The best hubs and USB-C docking stations

Our ports choices compared

Last name	USB ports	Video ports	Card reader	Ethernet	l & # 39; Audio	Charging
Vava VA-UC006	USB-A (three), USB-C (one, charging only)	HDMI (a)	SD, microSD	Gigabit	–	Yes (requires the charger of the laptop)
HooToo HT-UC001	USB-A (three)	HDMI (a)	South Dakota	Gigabit	–	Yes (requires the charger of the laptop)
Aukey CB-C64	USB-A (four)	–	–	–	–	–
Dell D6000	USB-A (four), USB-C (one)	HDMI (one), DisplayPort (two)	–	Gigabit	3.5 mm in / out (one), 3.5 mm out (one)	Yes (charger included)
Cable Matters USB Type-C to Gigabit Ethernet Adapter	–	–	–	Gigabit	–	–

Why should you trust me

I am the accessories editor at iLounge for a little over three years and I have been covering accessories at Wirecutter for a little longer. During this period, I have reviewed over 1,000 iOS and Mac products, including many home stations. From the beginning, I've also been responsible for most of Wirecutter's USB-C coverage, researching and testing anything from chargers to adapters to cables.

For whom is this?

Hubs and USB-C docking stations allow you to connect your old data to your news. If you have a new USB-C-based computer, whether it includes a USB-C port among its other ports or, like Apple's MacBook models or the latest Dell XPS 13, it only has USB-ports. C, and you If you need to connect USB sticks, printers, Ethernet, a screen, or any other accessory you already have, a hub or USB-C docking station will allow you to connect multiple devices to your computer. only one USB-C port at a time. Some models are ideal to be thrown in your bag, while others are better for staying connected on your desk.

If you are looking for a more powerful docking option and the USB-C ports on your computer also support Thunderbolt 3, you may want to consider a Thunderbolt 3 docking station, which can connect to more monitors and transfer data faster. If you're just looking for a way to get more USB-C ports, well, unfortunately, you're out of luck; we have not yet found a USB-C hub that adds additional USB-C ports.

How we chose and tested

Terms center and dock are often used interchangeably and do not have exact definitions. For this guide, we have treated any object designed to be portable as a hub; Some hubs can transmit power from a laptop when connected to a charger, but they are not equipped with it. The docking stations are designed to sit on a desk, equipped with their own power packs and able to charge your laptop without you needing to provide a separate charger.

We've studied and tested hubs with a number of different port configurations, from models with USB-A ports only to those with USB-A, power gateway, video out, Ethernet connectors, and card slots. SD.

For home stations, we limited our search to PC and Mac compatible units, costing less than US $ 200, equipped with at least four USB-A ports and one port of USB-C output, and can power a computer and peripherals.

We tested every hub and dock with a MacBook Pro (Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports 2016, 13 inches, 2016) and the early 2018 USB-C version of the Dell XPS 13. We also tested our choices on an iPad Pro 2018, although many of our tests do not work with iOS. Our tests included the following:

• USB-A: We performed AJA System Test speed tests with Samsung's portable T3 SSD. To measure the speed at which each hub can charge other devices, we connected a 10.5 inch iPad Pro and learned about power consumption with the PortaPow USB Power Monitor.
• HDMI: We connected each station via HDMI to a Dell Ultra HD 4K P2715Q monitor with 4K resolution. Mac computers only support a refresh rate of 30 Hz at 4K resolution, but the Dell XPS 13 outputs at 60Hz.
• Ethernet: We checked the connection speed in the network utility on a Mac, which displays the link speed.
• Heat: Since hubs and adapters can become very hot during use – especially, in our experience, when using Ethernet – we also measured the temperatures of our peaks with a thermometer infrared after 15 minutes of continuous use of data and ethernet to make sure that they were not dangerous. hot. As one Satechi representative explained, "All the bandwidth used for Ethernet, HDMI, USB, and SD card ports requires energy consumption that is transferred to heat." Operating temperatures between 86 and 122 degrees Fahrenheit … are normal. "
• SD card: We ran AJA System Test on a 64GB SanDisk Extreme Pro.
• Micro SD card: We performed the same test as above with the Samsung Evo Select 64 GB.
• Power Passthrough: macOS indicates the incoming power in its system report. We used the MacBook Pro 61W charger and the included USB-C cable, and we recorded what the computer was reporting.

