Symbus Q has an MSRP of $164.95 which is approaching the lower end of USB-C docking station price points. For as slick as it looks, the fact it has wireless charging capabilities, and as wonderfully constructed it is, the Symbus Q lacks the ports of USB-C docking stations and, therefore, falls closer to USB-C hubs with power delivery.
Unfortunately, it is much higher priced than other competitors without the wireless charging functionality, but, of course, it’s up to you to decide if the solid build quality and wireless charging surface are worth the price difference.
Wrap-up
If you’ve got money to spare and are looking for a compact, yet stylish, USB-C hub with wireless charging, the Moshi Symbus Q easily fits the bill.
*We were sent a sample of the Moshi Symbus Q Compact USB-C Dock With Wireless Charging for the purposes of this review. In some of our articles and especially in our reviews, you will find Amazon or other affiliate links. Running a website does take money, along with time. Any purchases you make through these links often result in a small amount being earned for the site and/or our writers.
Last Updated on February 3, 2021.
