The Best USB-C Hubs
Verified by
Ryan V. Editor-in-Chief
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The Anker 555 8-in-1 won because it is the hub the most reviewers keep landing on. PCWorld named it Best Overall, Macworld called it the great-value pick, and TechGearLab gave it their top lab score of 85 out of 100 after testing 13 hubs side by side. No other portable hub earned top billing from three independent outlets.
The reason is balance. Eight ports cover almost every need: two 10Gbps USB-A ports, a 10Gbps USB-C data port, HDMI that drives a 4K display at 60Hz, Gigabit Ethernet, and both SD and microSD readers, plus 85W passthrough to keep the laptop charged. TechGearLab connected everything from fast SSDs to monitors and reported very good performance without worry.
It is also easy to live with. At 4.5 oz and just over half an inch thick, it drops into a bag, and PCWorld singled out the build quality. At around $50 it sits in the mainstream tier, cheaper than the premium hubs it competes with on ports. For most people adding connections to a modern laptop, it is the safe, well-rounded pick.
What It Won't Do
The Anker 555 charges at 85W passthrough, which is fine for a 13 or 14-inch laptop but trails the 125W Plugable for a larger 16-inch machine running everything at once. Its SD reader is UHS-I, so photographers moving big files will find the Plugable's UHS-II slots faster. Macworld also noted it can get warm under sustained load.
The Hiearcool 7-in-1 won on value because it is the only budget hub two labs independently endorsed. PCWorld made it their Best Budget pick and TechGearLab named it Best Travel, scoring it 74 out of 100 with a 9.0 for portability. It sells for around $20, less than half the Anker 555.
For that price you get the essentials done well: two USB-A ports, HDMI, SD and microSD readers, and 100W passthrough charging that PCWorld called a standout at this price. The aluminum shell weighs just 1.8 oz, so it is the hub you leave in a travel bag and forget about. TechGearLab summed it up as covering the bases for quick access to a thumb drive or camera card on the road.
What It Won't Do
The Hiearcool skips the extras. There is no Ethernet and no USB-C data port, its USB-A ports run at 5Gbps rather than 10, and HDMI is limited to 4K at 30Hz. The SD and microSD slots also cannot be used at the same time. As a budget Amazon brand, Hiearcool has a shorter track record than Anker, though it backs the hub with a 2-year warranty.
Who Should Buy Which
Anker 555 USB-C Hub (8-in-1)
Eight balanced ports, Ethernet, and 4K at 60Hz for around $50
- You want one hub that handles displays, wired internet, storage, and charging
- You connect an external SSD and want real 10Gbps transfer speeds
- You drive a 4K monitor and want a smooth 60Hz refresh
- You value the broadest reviewer consensus and a known brand
- You want mainstream capability without paying premium-hub prices
Hiearcool USB-C Hub (7-in-1)
The travel-basics hub two labs picked, at around $20
- You want the lightest hub for travel at the lowest price
- You mainly need HDMI, a couple of USB-A ports, and card readers
- You want 100W passthrough charging without spending $50
- You rarely move large files and do not need Ethernet
- You want a spare hub to leave in a bag permanently