In a fresh development, if you follow my advice, you shouldn’t pay that much for a hub, either. The best USB-C hubs add ports to your PC, providing connections to legacy peripherals like mice, keyboards, printers, or more.
As part of the ongoing story, but if you want to go further, I have additional options for more specialized purposes. Those include USB-C docking stations that sit on your desk, plus some higher-end alternatives: DisplayLink docks, as well as the best Thunderbolt docks. They cost more, but provide more functionality. (A FAQ at the end of this roundup can help you decide.). Most users will probably be happy with any of my standard hub recommendations.
In a fresh development, monoprice 13-in-1 Dual-HDMI + DP MST Dock.
Industry observers note that dockcase Smart USB-C Hub 10-in-1 Explorer Edition.
According to the latest update, mokin 160W GaN All in One Docking Station.
In a fresh development, ugreen 9-in-1 USB-C (Revodok) Docking Station CM615.
As part of the ongoing story, best full-sized USB-C DisplayLink dock runner-up.
The report highlights that plugable USB-C Triple 4K HDMI Docking Station (UD-6950PDZ).
According to the latest update, you should too! I keep at least one of these lightweight little USB-C hubs in my backpack at all times.
The report highlights that we maintain a rigorous testing process, and our reviews are not influenced by advertisers or other considerations. Most of these products were purchased directly by PCWorld reviewers, but in certain cases review units have been provided by the manufacturers. Why you should trust PCWorld for USB-C hub reviews and buying advice: PCWorld has been supplying news, reviews, and recommendations for the best computing products since our first magazines hit newsstand shelves in 1983.
The report highlights that most users will be able to take advantage of the USB-A ports for legacy mice and keyboards, the HDMI port, a USB-C port, and Ethernet. These are the ports I’d expect on a device like this. If you’re looking for more display ports or more USB-C connections, however, you’ll need to buy a more premium device. I’d recommend this USB-C hub to just about anyone.
According to the latest update, this one does. Anker’s 8-in-1 USB-C hub feels surprisingly weighty (4.5 ounces), with a premium metallic (aluminum and polycarbonate) sheen that keeps the hub cool. Overall, Anker’s hub is well designed, with adequate spacing between the two 5Gbps USB-A ports. There’s also a 5Gbps USB-C connection for data, plus a second USB-C port for power input at up to a rated 85W. (The charger allows up to 100W in, but supplies 85W.) There’s both an SD card slot and a microSD card slot, too. Can a USB-C hub feel elegant?
Industry observers note that both hubs are similar, but this upgrade adds two things: an Ethernet port, and an HDMI port capable of 60Hz. The earlier pick output just 30Hz, and that capability was getting a bit outdated. I had previously recommended Anker’s 7-in-1 Hub instead.
In a fresh development, i think this hub includes the right mix of ports for the right price. The hub offers an 18-month warranty, and it even ships with a carrying pouch.
In a fresh development, it has one HDMI port that’s only capable of 4K resolution at a fatiguing 30Hz. However, it will work just fine for a single external 1080 display or even a 1440p monitor, if you own one. The two USB-A ports are designed for a mouse and keyboard, or a printer. If you need something cheap and capable, this hub will work just fine. This is a hub for basic expansion, especially if you own an older laptop.
As part of the ongoing story, i can tell you that I factor in price heavily on some of these picks, and this is a USB-C hub that I’ve personally used. It works, it offers a myriad of ports, and it does so at a very, very good price. It even ships in multiple colors, which is handy when peering into the depths of a travel bag or briefcase. Let’s face it: If you’ve ever browsed Amazon’s inventory of USB-C hubs, it’s easy to be overwhelmed.
The report highlights that it accepts up to a rated 100W of USB-C input charging, too. This hub includes a pair of USB-A ports, microSD and SD card slots, and an HDMI port, and that’s all.
