Best USB-C Hubs for Mac
Most people actually do need more than 2 ports, and some of us, well... we need All The Things plugged in at once. Here are our favorite 3 USB-C hubs for home or portable office.
So you just got your shiny new (fast!) Macbook Air M1 and you realize... "I only have 2 ports?!" Yes, big things come in small packages with few ports. We don't love that decision either, but today we're going to help you find a good USB-C hub to get the most out of those two little ports.
Since the dawn of the golden age of computing, man has done his best to connect as many peripherals to them as possible. While we don't always support these kinds of shenanigans, we do recognize (even if Apple doesn't) that you might want to plug more into your computer than just a power cord and a single peripheral. We've got you covered.
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Our Good, Better Best reviews include our three top picks from the same category at three price points.
Good
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USB-C Adapter for MacBook Pro, 7 in 1 Multiport
There are possibly hundreds of USB-C hubs at (or below) this price point. We chose the MOKiN for our review based solely on past experiences with the brand.
This is your basic "no frills" USB-C hub. It includes 3 USB 3.0 ports, SD Card and MicroSD (TF) card readers, and an HDMI port. It also includes a USB-C port, but that port is used solely for charging your Macbook - you can't connect a USB-C device to it. However, since you _can_ charge this way, it still leaves a free USB-C port available on your Mac which is nice.
The HDMI port claims 4k @ 30Hz, which is good in a pinch, but if you're looking to connect a 4k monitor, you probably should look at one of the other options. However, if you're going to connect to a more common monitor (such as a 1080p one) then this will work just great.
The build quality is excellent with its aluminum housing and very robust connecting cord. Size-wise it's pretty average - we'd call it mid-sized. Not as tiny as our "better" option, but small enough it's not going to take up much space in your bag.
What we loved:
- Small and cheap.
- Built-in SD and MicroSD card reader.
- 3x USB 3.0 ports.
- Support for 4k video (at 30Hz).
- Charges your Macbook through the adapter
What we didn't love:
- 4k only at 30Hz.
- USB-C port only functions for charging - not for peripherals.
Better
No products found.
CharJenPro USB C Hub for MacBook Pro
This is a personal favorite and our top pick for mobile use. This diminutively sized adapter has no cord and plugs directly into your Macbook's 2 Thunderbolt 3 ports. It's very small and very sleek. I've been using one of these for several years with my Macbook Pro in a vertical dock (check out that review here) #todo and have absolutely loved it. It's worked perfectly for me the entire time and the size means when I'm mobile I can tuck it into dang near anything. When I bought mine it was about triple the price and even at that price point, I'd buy another in a heartbeat.
Because this uses both of your Mac's ports, this will also allow you to plug in your power cord and charge the Mac through the adapter. A second USB-C port allows usage of another USB-C peripheral while, unlike our "good" pick, the charging port still functions as a normal USB-C port when not connected to a power supply.
There are two similar models - one without HDMI and one that includes it. The HDMI model does support 4k, but like the MOKiN it's only supported at 30Hz. If you intend to use your Air on the road a lot then this is an easy recommendation.
What we loved:
- ULTRA portable. (No cord!)
- Can get model with or without HDMI to save some $$$.
- Sleek design looks like an Apple product.
- Charge your Macbook through the adapter.
- Thin enough that doesn't hit the desktop even with Macbook Air
- 2x USB-C ports and 2x USB 3 ports.
- SD and MicroSD card reader built-in.
What we didn't love:
- Ports are really close together.
- HDMI version only runs 4k @ 30Hz.
Best
No products found.
StarTech.com USB-C- Hybrid Universal USB 3.0 Docking Station
StarTech has been around for ages making computer and networking peripherals, so they're not in the game for a quick buck. Their workmanship is great and they've won numerous awards over the years. It's one of the reasons their gear tends to run slightly higher price-wise. But with StarTech, you know you're getting a quality product. In this case, you're also getting the biggest product physically. With this unit you get not two or four but six 5 gigabit USB 3.1/3.2 Gen 1 ports to support many of your legacy USB devices. Now you can plug in your keyboard, mouse, microphone, webcam, printer and who knows what else all at the same time. It's worth noting, though, that while these ports are extremely fast, none of them are designed for high-speed device charging. (That's what wall plugs are for, folks.)
Thanks to DisplayLink (2) technology and the Thunderbolt 3 ports on your Macbook, you can also connect not one but two 4k HDMI or DisplayPort monitors that will run at a full 60Hz. That's truly impressive. Most adapters only provide a single 4k HDMI port and many (such as our good and better picks) can only run 4k at 30Hz. (That means half the refresh rate that your 4k monitor probably runs natively at.) This feature alone makes this a worth desktop addition for your Mac. Running 2 monitors from a single port has been unheard of until fairly recently. If you're planning a multiple monitor setup, this is your must-have.
Our biggest complaint we all agreed on was the missed opportunity to include a USB-C port on the front. (Or anywhere for that matter.) All these ports that you can bring upfront and center and a USB-C port ain’t one. This also means that with your power cable connected, you'll have ZERO USB-C ports available to use. We suspect (hope!) this is a technical limitation and not just a glaring oversight by StarTech. Since most people are still using USB-A peripherals, though, we can let this one slide.
What we loved:
- Lots (6!) of USB-A ports including two front ports.
- Dual 4k/60Hz monitor support with HDMI or DisplayPort. (With Thunderbolt 3)
- Gigabit ethernet jack.
- Front headphone jack.
- Vertical stand to save desk space.
- Stand-alone power supply to power the thing.
- DisplayLink certified. *
What we didn't love:
- No USB-C ports?!
- Can't charge computer through the dock.
- Power supply cord could have been longer.
- USB to Computer cord could have been longer.
*Per the DisplayLink website: "DisplayLink Manager is a new way to enable your DisplayLink dock, adapter or monitor on macOS platforms. It's an application that combines our latest driver with features that streamline the setup of multiple displays up to 4K."
A warning about that tasty 4k video: this is really only going to be a reality if you're using a device with Thunderbolt 3 capabilities.
If you're sporting a new Macbook Air, you don't need to worry. But many other devices are using the "SuperSpeed USB 20Gbps" standard. Thunderbolt 3 on the other hand works at up to 40Gbps. (Double the USB standard.) This is how they can get away with handling multiple 4k monitors plus other devices. If you try to connect two 4k monitors to a USB-C port that's not Thunderbolt 3, you're going to have a hard time. (Read: choppy mouse movement, network issues, inability to use microphone/webcam, etc.) That having been said, since we're talking about hardware for your Macbook Air (and Pro), those issues won't apply here. But it's something to keep in mind if you're reading this to get info for another device.
