5 Cheaper USB-C Hubs That Can Replace an Expensive Docking Station

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A docking station, also called a docking station, is a useful gadget that allows you to expand the port selection on your laptop or desktop computer without having to worry about connecting and removing several different devices. Docks come in different shapes and sizes, with the number of ports and slots differing depending on the model. However, a docking station is usually intended to stay on a desk and often comes with its own power supply, making it unportable and bulky to carry around with you.

That’s where USB-C hubs come in. They look like docks, but are significantly more portable. Depending on the features, some can be powered directly from your laptop; others take some of the power from your laptop charger and transmit the rest to charge your machine.

More importantly, USB-C hubs are generally more affordable than docking stations, and you can find one from a reputable manufacturer for less than $20. However, prices vary depending on the number of ports available and other features. If you’re looking for a compact and portable gadget to expand your laptop’s port selection, including adding support for Ethernet, SD cards, or an external display, we’ve selected some of the most affordable and feature-rich USB-C hubs from trusted brands. We selected these USB-C hubs after considering both buyer feedback and expert reviews where available.

Plugable’s 7-in-1 USB-C hub has a lot to like, from its near-universal compatibility to a good selection of available ports. It comes with an HDMI port that can handle signals up to 4K 60Hz, two 5Gbps USB Type-A ports for peripherals and storage drives, a Gigabit Ethernet port, a microSD card slot, and an SD card slot. You also get a USB-C power delivery port that can take up to 100 watts of power from your wall adapter and transmit up to 87W to charge your laptop.

Among other highlights, the USB-C hub has metal construction for durability and heat dissipation, a compact design, and a two-year warranty. It’ll cost you $40 and received a solid 4.6 out of 5 average rating from Amazon buyers. Buyers love its seamless features, Plugable’s customer service, and affordable pricing. However, a small number of buyers report problems with the Ethernet port and port LED, as well as faulty units.

Mac Sources also had good things to say about it, noting its reliability and lack of heating issues. However, they pointed out that there is no LED indicator to tell users that it is working.

If you want your USB-C hub to have multiple USB ports on top of everything else, the UGREEN Revodok Pro 108 is a good option. It comes with five USB ports, including two USB-A ports and three USB-C ports. While one of the USB-C ports is reserved for power, the other two are capable of reaching speeds of 10Gbps, making it suitable for faster data transfers and connecting your storage drives. One of the USB Type-A ports is also rated at 10 Gbps, while the other is good at 480 Mbps.

Additionally, you get an HDMI port, an SD card slot, and a microSD card slot. The hub has an aluminum alloy shell, has an indicator light, and supports all common operating systems without any drivers. Keep in mind that it can only deliver 4K 60Hz video signal if your display supports DisplayPort (DP) 1.4. DP 1.2 compatible displays will only receive a 4K 30Hz signal. Additionally, it can consume up to 100W of power from a charger and transmit up to 85W to your laptop for charging.

The UGREEN Revodok Pro 108 costs $31 and has a good average rating of 4.6 out of 5 on Amazon. Buyers like its sleek design, plug-and-play setup, and port selection. However, some point out that it broke within a few months or that they received faulty units with non-working ports.

Anker’s A83C2 is the only USB-C hub among our recommendations that actually supports two display outputs; however, while one of the video ports is HDMI, the other is VGA, something you don’t see often these days. That said, if you encounter VGA ports frequently or occasionally, this hub may come in handy. Remember that the HDMI port can handle 4K 30Hz signals, while the VGA port is limited to 1080p 60Hz video.

Beyond the two video ports, the Anker offering has plenty of useful ports, including four 5Gbps USB ports, three of which are Type-A and one USB-C. You also get another USB-C port, but this one is only for power delivery. It can draw up to 100 watts from a wall adapter and transmit up to 85 watts to your machine. There is also a Gigabit Ethernet port for wired connectivity, an SD card slot, and a microSD card slot.

It will cost you $36 at list price; however, it is often discounted to $32. The Anker A83C2 is also very popular with Amazon buyers, who gave it a good average rating of 4.5 out of 5. They highlight Anker’s customer service, the USB-C hub’s port selection and the build quality. However, some buyers note that their devices broke after just a few uses or within a few months, and others had issues with the display ports.

The 8-in-1 USB-C hub from Taiwanese computer brand Acer is worth considering if you primarily want access to multiple fast USB ports and up to 90W of power. The Acer hub has five USB ports, two of which are USB-C and rated for speeds of 10Gbps, two are USB Type-A and rated for speeds of 5Gbps, and one is USB-C, but this is limited to providing power. The power port can take up to 100W and send up to 90W to charge the connected device.

It also includes an HDMI port supporting video signals up to 4K 60 Hz, an SD card slot, and a microSD card slot. Like many of our other recommendations, it has a metal chassis for better heat dissipation and is compatible with all popular operating systems.

Acer’s offering is reasonably priced at $35, but you can often find it for less. It’s also highly rated, with Amazon shoppers giving it a good 4.5 out of 5. Shoppers say the hub is convenient, works great, and is lightweight. That said, a small selection of buyers have found their devices breaking down within a few months, while others say it can get hot.

Plugable’s USBC-9IN1E USB-C hub is another popular option that you can consider as a docking station replacement. It has nine ports, including two 10Gbps USB Type-A ports, one 10Gbps USB-C port, and one USB 2.0 Type-A port. You can also get a USB-C port for power delivery that can accept up to 140 watts of power from a wall adapter and transmit up to 125W to the connected laptop for charging.

Besides its ability to send power to charge your laptop, one of its USB Type-A ports supports USB 1.2 battery charging and can provide 7.5 watts to charge another connected device. This feature is not common on budget USB-C hubs and allows you to charge your phone or a mobile accessory if necessary. There is also a Gigabit Ethernet port and an HDMI port capable of supporting 4K 60Hz video signals.

Plugable USBC-9IN1E also received good feedback from How-To Geek, Tom’s Hardware and Wired. These publications recommend it, praising its port selection and high power, but say the built-in cable is short. The USB-C hub is priced at $50 and received an average Amazon buyer rating of 4.4 out of 5. Buyers are happy with Plugable’s performance, durability, and customer service. However, a small number of buyers claim that the hub is unable to deliver the required power to their laptops. Some units also died within a few days.

USB-C hubs are very convenient because they can help you get the most out of your laptop, phone or tablet. However, different hubs have different functionality and port selection may vary.

When choosing inexpensive USB-C hubs that can replace a docking station, we focused on options with a good selection of ports, including video ports, multiple USB ports, Ethernet, and SD card slots.

We’ve limited our recommendations to hubs priced at $50 or less. Most importantly, we took Amazon buyer feedback and expert reviews into account when available to narrow down our selection. All of our recommendations are rated at least 4.4 out of 5 on Amazon.