In a fresh development, dongles do have a tendency to flop all over your desk, and the OWC Travel Dock feels like a cross between a traditional docking station and a dongle. And it’s cheap, too! Dongles are usually reserved as travel gear, and I think this would work well for an executive or someone who likes a tidier desk. I’ve reviewed USB-C hubs and dongles that forego the traditional long, rectangular “dongle” form factor into something that’s a bit more stable.
Industry observers note that this was also a 5-in-1 hub, so while it provides the essentials (two USB-A ports for mouse and keyboard, Ethernet, and HDMI, plus USB-C charging input) there’s not much else. (Editor’s Note: OWC revised this dock with an additional SD card slot, increasing the price slightly.). The “hidden” USB-C cable is a nice touch, though extended it’s a bit short.
According to the latest update, read our full.
Industry observers note that oWC USB-C Travel Dock review.
In a fresh development, you need to own a modern laptop, though; a Microsoft Surface Book 2 with an 8th-gen Core chip inside didn’t produce any output over its USB-C port; several Samsung and Surface laptops with 12th-gen and 13th-gen Core chips from 2022 onward worked well, though. More recent laptops from 2024 on through 2026 should also work fine. If you own a modern laptop and want access to a ton of legacy ports for a reasonable price, this Monoprice hub/dock should be your choice.
As part of the ongoing story, you might not care, but it’s certainly on the pricey side. If it looks like a hub or dongle, but is priced like a dock, is it a dock?
As part of the ongoing story, it does so by using support for built-in compression techniques within modern laptops to squeeze more effective throughput over the 10Gbps USB-C port. There are absolutely gobs of ports, including five USB-A ports (two at 480Mbps for mice and keyboards), two HDMI 1.2 connections, and even a DisplayPort port. This 13-in-1 USB-C hub does it all, including connecting to two 4K displays (one at 60Hz, one at 30Hz).
Industry observers note that there aren’t any USB-C ports, but the assumption is that you can use your laptop for that. There’s even a power input jack, so you can use your laptop’s charger and feed up to a tested 87W into the laptop.
According to the latest update, read our full.
According to the latest update, monoprice 13-in-1 Dual-HDMI + DP MST Dock review.
The report highlights that yep, this is one of the nerdiest products I’ve ever used, and I like and loathe how it just lets you sort of discover what it can do. But it tells you what your laptop is connecting to and how it’s working! It even reports glitches! I love that. Nerds.
Industry observers note that if you are, this is the USB-C hub for you. Are you the type of person who owns an OBD scanner to diagnose any issues with your car?
Industry observers note that part of me loves the sheer nerdiness of the Dockcase 10-in-1 Dock, if only because I’ve never seen anything like it in terms of the information it offers.
Industry observers note that i prefer the nerdier version with lots of ports. Note that Dockcase offers alternatives: There’s a $69.99 6-in-1 dock, and a newer Dockcase “Visual Smart” 10-in-1 dock that eliminates some of the labeled ports in favor of a jet-black aesthetic.
Industry observers note that put another way, the Dockcase Smart USB-C Hub 10-in-1 feels more like an OBD2 diagnostic device for your car, or a USB multimeter. Not only is the metal hub larger than most, with multiple external connectors that designate a premium hub, but there’s an actual display: A small LCD screen provides a detailed look at what devices are connected to each port and what their capabilities are.
Industry observers note that as a tool, it can use some improvement: The interface is extremely clunky, and Dockcase really doesn’t even have a manual that explains it all. But this device is also small enough that it fulfills the requirements of a docking station without it being ungainly. As a dock, it’s excellent.
According to the latest update, read our full.
The report highlights that dockcase Smart USB-C Hub 10-in-1 Explorer Edition review.
As part of the ongoing story, this dock always reports how much power it’s supplying, but when you insert or detach a monitor cable, it will alert you to what’s going on there, too. This might be a little too much information for some users, but if you’re the type of person who has a CPU widget floating on their desktop, this might be the dock for you. For those of you who want to know what’s going on under the hood of your USB-C docking station, this dock is for you.
