HP Elite USB-C Hub 4WX89AA: a small HDMI adapter with mixed-speed USB review

A small hub for a specific set of jobs

The HP Elite USB-C Hub 4WX89AA makes sense when a compatible HP notebook needs one HDMI monitor, a pair of USB-A accessories and a way to keep charging through the same computer connection. It is a slim travel adapter rather than a large desk dock. Its usefulness depends on knowing which USB socket handles the faster accessory and what the notebook's USB-C port can actually do.

The exact part number matters. HP's current US product sheet identifies 4WX89AA, while the earlier manufacturer datasheet describes the Elite USB-C Hub and its detailed connector map. This review follows that hardware identity. A similarly named HP premium hub or another generation should not inherit these port specifications simply because the name sounds close.

Two USB-A ports with different speeds

There is one USB3.0 Type-A port with a maximum signalling rate of 5Gbps and one USB2.0 Type-A port at 480Mbps. Put a suitable fast storage device on the former and reserve the latter for a keyboard, mouse receiver or another accessory that does not need the faster connection. Two physical USB-A sockets do not mean two 5Gbps outputs.

Those ratings describe connections, not measured file-copy results. The attached peripherals still depend on their own capabilities and the shared upstream path. For a compact desk with one faster device and one slower accessory, that division can be quite practical. It becomes restrictive if both peripherals need a verified SuperSpeed connection at once.

One HDMI screen through a video-capable host

The HDMI2.0 output supports a single display up to 3840 ×2160 at 60Hz. The notebook must provide DisplayPort Alternate Mode through its USB-C port; an ordinary data-only USB-C socket is insufficient. HP's description of the upstream connection also includes Power Delivery 3.0. The physical plug alone cannot establish either video or charging support.

This hub has no second video output, full-size DisplayPort, Mini DisplayPort or VGA connector. It therefore suits a single HDMI workspace. There is no basis here for turning one HDMI socket into two independent desktops or describing its USB-A connections as a USB graphics route.

Charging uses a separate source

HP's US sheet specifies notebook charging pass-through up to 90W. The AC adapter is sold separately. Plug the appropriate power source into the hub's USB-C power input, then use the attached host lead to connect the notebook. That USB-C socket is not an extra ordinary data connection for an SSD or phone.

The older specifications list 45W, 65W and 90W sources. An appropriate source and a notebook that accepts the required power are still necessary; the hub cannot create 90W from a smaller adapter. A package missing a suitable supply is consequently different from an all-in-one powered docking package, even though pass-through charging is supported.

Check the older compatibility and physical details

The detailed manufacturer reference lists Windows 10 and named HP EliteBook, ProBook, Elite x 2 and ZBook generations. Use that model list when assessing an existing fleet. It does not establish newer Apple chips, every later Windows notebook or every HP USB-C port. Support for an operating system and support for its notebook's video-capable connector are separate checks.

HP's older table contains differing physical figures under general and unpackaged headings. The explicitly unpackaged entry gives 100.3 ×28.4 ×8.9mm, 43g and a 30mm cable. Those figures describe a small adapter that stays close to the computer; they should not be silently combined with the alternative figures elsewhere in that table.

Choose this model for a compact, documented HP setup with one HDMI monitor and a deliberately mixed-speed pair of USB accessories. Before buying an earlier package, verify the exact 4WX89AA hardware, the needed external power source and the notebook's Alt Mode capability. This is a focused travel arrangement, with no card reader or Ethernet connection to substitute for a larger dock.