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Best Thunderbolt Hubs

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Thunderbolt ports are becoming more and more popular in laptops nowadays because of their superior transfer speeds and powerful charging capabilities. In fact, thanks to the Thunderbolt port, laptops are becoming slimmer and lighter as manufacturers are reducing the number of ports and encouraging consumers to use hubs. If you plan to connect several 4K displays to your laptop, transfer very large files, or simply want additional connectivity on your laptop, a thunderbolt allows you just that. They expand a thunderbolt port into several USB-A ports, HDMI ports, and USB-C ports, so you can connect all your devices at the same time. With the capability to charge your phone and laptop, you won’t even have to use a wall charger anymore. Below are five of our favorite thunderbolt hubs, chosen for their excellent build quality, transfer speeds, and compatibility with different devices.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are Thunderbolt ports used for?

Thunderbolt ports offer higher speeds and higher resolutions than HDMI ports or USB-C ports. If you want to connect your laptop or desktop to multiple high-resolution displays or attach a graphics amplifier, you will need a thunderbolt port. You can also use a thunderbolt port to transfer large files to external drives to transfer RAW videos from your camera to your laptop.

Can I connect a USB device to a Thunderbolt port?

If the thunderbolt port is a thunderbolt 4 or a thunderbolt 3, then yes, you can connect any USB device to the port and use it normally. The only issue is that you will not be making use of the fast transfer speeds of the Thunderbolt port, but you will rather be limited to the USB speed of the device you connect.

Buying Guide

All Thunderbolt hubs come packed with a plethora of ports and features that allow you connectivity to all your devices and displays. We recommend you keep the following points in mind when choosing a thunderbolt hub.

  • Build Quality: The build quality of the thunderbolt hub is essential as it will support a plethora of devices and is constantly subjected to plugging and unplugging cables. Hubs with aluminum or metal cases are sturdy and durable and dissipate heat better than plastic hubs.
  • Ports: The number and type of ports that the thunderbolt hub adds to your device are critical considerations. All Thunderbolt hubs connect to a USB-C port on your laptop or tablet, but some support more devices than others. The most common ports you will find are USB-C and USB-A ports; HDMI ports for connecting monitors, and SD and TF card readers. More advanced hubs also come with an audio and microphone input, a VGA port for connecting an old screen, and a Gigabit Ethernet port for direct internet connection to your router. Think about what ports you need and use and choose accordingly. Remember that with more ports, the size of the hub will increase and it will become less portable. Some hubs even require their own power source to support some devices.
  • Charging Power: Check the charging power of the hub to see if it can support the devices you want to charge. Most Thunderbolt hubs can support anywhere between 60 and 100 watts of charging power.
  • Transfer Speeds: USB-C ports have transfer speeds of up to 5 Gbps, and Thunderbolt ports can support speeds of up to 40 Gbps. If you plan to stream high-quality content, you may need to use the Thunderbolt port instead of the HDMI port, for example. Also look out for the transfer speeds on the SD and TF card readers if the hub comes with those ports. It is not uncommon to find hubs that support transfer speeds of up to 95 Mbps on card readers.
  • Multi-Monitor Support: If you plan to extend your displays and add more monitors, check if the hub can support connecting more than one display at a time. If they can, watch out for the screen resolutions that they support. Some hubs can support 4K, 6K, and 8K monitors, while others can only support one 4K and one full HD monitor at a time.
  • Compatibility: Lastly, check for the compatibility of the Thunderbolt with your devices. Some hubs are only compatible with Apple and can be used only for MacBooks, while others support both Windows and Apple laptops and devices.

Plugable Thunderbolt Hub

Best Overall

Fast and Reliable

This option comes with three different ports that can support connecting two 4K screens at 60 Hz or one 8K screen at 30 Hz. It also delivers transfer speeds of up to 40 Gbps.

Why We Love It:

  • Each port can support up to two devices with 15 w power
  • Compatibility with Windows 10 and macOS 11 and later
  • Can be used as a stand-alone hub or daisy-chained with other hubs
  • Comes with a USB-C to HDMI cable and a USB-C to Thunderbolt 4 cable

Something to Consider:

  • The power supply of this hub is very large and bulky

Uni Thunderbolt Hub

Runner Up

Plug and Play

This one delivers transfer speeds of up to 5 Gbps to transfer movies, files, and songs to any USB-powered device in seconds. You can also use it to add four USB ports to any thunderbolt port on your laptop or desktop.

Why We Love It:

  • Does not require any additional drivers or software to work on Windows or Mac
  • Made with aluminum alloy for better heat conduction and safety
  • Braided nylon cable is very strong and durable
  • Comes with a 0.6-foot cable but is also available with a 4-foot version

Something to Consider:

  • May not deliver enough power to charge some devices

 ZMUIPNG Thunderbolt Hub

Contender

All the Ports You Need

This one has 13 different ports, so you can connect to any device you want. Connect two 4K monitors or three VGA monitors at the same time without any lag or drop in performance.

Why We Love It:

  • Has five USB ports, HDMI ports, and a gigabit Ethernet port
  • USB-C charging port can charge devices with up to 100 watts of power
  • Transfer speeds of up to 5 Gbps are thanks to three USB 3.0 ports
  • Reads SD and TF cards and has an audio and microphone port

Something to Consider:

  • May overheat if many devices are connected to it at the same time

Anker Thunderbolt Hub

Honorable Mention

Multi-Monitor Display

This one brings a massive expansion to your MacBook with a plethora of useful ports like HDMI ports, USB-C ports, and SD and microSD card slots. It has a charging power of up to 100 watts.

Why We Love It:

  • Has two USB-A ports, an HDMI port, a charging USB-C port and a data USB-C port
  • Supports screens with resolutions of up to 4K and media resolutions up to 5K
  • Comes with a travel pouch for storage and safekeeping
  • Delivers data transfer speeds of up to 40 Gbps.

Something to Consider:

  • Only designed for MacBooks and not compatible with Windows OS

QGeeM Thunderbolt Hub

Recommended

Extremely Fast Speeds

This one is completely plug and play and doesn’t require the installation of any software or drivers to work. Use it to connect a wired keyboard, a USB flash drive, or even an external disk to your laptop or tablet.

Why We Love It:

  • Has an SD card and a TF card reader with transfer speeds of up to 95 MB/s
  • Three USB ports with speeds up to 5 Gbps
  • Supports 4K monitors at 30 Hz and lower resolutions at 60 Hz
  • Can charge devices with up to 100 watts of power

Something to Consider:

  • Makes a buzzing noise sometimes
Rusty Davis
Rusty Davis
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Rusty Davis has been a tech lover for as long as he can remember. From the early days of gaming consoles to the introduction…
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