CableCreation CD0787 6-in-1 USB-C Adapter review

CableCreation CD0787 review: keep USB-C data separate from laptop charging

The CD0787 addresses a common frustration with small hubs: a USB-C-shaped socket often accepts power but cannot take a USB-C drive. This model has two separate USB-C female sockets with different jobs. One accepts PD power, while the other transfers data. Alongside them are two USB-A data ports, Ethernet and one HDMI output. It is a sensible arrangement for a laptop user who has both older USB-A peripherals and a newer USB-C storage accessory.

The distinction also creates a clear limit. Neither USB-C socket is a monitor output, and the data socket does not double as a charging outlet. The six functions are useful when they match your equipment; they do not turn the adapter into a Thunderbolt dock or a multi-monitor station. This review analyses CableCreation’s exact CD0787 documentation rather than claiming hands-on testing.

A mixed USB desk is the main reason to choose it

Two USB-A connections can accommodate a mouse and keyboard, or one accessory and a drive. A separate USB-C data socket means a suitable USB-C peripheral need not compete for the charging inlet. All three data sockets are advertised at up to 5 Gbps. These are interface rates, not measured copy speeds, and traffic still shares the connection back to the computer.

The USB-C data socket is located close to the HDMI connector in the manufacturer’s description. Distinguishing it from the PD socket before connecting equipment is worthwhile. A drive connected to a power-only socket will not appear simply because the plug fits. Conversely, plugging a charger into the data socket does not create the intended pass-through charging route.

CableCreation explicitly says the USB-A and USB-C data sockets do not provide display output or charging. Treat them as data connections rather than as a collection of phone chargers. For high-power peripherals, check their own supply requirements instead of assuming that three sockets imply unlimited bus power. The current source does not establish a complete numerical shared peripheral-power budget.

What 100 W input does and does not establish

The separate PD input is advertised at up to 100 W, with PD 3.0 and a maximum input of 20 V at 5 A. It allows a compatible connected computer to charge while the adapter is in use. However, the current page does not state the net wattage delivered to the host after the hub’s needs are considered. The input rating should therefore not be presented as 100 W reaching the laptop.

This matters most when your laptop normally uses a substantial charger. If you need a guaranteed numerical charging threshold, obtain the exact host-output specification rather than choosing this hub on its input headline. A familiar 85 W figure from another adapter is not evidence for this one. The published box contents are the multi-port adapter and warranty card, so the power source must be supplied separately.

A separate charging inlet is still valuable even without an established net rating. It can keep a compatible device connected to power without sacrificing the USB-C data socket. Whether it maintains battery level under a demanding workload depends on the computer, source, cables and actual negotiated power.

Use HDMI for the one external screen

The video path is HDMI, with up to 4K at 60 Hz advertised when the host supplies DP 1.4 Alternate Mode. A USB-C connector that supports only data is insufficient. The display and HDMI cable must also support the intended mode. There is no DisplayPort connector and no downstream USB-C video route.

CableCreation’s exact compatibility examples explicitly include the 2020 M1 MacBook Air and 13-inch M1 MacBook Pro, plus the 2021 M1 iMac, for its stated 4K60 output. Selected Intel Macs and iPad Pro configurations are also named. These are manufacturer statements about particular devices, not our own measurements. They do not automatically establish the same result with an M2 or later Mac merely because it has a similar USB-C socket.

Only one external display connection is present. If you want two independent external desktops, or specifically want to connect a USB-C monitor through the hub, this layout does not meet that requirement. Its FAQ explicitly rejects video through the data USB-C port. A USB-C-to-HDMI-shaped chain should not be used to invent an additional supported output mode.

Ethernet without a separate USB network dongle

The Ethernet interface supports up to 1 Gbps, with 100 and 10 Mbps compatibility. Connection and activity indicators help identify whether a link is present, but they do not prove an internet service is operating at Gigabit speed. Router capability, cabling and the service itself remain part of the result.

The manufacturer describes the hub as plug and play without extra software or drivers. Its documentation names Windows, macOS and Linux, with specific Chromebook and iPad examples elsewhere in the compatibility material. The exact host’s port capability still takes priority over the operating-system name. A company-managed computer can also restrict peripherals independently of what the hub requires.

Choose it for these roles, rather than a larger port count

The CD0787 is a good functional match for one HDMI screen, a wired network, mixed USB-A/USB-C data accessories and a separate PD input. Its portable aluminum body and attached cable suit moving that arrangement between locations. It has no SD or microSD reader, so camera-card workflows need another solution.

Choose a different adapter when a precisely documented minimum laptop-output wattage, downstream USB-C video, several independent monitors or built-in card slots are essential. The CD0787’s useful advantage is its separation of data and charging roles, provided you connect each device to the correct socket and verify the computer’s exact video capability.

Sources

CableCreation CD0787 port-role descriptions, specifications, compatibility and FAQ.