Greatest USB-C Hubs and Adapters for MacBook and Mac 2023

The Anker PowerExpand 8-in-1 USB-C Hub is compact and highly effective, providing higher specs than a few of the different main choices on this checklist.

It affords two USB-C ports—one which helps 85W USB-C Energy Supply, whereas one other helps information transfers as much as 10Gbps. You additionally get speedy 10Gbps switch charges via two extra USB-A ports, the place many rivals max out at 5Gbps. 

The Anker PowerExpand is particular because it affords an HDMI port that helps 4K 60Hz resolutions, the place most are restricted to 4K 30Hz. For 4K 60Hz decision, your machine should assist DP 1.4. This consists of MacBook Air (from 2020), MacBook Professional 15in (from 2018), MacBook Professional 16in (from 2019) and iPad Professional (from 2018).

Additionally included are an SD card reader (that may assist a microSD card with an adapter). That is rated at UHS-I (104MBps) so not the quickest however speedier than another hubs examined right here supply.

The Gigabit Ethernet port is nice for these occasions when Wi-Fi simply gained’t do.

It’s additionally extremely mild at slightly below 130g and compact so you’ll be able to take it wherever. At $79.99/£79.99 it’s onerous to disclaim this hub’s worth for cash. In our expertise, it does get heat with use however Anker says that is regular.

If all you want from an adapter is the power to attach a bunch of older USB-A gadgets to your MacBook, this easy adapter ought to do the trick.

The Ugreen USB-C 4-port hub is a slim and cheap adapter that means that you can add 4 full-size USB 3.0 ports that may deal with information switch at as much as 5Gbps. It has lately been upgraded to characteristic an extra USB-C port that may provide a 10W cost for linked gadgets, however not the host laptop. Whereas all 4 ports can be utilized concurrently, a most of two onerous drives will be linked at one time.

It seems to be the half with most trendy MacBooks, and is a simple option to join reminiscence sticks, a printer or different older gadgets that don’t include USB-C.

The entire transportable USB-C hubs reviewed listed below are suitable with the Mac’s Thunderbolt 3 and 4 ports, however most characteristic slower USB-C connections (5Gbps or 10Gbps) in comparison with Thunderbolt (40Gbps).

The Satechi Professional Hub Max, accessible in both Silver or House Grey, options USB4 ports which can be each suitable with Thunderbolt and may attain the identical 40Gbps most throughput.

Connecting instantly to 2 of the MacBook’s Thunderbolt ports, it boasts a bunch of ports that ought to be sufficient for many of us. The hub receives 40Gbps from every of the Thunderbolt ports on the Mac (so a complete of 80Gbps). 40Gbps is used for the USB4 pass-through port, whereas the second Thunderbolt port distributes 40Gbps of bandwidth to the remainder of the ports on the hub.

The USB4 port helps as much as 96W charging—simply tremendous for a 14-inch MacBook Professional and punchy sufficient to maintain a 16-inch Professional going and charged fairly shortly. This similar USB4 port can be utilized to hook up with an exterior show—as much as 6K at 60Hz show output, transferring information at 40Gbps.

It ought to enable video output and passthrough charging concurrently. In a check connection from a MacBook to an LG 4K UltraFine Show, the MacBook was in a position to output video to the monitor, whereas the monitor was in a position to present energy to the MacBook, all via the only connection. House owners of the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Professional and M2 Air can cost through the MagSafe connector concurrently utilizing the Professional Hub.

The HDMI 2.0 port can be used to attach a 4K 60Hz show, so you’ll be able to obtain a twin 4K monitor setup on any Professional or Max M1 or M2 MacBook. Plain M1/M2 MacBook Airs are restricted to only one exterior show.

Additionally onboard are a 5Gbps USB-A port and a 5Gbps USB-C port—though neither can cost linked gadgets. There are each SD and MicroSD card readers (UHS-I), a Gigabit Ethernet port, and three.5mm combo audio jack port.

