To squeeze probably the most productiveness doable out of a laptop computer, or perhaps a high-end pill, you may have to plug in additional stuff than your machine natively permits. A USB-C hub connects to a single port in your gadget, and thru you can connect a monitor, keyboard, mouse and even exterior storage. Plus, whenever you’ve received all of your bells and whistles plugged right into a hub, liberating up your gadget to be extra cell is so simple as unplugging one factor. Then, whenever you return to your desk, one step totally connects you once more. We checked out lots of of hubs earlier than testing out 15 extremely rated choices to seek out the very best USB-C hubs you will get immediately.
What to search for in a USB-C hub
Hub vs docking station
The very first thing to determine is whether or not you want a USB-C hub or a docking station. There’s no set normal for what differentiates the 2, however docking stations are inclined to have extra ports, provide a separate DC energy provide and price extra, with some reaching upwards of $400. We’ve got a separate information to the greatest docking stations to take a look at should you’re in search of one thing greater than what we’re discussing right here. USB-C hubs, in distinction, have between 4 and 10 ports, can help pass-through charging and sometimes price between $30 and $150.
Hubs make extra sense for smaller setups with just some peripherals, comparable to a monitor, a wired keyboard and mouse, and the occasional exterior drive. They’re additionally extra transportable, since they’re small and require no devoted energy. That might be helpful should you change work places however wish to convey your equipment with you, or if you wish to change your laptop computer with a extra highly effective pill. A docking station makes extra sense for somebody who wants a sturdy setup for his or her laptop computer, together with a number of exterior displays, webcams, stream decks, microphones and so forth.
Each docks and hubs make it straightforward to seize your laptop computer off your desk for a gathering or different transient relocation and whenever you get again, plugging in a single cable will get all of your equipment reconnected.
Ports
The primary port to contemplate is the one in your laptop computer or pill. For a USB-C hub to work, it wants to hook up with a port that helps video, information and energy — all of which is roofed by something listed as USB 3.0 or higher. The port, in fact, must be Sort-C as effectively. The ocean of laptops out there’s huge, so it’s laborious to make generalizations, however trendy laptops ought to have no less than one USB-C port that may suffice, and certainly, each considered one of our high picks for the greatest laptops do.
Subsequent, it’s a matter of discovering a hub that has the correct connections on your wants. Most hubs provide some combo of HDMI, USB, reminiscence card, Ethernet and three.5 mm ports. When you’ve got a 4K monitor and would really like no less than a 60Hz refresh price, you’ll want a hub with an HDMI 2.0 port — HDMI 1.4 solely goes as much as 30Hz. HDMI 2.1 will deal with 4K at as much as 120Hz, however hubs which have adopted that normal aren’t as frequent simply but. Take into account that a low refresh price could cause your display screen to really feel laggy, making your mouse seem glitchy and your webcam actions to look delayed.
Further USB ports on these equipment are often Sort-A or Sort-C. They’ll help information with completely different switch charges, sometimes 5Gbps or 10Gbps. Some ports solely deal with passthrough energy and no information, and a few can do information, energy and video, so it’s greatest to verify the spec listing to ensure you’re getting the help you want. Take into account that a hub might invoice itself as a 7-in-1, however a kind of ports will not be usable for something apart from charging.
Normal SD and microSD slots are helpful for transferring information from cameras and the like. Ethernet ports might ship sooner web speeds than your Wi-Fi and a hub with a 3.5mm jack can convey again the wired headphone connection that some laptops have ditched.
Energy supply
Almost the entire USB-C hubs I examined help passthrough charging. Which means in case your laptop computer or pill solely prices by way of USB, you don’t should take up one other port in your laptop computer to maintain all the things topped up. In contrast to a docking station, powering a hub is optionally available. The one exception is if you wish to shut the lid in your laptop computer when you work on an exterior monitor. Most computer systems will go into sleep mode if the lid is closed with out energy, so both the laptop computer or the hub will have to be plugged into the wall to stop that from taking place.
Most of the newer hubs embody a 100W energy supply (PD) port, with a wholesome 80 to 85 watts going to your pc (the hubs take a bit of of the juice for themselves, therefore the 15-watt or so distinction). In my assessments, sending energy via the hub made them run even hotter than they do already, so I want to cost the pc straight. However for tablets or different units with no further ports, that PD possibility is necessary.
