Best USB-C hubs and dongles 2022: Add ports to your laptop or tablet

Can a USB-C hub really feel elegant? This one does. Anker’s 7-in-1 USB-C hub feels surprisingly weighty (3.5 ounces), with a premium metallic (aluminum and polycarbonate) sheen. It’s additionally a bit costlier than its rivals. Anker’s hub was among the many coolest we’ve examined underneath load, at about 87 levels.

Total, Anker’s hub is effectively designed, with sufficient spacing between the 2 5Gbps USB-A ports. There’s additionally a 5Gbps USB-C connection for knowledge, plus a second USB-C port for energy enter at as much as 85W rated. (The charger permits as much as 100W in, however provides 85W.) An HDMI port permits for 4K/30Hz video or 1080p/60Hz video to a single exterior show, normal for the class. Ethernet is excluded, nonetheless, so that you’ll want to make use of Wi-Fi as an alternative. Twine size is about 8.5 inches, above the usual 6-inch size.

Anker’s hub was among the many quickest we examined to ship knowledge underneath load, together with simultaneous knowledge switch between USB-A ports whereas the SD ports had been lively. The hub presents an 18-month guarantee, and it even ships with a carrying pouch. 

We advocate not shopping for the costlier $79.99 Anker 8-in-1 Hub on Amazon except you’re blissful connecting to 2 1080p (and never 4K) shows…which is completely high-quality. In any other case, the 2 HDMI ports will solely help two 4K shows at an eye-wearying 30Hz, not 60Hz.

Yeolibo might not be a reputation you acknowledge, however this USB-C hub is impressively detailed, with a small however extraordinarily informative guide, clearly labeled ports, and well-rounded performance.

This hub presents three USB 3.0 (5Gb/s) Kind A ports, one USB 2.0 Kind A port, a USB-C (5Gb/s) port, a USB-C PD charging port rated at 100W of enter energy, and an HDMI port. There are additionally microSD and SD slots able to SDXC playing cards as much as 2TB and SDR25 (25MB/s) knowledge charges. There’s no ethernet connection. The USB-C cable measures a snug six inches, although the connector on the finish was slightly stiff and took some fiddling to insert.

We didn’t have a 100W USB-C charger readily available to check, however the hub accepted 62.5W from our 65W USB-C charger. It stayed cool all through. The hub performed again protected content material through its HDMI port, as anticipated, however dropped extra frames than we hoped for when taking part in again 4K content material over YouTube. (Solely 4K30 resolutions are supported, however that’s commonplace.)

The QGeeM 7-in-1 Hub I obtained tried to purchase me off with an in-box promotion that promised a $10 Amazon card if I left a optimistic evaluation. However I didn’t must be purchased off to understand this compact, light-weight little hub that covers all of the fundamentals, save ethernet.

The three USB 3.0 ports are adequately spaced. An HDMI port on the finish of the dock helps a single 4K show at 30Hz (or 1080p at 60Hz)—par for the course with a typical USB-C hub. QGeeM’s hub consists of help for each SD and microSD slots, utilizing the older, prevalent UHS-I SD card normal. Each playing cards share the identical controller, permitting them for use one card at a time. QGeeM’s documentation varies on how a lot energy it will probably present; Amazon’s web page says it will probably settle for 100W (3A) and provide 85W, although the in-box documentation says 60W. The latter is appropriate. Nonetheless, a USB-C charger linked to the port reported that it was charging adequately.

Below load the hub warmed to about 94 levels, a snug temperature. (Some clients have complained that the hub will get too scorching and can shut down, however we didn’t see this.)

QGeeM doesn’t appear to supply guarantee help, and the packaging skimps on niceties like a carrying bag. However this light-weight hub presents every part else a typical consumer will want, and for a terrific value. 

Lention’s CB-C35sH feels slightly low-cost out of the field, with a little bit of a rattle that signifies a nook or two had been reduce within the building. It labored flawlessly, nonetheless. This USB-C hub is barely wider than most, with an influence enter rated at 60W subsequent to a HDMI 1.2 enter (permitting 4K decision on an exterior show, at 60Hz) that enables protected content material to be performed again with no issues. (Energy enter solely reached 55W in our checks.) The complete hub remained cool, even with a charger hooked up.

Along with the USB-C enter port and HDMI output, there are 4 5Gb/s USB Kind A ports, and that’s it—no microSD slots, ethernet, or audio connections. We’d have preferred to see the latter as an possibility for many who want it. However connecting a mouse and keyboard, in addition to transferring knowledge over the ports, labored effectively throughout the constraints of the USB-C connection.