In the identical household, Satechi additionally affords the Professional Hub Mini (the identical because the Max however with out the HDMI port) and the Professional Hub Slim (which swaps the Ethernet port for an additional USB-A port, and boasts 10GBps USB-A and USB-C ports in comparison with the Mac and Mini’s 5Gbps). Should you don’t want wired Web entry, the Professional Hub Slim edges out the Professional Hub Max. Should you don’t want multiple exterior display otherwise you wish to save the USB4 for passthrough charging solely, take into account the Professional Hub Mini or the Plugable 5-in-1 USB-C Hub reviewed beneath..

All three requires a MacBook with two adjoining Thunderbolt ports on one facet.

Whereas not licensed as both USB4 or Thunderbolt 4, this compact and really transportable 5-in-1 USB-C hub (AMS-5IN1E) affords 40Gbps data-transfer through its USB-C port, and is designed for the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Professionals launched in 2021, or MacBook Airs launched in 2022. A wise cutout retains entry to these MacBooks’ MagSafe charger port.

The inclusion of the 40Gbps USB-C port is helpful because the hub makes use of the 2 Thunderbolt or USB4 ports in its flush facet connection to the MacBook. However, in return, it offers you two 5Gbps USB-A ports (4.5W charging) and Gigabit Ethernet. The audio jack port can be lined however replicated on the hub.

The 40Gbps USB-C port can be utilized to attach a show as much as 6K at 60Hz, or supply passthrough charging at as much as 100W—15W for telephones and different gadgets.

Its closest rival is the Satechi Professional Hub Mini (reviewed above), which options an additional USB-C port (5Gbps) however is dearer, so this hub wins our finances 40Gbps hub award.

The StayGo is, as its title suggests, one for the house, workplace and in your travels. It’s light-weight and far more compact than most USB-C docks.

It includes a full array of 8 ports, together with: USB-C 3.1 for 85W Energy Supply (PD) charging of the laptop computer; an HDMI port (4K at 30Hz) for attaching to an exterior show; two 5Gbps USB-A 3.0 ports and one other USB-A port with 7.5W for quicker charging; Gigabit Ethernet for wired Web; and SD and Micro SD card readers.

It comes with a 1m USB-C cable to attach together with your laptop computer, plus a removable journey cable that hides contained in the dock when not in use. Whereas not Thunderbolt 3 or 4 it’s suitable with Thunderbolt MacBooks – its information switch is simply restricted to 5Gbps reasonably than TB’s 40Gbps.

It’s pricier than a lot of the hubs reviewed right here, but it surely’s bought the lot when you want all the pieces, and we prefer it quite a bit. It feels extra strong than a few of the cheaper hubs, but weighs simply 150g.

It’s accessible in both Black or White.

We’re massive followers of the Baseus 6-in-1 USB-C Hub which lacks the cardboard readers discovered on some hubs however boasts three 10Gbps USB ports (2x USB-A and 1x USB-C) and Gigabit Ethernet, plus an HDMI port that helps an exterior show at 60Hz. It additionally includes a button that can shortly flip the linked exterior show off.

(The 6-in-1 mannequin at present on sale within the UK affords lesser efficiency: 5Gbps USB-A as a substitute of 10Gbps, and exterior show assist at 30Hz in comparison with 60Hz.)

Baseus has a number of different glorious and reasonably priced USB-C hubs, one in all which could go well with you higher, so try what every affords:

Baseus 7-in-1 USB-C Hub: 100W passthrough charging; 1x HDMI (4K@60Hz); 3x USB A (5Gbps, 7.5W charging), SD and MicroSD card readers through Amazon US and Amazon UK.

Baseus 8-in-1 USB-C Hub: 100W passthrough charging; 1x HDMI (4K@30Hz); Gigabit Ethernet; 3x USB A (5Gbps, 7.5W charging), SD and MicroSD card readers through Baseus.

Baseus 9-in-1 USB-C Hub: 100W passthrough charging; 2x HDMI (one at 4K@120Hz; different HDMI can solely mirror the show on Macs at 4K@30Hz); Gigabit Ethernet; 3x USB A (two at 5Gbps and one at 480Mbps), SD and MicroSD card readers through Baseus, Amazon US and Amazon UK.

