Macworld
USB-C and its Thunderbolt variant are the most up-to-date standards of the USB connector. They allow data-transfer speeds of up to 80Gbps, can fast-charge devices up to 240W, and conveniently fit in a port either way up—which means that you can wave bye-bye to the age-old USB guessing game of “Which way does it go in?”.
USB-C is no one-trick pony—handling data transfer, video output and power input. You’ll find faster variants of USB-C (called Thunderbolt 3, 4 or 5) on Macs. Each version of Thunderbolt is backwards compatible with USB-C so the adapters reviewed here will all work with modern Macs—from the MacBooks Neo, Air and Pro, through to the desktop iMac, Mac mini and Studio. USB-C’s 5-10Gbps speeds will limit some of Thunderbolt’s more impressive 40 to 80Gbps potential but for most people even 5Gbps is fast enough. If super-fast data transfer is one of your requirements, a number of hubs reviewed below do use Thunderbolt or 40Gbps USB4. Find out more in our Thunderbolt 5 vs Thunderbolt 4 vs Thunderbolt 3 comparison and also our chart at the end showing all the ports of Apple’s recent Macs.
Apple
In general, an “adapter” works with a single port (such as USB-A or Ethernet) while a “hub” gives you multiple ports. If you require even more, then look for a “docking station” or “dock“. Docks usually come with their own power supply, while hubs require a separate USB-C charger if you need a power source. If you’re after a full desktop setup for your MacBook, look out for our recommendations for the best USB-C and Thunderbolt docking stations for MacBooks.
Apple sells its own range of USB-C adapters to HDMI, VGA and more, but they are overpriced and underpowered compared to the premium USB-C hubs and adapters we have reviewed here. We haven’t included the many much cheaper but lower-quality versions you can find online as we recommend only from trusted and tested makers.
Look for each hub’s video capability for connecting to external displays. Most support only one monitor, but some offer two—note that more than two usually requires an extra software install.
Passthrough power will likely also be of interest to MacBook users. 60W Power Delivery (PD) will work even for the 16-inch MacBook Pro (just), but more watts equals a faster charge.
Note that the ports on the MacBook Neo are USB-C and only one of them is properly data-ready at 10Gbps, with the other just for charging. Read more on how the MacBook Neo’s USB-C ports are different. As it has just one data port, a USB-C hub becomes a must for expanding the Neo’s potential—read our roundup of the best MacBook Neo accessories.
Below the list of our favorite USB hubs and adapters, we describe the types of ports you might require from a hub and what to look for in each.
Plugable 9-in-1 USB-C Hub Multiport Adapter – Best overall USB-C hubPros
- 9 ports inc Ethernet, 60Hz 4K display via HDMI
- 10Gbps USB-C and USB-A
- 125W Power Delivery (PD)
- 9 Ports: 2x USB-C, 3x USB-A, HDMI, Gigabit Ethernet, UHS-II SD Card Reader, UHS-II MicroSD Card Reader
- Monitors: 1x 4K/60Hz via HDMI
- Passthrough power: 125W
- USB-C speed to Mac: 10Gbps
This 9-in-1 hub is bristling with top-end ports and—with an unrivaled 125W of laptop passthrough power—is a great match for larger laptops.
A seven-inch cable connects the hub to your MacBook at 10Gbps and a possible 125W passthrough charging when the hub is connected to a powerful enough USB-C charger—that’s the highest passthrough charging we’ve seen in a USB-C hub. Total power output from the hub to laptop and devices is 140W.
There’s one dedicated 10Gbps USB-C data port, HDMI 2.0 port with 4K 60Hz support, and both SD and MicroSD card readers at fast UHS-II media-transfer speeds. If you need to attach legacy devices there are two USB-A ports, also at 10Gbps. One of these can drive 7.5W of power to the connected device. There’s also a much slower 480Mbps USB 2.0 port that good for a memory stick or mouse/keyboard.
With its extra USB-A port and faster SD card readers, the 9-in-1 Plugable USB-C Hub beats our long-time USB-C hub champ, the Anker 555 8-in-1 USB-C Hub, reviewed below. If you prefer DisplayPort to HDMI the Anker 565 should be considered even with its slower card readers.