Each our present general high decide, the Anker A83460A2, and the Yeolibo 9-in-1 a are higher general choices, with one exception: their HDMI output is barely at 30Hz, which may fatigue the eyes over lengthy intervals. Lention delivers a extra snug 60Hz on the similar decision. And when you’ve got points, Lention presents a 12-month guarantee with a 24-hour help turnaround.

Lasuney’s 10-in-1 hub (two USB 3.0 ports, two USB 2.0 ports, two HDMI 1.2 ports (4K@30Hz), DisplayPort gigabit ethernet, microSD/SD, USB-C energy enter) presents rather a lot in your cash, together with an uncommon mixture of not one, however two HDMI ports, and even a DisplayPort. Due to ethernet help, the hub can substitute lots of your wired connections. Energy enter is rated at 100W in, with about 87W out there to the laptop computer.

However the USB-C bus the hub runs on high of merely gained’t help all of the ports getting used directly, which is a little bit of a gotcha. Whereas we actually just like the pair of HDMI ports for dual-display configurations, the actual fact is, you’ll in all probability have to restrict your self to a pair of 1080p shows to keep away from saturating the bus and slowing down the connection. Prospects on Amazon have reported that they solely received one to work, in all probability as a result of the bus itself was saturated. The opposite drawback we discovered is that the SD card slot is means too sluggish. It took twice as lengthy to switch knowledge in comparison with different hubs we examined. In all equity, our different disk-to-disk checks took about the identical period of time.

Lasuney’s hub is effectively made, with good port spacing. It doesn’t get uncomfortably heat, both. Simply be real looking: We actually like the pliability that the Lasuney hub presents, however don’t purchase it considering you’ll have the ability to use every part directly.

The AmazonBasics L6LUD001-CS-R gives three USB 3.1 Kind A ports plus gigabit ethernet to your laptop computer’s present USB-C port. There are not any HDMI or charging inputs; that is merely an incremental step up from the AmazonBasics L6LUD012-CS-R, which forgoes the ethernet capabilities.

This hub is helpful for many who don’t have or don’t belief Wi-Fi on the go. The prolonged 14-inch twine provides some flexibility to your desktop format. The hub carried out comparably to the others we’ve examined, and there weren’t any points with temperature or energy.

At press time, the value was solely $3 or so above the value of the aforementioned AmazonBasics L6LUD012-CS-R, which makes this a no brainer if you happen to simply desire a primary hub. Although the hub ships in each black and white, we observed Amazon will sometimes low cost one or the opposite by a couple of {dollars}. Truthfully, although, the heated competitors within the USB-C market signifies that the worth this hub presents isn’t as robust because it as soon as was.

That is the Large Kahuna of USB-C docks—and, given what it does, you nearly marvel why it wasn’t made a Thunderbolt dock as an alternative. At 2.9 x 11.02 x 0.5 inches, it’s a skinny, lengthy, slanted wedge that props up your laptop computer with a grippy rubber strip. It’s a real dock, with numerous rear-facing ports optimized for twin shows, with a foot-long USB-C cable besides.

Particularly, there’s three USB 3.0 (Kind A ports), one HDMI 1.4 port for 4K30 video, one DisplayPort 1.2 port, gigabit ethernet, one SD/SDHC port and a microSD slot (each USH-I), VGA, a 3.5mm jack, and a USB-C port for as much as 100W of exterior charging. Among the extra ports include some caveats: The VGA connection have to be used solo, for instance, and never along side both DisplayPort or HDMI. Bear in mind, all that knowledge handed alongside the USB-C cable can intrude with each other, however IOgear performs it a bit conservative; the guide says that two laborious drives can’t be linked concurrently, however that’s not true.

Be suggested that the BC 1.2 port gives as much as 1.5A of energy for quick-charging telephones, although the port isn’t appropriate with the specialised quick-charging schemes of OnePlus or Samsung. (Telephones from each producers reported “charging” when linked, slightly than “Quick charging”.) Thermal points weren’t an issue, and efficiency was surprisingly good, even with HDMI and ethernet linked. The doc helps Energy Supply 3.0 as much as 85W, and consumes 15W by itself; in different phrases, when you’ve got a 100W laptop computer charger feeding energy to the hub, 85W might be left over in your laptop computer to make use of.

A value of about $125 or so is far more than you’d anticipate to pay for a USB-C hub, nevertheless it’s nonetheless lower than a higher-speed Thunderbolt dock. Nonetheless, this USB-C hub is extra of a USB-C dock; it’s probably not transportable, and the shape issue lends itself to a everlasting spot in your desk.

