Linux powered usb hub

[Technoprime7]

With some of these top end usb or thunderbolt docks costing more than a low end computer, wouldn't it make sense for someone to figure out a way to just make a lattepanda or raspberry or low end minipc (some hubs are at least the size of these or bigger ) Linux powered self built hub that can have way more custom features and be way cheaper? I'm sure someone must have tried this already? 

[Electronics Wizardy]

How would a mini PC help with a USB hub? Generally these docks are built around chips made for this specific use case, so you can't just use a general purpose CPU in place of USB/Thunderbolt hub.

[manikyath]

they cost a lot because purpose made hardware is necessary for the low latency performance. sticking an operating system in between is a good way of making a worse product that costs more.

[Basilisk731]

I would think to avoid make a tiny hub. I mean how are you going to fit a 4gb ram stick in there and it is not gonna be cheap you should get a rasberry pi and make it run puppy linux