The best USB-C hub: Vava VA-UC006 USB-C Hub

Photo: Michael Hession

The VA-UC006 USB-C hub from Vava is the best way to add the widest bay and the largest number of ports to your USB-C computer in a highly portable and durable enclosure. It has all the right connections: three USB-A ports, USB-C power ports, Gigabit Ethernet, HDMI, as well as microSD and SD card slots, to be convenient when on the move or even to serve semi-permanent office accessory. Nothing else can offer the same combination of performance, design and price.

The aluminum hub measures 4 inches long, 2 inches wide – a size similar to that of an old nano iPod – and less than half an inch at its thickest point. Its 6-inch USB-C cable is long enough for you to position it according to your needs. The cable itself is sturdy, but not too rigid so that it is difficult to keep it where you want it. At less than 2.5 ounces, the hub is easy to pack and does not weigh you down.

There are some ports needed at all hubs, and some are nice but not necessary; the Vava hub has all the above. You have three USB 3.0 Type-A ports. In our tests, each of them transmitted data to a portable SSD at an average reading speed of 414 MB / s and a write speed of 366 MB / s (these figures were consistent for almost all models). hubs and docks we tested). Next to this line of ports is an HDMI port that, in our tests, has released the 60Hz 4K video of the XPS 13, as expected. The Mac was limited to 30 Hz, because getting a 4K video at 60 Hz on a Mac requires precise configuration. the iPad Pro was also limited to a refresh rate of 30 Hz.

Locations for SD cards and microSD cards from the Vava hub. Photo: Michael Hession

The Vava also has SD and microSD card slots on the opposite side for photo transfers. The full-size SD card slot has an average of 87 MB / s read and 76 MB / s write in our tests. These speeds are a little slower than those of our standalone USB-C SD card reader, but not much, and they are as fast as the slot results from any other hub we've tested. The speed of the microSD card was slower at 86 MB / s read and 58 MB / s write, but again, with these speeds, Vava equaled or beat the competition.

Finally, the Vava has a USB-C port for transferring power and a Gigabit Ethernet port. Our 13-inch MacBook Pro said it received 49 watts when we connected the Apple 61W charger to the hub. This figure is lower than some competitors, but remains fast enough to charge your computer 13 inches at a reasonable speed (15-inch machines will recharge but at a slower rate). The Ethernet port is the smartest part of the entire hub: instead of increasing the thickness of the entire device to fit an Ethernet jack, the Vava design uses an open gate to open the full port as needed.

Defects but not dealbreakers

This smart Ethernet port is one of the few potential faults in the Vava hub. Because it's a moving piece, there's a chance it'll break. In our short-term tests, there was no indication that this would be the case, but no other hub or platform that we tested had a comparable potential point of failure.

The Vava's three USB-A ports are tightly seated side-by-side, so you probably will not be able to connect three USB sticks or thicker cards at once.

Vava promises an intermediate charge rate of 100 watts, but in our tests, the concentrator has limited the power provided by our mains adapter from 61 W to 49 watts.

Like many USB-C hubs that we tested, the Vava heats up during its use. We measured it at 11 ° C after 15 minutes with the USB-C power cable and a connected Ethernet cable. It's hot enough to be noticed to the touch, but not so much that it's dangerous – as we noted above, it's in the normal operating temperature for this type of accessory.

