The OWC Thunderbolt Hub is a small and compact USB-C hub that supports Thunderbolt 4. It's a great addition to your home office if you own an M1 Mac, Thunderbolt 3 Mac, or any of the latest Thunderbolt 4 laptops. It transforms a single Thunderbolt 4 port into three downstream Thunderbolt 4 ports and one 10Gbps USB-A port.

The hub offers 40GBps of peripheral bandwidth to any Thunderbolt 3 or Thunderbolt 4-enabled computer, which you can use to connect external drives, up to two 4K displays or one 5K/6K/8K display, and other accessories such as NAS devices. It can also charge your laptop at up to 60W, reducing the amount of cable clutter on your desk.

Most thin and light laptops today come with only USB-C ports, so it's good to have a USB Type-A port for legacy devices. Unlike other Thunderbolt hubs that aren't compatible with USB-C laptops, the OWC Thunderbolt Hub works like a regular USB-C hub when connected to an iPad, Chromebook, or laptop with USB-C ports. You get all the benefits like charging, access to three USB-C ports, and one external 4K display support. However, you'll get the most out of the OWC Thunderbolt Hub when connected to an M1 Mac or Thunderbolt 4 PC.

Anker has quickly grown to become a stalwart brand for quality and affordable USB-C hubs and docking stations. Its PowerExpand 8-in-1 USB-C PD 10Gbps Data Hub is one of the few USB-C hubs that support 4K resolution at 60Hz and faster USB 3.1 Gen 2 speeds. It's small and lightweight enough for an everyday carry.

The hub connects to the host laptop via an attached USB-C cable and adds eight ports, including two 10Gbps USB-A ports, one 10Gbps USB-C port, Ethernet port, SD, and microSD card slots, and an HDMI port that supports up 4K displays at a 60Hz refresh rate. You can use this USB-C hub without external power. However, a second USB-C port for power input allows you to charge your laptop at up to 85W, freeing up other USB-C ports.

The Anker PowerExpand 8-in-1 USB-C PD 10Gbps Data Hub is compatible with MacBook Pro and Air, iPad Pro, and other laptops with a USB-C port, including Thunderbolt 3. However, you'll need a laptop that supports DisplayPort 1.4 to drive an external 4K display at 60Hz. Overall, this is a powerful USB-C hub that can turn your ultraportable notebook into a desktop, and it won't weigh you down when out and about.

If you're looking for a USB-C hub that can drive an external 4K display at 60Hz but don't want to spring for a premium pick, you'll want to consider the Lention CB-C35sH USB-C Hub Multiport Adapter. It offers almost a similar performance at half the price, but there are compromises to be made.

The hub only supports 5Gbps data transfer speeds and lacks Ethernet and SD card slots. Like the Anker, the Lention CB-C35sH USB-C Hub Multiport Adapter connects to the laptop via an attached Type-C cable. It adds six extra ports, including four 5Gbps USB-A ports, a USB-C charging port, and an HDMI port that supports 4K resolution at 60Hz for smoother scrolling and animations on modern monitors.

The USB-C charging port supports up to 60W pass-through charging when connected to external power so that you can connect and charge your laptop at the same time.

What if you don't care about 4K 60Hz and just want a straightforward USB-C hub to connect essential desk peripherals to your laptop? Then the Plugable USB-C 7-in-1 Hub is the best option for you. What's good is that you're not really giving up anything critical compared to the much more expensive USB-C hubs.

The Plugable USB-C 7-in-1 Hub has seven ports to its name, including three 5Gbps USB-A ports, an HDMI port that can drive a 4K monitor at 30Hz, and two SD card readers.

This is pretty much every port the average laptop user needs, especially those working on the go. With 87W USB-C passthrough charging, you only require one USB-C port to connect the hub and charge your laptop.

The Anker PowerExpand Direct 7-in-2 USB C Adapter is a bit of an outlier in that it's designed for use solely with a MacBook. It attaches directly to the two Thunderbolt 3 ports on the MacBook Pro/Air, turning them into one Thunderbolt port, one USB-C data port, two USB-A ports, HDMI, SD card reader, and microSD card slot.

The Thunderbolt port has full Thunderbolt 3 functionality; it can drive dual 4K displays at 60Hz or a single 5K at 60Hz, transfer data at lighting 40Gbps speeds, and charge your MacBook at full speeds. There are also additional options for display and data transfer with the HDMI port, USB ports, and SD card readers. The snap-on connection is stable even with multiple devices plugged in.

The major downside about this USB-C hub is that it is not compatible with MacBook cases, and due to its design, it does not work with any other laptop except a MacBook. However, it works as intended, providing a variety of ports for the MacBook Pro and Air without the premium price of fully-fledged docking stations.

The Belkin USB-C 4-Port Mini Hub is a small and simple bus-powered USB-C hub that adds two USB-C ports and two USB-A ports to any USB-C laptop. It's an excellent option if your laptop has USB-C ports only, such as the Mac notebooks and Dell XPS 13.

The slim, ultraportable form-factor and foldaway USB-C cable make it easy to store and carry around. The hub supports 5Gbps data transfer speeds on all four ports and can power smaller devices like external storage drives, flash drives, mice, and keyboards. However, it does not support laptop charging or external monitors.

If you're looking for a travel-friendly USB-C hub to connect standard and newer USB-C devices, the Belkin USB-C 4-Port Mini Hub is a perfect choice.

The StarTech.com 4-Port USB C Hub has four downstream ports: one USB-C port and three USB-A ports, which all support faster 10Gbps speeds. It's an excellent hub for professionals working with high-bandwidth devices such as audio interfaces, external NVMe drives, video capture devices, and more.

One of the USB-A ports supports BC 1.2 to fast-charge smartphones and other external devices. The build quality of this hub is excellent. It's very compact too and has a detachable USB-C cable that's long enough to fit most desk setups.

However, the StarTech.com 4-Port USB C Hub is a powered USB hub, so you'll need external power to use it. There's a universal power adapter included.

The Amazon Basics USB 3.1 Type-C to 3 Port USB Hub with Ethernet Adapter is an affordable USB-C hub with Ethernet. As its name suggests, it's a pretty basic hub, but it works well, offering three 5Gbps USB-A ports for connecting standard USB accessories and an Ethernet port for wired networking.

It's an excellent solution for laptops limited to only Thunderbolt and USB-C ports. The hub is bus-powered, so you don't need to carry along another power adapter, making it great for use on the go.

It's compatible with macOS, Windows, and Chrome OS as long as the device has a Type-C port. You also get a one-year limited warranty for added peace of mind.