Some PD ports are additionally information ports — which is each good and dangerous. On one hand, it feels wasteful to make use of a wonderfully good information port only for boring previous electrical energy. However alternatively, USB-C connections that solely carry a cost are much less versatile, and it makes it look like it has extra accent hookups than it really does.
Design
There’s surprisingly little design variation amongst hubs. Most appear like a flat slab, a bit of smaller than a smartphone, and have an connected Sort-C host cable. The hues vary from a silvery black to a silvery grey. Some are thinner than others, some have all ports on one edge and a few have ports on either side. All of that is simply to say that aesthetics most likely received’t make or break your shopping for choice.
One variation that might tip the scales is the size of the cable. An extended one will provide you with extra freedom as you prepare the hub in your desk, probably even letting you cover it behind your laptop computer. Or you might want a shorter one to maintain the hub neatly set beside your laptop computer.
How we take a look at USB-C hubs
Earlier than we take a look at something, we check out what’s out there and the way they’ve been obtained by consumers, forum-goers and different publications. I grew to become accustomed to a number of respected manufacturers once I was testing docking stations, so I regarded into hubs from these firms as effectively. I targeted on objects that may assist with a mean day of productiveness — not high-end setups or demanding gaming conditions. As soon as I settled on a dozen or so that may make good candidates, I had them shipped to my humble workplace within the desert and began testing them out over the course of some weeks.
I used an M1 MacBook Professional because the host pc and plugged in equipment that embody a 4K Dell monitor, a ZSA USB-C ergo keyboard, a Logitech USB-A gaming mouse, an Elgato USB-C 4K webcam, a Logitech streaming gentle, a USB-A 3.0 Sandisk thumb drive, a USB-C Samsung T7 Protect exterior drive and a pair of wired headphones I received totally free on an airplane (I ought to most likely put money into some wired headphones, however the wire dangling on my chest drives me nutty so all my earbuds are wi-fi). I used high-end HDMI and USB-C cables to make sure that any information or connectivity points weren’t associated to my gear.
Then I put every USB-C hub via a gamut of primary assessments. I checked out what might be plugged in without delay, the decision on the monitor, information switch speeds, the general construct high quality of the hub and normal usability elements, like the position of the ports and the size of the cords. And, lastly, the worth to worth ratio helped decide the very best ones for a number of completely different use instances.
Finest USB-C hubs for 2024
Photograph by Amy Skorheim / Engadget
Complete downstream ports: 8 | Cable size: 10” | Energy supply: 100W in, 90W to host | USB-C: 1 x USB 3.0, 1 x 3.1 | USB-A: 2 x 5Gbps, 1 x 10Gbps| Monitor: HDMI 2.0 | SD Card: microSD and normal SD | Different ports: Ethernet
The “109” in UGreen’s Revodok Professional 109 USB-C hub doubtless stands for the nine-in-one declare in its advertising and marketing supplies, however since a kind of ports is energy solely, the variety of downstream connectors makes it extra of an eight-in-one. But it surely’s a great-performing hub nonetheless. It has all of the hookups that is perhaps lacking from a contemporary laptop computer, together with SD slots, USB-A ports, an Ethernet connection and an HDMI hookup.
The 4K decision and 60Hz refresh price regarded nice on my take a look at monitor and the info switch charges had been forward of different hubs in its worth vary. The pace take a look at on an Ethernet cable was on par with that of a costlier docking station, and I appreciated the design of the microSD slot. Most readers have you ever insert the cardboard all the best way in, counting on a spring mechanism to push it again out whenever you’re executed. Right here, the top stands out simply sufficient you can merely pull the cardboard out. These spring-loaded ejectors by no means work on the primary strive for me, so it is a extra elegant resolution.
There’s only one usable downstream USB-C port; the opposite is barely able to delivering energy to your gadget. I want there was simply one extra USB-C so it may deal with each, say, a USB-C keyboard and webcam. However the three USB-A ports, with one supporting as much as 10Gbps charges, largely make up for that oversight. Total, the hub performs effectively and affords a well-rounded choice of connectors.
It was actually a tricky name between this and Anker’s 555 8-in-1 for the highest suggestion. They’ve a reasonably comparable port array and Anker’s possibility is $15 cheaper. However the UGreen hub has a extra premium construct and a wire that is about two inches longer, plus there’s one further USB-A port that might definitely come in useful.
