The introduction of USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 ports and the transition away from legacy ports hasn't been smooth. PC and smartphone OEMs began using the USB-C port a few years ago because it allowed companies to make thinner devices with faster ports. Gargantuan in comparison, the USB-A ports we all know and love from thumb drives take up a lot of space on devices, they don't handle data transfer as efficiently as new ports, and they're limited when it comes to multiple connections and charging.
USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 are the way of the future, but most of our accessories are stuck in the past. PC and smartphone OEMs led the way by adopting USB-C as standard, but that often leaves users to search for an adapter or dongle to connect all of the peripherals they already have. On top of that, many new peripherals are still using the old connections.
Rising to the occasion are USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 docks—boxy devices punctured by USB-As, HDMIs, DisplayPorts, and SD card readers—and other ports. A dock or hub connects to all your peripherals so you can then connect it to your PC through just one USB-C port. But not all docks are created equal. After reviewing a wide array of what's available today, we've found there are a few key features users should look for to determine which option is best for you to bridge the gap between your PC and everything you want to use with it.
Note: Ars Technica may earn compensation for sales from links on this post through affiliate programs.
The short version
- Ever since first publishing this guide over one year ago, CalDigit's TS3 Plus has remained in the top spot as our favorite Thunderbolt 3 dock. You get what you pay for in this $309 dock: it has some of the fastest data transfer speeds out of all the docks we tested, so transferring data between a portable SSD and your PC will be just as fast using the TS3 Plus as if you were connecting the SSD to your PC directly. We also love its compact, industrial design that holds all the ports you'd ever need and its ability to drive up to two 4K external displays at 60Hz.
- As a runner-up, Cable Matter's Thunderbolt 3 dock offers almost the same advantages as CalDigit's does but it has a less elegant design. However, it is more affordable at $239.
- Even more affordable still is our budget pick, the new $199 CalDigit Pro Dock. In addition to its attractive price tag, the CalDigit Pro Dock works with both Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C PCs, so it's a good option if you don't know exactly which type of USB-C port your device has or if you're getting it as a gift and don't know the capabilities of your recipient's PC.
- Cable Matters produced our favorite non-Thunderbolt 3 USB-C dock in its USB-C Dual 4K DisplayPort dock. Like CalDigit's Thunderbolt 3 accessory, Cable Matter's USB-C dock combines an elegant design with fast transfer speeds and a ton of port options at a good price of $169. It also has dynamic bandwidth switching, allowing you to control the speed of data transfers versus the quality of your connected external displays.
- Meanwhile, Kensington's $99 SD2000P nano dock is our budget pick on the USB-C side because it provides some of the best technical features found in our top pick in a smaller device that comes in at a more affordable price. We also like that it can be VESA mounted with the purchase of an additional accessory.
- For those that want a travel-friendly hub, OWC's Travel Dock is the best option at $55. It's pretty speedy when it comes to data transfer, especially considering most travel hubs and adapters sacrifice speed while trying to be as portable as possible. It connects to your laptop through an attached USB-C cable that hides neatly under the device when not in use, and it supports power-delivery passthrough so you can charge your laptop through it.
- Those looking for an even more compact device that also has an Ethernet port should consider VAVA's $60 USB-C adapter.
Thunderbolt 3 docks
Best overall
CalDigit TS3 Plus Thunderbolt 3 Docking Station
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CalDigit's TS3 Plus docking station.Valentina Palladino
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The front edge has an SD card slot, individual audio in and out ports, one USB-C port, and one USB-A port.Valentina Palladino
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It can be positioned horizontally or vertically on your desk or work area/Valentina Palladino
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The back side has the rest of the ports, which includes a DisplayPort, four more USB-A ports, and two Thunderbolt 3 ports.Valentina Palladino
| Specs at a glance: CalDigit TS3 Plus Thunderbolt 3 Station | |
|---|---|
| Price | $299 |
| Ports | 2 x Thunderbolt 3 1 x USB-C 3.1 Gen 1 1 x USB-C 3.1 Gen 2 5 x USB-A 3.1 1 x DisplayPort 1.2 1 x SD card reader 1 x digital optical audio (S/PDIF) 1 x Gigabit ethernet 1 x analog audio in 1 x analog audio out |
| Power delivery | 85W |
| Display options | Two displays (up to 4K @ 60Hz) or one display (up to 5K @ 60Hz) |
| Dimensions | 5.15 x 1.57 x 3.87 inches |
| Compatibility | macOS 10.12 and up, Windows 8/10 |
CalDigit's unassuming, industrial-looking TS3 Plus Thunderbolt 3 docking station provides the best combination of performance, port selection, and design versatility out of all the Thunderbolt 3 docks we tested. It not only has the smallest footprint of them all—it also has the most ports.
Most users will have no trouble connecting mice, keyboards, and other legacy peripherals using its five USB-A 3.1 ports, and its four USB-C ports offer an array of connectivity options. Two of them are Thunderbolt 3 ports (one of which is the PC connector port), while the other two are USB-C 3.1 Gen 1 and USB-C 3.1 Gen 2, giving you various transfer speed options to choose from.
