If you're looking for a do-it-all port that can move data, run multiple displays, power your devices and more, a USB-C fits the bill, but you'll need the help of a USB-C hub (or USB-C docking station) to do all of these things at once. What's great is with the right USB-C hub and a single USB-C connection to your laptop or desktop, you can hook up a monitor, keyboard, mouse and Ethernet as well as read and write to memory cards or other external drives without constantly swapping dongles and relying on Bluetooth.
Narrowing down your many options comes down to knowing how portable you need it to be and exactly what connections you need. Here are some of our favorite USB-C docking stations that we've tested. We'll continue to update this list as we find new models to recommend. And if you're looking to charge your USB-C devices, here are the best options we've tested.
Keep in mind not all USB-C ports are the same. For instance, Thunderbolt 3 or 4 devices will only be fully supported by a computer with the corresponding Thunderbolt USB-C port. Unfortunately, you can't just look at the port and know exactly what you have. Check with your computer manufacturer for what your laptop (or desktop) model supports before you buy.
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This little hub is perfect for a small home office setup and travel (it even comes with a storage pouch). On one side you have SD and microSD card slots and two USB 3.1 ports, all with transfer speeds up to 5Gbps. On the other side is a USB 2.0 port -- great for a wireless mouse or keyboard receiver -- and an HDMI out supporting a 4K display at 30Hz refresh rate. There's also a 100-watt USB-C Power Delivery port letting you charge your laptop through the hub with 87-watt output. Topping things off is a Gigabit Ethernet jack in the front. Its short cable means you won't be able to place this too far from your laptop and it is lightweight, so depending on how many cables you run from it (and how stiff or straight they are), you may have trouble keeping it flat on your desk. Still, it's a great option for home, office and travel and relatively inexpensive for the connection assortment and performance.
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A remarkable compact docking station that shows off what's possible with a single Thunderbolt 4 port. Just connect the SD5700T with the included cable to your Windows 10 laptop with Thunderbolt 4 (or a Thunderbolt 3 MacBook running MacOS 11 or later) and you get 11 ports for high-speed data, video and audio.
For data, it can handle transfer speeds up to 40Gbps -- perfect for working with large files such as photos and video. The dock also has a Gigabit Ethernet jack and a UHS-II SD 4.0 card slot. For monitors, you can connect dual 4K at 60Hz displays, a single display at 5K at 60Hz or one at 8K at 30Hz. There are also four USB-A ports: Three in the back that are USB 3.2 Gen 2 (for speeds up to 10Gbps) and one USB 2.0 in front for fast-charging devices. You'll find a combo headset jack in front, too.
The single Thunderbolt 4 port on the front supports power delivery up to 90 watts, so I was able to hook up and keep it charged up while I ran an UltraSharp PremierColor monitor at 4K at 60Hz from one of the dock's three downstream Thunderbolt 4 ports on the rear. I also connected a second USB-C-powered display at full-HD resolution at 60Hz to another downstream port. The Ethernet port let me take advantage of my wired Gigabit connection. The USB ports handled a 4K webcam, an external storage drive and the wireless receiver for my mouse and keyboard, which can be used to wake the PC. And again, all of this with just a single cable to the laptop.
The SD5700T is a forward-looking docking station, though, so you won't find any older DisplayPort or HDMI connections on it. It requires quite a bit of power to handle everything you connect to it, too, so the dock itself has a large 180-watt power supply. Still, the SD5700T is surprisingly compact and light compared to Thunderbolt 3 stations I've tested with similar features, such as the Anker on this list. The SD5700T can even attach to a monitor with an optional mount and there are two lock slots you can use to secure it to your desk.
You won't need any drivers or other software to get it working. However, Kensington's included DockWorks software is a nice extra that will automatically switch from Wi-Fi to Ethernet when you connect to the dock to give you the fastest connection speeds possible.
The docking station might be pricey at $320, but it guarantees you'll be taking full advantage of your Thunderbolt 4 connection well into the future.
Accell's simple, low-profile design won't tip over like vertical docks and it's easier to blindly plug into its connections. If you've got limited desk space, it might actually fit on the base of your monitor. Plus, the slim, lightweight body and its small power adapter slip easily into your bag if you need to travel with it.
In back you'll find three USB 3.1 Gen 2 type-A ports, two HDMI ports (one 4K, one 1080p), an Ethernet port and jacks for mic input and headphone output. A single USB-C port is on the right side. Accell includes USB-C-to-USB-C and USB-C-to-USB-A cables to connect to your laptop.
True to its name, you can connect it to your laptop and it will near-instantly start mirroring your display without needing a driver installed first. However, if you want to extend displays, you'll need to download a driver for MacOS or Windows; Accell conveniently stores them onboard; a screen appears when you connect to the dock that gives you the option to install it.
It also works with Chromebooks. You'll have to move to the Chrome OS beta channel to use it at the moment, 에그벳 but that's as simple as toggling it on in Chrome's settings, updating the OS and rebooting. Also, if you have an Android phone or tablet you can download the free Accell app and then connect to the dock to mirror your device's display to a single 1080p-resolution monitor and use a keyboard and mouse if you want, too. I tested it with my Galaxy S9 and while there was a slight lag, it otherwise worked fine.
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