If you wish to get probably the most out of your pill or laptop computer, a USB-C hub may help. Utilizing a single USB-C slot in your moveable pc, a hub offers you again lacking connections like HDMI, USB Kind A and C, Ethernet, reminiscence card slots and extra. After testing greater than a dozen fashions, we predict the UGreen Revodok Pro 109 is the perfect USB-C hub for most individuals. However we’ve got a beneficial finances mannequin and a premium choose to provide you extra choices. We additionally break down port sorts, energy supply capabilities and design issues that can assist you make the proper alternative before you purchase.
Desk of contents
Greatest USB-C hubs for 2025
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 commonplace SD | Different ports: Ethernet
The “109” in UGreen’s Revodok Pro 109 USB-C hub doubtless stands for the nine-in-one declare in its advertising and marketing supplies, however since a type 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 may be 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 appeared nice on my check monitor and the information switch charges have been forward of different hubs in its worth vary. The velocity check 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 way in which in, counting on a spring mechanism to push it again out whenever you’re achieved. Right here, the tip stands out simply sufficient you could merely pull the cardboard out. These spring-loaded ejectors by no means work on the primary attempt for me, so it is a extra elegant answer.
There’s only one usable downstream USB-C port; the opposite is just able to delivering energy to your system. 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. General, the hub performs properly and affords a well-rounded number of connectors. Should you’d want a DisplayPort connection and do not want the information card slots, try UGreen’s 8-in-1 Revodok hub.
It was actually a troublesome name between this and the Anker 555 8-in-1 for the highest suggestion. They’ve a reasonably related port array and the Anker USB-C hub is $15 cheaper. However the UGreen hub has a extra premium construct and a twine that is about two inches longer, plus there’s one additional USB-A port that might definitely turn out to be 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 acquainted with 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 broad, but the cable itself is a pair inches longer than the norm. The unit and the cables simply tuck behind a laptop computer, notably 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 counsel — which is the overall theme right here. The HDMI 2.0 port can deal with a 4K exterior monitor at 60Hz, which ought to be loads 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 properly, 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 quicker than costlier hubs.
In fact, having only one downstream USB-C connection places a restrict in your setup: You’ll be able to have, for instance, a USB-C webcam or a USB-C keyboard plugged in, not each. However in case 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 suggest Plugable’s equally cleverly named USB-C 4-in-1 hub. It’s a greenback cheaper than the Wavlink choice with the same array of ports that each one carried out properly 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 in case you don’t must cost your system via the port, you get a great hub for the cash with Plugable’s system.
- 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 prime out at two, and a type of typically delivers energy solely and might’t run peripherals. Throughout three keyboard guides, our suggestions overwhelmingly require USB-C connectivity, all however one among our recommended webcams use USB-C and lots of exterior storage drives depend on that port as properly. Meaning if you would like a hub that connects your keys, digital camera and a drive on the identical time, it’s important to hunt for one thing appropriate.
The EZQuest Slim Gen 2 hub offers you not only one or two usable Kind-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 notice that this connector doesn’t help audio or drive different peripherals. The remaining 4 ports adhere to the USB 3.1 Gen 2 commonplace, delivering as much as 10Gbps. As with every hub, the extra objects you may 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 have been loads 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 immediately into my laptop computer). Even absolutely loaded, the unit stayed comparatively cool. Whereas the included cable is lengthy, the hub itself is tremendous compact and concerning the dimension of a Skor bar. All of the ports come out of 1 facet, so just like the finances choose above, it’s simple 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 supply 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 value of Belkin’s Connect Universal 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 just a few options that almost all hubs don’t have, particularly the choice of three USB-C ports (one port can be utilized for both energy supply or accent help) and twin prolonged shows with an Apple MacBook (after you obtain the SiliconMotion driver).
Plenty of 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 primarily “sharing” a view of a tertiary display 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 choice 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 facet, the association on a desk seems tidy, avoiding the spidery look of a hub with ports on all sides.
Shunting all of this connectivity does make the unit get fairly sizzling: it appeared to get hotter than the entire different items I attempted. Whereas I by no means seen any in poor health results consequently, I solely used it over the course of a pair days and wonder if 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 very popular throughout use
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 USB-C docking station. There’s no set commonplace for what differentiates the 2, however docking stations are inclined to have extra ports, provide a separate DC energy adapter and value extra, with some reaching upwards of $400. We’ve a separate information to the best docking stations to take a look at in case you’re searching for one thing larger 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 value between $30 and $150.
Hubs, generally additionally known as dongles and even multiport adapters, make extra sense for smaller setups with just some peripherals, resembling a monitor, a wired keyboard and mouse, and the occasional exterior drive. They’re additionally extra moveable, since they’re small and require no devoted energy. That may very well be helpful in case you change work places however need to convey your equipment with you, or if you wish to exchange your laptop computer with a more powerful tablet. A docking station or thunderbolt dock 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 simple to seize your laptop computer off your desk for a gathering or different transient relocation and whenever you get again, you solely must plug in a single cable to get all of your equipment reconnected.
