Purplelec PEC-TU001-M1 USB4 RTS5490 Docking Station Theoretical Analysis - Value Champion or Vaporware?
Disclaimer: This is a theoretical analysis, which means I have not gotten any hands-on experience with the docking station and this analysis is based purely on the rated capabilities of the docking station, any relevant manufacturer datasheets, and the real world behavior of other docking stations with some of the same internal components. I expect these reviews to be reasonably accurate assuming that the information from the manufacturer is accurate and the dock is free of any software bugs.
What is the Purplelec PEC-TU001-M1?
The Purplelec PEC-TU001-M1 is a USB4 dock based on the RealTek RTS5490 controller chip. At the time of writing the dock is listed at $56.78+shipping for a single unit from Purplelec (a docking station manufacturer that primarily sells docks to other brands for those brands to sell under their own name).
What is the RealTek RTS5490?
The RealTek RTS5490 is a controller chip for USB4 40 Gbps docks. At the time of writing all other announced 40 Gbps docks that meet the definition of a "USB4-Based Dock" (as defined in section 1.8 of the USB4 version 2.0 specification) use the Intel JHL8440 chip. (Using a more broad definition many people would include low-end docks based on the Via VL830 or Intel JHL8140 controllers)
Compared to the Intel JHL8440 the RealTek RTS5490 has the advantage of supporting DisplayPort version 2.1 at up to UHBR20 (instead of being limited to DisplayPort version 1.4 at up to HBR3 speeds) and supporting USB3 at up to 20 Gbps (instead of 10 Gbps). However the Intel JHL8440 has the advantage of supporting 3 USB4 output ports (instead of 2 on the RTS5490) and having better support for multi-Gigabit ethernet due to the PCIe support. Overall I consider the RealTek RTS5490 and Intel JHL8440 to be comparable controllers.
Purplelec PEC-TU001-M1 Analysis
The Purplelec PEC-TU001-M1 is a pretty basic dock featuring the following ports:
- USB4 upstream (to laptop) port (40 Gbps, 60W power)
- 2x USB4 port (40 Gbps, 15W power)
- 2x USB-C 3.2 port (20 Gbps, 15W power)
- 1x DisplayPort 1.4 port (32.4 Gbps)
- 1x DC power input
The PEC-TU001-M1 does not include an internal MST hub to split a DisplayPort signal, which means that it is limited to 2 displays on USB4 sources or a single display when operating in DP Alt Mode fallback. If the dock had an internal MST hub then the dock could support additional displays, however MST does have the major downsides of not being supported by MacOS and many MST hubs breaking compatibility with variable refresh rate and display stream compression, which is why some much-more expensive docks such as the Caldigit TS4 forgo any internal MST hub.
Comparison to the Purplelec PEC-TU001-01
The most direct comparison would be to the JHL8440-based Purplelec PEC-TU001-01, which is the predecessor of the RTS5490-based Purplelec PEC-TU001-M1.
| Dock | Purplelec PEC-TU001-M1 | Purplelec PEC-TU001-01 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $56.78 | $88.68 |
| Controller | RealTek RTS5490 | Intel JHL8440 |
| USB4 Downstream Ports | 2 | 3 |
| DisplayPort Ports | 1x DisplayPort 1.4 | None |
| Max Displays | 2 (no MST) | 2 (no MST) |
| Other Outputs | 2x USB-C 20 Gbps | 1x USB-A 10 Gbps |
Overall a similar port selection with the new M1 variant featuring an added DisplayPort port and a different USB port configuration.
However the big difference is cost. From Purplelec the PEC-TU001-01 costs $88.68 without any bulk discounts, which means the new RTS5490-based variant is 36% cheaper than the JHL8440-based predecessor. Looking at bulk prices (price per 1000+ units) the new RTS5490-based variant is 40% cheaper than the JHL8440-based predecessor.
The Purplelec the PEC-TU001-01 has been sold under many names with Sabrent HB-TBT4, Satechi Thunderbolt 4 Slim Hub, Plugable USB4-HUB3A, and OWC Thunderbolt Hub all being examples of docks that appear to be the PEC-TU001-01 (or at least have the same design). All of those are typically priced around $130 USD (including bundled accessories such as a power brick).
But Does It Actually Exist?
I reached out to Purplelec to request to purchase a single unit. Purplelec responded "we do not have this model." When I inquired why it was listed for sale the response I received was "sorry."
Conclusion
The Purplelec PEC-TU001-M1 is a USB4-based dock using the RealTek RTS5490 controller. It exposes the capabilities of the RTS5490 controller, however it does not contain additional components (ex. MST hubs, USB hubs, ethernet nics) to add additional capabilities. Unfortunately it is not available at this time.
The RealTek RTS5490 controller chip has exciting disruptive potential. It offers capabilities better than the Intel JHL8440 controller chip (almost as good as the new JHL9440) while being targeted at a much cheaper market.
Copyright 2024-2025