The report highlights that (Really, who needs a power-only USB-A port?) But this dock pretty much nails your basic needs, offers a compact form factor, and is priced right, too. The split between data-only and charging ports is a little weird, especially if you’re using a mouse, keyboard, and webcam — and that extra USB-A port just isn’t available.
According to the latest update, read our full.
As part of the ongoing story, mokin 160W GaN All in One Docking Station review.
The report highlights that displayLink docks excel for office work, but struggle in handling high frame rates for platform releases. DisplayLink docks fit between a USB-C dongle and a Thunderbolt dock, and I always think of a DisplayLink buyer as a small business owner or home worker who is focused on productivity and lots of high-end displays.
As part of the ongoing story, this is our top pick for an upgraded DisplayLink dock, which has its own pros and cons — slightly more expensive than a USB-C docking station, but more functions, too.
According to the latest update, but this DisplayLink dock offers an excellent mix of port flexibility at a solid price. There is one catch: It lacks any power input at all, and you’ll need to use your laptop’s USB-C power supply (or buy one) to charge both this dock and the laptop itself. Ugreen’s 9-in-1 USB-C docking station is typical of the brand: quality design and manufacture, obtuse naming, and pricing that seems to vary from one vendor to the next.
As part of the ongoing story, the price nails that sweet spot, too. Just remember to bring your smartphone charger. Like most DisplayLink docks, this dock was unusually stable, with no flickering between displays — one of the reasons I like DisplayLink docks.
According to the latest update, read our full.
In a fresh development, ugreen 9-in-1 USB-C (Revodok) Docking Station CM615 review.
Industry observers note that you’ll want to avoid tech industry. As noted in the best pick above, DisplayLink docks work best for a home office, with an emphasis on productivity.
In a fresh development, most docks ask you to choose between DisplayPort and HDMI, or even use a direct Thunderbolt connection. Plugable offers both. Plugable’s dock means that you can connect to three 4K displays, even if you don’t absolutely have to.
As part of the ongoing story, press it too hard, and you will see some degradation in video and storage performance. The performance of this dock was up to par, though keep in mind that DisplayLink uses compressed data running over a 10Gbps connection.
According to the latest update, read our full.
In a fresh development, plugable USB-C Triple 4K HDMI and DisplayPort Display Horizontal Docking Station (UD-6950PDZ) review.
As part of the ongoing story, a separate article offers a detailed explanation on how we test USB-C hubs, but here’s a short summary: First we test the physical configuration, and how ports are spaced and whether filling one port impedes use of the port next to it. We test USB-C hubs/dongles slightly differently than docking stations.
According to the latest update, finally, we consider price and weight it against functionality and build quality. More complex hubs usually command more money, but that’s not always the case! We also run performance tests to make sure ports function as advertised.
In a fresh development, i review USB-C hubs/dongles, Thunderbolt docking stations, and DisplayLink docks, so I have a good handle on the different types of I/O technologies being used and what will be best for you. I’ve been reviewing these devices since work-from-home became widely used in 2020, realizing pretty quickly that home users wanted a mix of displays and legacy peripherals. My name is Mark Hachman, and I’ve been working as a technology reporter and reviewer for 30 years.
In a fresh development, you’ll want to do a careful of assessment of your work equipment and your needs in order to find the right hub or dock for yourself.
The report highlights that do you have an old external hard drive that uses a traditional USB-A cable? Do you manually back up photos from an SLR camera via its SD card? Or is your Wi-Fi connection unreliable enough that you’d prefer Ethernet? Figure out what ports you’ll need. This advice is for Windows users; Macs have their own limitations on USB-C connections. Here’s where to start: Take a look at the peripherals you own, or plan to buy.
In a fresh development, you can disconnect a keyboard to print, but it’s kind of a pain. Even if you own a modern 2026 laptop, you may still have devices from several years ago. A hub bridges your laptop to its peripherals, but can serve as a bridge to the past, too. Keep in mind that you may want to use both a mouse and keyboard, and possibly connect a printer, too.
