Picking from the best USB-C hubs starts with the port on your laptop or tablet, because each Anker hub with HDMI needs a USB-C port that carries video. Get the Anker 7-in-1 for a 4K monitor, the powered Rosonway for a desk full of drives or the 8-in-1 to run two screens on Windows.
| Hub | Screens | Laptop charging | Data ports | Extras |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anker 5-in-1 USB-C Hub with 4K HDMI | 1 HDMI, 4K at 30Hz | Up to 85W from a 100W charger | 1 USB-C, 2 USB-A, all 5Gbps | Lightest of the four Anker hubs |
| Anker 6-in-1 USB-C Hub with Ethernet | 1 HDMI, 4K at 30Hz | Up to 53W from a 65W charger | 1 USB-C, 2 USB-A, all 5Gbps | Gigabit Ethernet |
| Anker 7-in-1 USB-C Hub with 4K HDMI | 1 HDMI, 4K at 60Hz | Up to 85W from a 100W charger | 1 USB-C, 2 USB-A, all 5Gbps | SD and microSD slots |
| Anker 8-in-1 USB-C Media Hub | 2 HDMI, up to 4K at 60Hz on one screen (DisplayPort 1.4 laptops with DSC) | Up to 85W from a 100W charger | 2 USB-A, 5Gbps | Gigabit Ethernet, SD and microSD slots |
| Rosonway 7-Port Powered USB-C Hub (10Gbps) | None | Not listed by Rosonway | 4 USB-C, 3 USB-A, all 10Gbps | A 36W power adapter, a switch for each port |
Each of these USB-C hubs turns one port into five to eight. A thin laptop whose USB-C port supports video and charging can connect to a monitor, a drive and a charger through one Anker hub.
Which USB-C hub runs a 4K monitor at 60Hz?
The 7-in-1, plus the 8-in-1 on some laptops. The 7-in-1’s HDMI port supports 4K at 60Hz in mirror and extend modes. Both the 5-in-1 and 6-in-1 run 4K only at 30Hz. That gap matters on screens sharper than 1080p, because both still run 1080p at 60Hz.
The Anker 7-in-1 USB-C Hub with 4K HDMI also has SD and microSD slots, which read at up to 104MB/s and take cards up to 2TB. Its USB-C port and two USB-A ports move data at 5Gbps. Anker sells it as the Anker USB-C Hub (7-in-1). Who it’s for: a 4K monitor, or a camera that records to SD cards. Skip it if you need two screens or wired internet.
The Anker 5-in-1 USB-C Hub with 4K HDMI is the Anker 332 USB-C Hub (5-in-1) on Anker’s site. It has the same three data ports but a 30Hz HDMI port and no card slots. At 1.44 ounces, it’s lighter than the 7-in-1, which weighs about 2.4 ounces (67 grams). Who it’s for: a light bag and a 1080p monitor. Skip it for a 4K screen.
Which hubs add wired internet?
The 6-in-1 and the 8-in-1 both have Ethernet, at up to 1Gbps. If wired internet is the only extra your laptop needs, get the Anker 6-in-1 USB-C Hub with Ethernet. Anker’s own name for it is the Anker 543 USB-C Hub (6-in-1, Slim).
Charging is where it falls short. From a 65W charger, your laptop gets up to 53W, and only if the laptop, the charger and the cable all handle 65W. The bigger catch is on the Mac side: the 6-in-1 isn’t compatible with MacBooks that use the M2 chip. At Anker’s own store it also costs more than the 7-in-1. The higher price buys Ethernet, but you give up 4K at 60Hz and the card slots. Buying for someone else? The 6-in-1 is on our list of gifts for remote workers too.
Who it’s for: a laptop at a desk with a wired network connection. Skip it with an M2 MacBook or a 4K monitor.
Can one USB-C hub run two monitors?
Yes, on Windows. The 8-in-1 is the only hub here with two HDMI ports. On a Windows laptop whose USB-C port supports DisplayPort 1.4, the Anker 8-in-1 USB-C Media Hub runs two screens at 2K and 60Hz. A single screen gets 4K at 60Hz, except on laptops without Display Stream Compression (DSC), such as the Surface Pro 7 and HP Spectre x360. With DisplayPort 1.2, two screens drop to 1080p at 60Hz and a single screen drops to 4K at 30Hz. Anker sells this hub as the Anker 553 USB-C Hub (8-in-1).
Anker’s rule of thumb is that an Intel 10th-generation chip or older means DisplayPort 1.2. That rule doesn’t cover AMD laptops, though, so check your spec sheet for the port’s DisplayPort version.
A Mac is the exception. Anker says macOS supports only Single-Stream Transport through this hub, which means both monitors show the same picture. Want a MacBook to show something different on each screen? Our guide to the best docking station for a laptop covers a dock that runs two separate screens through a driver instead.
