Best USB-C hubs for your laptop or tablet

In case you’re contemplating a USB-C to USB-A hub just like the AmazonBasics L6LUD012-CS-R, it’s price weighing Aukey’s hub first. That’s as a result of (at press time) Aukey’s hub was cheaper and gave you a special complement of ports.

The CB-C72 is a alternative for the CB-C65, which we advisable beforehand and has since gone out of inventory. It is practically an identical in dimension (3.8 x 1.1 x 0.4 inches) and weight (1.9 oz./0.12 lb.), with a wire an inch shorter at just below six inches. The CB-C65 had three USB-A ports, which can be helpful if you wish to join a wired mouse, keyboard, and an exterior laborious drive. The CB-C72 has solely two USB-A connections, however the spacing between the ports is ample. There are additionally SD and microSD slots, plus an HDMI output. (It does lack an ethernet port, nonetheless, so you will be pressured to make use of Wi-Fi.)

There have been some quirks within the CB-C65 which may be repeated within the CB-C72. Within the earlier mannequin, Aukey requested you to insert the microSD card the wrong way up, although it fortunately did away with the awkward spring-loaded slot that sucks your card into many competing merchandise. As this can be a fundamental hub, there’s no charging enter, which suggests your laptop computer or pill will want a second USB-C port or a devoted energy wire for charging whereas utilizing the hub.

The AmazonBasics L6LUD001-CS-R gives three USB 3.1 Sort A ports, plus Gigabit ethernet, to your laptop computer’s current 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 wire provides some flexibility to your desktop structure. 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 should you simply need a fundamental hub. Although the hub ships in each black and white, we observed Amazon will often low cost one or the opposite by just a few {dollars}.

The VAVA VA-UC008 presents a compete docking station inside a pretty, skilled chassis that is priced affordably. It gives nearly all the connectivity you will want: three USB-A (two USB 3.0, 1 USB 2.1) ports, separate microSD/SD slots, 4K (at 30Hz) HDMI capabilities, and Gigabit ethernet. It additionally means that you can cost your laptop computer by way of a separate USB-C energy enter, as much as 100W. It solely lacks an audio jack.

At practically 5 inches lengthy and two inches large, the VA-UC008 is a bit bigger than another hubs, and what seems to be about six inches of wire size continues to be a bit too brief in case your laptop computer’s USB-C port is mounted alongside the show panel. However the USB-A ports are neatly divvied up in order that even fats novelty USB sticks should not intervene with different connectors. We’re not in love with the USB 2.0 port, however it may be assigned to a mouse or keyboard with no difficulty.

We examined a previous era of this hub from Vava, and it supplied glorious efficiency with out getting scorching.

The IOgear Dock Professional (GUD3C02B) is the Huge Kahuna of USB-C docks—and, given what it does, you virtually marvel why it wasn’t made a Thunderbolt dock as a substitute. 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 a lot of rear-facing ports optimized for twin shows, with a foot-long USB-C cable as well.

Particularly, there’s three USB 3.0 (Sort A ports), 1 HDMI 1.4 port, 1 DisplayPort 1.2 port, Gigait ethernet, 1 SD/SDHC port and a microSD slot (each USH-I), VGA, a 3.5mm jacka USB-C port for as much as 100W of exterior charging. A number of the extra ports include some caveats: the VGA connection have to be used solo, for instance, and never along side both DisplayPort or VGA. Bear in mind, all that knowledge handed alongside the USB-C cable can intervene with each other, however IOgear performs it a bit conservative; the handbook 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, you probably have a100W laptop computer charger feeding energy to the hub, 85W can be left over to your laptop computer to make use of.

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

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 is also a bit dearer than its rivals. Anker’s hub was among the many coolest we have examined below load, at about 87 levels.

General, Anker’s hub is properly designed, with satisfactory spacing between the 2 USB-A ports. As a substitute of three Sort A ports, there is a USB-C connection for knowledge, plus a second USB-C port for energy enter at as much as 85W rated. An HDMI port permits for 4K/30 video or 1080p/60 video to a single exterior show, customary for the class. Ethernet is excluded, nonetheless, so you will want to make use of Wi-Fi as a substitute. Twine size was about 8.5 inches, above the usual 6-inch size.

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

The QGeeM 7-in-1 Hub I acquired tried to purchase me off with an in-box promotion that promised a $10 Amazon card if I left a constructive evaluate. It doesn’t want one, because it’s a compact, light-weight little hub that covers all of the fundamentals, save Ethernet.

The three USB 3.0 hubs are adequately spaced. An HDMI port on the finish of the dock helps a single 4K show at 30 Hz (or 1080p at 60 Hz)—par for the course for a typical USB-C hub. QGeeM’s hub contains assist for each SD and microSD slots, utilizing the older, prevalent UHS-I SD card customary. Each playing cards share the identical controller, permitting them for use one card at a time. It does omit Ethernet, although.

