USB-C Hubs

A USB-C hub turns one port into several, and on modern laptops it is what replaces a docking station.

The thing to verify first is your laptop’s USB-C port. Not every USB-C port is equal: for a hub to output video, the port must support DisplayPort Alt Mode. Most modern laptops do, but some budget machines have USB-C for data and charging only, and on those a hub’s HDMI output simply will not work. The laptop’s specification will say.

The second thing is Power Delivery pass-through. A hub with a PD input lets your charger plug into the hub instead of the laptop, so a single cable to the machine carries video, USB, network and charging. Without it, the hub occupies the port you would otherwise charge from.

Also check speed (5Gbps for USB 3.2 Gen 1, 10Gbps for Gen 2) and the HDMI resolution and refresh rate, since many hubs cap at 4K 30Hz — usable for documents, poor for anything moving.

The range covers StarTech, UGREEN, Verbatim, Belkin, Lindy, Dell, TP-Link and Hama.