As evidenced in our benchmark charts, CalDigit's TS3 Plus didn't always produce the fastest transfer speeds or read/write speeds, but it was consistently one of the top performers. The differences in results among our top three choices were usually minimal, as all of them produced read/write speeds close to the default read/write speeds produced when the Samsung T5 SSD was connected directly to the MacBook Pro or XPS 13 2-in-1 via a Thunderbolt 3 port.
The TS3 Plus charged the MacBook Pro and the XPS 13 fairly quickly—the MacBook Pro went from 50 percent to 100 percent charged in just over one hour. The device took the longest amount of time to charge the iPhone 6S Plus through one of its charging-capable USB-A ports. But even then it took just two minutes longer than Plugable's Thunderbolt 3 dock and 13 minutes longer than Cable Matters' device. Also, all of the TS3 Plus' USB-A ports support 7.5W charging, allowing you to power up more than one accessory at a time. Most other docks we tested had just one charging-capable USB-A port.
Using this hub's DisplayPort and Thunderbolt 3 port, users can connect up to two 4K 60Hz displays or one 5K 60Hz display. You will need an adapter to achieve the highest-possible refresh rate and screen fidelity as you connect more than one display at a time. But the option is there for you.
The TS3 Plus' design set it apart from the competition. The relatively small, silver metal box measures 5.15 x 1.57 x 3.87 inches and spreads its ports out thoughtfully across the two longest sides. The back contains the PC connector Thunderbolt 3 port plus an additional Thunderbolt 3 port, four USB-A 3.1 ports, one USB-C 3.1 Gen 2 port, one DisplayPort, one Gigabit Ethernet port, one S/PDIF digital optical audio port, and the DC power port. The front houses an SD card slot, analog audio in and audio out ports, one USB-C 3.1 Gen 1 port, and one USB-A 3.1 port.
I especially appreciated the variety of front-facing ports because they make connecting temporary peripherals and accessories easier. Depending on your setup, access to the back of the dock might be blocked or covered by a web of cables—finding a port like a headphone jack among a sea of other connectors on the back of a dock would be quite frustrating in that situation.
A light gray, rubber-like pad covers the bottom side of the TS3 Plus, allowing you to position the dock horizontally or vertically without scuffing up your desk. Most other docks take up a lot of space as they lay horizontally on your desk, so the added flexibility of the TS3 Plus' design is a convenient perk. The dock is made better by CalDigit's Docking Station Utility program (available as a free download from its support website) because it lets you disconnect individual accessories connected to the dock. You can clearly and safely choose to disconnect your eGPU and external drive without disconnecting any other accessories like displays and mice, for example, or choose the option to disconnect all devices at once.
CalDigit's TS3 Plus is the dock I'd want on my desk going forward, not only because of its design, but also because of its performance and well-rounded port selection. It may be slightly more expensive than our other top picks, but its perks justify the $299 price tag.
Good
- Compact design yet contains a plethora of ports.
- Supports digital optical audio output.
- Includes extra USB-C 3.1 Gen 1 and Gen 2 ports.
Bad
- Adaptor required to achieve highest possible refresh rate when connecting more than one display.
CalDigit TS3 Plus
Runner up
Cable Matters Thunderbolt 3 dock
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Cable Matters's Thunderbolt 3 port is a basic silver slab, but it has great performance.Valentina Palladino
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The narrower, front edge holds power and PC indicator lights, along with an SD card, two USB-A ports, and headphone/mic jack.Valentina Palladino
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The wider back edge has more ports, including an HDMI port, three more USB-A ports, and two Thunderbolt 3 ports.Valentina Palladino
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All ports are evenly spread throughout the back edge, which should make it easy to connect peripherals to all of them.Valentina Palladino
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Unlike CalDigit's Thunderbolt 3 dock, not all of Cable Matters' USB-A ports support charging.Valentina Palladino
| Specs at a glance: Cable Matters Thunderbolt 3 dock | |
|---|---|
| Price | $239 |
| Ports | 2 x Thunderbolt 3 5 x USB-A 3.0 1 x HDMI 1 x Gigabit ethernet 1 x SD card reader 1 x headset/mic combo out |
| Power delivery | 60W |
| Display options | Two displays (up to 4K @ 60Hz) |
| Dimensions | 9.1 x 3.4 x 1.1 inches |
| Compatibility | macOS 10.12 and up, Windows 10 |
Cable Matters' Thunderbolt 3 dock makes compromises in versatility, but thankfully not in performance. Compared to CalDigit's TS3 Plus, this dock has the same number of USB-A ports, but it lacks additional USB-C ports, it doesn't support S/PDIF output, and it only has 60W charging power for your host laptop. Also, only one of its USB-A ports supports charging, so you can only charge one phone, tablet, or other device at a time.
