Modern computer designs are getting thinner and lighter, but this also means that the number and types of ports have been greatly reduced, from MacBooks to all-in-one desktops. USB-C hubs are an efficient and economical choice for connecting methods other than USB-C cables, providing a variety of ports in a compact design.
To find the best USB-C hubs, we researched and tested models with different port layouts, from simple models with only USB-A ports to full-featured models that include USB-A, power pass-through, video output, Ethernet connector, 3.5mm audio port, and SD card slot.
In the latest round of testing, we rigorously evaluated each hub using the 15-inch M2 MacBook Air and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio. The testing covered the following aspects:
USB-A speed: Although USB-A ports generally do not transfer data as fast as USB-C or Thunderbolt, their performance is still important.
HDMI port: Hubs that support HDMI allow external displays to be connected to the notebook. We connected a 4K Philips 272P7VUBNB/27 monitor and used the Blur Busters UFO Motion Test to confirm refresh rates, giving preference to 4K hubs that support 60Hz refresh rates.
Ethernet connection: Wired Ethernet is generally faster and more reliable than Wi-Fi. We verified each hub's Gigabit connection speeds on a Mac and a Surface Laptop Studio.
Power passthrough: Tests whether a hub's USB-C port can power the hub and the connected laptop. We compared the wattage shown in the macOS System Report with the numbers advertised by each company.
SD card performance: We ran the AJA System Test on a 128GB SD card and only considered hubs with read speeds above 80 MB/s, which is fast enough to quickly transfer everyday photos and videos.
microSD card performance: The same test was performed using a SanDisk MicroSDXC card (for Nintendo Switch), again only considering hubs with read speeds above 80 MB/s.
Through this series of tests, we aim to help users find the USB-C hub that best suits their needs.
