Jason Cipriani has covered consumer technology for the past 15 years for a wide range of publications, reviewing and testing countless devices and gadgets during that time. He specializes in mobile, computing, and smart-home topics.

Nick Guy, the previous author of this guide, has covered mobile and computer accessories for more than a decade. During his tenure at Wirecutter, he reviewed more than 1,000 iOS and Mac products, including dozens of hubs and docks.

USB-C hubs and docks let you hook your old stuff up to your new stuff. Many new computers, including Apple’s MacBook Air models, Microsoft’s Surface Pro lineup, and Dell’s XPS 15, either have only USB-C ports or simply lack enough ports for connecting multiple accessories at once. If you need to connect flash drives, printers, an Ethernet cable, a display, or any other peripherals you already own, a USB-C hub or dock allows you to connect them all to a single USB-C port at once. If you just need more USB-A ports, a hub or dock that accepts that cable standard is still a great choice.

If you’re looking for a more powerful desktop docking option and your computer’s USB-C ports also support Thunderbolt 3 or Thunderbolt 4, you might consider a Thunderbolt dock, which can connect to more monitors and transfer data faster, though you have to pay quite a bit more for the privilege.

We researched and tested hubs with a number of different port layouts, ranging from models with just USB-A ports to those with USB-A plus power pass-through, video output, Ethernet connectors, 3.5 mm audio ports, and SD card slots.

For our most recent round of testing, we tested each hub with a 15-inch M2 MacBook Air and a Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio. Our tests evaluated the following:

• USB-A speed: Although USB-A ports generally don't transfer data as fast as USB-C or Thunderbolt connectors, their performance is still important. We ran AJA System Test speed tests using a 1 TB OWC Envoy Pro and looked for speeds in the 400 MB/s to 800 MB/s range, which is fast enough for everyday tasks.
• HDMI: Hubs with an HDMI port let you connect an external monitor to your laptop. We tested hubs with an HDMI port by connecting them to a 4K Philips 272P7VUBNB/27 monitor. We used the Blur Busters UFO Motion Test to confirm the refresh rate and verified that the expected refresh rate was available in the laptop’s system setting. We prefer hubs that support 4K at a 60 Hz refresh rate.
• Ethernet: A wired Ethernet connection is almost always faster than Wi-Fi and is more reliable too. Most hubs with Ethernet ports support gigabit speeds. We verified each hub’s connection speed in Network Settings on our Mac and in System Settings on our Surface Laptop Studio.
• Power pass-through: All the hubs we considered also have a USB-C port to power the hub and the connected laptop. We used the Power tab in macOS’s System Report to view the wattage of a power source and compared the figures stated there against what each company advertised.
• SD card: To test the hubs’ SD card performance, we ran AJA System Test on a 128 GB OWC Atlas Pro SD card. We considered only those hubs with a read speed above 80 MB/s, which is fast enough to quickly transfer everyday photos and videos from the memory card to your laptop.
• microSD card: We ran the same test as above using the SanDisk MicroSDXC card for Nintendo Switch, again considering only those hubs with a read speed above 80 MB/s.

Because hubs and adapters can get hot during use, we also measured the temperatures of our picks with an infrared thermometer after 15 minutes of continuous data and Ethernet use to confirm that they weren’t dangerously hot. We also took size into consideration; people often use their hubs with a portable setup, so the smaller and lighter a hub is, the better.

Unlike most other hubs we tested, the Anker 555 USB-C Hub (8-in-1) can send a clear, crisp image to a high-resolution 4K monitor without sacrificing the smooth movement and animation of a high screen-refresh rate. This model (formerly known as the PowerExpand 8-in-1 USB-C PD 10Gbps Data Hub) offers the best way to add the widest array and greatest number of the fastest ports to your USB-C–based computer. Plus, its sturdy and highly portable design makes it handy on the go or even as a semipermanent desk accessory.

Ports and features

It supports 4K video at a 60 Hz refresh rate. The most noteworthy feature of the Anker 555 USB-C Hub is the video output from its HDMI port. Since this product category launched, we’ve been disappointed to see a large number of hubs support a limited, 30 Hz video refresh rate when connected to a 4K monitor. But this Anker hub is one of a handful of models that—finally—allow for 60 Hz. The result is an experience as smooth as what you get on the screens of most laptops.

