USB-C Hubs

Expand your laptop connectivity

Last month I watched my colleague frantically search for a USB port during a client presentation, his sleek new MacBook offering nothing but two lonely USB-C ports. He'd bought some $15 hub off Amazon the night before, and it kept disconnecting every time he moved his laptop even slightly. The client waited while he rebooted his machine twice. That's when I realized how many people are flying blind when it comes to USB-C hubs – and how much money they're wasting on junk that fails when it matters most.

Here's the thing most people get wrong: they assume all USB-C hubs are basically the same, just with different port combinations. I've tested over 20 hubs in the past four months, and that couldn't be further from the truth. The biggest mistake? Buying based on port count instead of power delivery and data transfer stability. Three hubs I tested – including a $45 "premium" model – would randomly disconnect USB drives during file transfers. Another common issue: overheating. The Anker hub I initially loved became too hot to touch after 30 minutes of use with an external monitor connected. And don't get me started on the false advertising around 4K support. Half the hubs claiming "4K ready" could barely manage 1080p without flickering.

What actually separates the winners from the disasters isn't what you'd expect. Power delivery consistency matters way more than maximum wattage – I'd rather have a hub that reliably delivers 85W than one that promises 100W but drops to 45W randomly. The sweet spot seems to be around $35-55 for hubs that actually work long-term. Cheaper ones fail within weeks, while the $80+ models often just add unnecessary bells and whistles. Build quality is weird too – some of the heaviest, most "premium-feeling" hubs had the worst port durability. The lighter aluminum ones from brands like Satechi and HyperDrive consistently outperformed their chunky plastic competitors. Heat management is huge but rarely mentioned in reviews. Look for hubs with actual ventilation design, not just solid blocks of metal.

I've been putting these through real office torture tests – hot desks, daily plugging and unplugging, file transfers while charging, multiple monitors connected for hours. I track disconnection rates, heat levels after extended use, and how well the ports hold their grip over time. Most reviewers test for a week max. I'm talking months of daily abuse because that's how you'll actually use these things.

I've spent way too much time and money figuring out which USB-C hubs actually deliver on their promises, so you don't have to learn these lessons the expensive way.