Plugable has recently released an even more capable version, the 10-port USBC-10IN1E, reviewed below. that is very similar to the 9-port hub but with 2.5Gb Ethernet and support for a single external display at up to 8K/30Hz, with the option of 4K/144Hz. Choose this model if you need the more pro-level ports, but it’s still a 10Gbps hub. Keep reading if you need a 40Gbps hub.
CalDigit Thunderbolt 5 Element 5 Hub – Ultimate USB-C hubPros
- 9 ports inc four Thunderbolt 5
- Five USB ports
- 80Gbps
- 180W total power
Cons
- Pricier than other hubs reviewed here
- 9 Ports: 4x Thunderbolt 5, 2x USB-C, 3x USB-A
- Monitors: Up to 4x 6K/60Hz (M5 Max); 2x 6K/60Hz (M4/M5, M1/M2/M3 Pro/Max)
- Passthrough power: 90W
- USB-C speed to Mac: 80Gbps
Thunderbolt is USB-C on steroids, and Thunderbolt 5 is the latest, fastest and most capable version. Only the most recent top-level Macs have Thunderbolt 5 but it’s backwards compatible all the way back to USB-C so even the MacBook Neo can use it although only at its own 10Gbps bandwidth. Thunderbolt 3 and 4 Macs will be pegged back to 40Gbps, but the CalDigit Element 5 Hub is easily the fastest hub we’ve tested.
Measuring just 4.5 x 2.75 x 1 inches (114 x 70 x 25mm) and weighing a mere 7oz (200g) this hub is dwarfed by the Thunderbolt docking stations but is still a match for them if you add a few inexpensive adapters such as an Ethernet adapter or card reader, for example.
It can connect up to dual 6K or 8K/60Hz extended displays on Macs with dual display support over its single Thunderbolt connection. On M5 Pro the Element 5 Hub can support up to three extended displays and on M5 Max it can support up to four extended displays.
More of a mini dock than a hub and priced much higher than the more standard USB-C hubs reviewed here, it’s the ultimate hub but may be overkill for your requirements.m
Read our full CalDigit Thunderbolt 5 Element 5 Hub review
Anker 555 8-in-1 USB-C Hub – Great value USB-C hubPros
- 8 ports inc Ethernet, 60Hz 4K display via HDMI
- 10Gbps USB-C and USB-A
- 85W PD
Cons
- Can get warm during use
- UHS-I SD reader
- 8 Ports: 2x USB-C, 2x USB-A, HDMI, Gigabit Ethernet, UHS-I SD Card Reader, UHS-I MicroSD Card Reader
- Monitors: 1x 4K/60Hz via HDMI
- Passthrough power: 85W
- USB-C speed to Mac: 10Gbps
The Anker 555 USB-C 8-in-1 Hub is compact and powerful, offering greater specs than some of the other leading options on this list. It’s one of two similar USB-C hubs from the company, and we start with the best-value option.
The 555 offers two USB-C ports—one that supports 85W USB-C Power Delivery, while another supports data transfers up to 10Gbps. You also get speedy 10Gbps transfer rates through two additional USB-A ports, where many rivals max out at 5Gbps.
The Anker 555 is special as it offers an HDMI port that supports 4K 60Hz resolutions, where most are limited to 4K 30Hz. For 4K 60Hz resolution, your device must support DP 1.4. This includes MacBook Neo, MacBook Air (from 2020), and MacBook Pro (from 2018) and iPad Pro (from 2018).
Also included are SD and MicroSD card reader slots. These are rated at UHS-I (104MBps) so not the fastest. If you transfer a lot of data via SD cards, look for a hub with faster UHS-II (312MBps).
The Gigabit Ethernet port is great for those times when Wi-Fi just won’t do.
It’s also incredibly light at just under 4.5oz (130g) and compact so you can take it anywhere. At $49.99 / £79.99 it’s hard to deny this hub’s value for money. In our experience, it does get warm with use but Anker says this is normal.
Anker
The higher-end $69.99 / £89.99 Anker 565 USB-C Hub, shown above, is as fast at 10Gbps plus offers eleven ports instead of the 555’s mere eight, and is equally lightweight at 4.8oz (136g). The extra ports are one USB-A and an audio jack, which isn’t a remarkable boost—but it does include a top-end DisplayPort 1.4 video connection as well as HDMI so offers greater video flexibility. If the inclusion of a native DisplayPort is important to you, then the 565 is a better solution (read our full Anker 565 11-in-1 USB-C Hub review) than maybe even the Plugable 9-in-1 reviewed above.