Cheaper but less ports: HooToo USB C Hub HT-UC001

Photo: Nick Guy

The HooToo HT-UC001 USB C Hub is not as complete or compact as the Vava Concentrator, but it offers many of the same ports for about two-thirds of the price. Providing three USB-A ports, an HDMI output, a USB-C power gateway, and a standard sized SD card slot, this is a good option if you want to be able to use wired accessories and connect to an external screen, but do not do it. concerned about using a wired network connection.

The HooToo hub's USB-C power port port is located on one side, the three type A USB ports and the SD card reader on the other, and the HDMI port to l & # 39; end. Photo: Nick Guy

In our tests, all the ports worked as expected. USB read and write speeds were comparable to those of all other tested hubs. We also recorded a refresh rate of 60Hz at a 4K resolution of the Dell XPS 13, and the MacBook Pro reported power consumption of 55W (a bit higher, but similar to the Vava result). A version of the 100-watt concentrator is also available. It's still cheaper than Vava, but you only need that power if you have a bigger laptop, like the 15-inch MacBook Pro.

The HooToo hub works well, has all the ports most people will need and feels almost as nice as the Vava hub. The aluminum and plastic rectangle is about 0.3 inches longer than the Vava hub, but the width and thickness are the same. The HooToo's cable is also a bit thicker than the Vava's, so this hub is less likely to stay where you want it. If you're ready to accept these compromises and you do not need the additional features of the Vava hub, the HooToo hub is a good choice, but we think the versatility and size of the Vava hub make it worth it.

A cheap way to add more USB-A ports: Aukey CB-C64

Photo: Michael Hession

The Aukey USB 3.1 3.1-Port USB Hub (CB-C64) is the best choice for adding a handful of USB 3.0 ports to your USB-C computer, and it's economical. Equipped with four USB-A ports, the hub allows you to connect any combination of keyboard, mouse, printer, USB stick or any other device consuming low power, such as a webcam, a joystick or a portable hard drive. (Aukey indicates that "for better performance, the power demand of connected devices should not exceed the total USB output of 5V 0.9A.") In our tests, all ports transferred data as fast as anything we tried. The black plastic rectangle of 3.9 x 1.3 inches measures less than half an inch in thickness and weighs a little more than an ounce. You can throw it in a bag without even realizing it.

The Best USB-C to Ethernet Adapter: Cable Matters USB Type C to Gigabit Ethernet Adapter

Photo: Michael Hession

We think most people will be better off with a hub with a multitude of ports, but if you only need an Ethernet connection, we recommend the Matt Matters USB Type-C to Gigabit Ethernet adapter. This simple plastic adapter works as expected, offering full gigabit speed, and comes from a company we know and trust. As a bonus, it is inexpensive. USB-C Ethernet Adapters are known to heat; it only reached 100 ° F after 15 minutes of use, as a more expensive Anker metal body model. It's warm to the touch, but not too hot, and that's the expected behavior.

The best USB-C dock: the Dell D6000 Universal Dock

Photo: Michael Hession

Most people are better served by a portable hub because hubs are more affordable and perform many of the same tasks as home stations. But if you're looking for a fixed option (for example, if you want to connect your laptop to a display and accessories on your desktop) that does not require an extra charger, we suggest the Dell D6000 Universal Dock. (If your PC or Mac supports Thunderbolt 3 and you plan to connect your computer to high-speed external hard disks or multiple high-resolution displays, a Thunderbolt 3 docking station is a better choice than one. a USB-C docking station.)

Compared to a portable hub, the D6000 offers more video output options (one HDMI port and two DisplayPorts), more USB ports (four USB-A, one USB-C), input jacks and 3.5mm audio output and charging, on a single USB-C cable. (It comes with its own power adapter, so you can keep the charger that came with your laptop in your travel bag.) It's cheaper than other docked stations and works so reliable with Macs and PCs, although DisplayPort ports are not. works with Macs because of a recent software limitation – and provides more power to a laptop than similarly priced options (65 watts, compared to 39 watts of other models).