The 8-in-1 also has gigabit Ethernet, plus SD and microSD slots that read at up to 104MB/s. Its two USB-A ports run at 5Gbps, but it has no USB-C data port. At Anker’s own store, it costs more than the other three Anker hubs, since it combines the second HDMI port, Ethernet and the card slots. Who it’s for: a Windows laptop driving two monitors. Skip it if you want two different pictures on a Mac. If your laptop never leaves the desk, see our USB-C hub vs docking station comparison before you buy.
Which hub handles a desk full of drives?
The Rosonway 7-Port Powered USB-C Hub (10Gbps) is built to add ports, not to run screens. Its four USB-C and three USB-A ports are each rated at 10Gbps, twice the speed of the data ports on the Anker USB-C hubs. A 36W (12V/3A) adapter powers the devices you plug in. Each port also has a switch and a blue light, so you can turn off one drive without unplugging it.
There’s no HDMI port. The USB-C ports carry data and standard 1.5A charging, but not video output or Power Delivery, which the Anker hubs use to charge a laptop. Rosonway doesn’t list laptop charging either, so keep your laptop plugged into its usual charger. The 3.3-foot cable to your computer is detachable. Who it’s for: a laptop or desktop with several drives, card readers or other USB gear. Skip it if you need to run a monitor or charge a laptop through it.
Will these USB-C hubs work with an iPad or other tablet?
Some do, but Anker confirms iPad models for only two of these hubs, so check the pairing first. Apple lists hubs and docks among the USB devices an iPad with USB-C can use. Over HDMI, the iPad Air (4th generation), iPad mini (6th generation) and iPad (10th generation) run 4K only at 30Hz. So on those three, the 7-in-1’s 60Hz rating adds nothing at 4K.
The 6-in-1 works with the 2018 to 2020 iPad Pro if it runs the latest iPadOS. Charging tops out at 30W on the 11-inch model and 35W on the 12.9-inch, because of those iPads’ input limits. For the 8-in-1, Anker lists the iPad Pro 11-inch and 12.9-inch (3rd generation and later) under DisplayPort 1.4 and the iPad Air (4th generation) under DisplayPort 1.2. Anker doesn’t list iPads for the 7-in-1.
To charge an iPad at full power through the 5-in-1, Anker recommends a 45W wall charger. The company also advises keeping a charger connected when you use the 5-in-1 with a Surface Go or a Galaxy Tab S7+.
What does your device need for each hub?
To show a picture and charge your laptop, each Anker hub here needs a USB-C port that supports both, plus a charger you supply. Before you buy, check your laptop’s spec sheet or manual for the following.
- DisplayPort Alt Mode on the USB-C port, so any of the four Anker hubs can show a picture. Without it, the hub can’t send video to an external display.
- Power Delivery on that same port, so the hub can charge the laptop. Without it, the 7-in-1 and 8-in-1 still pass video and data, but not power.
- A 100W Power Delivery charger for the 5-in-1, 7-in-1 or 8-in-1. Each uses 15W of the 100W, so up to 85W reaches the laptop. The 7-in-1 and 8-in-1 also need a cable for that charger, a USB-C to USB-C one for the 8-in-1. With the 8-in-1, Anker suggests a charger rated 15W higher than the one your laptop uses, such as an 80W charger and cable for a laptop that needs 65W.
- For a MacBook, the number of external displays it supports. Apple lists one external display for the M1 and M2 MacBook Air, so a single HDMI port covers them. MacBooks with the base M3 chip run two, but only with the lid closed. That setup also needs an external keyboard, a mouse or trackpad, power for the Mac, and macOS Sonoma 14.3 or later (14.6 for the MacBook Pro). The M4 and M5 MacBook Air support up to two external displays.
- Your device type, since Anker lists the Nintendo Switch as incompatible with the 6-in-1 and 8-in-1.
More questions about USB-C hubs
Can a USB-C hub charge your phone?
The Rosonway can, at the standard 1.5A its USB-C ports supply. The 6-in-1’s data ports and the 7-in-1’s USB-C data port don’t support charging, and each Anker hub’s charging port only takes power in. Anker’s pages disagree about the 5-in-1’s data ports and say nothing about the 8-in-1’s, so use a wall charger.
Will these hubs work in a Thunderbolt or USB4 port?
Yes for the four Anker hubs. Anker lists USB4 and Thunderbolt ports among the supported connections for all four. Their data ports still top out at 5Gbps, though, so file transfers through these four Anker hubs won’t go any faster on a Thunderbolt laptop.
Is it normal for a USB-C hub to get warm?
Yes. The 6-in-1 can reach about 122°F on its surface when fully loaded, which Anker calls normal for this kind of product. Anker’s advice for the 5-in-1, 7-in-1 and 8-in-1 is to keep the hub uncovered and not to set anything on top of it.