Satechi OntheGo 7-in-1 Multiport Adapter – Best portable USB-C hubPros
- 7 ports inc Ethernet, 60Hz 4K display via HDMI
- 10Gbps USB-C
- 80W PD
- Magnetic
- Highly portable
Cons
- UHS-I SD reader
- 7 Ports: 1x USB-C PD, 2x USB-A, HDMI, Gigabit Ethernet, SD Card Reader, MicroSD Card Reader
- Monitors: 1x 4K/60Hz via HDMI
- Passthrough power: 80W
- USB-C speed to Mac: 10Gbps
Uniquely round and magnetic with a coiled USB-C cable, the Satechi OntheGo 7-in-1 calls itself a “Multiport Adapter” but it’s really a hub, boasting seven ports, alongside its integrated 10Gbps USB-C cable. None of the ports are at the very top-end pro level but they are capable enough for most users and with a 2.55-inch (6.5cm) diameter and weighing 2.4oz (68g) it is easily pocketable.
It will clamp to the back of an iPhone—iPhone 15 or later to take advantage of the USB-C—or any surface using the included magnetic 3M Adhesive Ring.
Satechi
The OnTheGo Multiport Adapter is available as a black 7-in-1 version and a 5-in-1 model that can be purchased in any of the four MacBook Neo colors (pictured above).
Read our full Satechi OntheGo 7-in-1 Multiport Adapter review
Ugreen 4-in-1 USB 3.0 Hub – Best budget hub for multiple USB-A portsPros
- Inexpensive
- Four 5Gbps USB-A ports
- 10W device charger
- Two cable length options
Cons
- Limited to USB-A ports
- No passthrough charge to host
- 5 Ports: 1x USB-C, 4x USB-A
- USB-C speed to Mac: 5Gbps
If all you need from an adapter is the ability to connect a bunch of legacy USB-A devices to your MacBook, this simple adapter should do the trick.
The Ugreen USB-C 4-port hub is a slim and inexpensive adapter that allows you to add four full-size USB 3.0 ports that can handle data transfer at up to 5Gbps. It has recently been upgraded to feature a further USB-C port that can supply a 10W charge for connected devices, but not the host computer. While all four ports can be used simultaneously, a maximum of two hard drives can be connected at one time.
It looks the part with most modern MacBooks, and is an easy way to connect memory sticks, a printer or other older devices that don’t come with USB-C. It is available with either a short 0.5-foot or 2-foot integrated cable.
Anker USB-C to USB-A Adapter – Best simple USB-C to USB-A adapterPros
- Simple USB-A adapter
- Small
- 2-pack
Cons
- Just the one port
- 1 Port: 1x USB-C to USB-A
- USB-C speed to Mac: 5Gbps
There’s a misconception that USB-C is an inconvenience for people with a bunch of devices still reliant on legacy USB-A, hence the existence of little adapters like this one from Anker. Products like this are there to help us bridge the gap.
This cute little adapter is simply to allow you to plug in one standard USB-A device or cable at a time, great for using a USB stick, for example. Just don’t misplace it—it’s tiny. If you do lose it, don’t worry as this is sold in a two-pack!
EZQuest USB 4 Dual Display 8-in-1 Hub (Pro Series) – Best native USB-C hub for dual Mac screensPros
- Two 4K monitors at 60Hz
- No extra software required
- 8x USB-C ports, inc 3x USB4
Cons
- Passthrough power only 77W
- 8 Ports: 4x USB-C, 3x USB4, 1x USB-C passthrough charging
- Monitors: 2x 4K/60Hz (M4/M5, M1/M2/M3 Pro/Max)
- Passthrough power: 77W
- USB-C speed to Mac: 10Gbps
There are many USB-C hubs with more than one HDMI port but most are restricted to Mirrored Mode (where all external screens show the same image as on the MacBook) or in only partially Extended Mode (where the external displays show a different image to the MacBook but are the same themselves). That’s a Mac limitation only, not the fault of the hubs themselves, which work fine for Windows. Blame Apple.