It has all of the ports you need and nothing you don’t. There are some kinds of ports that all hubs must have, and some that are nice but not necessary. The 555 USB-C Hub has the essentials and omits anything superfluous. In our tests, this Anker model’s ports worked as expected. Its USB read and write speeds were faster than those of USB 3.1 Gen 1 models by about 22% for reading data and 12% for writing. The Ethernet port, which is useful if you need a hardwired internet connection, measured at 1 gigabit per second, as advertised.

You can transfer to and from memory cards at top speeds. One edge of the 555 USB-C Hub has SD and microSD card slots for photo and video transfers. Their speeds matched the fastest we’ve seen in our tests over the past several years.

It has enough power for nearly all laptops. When we connected Nekteck’s 100W PD 3.0 GaN Wall Charger to this hub, our 15-inch MacBook Air reported receiving 85 watts—enough for it to stay powered and to charge at just a little slower than full speed. The 555 USB-C Hub can pass enough power for most laptops to charge at full speed, whether the laptop is a Chromebook, an ultrabook, or just about any smaller MacBook.

It’s portable yet spacious. At 4.8 by 2.2 by 0.6 inches, this aluminum hub is a bit larger than comparable devices. Its 7-inch USB-C cable is long enough that you should be able to position the hub as needed, and the cable feels sturdy but not so stiff that it’s hard to keep the cord where you want it.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

The side-by-side USB-A ports could be an issue. The 555 USB-C Hub’s two USB-A ports are somewhat tightly arranged side by side, so you may not be able to connect multiple flash drives or thicker plugs simultaneously.

It gets hot, but not too hot. Like many USB-C hubs we’ve tested, the 555 USB-C Hub heats up during use. We measured it at 108.7 degrees Fahrenheit after 15 minutes with the USB-C power cable and a USB drive plugged in. That’s warm enough to be noticeable when you touch the hub, but not so much that it’s dangerous; it’s within the normal operating temperature for this kind of accessory. Your laptop’s charger probably gets hotter than that.

Anker’s 341 USB-C Hub (7-in-1) provides nearly the same number and variety of ports as the company’s more expensive 555 USB-C Hub, but this model (formerly known as the PowerExpand+ 7-in-1 USB-C PD Media Hub) has a few key differences. All of its USB ports are slower, supporting USB 3.2 Gen 1 speeds rather than Gen 2. It lacks an Ethernet connection, and its HDMI port supports only a 30 Hz refresh rate for 4K monitors. For many people, though, these trade-offs are well worth the significantly lower price. If you don’t own or plan to get a 4K monitor, and if you use only Wi-Fi, this Anker hub offers as much as you’re likely to need.

Ports and features

It offers acceptable transfer speeds. In our tests, the 341 USB-C Hub’s USB data-transfer speeds were slower than the 555 USB-C Hub’s but in line with those of every other USB 3.2 Gen 1 hub—that is, pretty much every other hub. In comparison with the results we got from our top pick, this model’s USB-A and USB-C speeds were about 20% slower in read and 12% slower in write. But those figures are absolutely fine for daily tasks; unless you’re constantly transferring a lot of data, you’d likely never notice a difference. Its tested SD and microSD speeds were similar to what we saw from our top pick.

Don’t have a 4K monitor? This hub will do just fine. We found the biggest bummer to be this hub’s video performance, but again that’s mostly in comparison with our top pick. The HDMI port doesn’t support 60 Hz in 4K, instead maxing out at 30 Hz. If you plan on connecting your hub to an external 4K monitor, and you expect smooth performance, this hub simply can’t do it. For lower-resolution displays, including some of our top picks, the refresh rate will be fine, at up to 60 Hz.

It has a tried-and-true design. Physically, this hub is about the same size as Anker’s 555 USB-C Hub. It’s a little shorter and a few grams heavier, but it’s still totally portable.

The Anker 655 USB-C Hub (8-in-1) has the same number of ports as the company’s 555 USB-C Hub. However, on this model, Anker removed the lone USB-C data port found in our top pick and replaced it with a 3.5 mm audio jack, which is an acceptable trade-off for someone who wants to connect headphones or external speakers to their laptop. The 655 USB-C Hub has an unusual design for a USB hub: It’s covered in faux leather, it has a braided USB-C cable to connect to your laptop, and it looks like something you would probably have no issues displaying on your desk. Its slightly higher price kept it from being our top pick; if you see it on sale, it might be a good buy.

