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Since USB first arrived, the dream of a connection know-how that permits units to be simply related with no diploma in electronics has change into a actuality. With USB-C ports, the horizons for connectivity have expanded considerably, now encompassing telephones, tablets, Chromebooks and laptops.
Nevertheless, some units don’t include many ports, and if you happen to solely want a LAN port or HDMI out, cheap hubs can be found that can convert USB ports to those capabilities. A extra elegant resolution is a docking station, a vital Chromebook accent, which may add quite a few additional ports from a single connection and cost the Chromebook — nice for individuals who need to use a Chromebook in an workplace surroundings with desktop peripherals.
These docking stations and hubs are available in all shapes, sizes, worth factors, and configurations. Not all docking stations work nicely with all units, so we handpicked the very best ones accessible to make selecting one a breeze.
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Supply: Plugable
Plugable UD-MSTHDC Docking Station
Greatest total
Our favourite docks and docking stations for Chromebooks
Greatest total
Plugable UD-MSTHDC Docking Station
Constructed particularly for Chromebooks
Plugable’s UD-MSTHDC dock is constructed particularly for Chromebooks and gives 13 downstream ports. The USB-C host cable can ship as much as 60W of charging energy again to your laptop computer, and the dock will deal with twin 4K shows at 60Hz.
- Works With Chromebook licensed
- Twin 4K@60Hz monitor help
- 60W charging again to host
Plugable’s UD-MSTHDC is without doubt one of the newer docks on this roundup, launched not too long ago by Plugable as a Chromebook-first resolution. It has Works With Chromebook certification however may even work with Home windows units. The dock has 13 downstream ports, together with on the entrance 3.5mm audio, twin USB-A at 10Gbps, and USB-C at 10Gbps with 15W of charging energy. The again of the dock has one other 4 USB-A ports at 5Gbps, Gigabit Ethernet, two DisplayPort and two HDMI, and an AC plug. The USB-C host cable lives on one finish of the dock, whereas the opposite finish has lock slots.
This dock will permit you to energy as much as twin 4K exterior screens — every with a 60Hz refresh price — and the combination of HDMI and DP means fewer potential dongles. As well as, the USB-C host cable can ship as much as 60W of charging energy again to your Chromebook. Though this can be a comparatively costly choice, it is a highly effective Chromebook accent for anybody who needs a extra everlasting setup.
Premium choose
HyperDrive 14-in-1 USB-C Dock
A high-end dock at a high-end worth
HyperDrive’s 14-port USB-C dock is Works With Chromebook-certified and filled with ports. Maintain a watch out for infrequent Amazon reductions that make it far more reasonably priced.
- Works With Chromebook licensed
- 13 downstream ports
- Potent exterior show help
- Very costly at full worth
HyperDrive’s 14-in-1 USB-C dock (HD-GD1000) is often priced at about $250 on the official HyperDrive web site, however Amazon is presently providing it for about $80. That is an excessive low cost for a Works with Chromebook-certified dock that can work with nearly some other laptop computer with USB-C; it additionally consists of 13 downstream ports and a USB-C host reference to as much as 65W of charging energy.
The dock gives as much as twin 4K monitor help at 60Hz (with triple show help at a decrease refresh price) through the twin HDMI and twin DisplayPort hookups, plus the USB-C port can deal with video. It additionally has three USB-A at 10Gbps, two USB-A at 4.8Gbps, Gigabit Ethernet, two downstream USB-C at 10Gbps, and a 3.5mm audio combo jack, which is just about all you may ever want.
Greatest worth
Ugreen 6-in-1 USB-C Hub
Easy however efficient USB Hub
For those who’re in want of SD and microSD card readers in your dongle, try this unbelievable Ugreen hub. In addition to the handy card readers, this gem options an HDMI port with 4K help, three USB-A 3.0 ports, and an connected USB-C host cable. It is suitable with nearly any platform that has a USB-C interface.
- Low-cost
- Works with telephones, chromebooks and computer systems
- 4K HDMI
Not too long ago renamed to the Ugreen Revodok USB-C Hub 6-in-1, this can be a primary, however extraordinarily helpful hub that ought to work with any machine that has a USB-C port. It will possibly spawn three USB-A ports from one USB-C, has an SD card reader that helps SD and MicroSD, and has a full-sized HDMI port. Subsequently, you get three USB-A ports, two card reader slots, and a single HDMI, which makes up your six outputs.
Constructed to Ugreen’s excessive requirements, this can be a small and light-weight system that may be stowed in a laptop computer or Chromebook bag with out ruining its strains or damaging different equipment. Its aluminum case ought to guarantee it appears good for a very long time, and it is available in silver or house grey to raised match the aesthetics of your {hardware}.