In a fresh development, this laptop has several USB-C ports, but if yours has just one, you’ll want to daisy-chain the laptop’s power cord by plugging it directly into the hub, like so.
The report highlights that if your device only has one port, is there a separate charging connection? If your laptop or tablet has a USB-C port and uses it exclusively for charging, you’ll want to buy a USB-C hub with a dedicated charging input port. It’s also important to take stock of your laptop or tablet’s ports: Does it have one USB-C port or two?
The report highlights that otherwise, you’ll be forced to choose between charging your laptop and accessing other devices, which makes little sense. Most laptops will pop up a warning about a “slow charger” if your laptop’s not getting enough juice. Note how much input power the port allows, and confirm that it will be sufficient for your laptop.
Industry observers note that older laptops often included dedicated video ports, often HDMI; modern laptops in 2026 may include a dedicated video port as well. But video can also run over the USB-C port through a technology called DP Alt Mode which enables certain USB-C ports to send video signals to external monitors using the DisplayPort protocol, via the USB-C cable. Video adds another wrinkle.
As part of the ongoing story, there’s no way for us to tell you whether your USB-C port can support video passing over it. You’ll need to consult your laptop’s manual to tell. If the port does support video, you can either use a USB-C hub to connect to an external monitor. Alternatively, you can run the USB-C cable to a display with a USB-C cable input. These USB-C displays have only been available for a few years, but they provide an alternate way of routing video out of your laptop. The problem, even as manufacturers like BenQ admit, is that these cables aren’t often properly labeled.
Industry observers note that on these hubs or dongles, there will be a dedicated USB-C input port to accept power, but not data. A powered laptop docking station, on the other hand, ships with its own charger — which may be hardwired into the docking station and take will power in and also push it out to peripherals. Desktop hubs will often take power in from an external charger like the one you plug into your phone, and use it to power your laptop.
The report highlights that but if you’re investing in a powered USB-C docking station, check our reviews to see how much power the hub or docking station can push out to peripherals. The 2026 iPhone 17 Max consumes 40W of charging power to fast-charge the phone; most docking stations won’t get near that. But an older phone, such as an Apple iPhone 14, only needed 30W of charging power. Older phones need even less power to fast-charge them. As I noted above, the input power to your laptop needs to be sufficient to power it.
According to the latest update, it’s useful to know, however, what your hub or docking station will be able to do or not do. You certainly don’t have to buy a USB-C docking station or hub to charge a phone; most hubs weren’t built with them in mind.
As part of the ongoing story, that’s plenty of bandwidth for a printer, a mouse, a keyboard, or a hard drive, even all at once. Products like displays, Ethernet, and high-speed SSDs gobble up that bandwidth, however. A USB-C port on your laptop can either run at 5Gbps or 10Gbps, with the latter being almost ubiquitous these days.
Industry observers note that if you simply want to connect to an external 1080p display — or two — a USB-C dongle should work fine, provided that the dongle has the available ports. It’s certainly the cheapest option. If you want to connect more displays with higher resolution, you may have to examine other choices. Display technologies tend to have the most influence over what you should buy.
The report highlights that provided your laptop had a Thunderbolt port, Thunderbolt’s 40Gbps bandwidth allows for two 4K displays, running at 60Hz, plus various peripherals. (You can use a 10Gbps USB-C dock even if you have a 40Gbps Thunderbolt port, but only 10Gbps of that throughput will be available to the 10Gbps dock.) Thunderbolt is usually associated with laptops which use Intel processors; laptops with AMD Ryzen or Qualcomm Snapdragon chips inside use the “generic” equivalent, also called USB4. Traditionally, the only other alternative was a Thunderbolt dock.
The report highlights that there are also two intermediary technologies to choose from: a DisplayLink USB-C dock, and a USB-C dock that takes advantage of something called HBR3 and DSC.
In a fresh development, it requires a programs driver, but our experience is that it’s an excellent choice for office work, but not tech industry. Here are the best DisplayLink docks and why to buy them. DisplayLink, owned by Synaptics, uses programs compression between your laptop and the dock to approximate a Thunderbolt experience over a generic USB-C connection.