QGeeM’s Internet web page signifies that it accepts 100W (3A) energy supply although the USB-C enter port, although the in-box documentation says it permits for 60W most. Nonetheless, a USB-C charger linked to the port reported that it was charging adequately. Below load the hub wamed to about 94 levels, a cushty temperature.

QGeeM would not appear to supply guarantee assist, and the packaging skimps on niceties like a carrying bag. However this light-weight hub presents all the pieces else a typical consumer will want, and for an important worth.

Cowzuc’s USB-C hub is an inexpensive, standard alternative for a USB-C hub on Amazon, and the low worth is arguably its finest promoting level. There are three USB 2.0 ports, and a USB 3.0 port on the finish.

The Cowzuc USB-C Hub 4-in-1 is tiny, measuring about 3.25 inches lengthy, with a cable size of about 4.75 inches. It weighs 0.63 ounces (rated). and is product of steel. Warmth was by no means a problem in any respect. Spacing, nonetheless, could also be: The USB-A ports alongside the aspect will barely accommodate USB keys and units, and if certainly one of them is oddly formed, it won’t match.

The efficiency of this hub is a mishmash. For USB units like mice and keyboards, this hub presents no potential issues. However solely the tip port is USB 3.0 rated, delivering an appropriate 923 MB/s in our testing. The opposite three ports are USB 2.0 with anemic read-write speeds of between 27 to 36 MB/s. In case you’re transferring information from one exterior machine to a different, it can take some time.

Although natively USB-C, Cowzuc’s USB-C hub ships with a USB Sort A sleeve that matches over the USB-C port, permitting it for use with a USB-A port. Whereas that is helpful, that additionally throttled the USB 3 port considerably when it was used , as efficiency slipped to about 407 MB/s.

Lention’s C15 USB-C hub falls into the “fundamental” class, providing simply three USB-A Sort 3.0 ports, an SD card reader, and a microSD/TF reader—and that’s it. Notice that the USB-A ports are spaced far sufficient aside to assist standard-sized USB keys and cords, however with out a lot wiggle room.

At just below $21, the C15 is dirt-cheap, and tucks simply into your bag. It’s price noting that prospects who’ve beforehand bought the Lention C15 complained that the hub grew to become unreasonably scorching and in some cases apparently interfered with their Wi-Fi connection. We observed no such points, and the hub warmed as much as simply 84 levels Fahrenheit below load, nothing to sweat about.

The C15 options an extra-long USB-C charging cable that stretches a full foot, considerably greater than the a number of inches different USB-C hub makers allocate. In case you’re involved on the prospect of a dangling hub, the C15 is for you! Simply keep in mind to flip the microSD card upsde down earlier than inserting it—it’s an odd quirk that some USB-C hubs undergo from, together with this one.

At 2.8 x 0.31 x 1.22 inches, IOgear’s Journey Professional Mini Dock is an odd duck: a reasonable, comparatively tiny USB-C dock that plugs straight into your laptop computer, with no connecting wire.

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

That’s nice, 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.

Kingston’s Nucleum USB-C hub is barely ununsual in that it presents simply two USB 3.1 (5Gbps) Sort A ports for mice, keyboards, laborious drives and the like, however provides a pair of USB-C ports. One’s used for energy supply, and that may be a little bit of an issue.

The Nucleum handed our efficiency checks simply nice, as did nearly each different hub. These checks included plugging an exterior SSD and an exterior USB laborious drive. Once we tried to attach two USB laborious drives with an HDMI cable connected, one drive wouldn’t be learn—there wasn’t sufficient energy. Connecting an exterior charger to the Nucleum solved the issue.

In any other case, we actually favored the USB port spacing, one on both aspect. The Nucleum measures 5 x 1.8 x 0.5 inches, completely nice for putting inside a backback. The wire measures about 5.75 inches, only a bit shorter than we’d like. The SD card slot is rated at UHS-II, whereas the microSD slot is rated at UHD-I. The hub’s aluminum building by no means warmed to uncomfortable temperatures. A two-year guarantee with free technical assist is included.

In regards to the size and form of a cigar, Anker’s AB331 USB-C hub is for these whose pocket book or pill incorporates a USB-C port in addition to an microSD/SD card slot, such because the Microsoft Floor Go. There are three USB 3.0 Sort A ports, Gigabit ethernet, and an HDMI connector—however that’s it. You additionally get Anker’s good fame for supporting its merchandise.

The hub appears good, and there’s even a material carrying case for its slim 4 x 0.75-inch type. However the USB ports are jammed shut sufficient that three customary USB sticks subsequent to at least one one other barely match—and be careful if a USB stick is barely outsized. Why couldn’t Anker have used each side of its USB-C hub for ports?