Every hub consists of an built-in USB-C cable that may be minimized for journey with its neat cable-tidy port that creates a loop. And there’s an LED that reveals you when the the hub is in use.

The StayGo mini is, at its title suggests, a cut-down model of Twelve South’s admirable StayGo transportable USB-C hub. It’s primarily designed for the iPad Professional however can even work with a MacBook.

Whereas it lacks its larger sibling’s Ethernet port and SD/microSD card readers, it nonetheless packs a HDMI Port (4K at 30Hz), USB A-port, USB-C Port for passthrough 85W PD charging, and a 3.5 mm audio jack.

The StayGo’s singular USB-A port options BC 1.2 for as much as 7.5W quick charging, however is USB 2.0 so restricted to 480MBps information switch in comparison with the StayGo’s three 5Gbps USB-A ports.

It could actually join on to a pill USB-C port, and in addition ships with a 0.5 meter USB-C cable if you wish to use it with a MacBook. And in case your iPad is in a protecting case, the cable will imply the hub can nonetheless connect with the pill.

Accessible in Black solely.

Sick of hubs that also assume USB-A is a factor? If what you need is extra USB-C ports, the Satechi 4-Port USB-C Hub has a lot for you. Every port is USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 so 5Gbps, though that ought to be quick sufficient for many.

The USB-C ports don’t assist passthrough charging or video output, and may deal with solely two onerous drives or SSDs on the similar time.

This hub has sufficient completely different ports to name itself a docking station. It has two HDMI ports, two USB-C ports (one PD and one 5Gbps), SD/microSD/SD readers (UHS-I), two 5Gbps USB-A ports, a 3.5mm audio combo jack for headphones, and Gigabit Ethernet.

It doesn’t have its personal energy provide however affords passthrough PD charging at a greater than wholesome 100W.

That’s an amazing set of ports, but it surely’s not it’s greatest plus for customers of Apple’s unique M1/M2-based MacBooks.

The usual M1 and M2 chips in Apple’s latest MacBooks are highly effective however have a serious limitation: not like Intel-based Macs, they don’t assist multiple exterior show. The smarter M1 Professional and M1 Max chips do assist a number of shows.

If that may be a downside for you there’s a {hardware} answer within the Hyperdrive Twin 4K HDMI 10-in-1 USB-C Hub, which lets M1 Macs join two exterior shows. There’s some mild software program set up concerned for M1/M2 customers, and it’s essential to enable InstantView entry to your Privateness settings in System Preferences.

One HDMI port permits for 4K at 60Hz, and the opposite 4K at 30Hz.

If you need the quickest Web and community speeds, it’s essential to push previous Gigabit Ethernet to Multi-Gig Ethernet, ranging as much as 10Gbps. This six-port hub from Satechi boasts a 2.5Gbps (2.5GbE) Ethernet port—2.5x quicker than common Gigabit Ethernet. 2.5GbE growth is changing into extra commonplace now that WiFi 6 permits wi-fi connection to over 1GbE LAN, and you’ll find 2.5G ports on some WiFi 6 routers. Present CAT5e Ethernet cables are suitable so there’s no want for rewiring.

Except for this super-fast Ethernet this hub boasts 4K at 60Hz HDMI, 10Gbps USB-A and two 10Gbps USB-C ports (one with 100W passthrough charging) and a combo 3.5mm audio jack. Notice that neither USB-C port helps video switch so it’s a one-display hub.

This hub additionally stands other than normal USB-C ports by being USB4, which suggests you get to play together with your Mac’s full 40Gbps Thunderbolt 4 bandwidth.

Satechi guarantees that this adapter can deal with two 4K shows at 60Hz – most display-friendly USB-C hubs can deal with 4K shows solely at 30Hz, a decrease body charge that’s tremendous for many duties however not supreme for high-resolution gaming or broadcasts.

This easy double-HDMI adapter additionally features a USB-C PD charging port (at as much as 60W) so you’ll be able to maintain your MacBook charged whereas it’s in use.

