Our recommendations for the best Thunderbolt docks can be found in a separate story. Below our picks you can find information on how to choose a USB-C hub versus Thunderbolt and how we tested our review units. We purchased numerous USB-C hubs to highlight details you can’t tell from the specs, like whether the ports are crowded together or the hub runs a bit hot. For whatever reason, the shelf life of a USB-C hub is short! If one of our listings is sold out, there may be an “upgraded” replacement available.

The more advanced full-featured options can run up to $70 or so, depending upon which ports are included. Of course, it’s also a handy way to add an HDMI connection, an SD card slot, or simply more USB ports for storage.įortunately, there are so many USB-C hubs available with various combinations of legacy I/O that finding one to meet your particular needs is as easy as ordering off a menu. We’ve divided our picks into two categories: basic and full-featured, the latter denoting hubs that offer greater extensibility, including the ability to charge phones.Įxpect to pay about $20 for the “basic” category of hubs that combine USB-A ports and SD card slots and little more. Some laptops only have USB-C connections-that means a USB-C hub is essential if you want to connect a wired USB-A mouse or keyboard, or an older wired printer. Laptops with USB-C ports are now almost ubiquitous, as the world moves away from slower, inflexible USB-A ports to this faster, more versatile connection standard.

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