so it's externally powered in use? If so, it doesn't surprise me. If it has batteries, it's just their lazy programming again. There should be a warning label on most of their products, "firmware probably has stupid oversights, suck it" or something like that.
The Amazon Basics hubs seem pretty good.

I would guess there is a rating for how much power the device needs. Laptops do usually have wimpy usb power supplies.