The rear of the D6000, including its video ports, Ethernet, USB-A and 3.5 mm audio. Photo: Michael Hession

The D6000 is a 6.5-inch, 3-inch utility black plastic rectangle with a non-slip rubber base. Its 3-foot permanently connected USB-C cable goes out from the left side and a USB-A 3.0 adapter on the cord lets you connect to an older computer. From left to right on the front you will find a combined audio input and output jack, two USB 3.0 ports and a USB-C port that you can use for data or to provide up to 12 W power to a computer. device. Flip the docking station on the back and you'll see an HDMI port, two DisplayPort outputs, Gigabit Ethernet, another pair of USB-A ports and a 3.5mm audio output jack.

All data ports on the Dell Dock transferred data at rates comparable to those seen on all other tested docks and hubs. We measured full 4K, 60Hz videos from the DisplayPort connectors using the Dell docking station, although the resolution was upgraded to 1080p via HDMI. DisplayPort does not work at all with Macs running up-to-date software because the Dock is using DisplayLink, software that was broken by the MacOS 10.13.4 update and was broken in the current version of macOS; the ports did not work with our iPad Pro either. The HDMI port transmits 4K video at 30Hz when it is connected to a Mac and iPad Pro, as expected.

Look at the size of this power brick! Photo: Michael Hession

One thing to keep in mind with this dock is the huge power brick: its size is almost identical to that of the dock itself. But as the dock is supposed to stay on a desk rather than a bag, it's not a dealbreaker. The cable connecting the charger to the dock is about 6 feet long; you should be able to position the power supply module in a convenient place without the inconvenience.

The competition

USB-C Hubs

The HooToo HT-UC009 C-HT USB Hub and Vava VA-UC010 USB-C Hub are identical hubs of brands belonging to the same parent company. Their design is however a little larger than the Vava VA-UC006. Of their three USB-A ports, only two support USB 3.0 speeds, the last being limited to 2.0.

The StayGo system from Twelve South comes with a short USB-C cable (which you can store inside the unit) and a longer cable; This combination allows you to easily use the hub at your desk or on the go. Unfortunately, with a width of 2.4 inches and a length of 5 inches, this model is larger than most of the hubs we have seen, and during our tests we did not measure a refresh rate 30 Hz suitable for a resolution of 1080p, not to mention the 60 Hz to 4K. This model also has about twice the price of the Vava VA-UC006.

The VA-UC008 USB-C hub from Vava is much larger than our main choice and one of its USB-A ports only supports 2.0 speeds.

The Kingston Nucleum is one of the few USB-C hubs to have a USB-C data port in addition to a power port. But it lacks an Ethernet connection, and it's more expensive than our main choice right now. This hub is also about an inch longer. If you like this extra USB-C port and you do not need Ethernet, consider it.

The Satechi V2 aluminum multiport adapter has ports and performance identical to those of our Vava pick, but it is bigger and more expensive. However, its standard Ethernet port is less fragile than the Vava foldable port. In our tests, it remained colder than the Vava hub at 96 ° F. We do not think it's worth paying more, but the Satechi dock is a decent backup option if it is on sale or if our first choice is not available.

Dodocool's 8-in-1 multifunction USB-C hub worked just as well as we chose, with the same selection of ports. But it is bigger and seems cheaper, and we did not like the port configuration so much. We think that spending a few extra dollars on our choice is worth it for a more compact metal design and a better layout.

The Aukey CB-C55 Multi-Port USB-C Adapter and the Anker Premium USB-C Mini-Dock each have one USB-A port less than our choice, at a similar price or higher . In addition, the Aukey hub had the slowest SD and microSD read and write speeds we've tested from afar, and Anker does not have a microSD slot.

The Sanho HyperDrive USB-C hub and Satechi Slim Aluminum Type-C multi-port adapter are identical devices offering the same performance. Both have only two USB-A ports and are more expensive than our choice, but we like the simplified design.