Industry observers note that the problem? The technology hasn’t been widely publicized, let alone supported. Our experience has been that docks that support HBR3 work well with laptops using 12th-gen Core processors on up. Laptops with a 10th-gen Core chip inside them aren’t supported, and 11th-gen Core laptops are iffy. If you own a laptop chip with a 12th-gen Core chip or one that’s even more recent, you stand a good chance of success. Otherwise, don’t bother. HBR3 with Display Compression (HBR3 with DSC) is essentially an industry standard version of DisplayLink.
Industry observers note that thunderbolt cables and ports include the little lightning-bolt icon, which differentiates them from the otherwise unmarked USB-C cables.
In a fresh development, go ahead and use that USB-C that’s billed as being “for MacBook Pro, Chromebook, and XPS” with any Windows PC — we did, and it works just fine. You won’t need any special programs or drivers. Because USB-C is common among Macs, Windows PCs, and phones, some hubs align their branding with a particular ecosystem.
As part of the ongoing story, one thing to keep in mind: Because price is so critical to our recommendations, know that some of the prices may change as manufacturers offer sales. Therefore some hubs we didn’t recommend primarily based on price could become more purchase-worthy. After testing our USB-C hubs, we can confirm that some no-names perform just as well as their more well-known counterparts, and for less money, too.
Industry observers note that and do you remember how svelte the early Macintosh laptops looked, especially when Apple began removing all of the ports in favor of USB-C and Thunderbolt? PC makers did, and decided that was the approach that they would take, too. Remember when laptops used to contain all sorts of ports: USB-A, HDMI, SD card slots, and more?
As part of the ongoing story, enter the USB-C hub, an inexpensive product that helps solve that problem. Just pay attention to what ports the USB-C hub offers, to make sure it meets your needs. Unfortunately, that left laptop owners like you with the problem of legacy devices: printers, keyboards, SD card, micro SD cards, and so on — and with no ports to plug them into.
According to the latest update, if you want to add a pair of additional displays (especially 4K), or high-speed SSD drives, we’d recommend you look at our list of 40Gbps Thunderbolt docking stations. Generally, the larger, powered docks offer more functions. Here’s the short answer: If you want to connect your laptop to a printer, an SD card or microSD card, mouse, keyboard, or legacy 1080p monitor, stick with a basic 10Gbps USB-C hub/dongle.
According to the latest update, generally, most modern laptops have a small Thunderbolt “lightning bolt” logo to help distinguish the faster port. It is confusing, since they all use the “same” USB-C port.
According to the latest update, a USB-C docking station tends to be heavy and bulky enough that you’ll want to keep it on your desk. It’s not true that a USB-C docking station will have more functions than a USB-C hub, as some compact USB-C hubs pack in a surprising number of ports. A USB-C hub or dongle (we use the terms interchangeably) is a small, portable device that you can slide into a bag or backpack.
As part of the ongoing story, if there’s anything that docking stations tend to have that dongles sometimes don’t, it’s a USB-C port designed only to accept power from your laptop’s USB-C charger. That allows you to gain additional ports as well as charging capabilities from the same dock. Docking stations tend to be bigger and bulkier, and are designed to live on your desk.
As part of the ongoing story, uSB-C docking stations are bigger and bulkier but add even more capabilities. We’d expect you to pay over $100 for these. Expect to pay between $30 and $40 for a good USB-C hub, even in 2026 — maybe a bit more with tariffs.
In a fresh development, pay attention to our reviews and those from other shoppers, but buy according to what the hub or dongle offers. You can absolutely find solid USB-C hubs and dongles for an inexpensive price. Honestly, not much.
The report highlights that in part, that’s because Thunderbolt docks were wildly expensive during the 2020 to 2021 pandemic years. USB-C docking stations are an alternative, but their prices were nudged upward, too. Fortunately, prices have come down, as the supply chain regained a semblance of normalcy. USB-C docking stations, though, can feel a bit overpriced.