It’s suitable with MacBook fashions with two facet USB-C ports, and weighs 62g (2.2oz). Notice that it doesn’t assist two exterior shows on M1 Macs.

It’s accessible in both Silver or House Gray. 

Apple bought a variety of flack when transferring to USB-C as a result of it meant that a lot of its customers had to purchase a number of adapters to copy the ports they had been used to, and wanted.

It wasn’t a lot that we wanted adapters, however extra to do with the value Apple was charging for its easy USB-C hubs and adapters.

Take, for instance Apple’s USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter, which price quite a bit for simply an HDMI port, one USB-A port and a passthrough-power USB-C port.

Plugable has a less expensive various, at a couple of third of the value. And it seems to be fairly equivalent.

Except for the value, the one downside is that the HDMI connection can join a 4K exterior show at 30Hz reasonably than the complete 60Hz, which can delay avid gamers.

However in any other case, this can be a nice various at a fraction of the value, and may cost at 60W.

We have a tendency to consider hubs for laptops, similar to Apple’s MacBooks, which lack multiple or two USB-C ports and so require a dock so as to add additional gadgets.

The Mac Mini, you’d assume, has a military of ports compared to Apple’s laptops.

The newest fashions boast two Thunderbolt 3 / USB4 (quick USB-C) ports, two old-school USB-A ports, HDMI 2.0, Gigabit Ethernet, and three.5mm headphone jack.

That appears like quite a bit, however Apple accent specialist Satechi believes the Mini wants maxing.

Satechi’s Sort-C Aluminum Stand & Hub for Mac Mini expands these capabilities with six ports: together with a USB-C information port, three USB-A ports, micro/SD card readers, and one other 3.5mm headphone jack port.

(Notice that you may’t cost gadgets linked to the USB ports, as they’re there for syncing and information switch solely.)

The essential level is that these factors are front-facing, and never tucked across the again with the unwieldy and unpleasant energy provide. It additionally lifts the Mini off the desk, and its built-in air vents assist regulate temperature and encourage airflow.

You may not assume a desktop Mac wants a hub, however the 24in iMac is kind of missing, having both simply two Thunderbolt ports on the entry-level mannequin or two Thunderbolt and two USB-C on the top-end. These ports are additionally all hidden away on the again, which might imply snaking cables throughout your desk.

5 of the ports on this hub that clamps to the underside of the iMac are front-facing ports for straightforward entry to reminiscence playing cards, USB storage, or storage playing cards. There are two USB-C ports and one USB-A port (all rated at a speedy 10GBps). The USB-A port can cost a telephone at 7.5W.

The UHS-I (104MBps) SD and microSD card readers aren’t the quickest however ought to suffice. Such reminiscence playing cards are an reasonably priced method of including transportable storage, and also will delight digicam customers.

On the rear of the hub is an HDMI port that may assist an exterior 4K show at 60Hz.

Hyper additionally sells a 5-in-1 iMac USB Hub with two USB-C (5Gbps) and three USB-A (5Gbps and one which costs at 7.5W).

Fairly brilliantly, the hubs can color-match together with your 24in iMac, with 7 iMac colour faceplates included.

Should you’re a digital skilled or only a pictures fanatic, likelihood is you is perhaps barely peeved that the brand new MacBook Professional you held out for doesn’t have an SD card slot. 

SanDisk is right here to save lots of the day. This neat SD card reader is USB-C suitable and can enable Thunderbolt 3 pace transfers of all of your high-resolution pictures and movies. 

SD playing cards are additionally a really cheap method so as to add transportable storage to your laptop computer, from 32GB as much as 1TB.

This easy adapter makes a USB-C port right into a VGA port for older shows and projectors, and in addition can deal with two exterior shows.

VGA was as soon as the most well-liked video connector however is seen much less nowadays, being overtaken by DVI, HDMI, DisplayPort and direct USB-C.

It helps 920×1200@60Hz HD resolutions through VGA, and 4K at 30Hz via its HDMI port. It isn’t suitable with supporting two shows on an M1 MacBook.

If it’s essential to connect with a DVI (Digital Visible Interface) show or projector, this adapter does the trick. 