Ports and features

It offers fast data transfer through its USB-A connections. The 655 USB-C Hub’s two USB-A ports outpaced those of nearly every other USB hub in our tests; it even bested our top pick by an increase of 47% when reading data and 69% when writing data. The 655 USB-C Hub also boasts a Gigabit Ethernet port, which measured at the expected 1 gigabit per second on a MacBook Air and a Surface Laptop Studio.

Memory card transfers are speedy. The 655 USB-C Hub has an SD card reader and a microSD card reader stacked on top of each other, making it easy for you to insert and access one of each card at the same time. In our tests, both readers outperformed those of the competition, reading information from either memory card at an average of 91 MB/s and writing to the same cards at an average of 68.5 MB/s. That represents a minor boost in transfer speeds compared with our top pick, an increase you’d be unlikely to notice unless you’re often transferring large files between memory cards and your laptop.

It offers a smooth 4K signal and 85 W of power. On the same side as the Ethernet port is an HDMI connection that supports fast and smooth 4K at a 60 Hz refresh rate, identical in performance to the port on our top pick, the 555 USB-C Hub. Next to the HDMI port is the USB-C PD port, which accepts up to 100 W of power, 15 W of which is reserved for powering the hub; we confirmed that the remaining 85 W is then supplied to your connected laptop. This model also has an audio port—somewhat of a rarity on USB hubs—which allows you to connect headphones, speakers, or even a microphone to your laptop.

The faux-leather cover just looks nice. The 655 USB-C Hub is slightly longer and wider than the 555 USB-C Hub, measuring 4.91 by 2.17 by 0.61 inches. Its 7-inch USB-C cable is braided and equipped with a 90-degree connector, both of which give it a premium feel while providing confidence that it won’t easily disconnect from your laptop. When you aren’t using the cable, you can fold it toward the hub and plug the USB-C connector into the USB-C PD port, turning it into a handle for easy carrying, instead of having a cable that just flops around.

If you just want more USB-C ports: The Satechi 4-Port USB-C Hub turns a single USB-C port into four USB-C 3.0 Gen 1 ports. Because it is limited to transferring data, you can’t use it to charge your laptop or connect a monitor. It transfers data at the same speed as our top pick, the Anker 555 USB-C Hub, so it’s more than enough for performing occasional backups and transferring large files. It’s also perfect for connecting modern keyboards, mice, and thumb drives while you’re on the go.

If you need a lot of USB-A ports: The Anker 10-Port 60W USB 3.0 Data Hub has seven standard USB-A ports dedicated to transferring data. Each port has its own LED light so you know when it’s in use. Three additional USB-A ports are built into this hub specifically for charging devices at up to 12 watts.

The Dockcase Smart 6-in-1 USB-C Hub is an impressive hub that does a lot of what our top pick does, but with two fewer ports and for nearly double the price.

Plugable’s USB-C 7-in-1 Hub with Ethernet checks a lot of the boxes for what we want in a hub, including Ethernet and decent speed-test results, but its lack of an extra USB-C port for data transfers kept us from naming it as one of our picks. However, if you need a slim USB hub, it’s worth a look.

The Sabrent HB-B7C3 offers a lot of USB-A ports in a compact design but lacks any additional ports dedicated to charging accessories and other devices.

Though the Sabrent Multi-Port USB-C Hub is affordable and fast, it ultimately fell short due to its limited number of ports overall.

Satechi’s Aluminum Multi-Port Adapter V2 is very expensive but has a good array of ports, including Ethernet. It’s worth considering if you see it on sale.

Satechi’s Slim Aluminum Type-C Multi-Port Adapter has only two USB-A ports and typically costs more than our pick, but we like its streamlined design.

Yeolibo’s 9-in-1 USB-C has all of the ports you might want or need. But it supports 4K only at a 30 Hz refresh rate, and it produced some of the slowest transfer rates for memory cards we encountered during our testing.

The Hiearcool 7-in-1 USB C Hub had memory card test scores similar to those of the Yeolibo model and is also limited to 4K at 30 Hz.

This article was edited by Signe Brewster and Caitlin McGarry.