USB-C hub buying guide

A hub is a bandwidth and power budget. This guide explains how that budget works so you can predict whether a product will do what its port list suggests.

Bandwidth is shared

USB ports on a hub share the bandwidth of the single upstream connection to your laptop. A hub can offer many ports while only some of them achieve full speed at the same time. Thunderbolt carries considerably more bandwidth and can support displays and fast storage simultaneously.

Power delivery is not the number on the box

A hub rated for a high input wattage does not pass all of it to the laptop. The hub consumes some for its own operation and any attached devices. The number that matters is the wattage the laptop receives, and even that depends on what else is plugged in.

Display support

Display output depends on the standard being used and the port count. Some hubs drive one display at a high resolution and refresh rate, others drive two at reduced rates. Check the specific combination you need, and check whether your laptop supports the same combination over a single cable.

Bus powered or externally powered

Bus-powered hubs draw their power from the laptop, which is convenient but limits what they can run and may not charge the laptop. Externally powered docks charge the laptop and can run more devices, but they need a socket and are less portable.

Ethernet

If you dock a laptop permanently, wired Ethernet is often the most valuable port on the device. Check whether it is 1 GbE or 2.5 GbE if your network supports it.

Practical checklist

• Decide whether you need portability or a fixed desk setup.
• Add up the devices you will connect at the same time.
• Confirm the display combination you need, at the resolution and refresh rate you want.
• Look for the wattage the laptop receives, not the input rating.
• Confirm the hub works with your laptop model, since behaviour varies by platform and firmware.