(Since we wrote this evaluate, Anker rearranged the hubs and took about $10 off the value, with this redesigned model.)

The 6-inch USB-C wire is just too brief for a pill with a USB-C connector mounted in its prime half, from which this hub would dangle. There’s additionally no USB-C charging. You shouldn’t have any issues with overheating, although—we copied information from two USB-connected drives whereas additionally downloading a file over ethernet, with no slowdown or noticeable warmth achieve.

At press time the value was $46—a bit excessive in comparison with different hubs we have examined.

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, presumably a mouse, and both show connector. We’d slightly see Lenovo choose both VGA or HDMI and add one other USB port.

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

There are higher offers elsewhere, by way of worth and ports. However should you want a VGA connector, this is without doubt one of the few choices accessible.

ICZI’s IZEC-TH01 breaks from the everyday USB-C hub design, forgoing the “sweet bar” type think about favor of a radial hub. Two USB 3.0 Sort-A ports are seated subsequent to SD and microSD card slots, HDMI (4K at 30Hz) and VGA, Gigabit ethernet, and a USB-C enter connection for charging your laptop computer.

The additional-long 11-inch cable wraps across the exterior of the hub for storage. Sadly, the radial design means different cables (VGA, HDMI, and so forth.) will find yourself getting in all instructions. The middle of the hub is taken up by a tray with a magnetic faceplate, massive sufficient to retailer a dongle. In any other case, our hub got here with no documentation by any means, only a 24-month guarantee card that’s double the period of most of its competitors.

The IZEC-TH01 does get a bit heat below load (copying information from an SD card to a PC whereas additionally copying information from an exterior laborious drive to an SSD, whereas streaming YouTube) however solely to about 88 levels Fahrenheit. It was a tad quicker than different hubs, too. VGA and HDMI can be utilized concurrently, and the hub provides as much as 900mA through USB-A for charging.

At 3.75 inches in diameter, IZEC-TH01 is a bit huge and ponderous for our tastes, particularly with cables going each which method. In any other case it’s worth, and narrowly misses an Editor’s Selection award.

This AmazonBasics USB-C hub is so simple as its identify suggests: one extra-long (14 inches!) USB-C cable to your PC, linked to 4 USB 3.1 Sort A ports to your legacy units. Notice that the majority hubs present 5Gbps USB 3.0 ports, whereas this one gives 10Gbps USB 3.1 connections; you’d in all probability by no means discover the distinction.

We linked the hub to 2 bus-powered drives (one a 2.5-inch laborious drive, and the opposite an SSD) plus a USB 3.0, bus-powered DVD-RW drive. We observed a slight drop in efficiency whereas taking part in again a DVD and copying knowledge between the 2 drives. However whereas one commenter on Amazon’s website observed an influence drop, we had been in a position to burn a disc simply nice with our drive—it appears sufficient energy will get by way of the cable. The hub’s floor temperature didn’t rise quite a lot of levels above the ambient temperature.

This hub is affordable, fundamental, and delivers passable efficiency for an important worth. It lacks an SD slot or among the different connections different hubs embrace, nonetheless, which are actually accessible for only a few {dollars} extra.

Whereas VAVA’s VA-UC006 packs a ton of performance in a compact package deal, a number of design flaws mar what’s in any other case a stable product. This “kitchen sink” hub measures barely lower than 4 x 2 inches, and combines three USB Sort A ports, microSD/SD slots, HDMI (4K at 30Hz), and Gigabit ethernet, plus a USB-C charging port for charging your laptop computer.

Whereas the 6-inch wire is already shorter than we might like, that is only one limitation. The USB ports are spaced too carefully collectively for even a barely outsized USB key, like a SanDisk Cruzer Glide. The microSD card slot awkwardly forces you to lever the cardboard in with a fingernail, making the cardboard flush with the hub. Due to the hub’s thinness, the ethernet port has a hunged dropjaw, which has the potential to interrupt. Throughout use, the hub heated as much as 99 levels Fahrenheit below load—not uncomfortable, however among the many warmest we tried.

We actually like VAVA’s purpose of mixing all the pieces you need it in a small type issue, and we used the VA-UC006 to assist arrange our checks. However there are different, higher options.

Lasuney’s 10-in-1 hub presents quite a bit to your cash, together with an uncommon mixture of not one however two HDMI ports, and even a DisplayPort. Ethernet’s included, too, letting the hub substitute a lot of your wired connections.

Lasuney’s hub is properly made, with good port spacing. It would not get uncomfortably heat, both.

That is quite a lot of knowledge to be placing over the USB-C port, although, and whereas we actually just like the pair of HDMI ports for dual-display configurations, the very fact is that you’re going to 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.

The issue we discovered, although, is that the SD card slot is method 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. We actually like the pliability that the Lasuney hub presents, however there are different competing hubs that may do a greater job.