It could actually assist resolutions as much as 1,920-x-1,080 at 60Hz.

Slim and durable whereas nonetheless being very transportable, the most recent model of Plugable 7-in-1 USB-C hub comes with HDMI port that may assist an exterior 4K show at 30Hz.

There are additionally two 5Gbps USB-A ports, Gigabit Ethernet, UHS-I SD and microSD Card readers, and a USB-C port for PD passthrough charging at as much as a formidable 87W—sufficient for many laptops.

At simply 106g, it’s the lightest of the actually multifunctional (show plus Ethernet) hub/docks accessible.

It is a very well-constructed USB-C hub that provides entry to seven ports from one USB-C connection.

It consists of two 5Gbps USB-A 3.1 ports, and two USB-C ports—one in all which permits for passthrough charging at as much as 60W.

There’s no Ethernet port with this adapter, however most of us are tremendous with Wi-Fi anyway. However when you want a wired Web connection, look elsewhere.

There’s additionally an HDMI port for including an exterior show (4K at 30Hz), and an SD and Micro SD Card reader slot.

This multimedia adapter makes use of the twin USB-C ports of a MacBook to hook up with a hub of ports, together with two USB-A ports, a Gigabit Ethernet port, SD and Micro SD Card reader, a USB-C charging port (60W) and two HDMI ports.

It’s suitable with MacBook fashions with two facet USB-C ports on the identical facet. It doesn’t assist MacBook fashions with a single USB-C port.

One of many HDMI ports can deal with 4K at 60Hz port, whereas the opposite helps 4K at 30Hz.

It’s accessible in both Silver or House Gray, and weighs 102g (3.6oz).

The brushed aluminium Satechi USB-C Multi-Port Hub Adapter affords two 5Gbps USB 3.0 Sort-A ports and 4K HDMI. It’s very light-weight at simply 51g (1.8oz).

It lacks an SD card slot however does embody a USB-C pass-through port (60W) so that you don’t sacrifice your laptop computer’s Sort-C port – permitting you to cost your laptop computer whereas utilizing the adapter’s different shops. That is particularly useful for house owners of the 12in MacBook, which has only one USB-C port.

It doesn’t characteristic an Ethernet port, so that you’ll have to stay to Wi-Fi.

it’s designed to enhance Apple’s MacBook vary with availability in Silver, Gold, Rose Gold, and House gray colours.

Apple’s USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter means that you can join your USB-C enabled MacBook port to an HDMI show, an ordinary USB machine, and a charging cable – all on the similar time. The USB port means that you can join incompatible USB equipment (flash drives, cameras) to your USB-C enabled MacBook.

The adapter helps full 1080p HD video output to your TV (HDMI-enabled, in fact) the place you’ll be able to mirror your MacBook’s show or play films. 

Some older shows and particularly projectors nonetheless use the VGA normal for connection. Unveil your shiny new 12in MacBook or Touchbar MacBook Professional at your subsequent assembly, then die of frustration when the projector has a VGA connection.

All is just not misplaced, besides that assembly then and there, and a pile of money, as Apple’s USB-C VGA Multiport Adapter doesn’t come low-cost.

This adapter is designed that will help you easily transition to utilizing USB-C. It’s possible you’ll nicely have gadgets similar to onerous drives and exterior shows that use Thunderbolt 2 connections. This little gadget enables you to maintain utilizing them together with your MacBook or new MacBook Professional.

It additionally permits new Thunderbolt 3 gadgets to hook up with a Mac with Thunderbolt or Thunderbolt 2 ports – however to reap the benefits of it this manner spherical Apple advises it’s essential to be operating macOS Sierra or above.

There’s a false impression that USB-C is an inconvenience, therefore the existence of little adapters like this one from Nonda. USB-C isn’t a lot an inconvenience as a totally new tech normal, so merchandise like this are simply there to assist us bridge the hole. Positivity, individuals.

This cute little adapter is just to will let you plug in a single normal USB machine or cable at a time, nice for charging or syncing your iPhone or utilizing a USB stick. Simply don’t misplace it, it’s tiny.