Ports
For a USB-C hub to work, it wants to connect with a port in your laptop computer or pill that helps video, information and energy — all of which is roofed by something listed as USB 3.0 or higher, together with USB4 and Thunderbolt 3 and 4. The port, after all, must be Kind-C as properly. The ocean of laptops out there’s huge, so it’s laborious to make generalizations, however trendy laptops, together with Home windows and Apple fashions, ought to have at the very least one USB-C port that can suffice, and certainly, each one among our prime picks for the best laptops do.
Subsequent, it’s a matter of discovering a great USB-C hub that has the proper connections on your wants. Most hubs provide some combo of HDMI, USB, SD card reader, Ethernet and three.5 mm ports. You probably have a 4K monitor and would love at the very least 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 commonplace aren’t as widespread simply but. Remember that a low refresh price could cause your display to really feel laggy, making your mouse seem glitchy and your webcam actions to look delayed.
Further USB ports on these equipment are often Kind-A or Kind-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 finest to examine the spec checklist to be sure you’re getting the help you want. Remember that a hub might invoice itself as a 7-in-1, however a type of ports might not be usable for something apart from charging.
Normal SD and microSD slots are helpful for transferring information from cameras and the like or for offloading information out of your laborious drive. Ethernet ports might ship quicker 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. Meaning in case your laptop computer or pill solely costs through USB, you don’t should take up one other port in your laptop computer to maintain the whole lot topped up. Not like a docking station, powering a hub is optionally available. The one exception is if you wish to shut the lid in your laptop computer whilst 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 should be plugged into the wall to forestall that from taking place.
Most of the newer hubs embrace a 100W USB-C energy supply (PD) port, with a wholesome 80 to 85 watts going to your Mac, PC or pill (the hubs take somewhat of the juice for themselves, therefore the 15-watt or so distinction). In my assessments, a powered USB hub ran hotter than when it wasn’t passing the cost via, so I want to energy the pc immediately utilizing its personal charger. However for tablets or different units with no additional ports, that PD choice is vital.
Some PD ports are additionally information ports — which is each good and unhealthy. On one hand, it feels wasteful to make use of a superbly good information port only for boring outdated electrical energy. However however, 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 to be a flat slab, somewhat smaller than a smartphone, and have an hooked up Kind-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 in all probability gained’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, doubtlessly 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 check USB-C hubs
Earlier than we check something, we check out what’s accessible and the way they’ve been obtained by customers, forum-goers and different publications. I grew to become acquainted with just a few respected manufacturers once I was testing docking stations, so I appeared into hubs from these firms as properly. I centered 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 working MacOS Sonoma because the host pc and plugged in equipment that embrace 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 obtained at no cost on an airplane (I ought to in all probability put money into some wired headphones, however the twine 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 may very well be plugged in directly, the decision on the monitor, information switch speeds, the general construct high quality of the hub and normal usability elements, like the location of the ports and the size of the cords. And, lastly, the price-to-value ratio helped decide the perfect ones for just a few completely different use instances.
Different hubs we examined
HyperDrive Subsequent 10 Port USB-C Hub
There’s loads to love about HyperDrive’s Next 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 information 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 way in which our unit dealt with a streaming gentle. Having it on at full brightness made the webcam flicker each time. The problem went away at 75 % brightness, however the identical downside didn’t occur on some other hub I examined.
Anker 341 USB-C Hub (7-in-1)
There’s nothing mistaken with the Anker 341 USB-C hub. The truth is it’s a present suggestion in our iPad accessories guide and it comes at a fantastic $35 worth. It offers 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 somewhat retro. There’s additionally only a single USB-C downstream port and the information switch assessments proved to be a contact slower than the opposite hubs. However in case you’ve obtained a decrease decision monitor and don’t want a couple of USB-C, you gained’t be dissatisfied with it.
Anker 555 8-in-1
It was a troublesome name between the UGreen Revodoc Professional 109 and the Anker 555 8-in-1 for our prime suggestion. Each have the same port array with an HDMI, Ethernet, two USB Kind A, a PD USB-C and a USB-C 3.2 on the 555. And the Anker USB-C hub is $15 cheaper. We went with the UGreen hub for its extra premium construct, additional USB-A port and longer twine that offers you two additional inches to work with. However if you wish to save a couple of dollars this hub is a worthwhile choose.
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 respectable 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 strong, with no hiccups that I encountered. The model’s 4-Port USB-C Hub has a protracted twine that wraps across the hub itself, which is exclusive. It doesn’t trouble with energy supply, which isn’t a difficulty in case you can energy your pc immediately. However the 4 USB ports (three Kind-A and one Kind-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 just a few extra USB ports on your setup.
Latest updates
April 2025: Added our expertise with the Anker 555 8-in-1 hub to the Different hubs we examined part.
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