- Good array of ports
- HDMI 2.0 helps 4K displays at 60Hz
- Beneficiant 10-inch cable
- Three USB-A ports
- Only one downstream USB-C port
Photograph by Amy Skorheim / Engadget
Complete downstream ports: 4 | Cable size: 10” | Energy supply: 100W in, 85W to host | USB-C: 1 x USB 10Gbps, 1 x energy supply solely | USB-A: 1 x 10Gbps, 1 x 480Mbps | Monitor: HDMI 2.0 | SD Card: No | Different ports: No
This was my first expertise with a Wavlink product, as I used to be beforehand solely accustomed to them as a Wi-Fi router and extender model. My preliminary impression of the Wavlink USB-C 4K@60Hz was disappointment at its generic title, however the performance-to-price ratio is so spectacular, it will get a go for the dearth of branding pizazz.
It’s slimmer than most hubs at about an inch-and-a-half huge, but the cable itself is a pair inches longer than the norm. The unit and the cables simply tuck behind a laptop computer, significantly because the ports run alongside only one edge, with the HDMI connection on the finish.
The cable can also be braided, making it really feel extra premium than its $30 price ticket would recommend — which is the overall theme right here. The HDMI 2.0 port can deal with a 4K exterior monitor at 60Hz, which must be a lot zippy sufficient for a mean workday, and I discovered the decision and lack of lag to be simply as marketed.
One of many two USB-A ports helps speedy 10Gbps transfers and the one USB-C jack is able to the identical price. The webcam carried out effectively, even with a USB-A streaming gentle at full brightness (one thing different hubs had bother with), and I discovered information switch speeds to exterior drives to be on par with and even sooner than costlier hubs.
After all, having only one downstream USB-C connection places a restrict in your setup: You may have, for instance, a USB-C webcam or a USB-C keyboard plugged in, not each. However should you want one thing with good monitor output, a few high-quality USB ports and a compact design, it is a good choose.
I additionally advocate Plugable’s equally cleverly named USB-C 4-in-1 hub. It’s a greenback cheaper than the Wavlink possibility with an identical array of ports that each one carried out effectively in my assessments. Finally, its shorter tethered cable and single USB-C port that both delivers energy or runs a peripheral led me to want Wavlink’s mannequin. However should you don’t have to cost your gadget via the port, you get a superb hub for the cash with Plugable’s gadget.
- Slim and compact
- Beneficiant 10-inch cable
- Nice worth
- Only one downstream USB-C port
Photograph by Amy Skorheim / Engadget
Complete downstream ports: 5 | Cable size: 20” | Energy supply: 100W in, 80W to host | USB-C: 4 x USB 3.1 Gen 2, 1 x 4K @60Hz video solely | USB-A: 0 | Monitor: USB-C | SD Card: No | Different ports: No
One subject with most USB-C hubs is an ironic lack of obtainable downstream USB-C ports. Many high out at two, and a kind of typically delivers energy solely and may’t run peripherals. Throughout three keyboard guides, our suggestions overwhelmingly require USB-C connectivity, all however considered one of our really helpful webcams use USB-C and lots of exterior storage drives depend on that port as effectively. Which means if you would like a hub that connects your keys, digicam and a drive on the identical time, it’s important to hunt for one thing suitable.
The EZQuest Slim Gen 2 hub provides you not only one or two usable Sort-C ports, however 5 of them. It’s additionally one of many few hubs that has a removable cable (and the provided one is a beneficiant 20 inches lengthy). One port is for video output with a claimed 4K output at 60Hz — simply be aware that this connector doesn’t help audio or drive different peripherals. The remaining 4 ports adhere to the USB 3.1 Gen 2 normal, delivering as much as 10Gbps. As with every hub, the extra objects you could have plugged in, the decrease the speeds every port will have the ability to ship, in order that max 10-gigabit price is for one port at a time.
The connections had been a lot for my setup, dealing with a keyboard, mouse, webcam and streaming gentle all on the identical time. (Since I haven’t got a USB-C monitor, I plugged the HDMI cable straight into my laptop computer). Even totally loaded, the unit stayed comparatively cool. Whereas the included cable is lengthy, the hub itself is tremendous compact and in regards to the dimension of a Skor bar. All of the ports come out of 1 aspect, so just like the finances choose above, it’s straightforward to rearrange all of your connections to look neat in your desk.
