Finest USB-C hubs in your laptop computer or pill

Lention’s C15 USB-C hub falls into the “primary” 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 help standard-sized USB keys and cords, however with out a lot wiggle room.

At slightly below $21, the C15 is dirt-cheap, and tucks simply into your bag. It’s price noting that clients who’ve beforehand bought the Lention C15 complained that the hub turned unreasonably sizzling and in some situations apparently interfered with their Wi-Fi connection. We seen 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. When 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.

The AmazonBasics L6LUD001-CS-R gives three USB 3.1 Sort 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 useful 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 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 in case you simply need a primary hub. Although the hub ships in each black and white, we seen Amazon will sometimes low cost one or the opposite by a couple of {dollars}.

The Vava VA-UC008 presents a compete docking station inside a pretty, skilled chassis that’s priced affordably. It gives nearly the entire connectivity you’ll 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 a separate USB-C energy enter, as much as 100W. It solely lacks an audio jack.

At almost 5 inches lengthy and two inches vast, the VA-UC008 is a bit bigger than another hubs, and what seems to be about six inches of twine size continues to be a bit too quick in case your laptop computer’s USB-C port is mounted alongside the show panel. However the USB-A ports are well divvied up in order that even fats novelty USB sticks shouldn’t intrude 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 problem.

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

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 below load, at about 87 levels.

General, Anker’s hub is effectively designed, with enough spacing between the 2 USB-A ports. As an alternative of three Sort A ports, there’s 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/30Hz video or 1080p/60Hz video to a single exterior show, customary for the class. ethernet is excluded, nonetheless, so that you’ll want to make use of Wi-Fi as a substitute. 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 below load, together with simultaneous knowledge switch between USB-A ports whereas the SD ports have been energetic. The hub presents an 18-month guarantee, and it even ships with a carrying pouch. 

From the field, to the design, to the product quantity, Hiearcool’s UCN 3286 seems to be a cousin to the FlexPow UCN 3281. The distinction is that Hiearcool’s UCN 3286 drops one of many three USB 3.0 ports and replaces it with a USB-C charging port able to accepting as much as 100W of enter energy.

The 4.5-inch UCN 3286 is fabricated from aluminum, and connects to your laptop computer by way of a USB-C twine that’s a bit lower than 6 inches. Throughout use, the CN 3286 warmed, although by no means uncomfortably. The hub provided sufficient energy for our bus-powered 10Gbps exterior SSD, even with different gadgets linked, and the learn/write efficiency of all gadgets that we linked met expectations. That included the SD playing cards, too.

Although the HDMI connection required a couple of seconds to attach, it labored flawlessly. We have been capable of energy our check pocket book by way of the USB-C enter into the hub, and cost a linked cellphone at regular (not “quick” or “ultra-fast”) charging speeds at a measured 4.86W.

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 optimistic 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 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 for a typical USB-C hub. QGeeM’s hub contains help 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 miss ethernet, although.

QGeeM’s webpage 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. However, a USB-C charger linked to the port reported that it was charging adequately. Beneath load the hub wamed to about 94 levels, a cushty temperature. 

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

Aukey’s 5-in-1 USB-C charging hub with 100W wi-fi charging (CB-C70) has one flaw you need to find out about: At press time, an analogous Aukey 8-in-1 hub (the CB-C71) that provides extra—ethernet and an SD card slot—is $10 much less. However the CB-C70 presents an honest quantity in your cash, too.

The Aukey CB-C70 connects to your PC by way of a 5-inch USB-C cable. Beneath the rounded corners of the CB-C70 (it measures about 3.66×3.2 inches, and weighs 5.6 ounces) cover two USB 3.0 (5Gbps) ports, a USB-C energy enter, and an HDMI port able to 4K/30Hz decision on a single exterior monitor. The zinc alloy/ABS hub can function a bus-powered hub, however it received’t wirelessly cost with out exterior energy. When linked, it will get heat, however not worryingly sizzling. Port spacing is ok.

Aukey claims that the hub will wirelessly fast-charge a Qi-compatible Samsung cellphone when the cellphone is positioned upon the highest of the hub, and when the hub is being charged with Samsung’s Quick Charging wall charger or a Fast Cost 2.0/3.0 charger. We’ve confirmed that. The floor of the CB-C70 is flat, however there’s nothing stopping you from inadvertently knocking it off. Even with exterior energy linked, the hub didn’t provide sufficient juice to energy a 10Gbps bus-powered exterior SSD, however labored high-quality on two bus-powered onerous drives, although efficiency fell barely. And sure, you possibly can cost whereas copying recordsdata.

Aukey’s CB-C70 comes with a 24-month guarantee.

Cowzuc’s USB-C hub is an affordable, well-liked selection for a USB-C hub on Amazon, and the low value is arguably its greatest 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 fabricated from metallic. Warmth was by no means a difficulty in any respect. Spacing, nonetheless, could also be: The USB-A ports alongside the aspect will barely accommodate USB keys and gadgets, and if one in all them is oddly formed, it won’t match.