Contemplating the construct high quality, the asking worth for the Ugreen Revodok USB-C Hub 6-in-1 is a discount. The one limitation is it has no pass-through energy, however the maker does have fashions in the identical line with that characteristic, and a few of these are even cheaper.
Greatest for a number of screens
StarTech.com USB-C Docking Station DK31C3MNCR
Triple monitor help, 13 downstream ports
Trying to maximize exterior monitor help on your Chromebook? The StarTech USB-C dock is designed particularly for Chromebooks and options triple 4K help at 30Hz. It has 13 downstream ports and as much as 60W of charging energy.
- Works With Chromebook licensed
- Triple 4K monitor help at 30Hz
- As much as 60W of charging energy
- Is likely to be overkill for some customers
Designed particularly for Chromebooks, the StarTech USB-C Dock (DK31C3MNCR) is a wonderful choice with a number of video outputs, together with a USB-C port able to delivering a video sign. It will possibly transmit a 4K 30Hz sign to 3 screens, a 4K 60Hz sign to 2 screens, or a 5K 60Hz sign to a single monitor. For those who’re fascinated by a multiscreen setup with a bunch of nice Chromebook screens, this needs to be a best choice.
In different options, you get 60W energy supply for charging the Chromebook, a Gigabit Ethernet port for wired connectivity, and an audio jack for audio system or microphones. It’s also possible to use the VESA mounting holes to mount the dock and cut back the muddle in your desk. The screw lock host put up additionally ensures no unintended disconnection to the dock.
Costly however versatile
Satechi Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station
Ticks many Thunderbolt bins
This newest Thunderbolt 4 dock from Satechi is a distinctly extra elegant type than the {hardware} it changed. For full flexibility, it has twelve ports with three Thunderbolt downstream ports enabling daisy-chaining of shows or storage units.Supreme for the consumer who likes to attach a laptop computer with a single Thunderbolt cable to each peripheral.
- Elegant and easy design
- A strong development
- Good port choice
- Three TB downlinks
- Exterior energy brick
- Will get heat when charging laptop computer
- No entrance going through USB-C
All Thunderbolt Hub makers use the identical chips created by Intel at their core, however the designers create a particular mix primarily based on what it connects to supply the I/O choices.
Satechi went with a dock restricted on show outputs, with two HDMI, however compensates with three Thunderbolt downlinks and loads of useful USB ports. These three ports may be downgraded to USB-C performance or, with further adapters, present additional monitor connections or chain Thunderbolt peripherals.
These wanting 4 screens related from the outset won’t select this selection, however it’s a extra versatile selection for many customers.
What we appreciated about this design is that it makes use of an all-metal development that gained’t simply slide round on the desk and needs to be moderately proof against unintended injury.
There are comparatively few caveats, however these embrace the truth that when utilizing it with an M3 Mac, Clamshell mode is required to get 4 shows on the similar time, and with 96W charging, this dock can change into heat in use.
It is the construct high quality and a spotlight to element make the Satechi Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station a strong contender, and nearly as good as something made by Plugable or Kensington.
KVM performance
Ugreen USB 3.0 change
4 ports for 2 computer systems
Technically that is neither a hub nor a dock, however a KVM. The Ugreen USB 3.0 Swap offers some primary means to attach a number of USB units to the pc, but in addition to a secondary system and change simply between them.It doesn’t even must be on the desktop, because the included distant management can flick between techniques whereas it’s out of view.
- 4 USB ports
- Made to a top quality
- Reasonably priced
- Included distant management
- A special model is required for USB-C computer systems
A KVM, standing for Keyboard-Video-Mouse, is a regular device utilized by IT professionals who need to use two techniques however don’t want to muddle their desks with a number of keyboards and mice from each techniques.
The Ugreen USB 3.0 Swap appears nearly similar to a USB hub, and if you happen to join one system, it offers that performance, permitting a single USB port to change into 4 ports on the Swap.
Subsequently, it could actually join the mouse and keyboard, however by means of its switching performance, these can shift between two computer systems with a easy click on of the distant management.
It can’t change the video sign, as some KVMs provide, however if you happen to use this with a desktop pc and a laptop computer, that gained’t be a problem.
The switchable ports embrace a single USB-C and three USB-A ports, and the connection velocity on all ports is USB 3.2 Gen 1 or 5Gbps.
A minor phrase of warning. Don’t provoke a file copy between an exterior drive on the change after which click on over to the opposite pc, because the drive gained’t perceive the place the host pc out of the blue went.
