CalculatorsUSB Hub Power for a Sim Rig
USB Hub Power for a Sim Rig
Direct-drive bases usually have their own power brick, so the USB side is the small devices: pedals, shifter, handbrake, button box and a stream deck. Those still trip an unpowered port when they share it.
Inputs
Results
- Total USB draw
- 15.0 W
- Hub budget
- 22.5 W
- Powered hub
- Yes
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Example products
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- Powered USB hub
A mains-powered hub keeps the deck and the pedals from browning out a motherboard port.
$30–$80
How the number is made
Total watts is the sum of the seven fields. A bus-powered USB 3 port is treated as 4.5 W, so the powered flag is yes once the total is above that. The hub budget is always 1.5 times the total, to leave room for inrush.
Type the USB draw, not the wheelbase motor wattage. A base with a mains brick often sits near 1–3 W on the data port. A stream deck is the line that usually forces a powered hub.
What still needs its own brick
A motion platform, a bass shaker amp and a high-watt wheelbase do not belong in this sum. They want mains power, not a USB budget.
Related calculators
- GPU vs VR Headset Bottleneck
A Link headset adds another device that may sit on the same hub as the deck.
- Wheelbase and Wheel Quick Release
Some wheels still need a USB lead even after the quick release clicks in.
Questions
Should I include the wheelbase PSU?
No. If the base has a wall brick, enter only what the USB plug draws. Motor watts do not pass through the hub.
Why 1.5 times the sum?
Devices spike when they enumerate. A hub rated only for the steady sum drops pedals on boot.
Is 4.5 W a USB 2 or USB 3 limit?
It is the usual USB 3 bus-power budget used here as the line between an unpowered port and a powered hub.