The efficiency of this hub is a mishmash. For USB gadgets like mice and keyboards, this hub presents no potential issues. However solely the top port is USB 3.0 rated, delivering a suitable 923MB/s in our testing. The opposite three ports are USB 2.0 with anemic read-write speeds of between 27- and 36MB/s. When you’re transferring recordsdata from one exterior system to a different, it is going to 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 connector. Whereas that’s useful, that additionally throttled the USB 3 port considerably when it was used, as efficiency slipped to about 407MB/s.

The IOgear Dock Professional (GUD3C02B) is the Huge Kahuna of USB-C docks—and, given what it does, you nearly surprise 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 quite a few rear-facing ports optimized for twin shows, with a foot-long USB-C cable besides.

Particularly, there’s three USB 3.0 (Sort A ports), one HDMI 1.4 port, 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 further ports include some caveats: The VGA connection should be used solo, for instance, and never along with both DisplayPort or VGA. Keep in mind, all that knowledge handed alongside the USB-C cable can intrude with each other, however IOgear performs it a bit conservative; the handbook says that two onerous 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 suitable with the specialised quick-charging schemes of OnePlus or Samsung. (Telephones from each producers reported “charging” when linked, moderately 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 a100W 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, 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.

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 Sort A ports. It’s additionally unusual to see these ports managed by LED-lit button switches, and an non-obligatory 5V/2A adapter powering the entire affair.

The port splitter takes the 5Gbps enter and splits it among the many ports, that are solely energetic 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 difficulty, and the ABS/aluminum assemble handles warmth effectively.

The Rshtech hub wouldn’t all the time establish and hook up with a bus-powered SSD, however it discovered each different system we linked to it. The efficiency of a powered exterior onerous drive plunged to about 20 % when all ports have been occupied, however surged to about 67 % when the non-obligatory 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 favored how the hub allowed us entry to exterior onerous drives, which spin up and down loudly and randomly.

At 2.8 x 0.31 x 1.22 inches, IOgear’s Journey Professional Mini Dock is an odd duck: an affordable, comparatively tiny USB-C dock that plugs straight into your laptop computer, with out a connecting twine.

“There’s no means this may work,” you would possibly assume—however it does, with simply sufficient room in your laptop computer’s USB-C charger to sneak in a single aspect 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, after all, 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 growth 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 thought, 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, onerous 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 exams simply high-quality, as did nearly each different hub. These exams included plugging an exterior SSD and an exterior USB onerous drive. Once we tried to attach two USB onerous 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 high-quality for putting inside a backback. The twine 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 development by no means warmed to uncomfortable temperatures.  A two-year guarantee with free technical help 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 comprises a USB-C port in addition to an microSD/SD card slot, such because the Microsoft Surface 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 status for supporting its merchandise.

The hub seems good, and there’s even a material carrying case for its slim 4 x 0.75-inch kind. 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 version.)

The 6-inch USB-C twine is just too quick for a pill with a USB-C connector mounted in its high 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 recordsdata from two USB-connected drives whereas additionally downloading a file over ethernet, with no slowdown or noticeable warmth acquire.

At press time the value was $46—a bit excessive in comparison with different hubs we’ve 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, probably a mouse, and both show connector. We’d moderately see Lenovo decide both VGA or HDMI and add one other USB port.

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

There are higher offers elsewhere, by way of value and ports. However in case 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” kind 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 outdoors of the hub for storage. Sadly, the radial design means different cables (VGA, HDMI, and so forth.) will find yourself moving into all instructions. The middle of the hub is taken up by a tray with a magnetic faceplate, giant sufficient to retailer a dongle. In any other case, our hub got here with no documentation in any respect, 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 recordsdata from an SD card to a PC whereas additionally copying recordsdata from an exterior onerous 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 by way of USB-A for charging.

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

This AmazonBasics USB-C hub is so simple as its title suggests: one extra-long (14 inches!) USB-C cable to your PC, linked to 4 USB 3.1 Sort A ports in your legacy gadgets. 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 onerous drive, and the opposite an SSD) plus a USB 3.0, bus-powered DVD-RW drive. We seen 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 web site seen an influence drop, we have been capable of burn a disc simply high-quality with our drive—it appears sufficient energy will get by the cable. The hub’s floor temperature didn’t rise quite a lot of levels above the ambient temperature.

This hub is reasonable, primary, and delivers passable efficiency for an amazing value. It lacks an SD slot or a few of the different connections different hubs embody, 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 twine is already shorter than we’d like, that’s 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 aim of mixing the whole lot you need it in a small kind issue, and we used the VA-UC006 to assist arrange our exams. However there are different, higher options. 

Lasuney’s 10-in-1 hub presents quite a bit in 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 exchange lots of your wired connections.

Lasuney’s hub is effectively made, with good port spacing. It doesn’t get uncomfortably heat, both. 

That’s loads 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 simply’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. 

The issue we discovered, although, 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 exams 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.