The Ugreen USB 3.0 Swap doesn’t provide many ports, however it’s cheap and gives some distinctive performance that many would possibly discover helpful. Ugreen does make a barely totally different mannequin of the identical merchandise with USB-C connections for the computer systems, not USB-A.
Compact design
OWC USB-C Journey Dock E
Excellent to be used whereas touring
OWC’s Journey Dock E is a compact dock that does not require AC energy, making it good for these on the go. It gives 5 downstream ports, USB-C passthrough for host charging, and a hard and fast host cable.
- 100W energy passthrough
- UHS-II SD card reader is a pleasant addition
- No AC energy required
- Not ultimate for a everlasting setup
- Some will want greater than 5 ports
- Fastened host cable
Those that usually journey won’t need to go away their dock behind, and in that case, the OWC Journey Dock E needs to be a terrific selection. It doesn’t require AC energy, however it does have a USB-C passthrough port that may deal with as much as 100W of energy. So even when your Chromebook has only one USB-C port, you possibly can nonetheless hold it topped up.
The dock in any other case has two USB-A 3.2 ports at 5Gbps every, an HDMI 2.0 port for a 4K exterior show, a UHS-II SD card reader, and Gigabit Ethernet. The host cable is mounted, which is a draw back — if it will get broken, you may possible have to switch the whole dock — however the package deal stays reasonably priced. It will possibly definitely be used full-time on a desk, however it’ll excel when on the transfer.
Reasonably priced charging hub
Plugable 7-in-1
A hub with charging onboard
The 7-in-1 USB hub by Plugable gives strong efficiency and a very good number of ports at an affordable worth. When used with a 100-watt USB-C Energy Supply charger, it could actually cross as much as 87 watts, making it appropriate for even probably the most demanding Chromebooks. The one draw back is that its HDMI output helps a most of 30 hertz at 4K decision. Aside from that, it is a dependable method to develop your laptop computer’s storage and join further peripherals like a mouse.
- A number of ports
- Cheap
- 87W charging
- Move-through energy can have points
- Solely 30Hz on 4K monitor
With an asking worth of round $30 from well-known model Plugable, this Hub appears to be implausibly good worth.
For that modest outlay, you get three USB 3.0 ports, an HDMI port, each SD and microSD card slots, and a USB-C Energy Supply charging port. That final port requires you to have a USB PSU with a 100W output to ship 87W to the connected system, and that isn’t included within the worth. Nevertheless, in case your laptop computer or Chromebook expenses utilizing USB-C, then it’s best to have one helpful.
There are solely two snags to this design. The primary being the 4K video connection is restricted to a 30Hz refresh price at that decision, which could possibly be a problem in case you have 60Hz content material to share. The opposite downside is that some prospects stated it wouldn’t cost all laptops with the complete 87W pass-through energy. It nonetheless charged these machines, however slower than it might have if it had labored flawlessly.
Even with these points, that is an exceptionally helpful piece of package, and one that the majority Chromebook customers ought to critically take into account.
Getting the very best dock or hub on your system
The disparity between the price of a dock and a hub is putting, given the impression that docks are overpriced, and so they each usually obtain the identical job. Usually talking, hubs are extra appropriate for these on the transfer, whereas docks are higher for individuals who desire a static field they will simply join a laptop computer, Chromebook, or pill to.
Selecting the correct docking station or hub on your favourite system will depend on the ports you want most, the dimensions you possibly can match in your desk (or in your baggage), and the value. That is why our suggestions cowl a variety of choices that fall into totally different worth brackets and have a various choice of ports.
Our favourite dock for Chromebooks proper now could be the Plugable UD-MSTHDC, which is suitable with Chromebooks and Home windows laptops. It has 13 downstream ports, together with a mixture of twin HDMI and twin DisplayPort, with help for twin exterior shows at a 60Hz refresh price every. It additionally has six USB-A ports, 3.5mm audio, Gigabit Ethernet, and downstream USB-C at 10Gbps with 15W of charging potential. When related, the dock also can ship as much as 60W of charging energy to the host laptop computer.
The HyperDrive 14-in-1 USB-C Dock is a good selection for individuals who need extra charging energy and may afford the $250 asking worth. This docking station has 13 downstream ports, 65W of charging energy, and twin exterior show help at 60Hz.
The Ugreen 6-in-1 USB-C Hub is able to go anyplace, and is a dramatically extra budget-friendly choice for individuals who do not want charging, however recognize the additional ports.
Greatest total
Plugable UD-MSTHDC Docking Station
For Chromebooks and Home windows laptops
The Plugable UD-MSTHDC docking station is Works With Chromebook-certified however also can work with Home windows laptops. It gives 13 downstream ports, with help for twin 4K shows at 60Hz every.