This powered USB-C dock measures 3.25 x 9.5 x 1.25 inches, with a 3-foot USB-C to USB-C cable (or USB-C to USB-A), with 4 USB 3.0 (5Gbps) ports on the entrance and two extra on the rear. Show ports are plentiful: two HDMI 2.0 ports and two DisplayPort 1.2 ports, permitting both a single 4K show at 60Hz or two at 30Hz. There’s gigabit ethernet and a headphone jack, too.

You’ll want to put in a DisplayLink driver, which is a barely completely different interface that runs over USB-C. The dock doesn’t provide any energy to the laptop computer itself, one other black mark. However the inclusion of DisplayPort and its HDCP capabilities means you’ll be able to watch Netflix, and in 4K if you happen to’d like. However all that knowledge streaming over a USB-C connection additionally signifies that video playback goes to be stuttery. Almost $180 is a ton of cash to spend on a dock, too, although it comes with a two-year guarantee.

As we level out under in our purchasing recommendation, the USB-C connection might be what limits this dock, not the dock itself. For a smoother connection, spend money on a Thunderbolt dock in case your PC helps it.

Lenovo’s GX90M61235 USB-C journey hub retains the identical black, boxy aesthetic as generations of ThinkPad laptops. The odd pairing of connectors—VGA, HDMI (4K at 30Hz), a single USB 3.0 port, and gigabit ethernet—means you’ll be utilizing your laptop computer’s keyboard, probably a mouse, and both show connector. We’d slightly see Lenovo decide both VGA or HDMI and add one other USB port.

To be truthful although, all the ports carried out as anticipated and there was no perceptible warmth improve once we tried to saturate the ethernet hyperlink and USB-C port concurrently.

There are higher offers elsewhere, by way of value and ports. However if you happen to want a VGA connector, this is likely one of the few choices out there.

This Rshtech RS-516 USB-C port splitter makes use of an unusually lengthy 2-foot cable to separate a 5Gbps USB 3.0 enter (over USB-C) and divide it amongst 4 USB 3.0 Kind A ports. It’s additionally unusual to see these ports managed by LED-lit button switches, and an optionally available 5V/2A adapter powering the entire affair.

The port splitter takes the 5Gbps enter and splits it among the many ports, that are solely lively if the corresponding LED-lit button is depressed. This is applicable to each energy (the hub will cost, although not fast-charge telephones) and knowledge. Port spacing isn’t a problem, and the ABS/aluminum assemble handles warmth effectively.

The Rshtech hub wouldn’t at all times establish and hook up with a bus-powered SSD, nevertheless it discovered each different system we linked to it. The efficiency of a powered exterior laborious drive plunged to about 20 % when all ports had been occupied, however surged to about 67 % when the optionally available energy cable was plugged in—which Rshtech recommends when linked to exterior storage.

That cable (with a proprietary plug) is a ache, and the problems discovering our SSD gave us pause. However we actually preferred how the hub allowed us entry to and management of exterior laborious drives, which spin up and down loudly and randomly.

There are a lot cheaper choices to easily add help for 2 1080p shows to your laptop computer, such because the (awfully named) $40 Selore&S USB-C adapter, which features a pair of HDMI ports and nothing else. So why purchase this $119 OWC system as an alternative? It’s actually one of many few methods to connect with a minimum of one 4K show utilizing a USB-C cable.

For one factor, it’s cheaper than the Plugable UD-6950H above, which comprises twin HDMI and DisplayPort ports plus some extra I/O. OWC’s adapter merely gives two HDMI ports and a passthrough USB-C port, which lets you plug in a 90W USB-C charger and cost your laptop computer. OWC’s adapter requires you to obtain DisplayLink drivers, then modify your Home windows show settings to re-enable 60Hz refresh charges one one show. (solely 30Hz is allowed on the opposite.) Sound like a ache? It’s, however that’s what occurs while you attempt to power a pair of high-definition shows throughout a bus that wasn’t actually designed for them.

At 2.8 x 0.31 x 1.22 inches, IOgear’s Journey Professional Mini Dock is an odd duck: a cheap, comparatively tiny USB-C dock that plugs immediately into your laptop computer, and not using a connecting twine.

“There’s no means this can work,” you may assume—nevertheless it does, with simply sufficient room in your laptop computer’s USB-C charger to sneak in a single facet of the dock, subsequent to an HDMI twine, then a USB key or twine, and a 3.5mm jack. (The Mini Dock helps as much as 60W of energy in from an exterior charger.)

That’s high-quality, in fact, in case your laptop computer’s USB-C port is all by its lonesome. In any other case, the Journey Professional Mini Dock will block ports because it tries to supply enlargement capabilities—and that’s an issue for laptops just like the Asus ZenBook, which forego a 3.5mm headphone jack however cram their USB-C ports too shut collectively to make IOgear’s dock possible.

We like the concept, however there are cheaper, higher docks on the market with extra flexibility.