As part of the ongoing story, the difference is that a “generic” USB-C connection typically provides 10Gbps of bandwidth, and Thunderbolt provides 40Gbps, or 120Gbps with Thunderbolt 5. Both USB-C and Thunderbolt use the same USB-C connection.
As part of the ongoing story, (To tell the difference, consult your laptop’s manual or look for a small “lightning bolt” logo over the port itself. That’s usually a sign that it’s a Thunderbolt port.) A USB-C dongle and a Thunderbolt dock are similar, in that they both provide a number of additional ports. Thunderbolt ports are becoming much more common, so it’s possible that your laptop won’t have any “USB-C” ports; they’ll be Thunderbolt-enabled instead.
According to the latest update, the rule of thumb is that a USB-C dongle provides enough bandwidth for two 1080p displays at 60Hz, or a single 4K display at 30Hz. (Staring at any 30Hz display for a length of time can tire out your eyes, so I don’t recommend it.) A Thunderbolt dock, however, allows enough bandwidth to connect two 4K displays at 60Hz, plus all the peripherals you wish to attach. If you don’t need big, high-resolution displays, don’t buy a Thunderbolt dock and purchase a USB-C hub instead. There’s a key difference, though.
In a fresh development, displayLink docks embed a small chip from Synaptics in the docking station, and require use of a programs driver that you’ll need to download. (USB-C and Thunderbolt are essentially plug and play.) The Synaptics chip compresses the data, and gives you the ability to connect (no joke) up to three or sometimes four 4K display all over a 10Gbps USB-C cable. It feels a bit like black magic. A DisplayLink USB-C dock is what you might call a “tweener” device: something between USB-C and Thunderbolt.
The report highlights that transfer a lot of data (or play back a lot of high-bitrate video) and you’ll see some stuttering. They’re not foolproof; DisplayLink docks are best for office work (email, Word, Excel, and so on that don’t require a whole lot of bandwidth, because the images are largely static) and web browsing.
In a fresh development, if you shop smart, you can get the capabilities of a Thunderbolt dock, for less. We used to break out DisplayLink docks into their own page, but we now include recommendations on this list of the best USB-C hubs, as well as our list of the best Thunderbolt docks.
The report highlights that you probably won’t be able to connect a USB-C dongle to another USB-C dongle/hub, but if your laptop has more than one USB-C port, you can connect a USB-C hub to each. You can absolutely connect a USB-C hub to a Thunderbolt dock.
As part of the ongoing story, uSB-C, however, does not. Thunderbolt offers the ability to “daisy-chain” devices, however, so you can connect one Thunderbolt dock to another.
The report highlights that this is because the electronic components and circuitry within hubs build up heat during use. Depending upon the hub’s material, heat can become trapped inside the hub leading it to become hot to the touch. USB-C hubs can get warm or even hot while using them to transfer data or charge devices.
The report highlights that if you are concerned about your hub becoming too hot during use, you may consider purchasing a hub made from metallic parts, such as aluminum, so that heat can more easily dissipate as it builds up.
As part of the ongoing story, even though two USB-C hubs may have wildly different brand names, you may sometimes find that they’re otherwise identical or just very similar.
According to the latest update, in general, however, these are fairly inexpensive, flexible ways to upgrade your laptop, and I’d recommend always carrying one in your laptop bag! We’ve given you a lot of detail on what makes a good USB-C hub or dongle and what to consider when buying one.
The report highlights that he has authored over 3,500 articles for PCWorld alone, covering PC microprocessors, peripherals, and Microsoft Windows, among other topics. Mark has written for publications including PC Magazine, Byte, eWEEK, Highly adopted Science and Electronic Buyers' News, where he shared a Jesse H. Neal Award for breaking news. He recently handed over a collection of several dozen Thunderbolt docks and USB-C hubs because his office simply has no more room. Mark has written for PCWorld for the last decade, with 30 years of experience covering technology.