Plug it in and you have four USB 3.0/3.1 Gen 1 ports ready for action, and it will happily support USB memory sticks, mice, keyboards and headsets – or anything else that doesn’t require much power. It’s an all-aluminium unit that will look great with any slimline laptop or tablet, and the braided cord looks the part and is well reinforced at both the hub and connector ends. If your priority is to get some USB-A connectivity on a device that only has USB-C, this slimline Uni hub is hard to beat. Uni Slim Type-C to 4-port USB 3.0: The best basic USB-C hub READ NEXT: High-speed and hassle-free: Connect using the best Ethernet cables The best USB-C hub to buy in 2022 1. If the brand has enough confidence in its product to give it a two- or three-year warranty, you can have more confidence that your hub is built to last. Some USB hubs have a nasty habit of overheating, leading to permanent failure. That’s still going to cover the needs of most devices, but if your laptop needs 65W, you could find that you’re not getting the power you need.įinally, check the warranty.
Most will deliver up to 80W or 100W if used with the right charger, but some may be limited to 45W or 50W. It’s worth checking how much power the hub can supply.
What’s more, most laptops should still have a spare USB-C port. These allow you to plug your USB-PD charger into the hub, then charge your laptop or tablet from the hub, giving you an effective way to hook your device up to a desktop setup with just one fast connection. Otherwise, the big thing to look out for is a USB-PD input.
Some hubs, especially those designed for Apple PCs, laptops and iPads, support Intel’s Thunderbolt connections as well as USB-C, which is definitely a plus if you want connectivity for high-performance storage or compatible 4K displays.īest USB microphones 2022: Top microphones for podcasting, game streaming, music, chat and more Is there anything else worth looking out for? For example, they might not support a 4K monitor or projector, or they might only support it at a half-speed 30Hz refresh rate. Similarly, HDMI or DisplayPort outputs may not be capable of running higher resolutions or refresh rates. Cheaper hubs won’t support the fastest options. USB-C ports can cover a range of standards, from basic ports with a 5Mbits/sec maximum speed to USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 ports that can go all the way up to 20Mbits/sec. Once you’ve done that, check the specs for the ports. In short, look for a hub that has all the connections you need right now and any you think you’re likely to need in the near future.
Conversely, if you want something that can work as a permanent dock to connect your laptop to a full desktop setup, then it makes sense to pay more and get everything you need. You can buy a cheaper hub and save yourself some cash. There’s no point in shelling out £80 on a fully featured hub with 4K-capable HDMI output if you’re just looking for a way to connect a USB hard disk, mouse and keyboard, and need somewhere to plug in a USB memory stick from time to time. Your first step is to work out what you need.
How to choose the right USB-C hub for you
Your only problem? There are dozens of USB-C hubs to choose from, with prices ranging from £10 to over £300. Beyond that, you might get power inputs and display outputs, enabling the hub to function as a dock. At the most basic level, they can convert one USB-C port into multiple USB-C or even USB-A ports, allowing you to connect a bunch of drives, USB memory sticks and peripherals at once. This is where USB-C hubs can be so useful. Where you used to be able to rely on having ample connectivity to hook up a display, mouse, keyboard and some kind of storage, now you’re lucky to get more than a couple of USB-C ports, one of which may double up as the power-in socket. Today’s slimline laptops don’t go big on ports and sockets.