The VA-UC003 USB Type-C hub from Vava plugs directly into the USB-C port of a computer rather than using a cable; it means that it can block the surrounding harbors. And it only has two USB-A ports.

The Lenovo C107 USB-C hub (a licensed product that was not manufactured or supported by Lenovo itself) worked well in our tests, with results in terms of speed and power consistent with those of others tested hubs. However, many customers have complained about the performance. If you encounter a problem, no clear path to customer support is available.

USB-A Hubs

The AmazonBasics USB 3.1 Type C 4-Port USB Hub and the Monoprice SuperSpeed ​​4-Port USB Hub work as well as we want, but they are larger.

The Monoprice USB-C to 4x USB-A Select Series adapter was just as fast in our tests, but its presentation prevents the connection of two USB sticks to adjacent ports.

In the reviews of owners of Anker's 4-port USB 3.0 USB-C hub, we have seen too many complaints about Wi-Fi interference so we can recommend it, although we do not have it. saw this problem in our tests.

Other hubs

After testing the USB-A / Ethernet hubs, including the Premium Anker Premium USB hub with Ethernet and Power Delivery, and the USB C-series adapter to 3x USB-A 3.0, Gigabit Ethernet and USB adapter -C (F) from Monoprice, we decided that their value and usefulness were not sufficient so that we could recommend one of them compared to similar price hubs, with several types of ports. Le concentrateur USB 3.0 3.0 à 3 ports USB-C avec adaptateur Ethernet Gigabit et Power Delivery de Dodocool était le modèle le moins cher de cette catégorie, mais il offrait la plus faible consommation d'énergie de ses ports et le connecteur Ethernet ne fonctionnait tout simplement pas Mac, bien que ce fût sur notre Dell.

Nous avons appliqué le même raisonnement aux concentrateurs ne disposant que de ports USB-A et d’une passerelle d’alimentation, tels que le concentrateur USB-C à 4 ports USB-C de Dodocool avec PD ou les concentrateurs Select Series USB-C à 4x USB-A 3.0 et USB-C de Monoprice (F) adaptateur.

Docks USB-C

La station d'accueil triple affichage USB-C de Plugable a bien fonctionné lors de nos tests. Cependant, comparé à nos choix, il est plus coûteux, avec des performances de données identiques et une puissance de sortie inférieure de 39 watts.

Les entrées et les sorties de la station d'accueil HP Elite USB-C ne fonctionnaient tout simplement pas avec notre MacBook Pro. Pas de vidéo, pas de données, rien. Cela fonctionnait avec notre Dell XPS 13, mais même dans ce cas, un seul des quatre ports USB-A est une vitesse 3.0; les autres sont tous 2.0.

OWC recommande de ne pas utiliser son dock USB-C (Mini DisplayPort) ni son dock USB-C (HDMI) avec des Macs 2017 ou ultérieurs. Cette restriction, combinée au fait qu'aucune des versions n'a été en mesure de transmettre la vidéo de notre Dell XPS 13 à notre moniteur, signifie que vous ne devriez vraiment pas choisir l'une ou l'autre.

Nous avons décidé de ne pas tester Stone de Henge Docks, l'USB-C 3.1 Express Dock HD de Belkin, ni la station d'accueil USB-C MST30C2DPPD de StarTech, la station d'accueil DK30CHDDPPD Dual Monitor USB, la station d'accueil USB DKWG30DPHPD Dual Monitor, et la station d'accueil triple moniteur USB-C DK30CH2DPPD en raison de leurs prix élevés au moment où nous recherchions ce guide. Nous avons également refusé de tester la station d'accueil USB-C UD-CA1A de Plugable, la station d'accueil CalDigit USB-C, la station d'accueil SD4600P USB-C de Kensington, la station d'accueil SD4500 USB-C de Kensington et la station d'accueil pour moniteur WD15 de Dell. puissance de sortie.

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