- Loads of USB-C ports
- Removable and lengthy 20-inch cable
- No USB-A ports
- No HDMI port (helps USB-C video)
Photograph by Amy Skorheim / Engadget
Complete downstream ports: 8 | Cable size: 9” | Energy supply: 100W in, 85W to host | USB-C: 2 x USB 10Gbps, 1 x energy ship and 10 Gbps | USB-A: 2 x 5Gbps | Monitor: 1x HDMI 1.4, 1 x HDMI 2.0 | SD Card: No | Different ports: Ethernet
At $140, the worth of Belkin’s Join Common hub is edging into docking-station territory. But it surely doesn’t require a devoted energy provide and it has a compact construct, so it’s nonetheless decidedly a hub. That worth bump does get you a number of options that the majority hubs don’t have, specifically the choice of three USB-C ports (one port can be utilized for both energy supply or accent help) and twin prolonged shows with a MacBook (after you obtain the SiliconMotion driver).
Numerous the hubs I examined had twin HDMI ports, however the second exterior show was solely able to mirroring the primary monitor and invariably dropped the decision of each supplemental screens. SiliconMotion’s InstantView software program will get round that by basically “sharing” a view of a tertiary display screen with the second monitor. That second monitor has a most refresh price of 30Hz for 4K resolutions, however the first exterior show retains its 4K@60Hz visuals. I haven’t examined each possibility on the market, however from what I’ve seen, that’s fairly good for a USB-C hub — something extra and also you’re doubtless taking a look at a docking station.
The Join Common 8-in-1 is on the bigger finish of the spectrum for this class, measuring about the identical as an iPhone however about twice as thick. The multitude of plugs meant I may run a webcam, keyboard, mouse, Litra gentle, two displays and join an Ethernet cable. There was nonetheless one USB-C port left over for an exterior drive or energy (although I simply used my MacBook’s MagSafe port). And since they’re all on one aspect, the association on a desk appears to be like tidy, avoiding the spidery look of a hub with ports on all sides.
Shunting all of this connectivity does make the unit get fairly scorching: it appeared to get hotter than the entire different models I attempted. Whereas I by no means observed any unwell results consequently, I solely used it over the course of a pair days and ponder whether there’d be any heat-related points with prolonged use.
- A lot of ports
- Good number of ports
- Driver permits for 2 prolonged exterior shows
- Costly
- Will get highly regarded throughout use
Different hubs we examined
HyperDrive Subsequent 10 Port USB-C Hub
There’s rather a lot to love about HyperDrive’s Subsequent 10 Port USB-C Hub. The tethered cable is a lavish 13 inches lengthy, the HDMI 2.0 port outputs clear and crisp 4K visuals at 60Hz and the info transfers are screaming quick. It has the coveted two USB-C information ports plus a PD port, and there’s even a headphone jack. The one factor that holds again a full-throated endorsement is the best way our unit dealt with a streaming gentle. Having it on at full brightness made the webcam flicker each time. The difficulty went away at 75 p.c brightness, however the identical drawback didn’t occur on every other hub I examined.
Anker 341 USB-C Hub (7-in-1)
There’s nothing fallacious with the Anker 341 USB-C hub. The truth is it’s a present suggestion in our iPad equipment information and it comes at an amazing $35 worth. It provides you two USB-A ports in addition to SD slots. However at this level, a 1.4 HDMI connection, which solely helps 4K decision at 30Hz feels a bit of retro. There’s additionally only a single USB-C downstream port and the info switch assessments proved to be a contact slower than the opposite hubs. However should you’ve received a decrease decision monitor and don’t want a couple of USB-C, you received’t be disenchanted with it.
Startech 4-Port USB-C Hub (information solely)
I solely grew to become conscious of Startech once I began researching for this information. The standard is first rate and the yellow accents are a welcome little bit of shade within the in any other case very grey world of hubs. The efficiency is stable, with no hiccups that I encountered. The model’s 4-Port USB-C Hub has an extended wire that wraps across the hub itself, which is exclusive. It doesn’t trouble with energy supply, which isn’t a problem should you can energy your pc straight. However the 4 USB ports (three Sort-A and one Sort-C) max out at 5Gbps and there’s no HDMI connector. It goes for $46, and sadly for it, there are cheaper methods to get a number of extra USB ports on your setup.