However, its performance is quite good. The Cable Matters Thunderbolt 3 dock beat CalDigit's dock on most of our benchmark tests, albeit by a slim margin. Our top three choices all produced fast transfer and read/write speeds, so all of them will work quickly and efficiently when transferring data. But if speed is the most important factor for you when choosing a Thunderbolt 3 dock, Cable Matters' device is the one to get.
The device has an HDMI port for video output rather than a DisplayPort, so keep that in mind when buying the appropriate cables and adapters for your monitors. It's also possible to connect a second 4K display through the second Thunderbolt 3 port (the one that isn't designed to connect to the host PC), but you will need an active USB-C cable to do so.
The Cable Matters Thunderbolt 3 dock won't look as sleek on your desk as CalDigit's device because it's just a long, metal-and-plastic slab that can only sit horizontally on your desk. I appreciated the ports accessible on the front of the device (two USB-A ports, the SD card reader, and a headphone/mic jack), but the rest sit along the back edge of the device. While there's nothing wrong with the design, it's boring in comparison to CalDigit's and Plugable's devices (the former of which we'll get to in the next section). However, that's one of the compromises you'll make for the $219 device. Overall, it's a solid dock with great performance at a decent price.
Good
- Consistently fast read/write speed and data transfer performance.
- More affordable than CalDigit's TS3 Plus.
Bad
- Boring, bulky design.
- Doesn't support S/PDIF output.
Cable Matters TB3 dock
Best Budget
CalDigit Pro Dock
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CalDigit's Pro Dock has a metal design that looks like a lot of other Thunderbolt 3 docks.Valentina Palladino
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It will work with Thunderbolt 3 PCs and computers with lesser USB-C ports.Valentina Palladino
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The front edge has a couple quick-access ports including one USB-C and one USB-A port.Valentina Palladino
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The back edge has the rest of the ports, which includes two DisplayPorts and an Ethernet port.Valentina Palladino
| Specs at a glance: CalDigit Pro Dock | |
|---|---|
| Price | $199 |
| Ports | 1 x Thunderbolt 3 1 x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 3 x USB-A 3.3 Gen 1 2 x DisplayPort 2.1 1 x SD card reader 1 x Gigabit ethernet 1 x 3.5mm audio jack |
| Power delivery | 85W |
| Display options | Thunderbolt 3 PC: two displays (4K @ 60Hz)/USB-C PC: two displays (720p) or one display (4K @ 30Hz) |
| Dimensions | 8.43 x 3.15 x 0.98 inches (214 x 80 x 25 mm) |
| Compatibility | macOS, Windows 10 |
CalDigit's new Pro Dock is not only a well-priced Thunderbolt 3 accessory at $199, but it will work seamlessly when connected to either a Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C PC. As we explain above, there are a number of differences between Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C, and some features are only available on devices with Thunderbolt 3 ports. CalDigit's Pro Dock will adapt to work precisely regardless of which level of USB-C port you connect it to, making it a good option for those who are unclear which connector their PC has (or if those getting it as a gift and don't know the specs of their recipient's PC).
When connected to a Thunderbolt 3 PC, the Pro Dock supports data transfer speeds up to 40Gbps, dual display output for 4K monitors at up to 60Hz via its two DisplayPorts, and a maximum 85W of laptop charging. When connected to a USB-C Gen 2 device, it'll support data transfers speeds up to 10Gbps, dual 4K at 30Hz monitor output, as well as 85W laptop charging. Those with USB-C Gen 1 devices will see maximum data transfer speeds of 5Gbps, dual HD monitor output, and a maximum 85W laptop charging.
The Pro Dock is also compatible with the newest iPad Pros, allowing users to connect the tablet to an external display as well as connect peripherals and accessories like external hard drives.
We were impressed with the Pro Dock's data transfer speeds, and since we test these docks with a MacBook Pro and an XPS 13, you'll notice the speeds are quite high because the Thunderbolt 3 ports on those laptops support faster data transfer speeds.
While the device has a good array of ports, it only has one extra Thunderbolt 3 port that it only supports data transfers. You won't be able to daisy-chain a monitor through this port, but CalDigit added two display ports on the back edge of the device to make up for that. But the Pro Dock can be daisy-chained in a sequence if it's added to the very end of a Thunderbolt 3 daisy-chain, just keep in mind that you'll see weaker performance in the Pro Dock (as well as other devices) the further away in the chain it gets from the host PC.
Despite the daisy-chaining inconvenience, the CalDigit Pro Dock provides a lot of value for its $199 price tag. Most Thunderbolt 3 docks still sit above the $200 mark, so it's a good option for those who have a tighter budget as well as those who want the convenience of a dock that works well with both Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C PCs.
Good
- Solid and relatively affordable dock that works with Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C PCs.
Bad
- No HDMI port.
CalDigit Pro Dock
USB-C 3.1 docks
Best overall
Cable Matters USB-C Dual 4K DisplayPort Docking Station
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Cable Matters designed its USB-C dock similar to its Thunderbolt 3 dock.Valentina Palladino
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The metal exterior gives it a polished look, and the included stand lets you save some desk space.Valentina Palladino
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It provides 80W of power to your laptop and can charge an accessory like a smartphone through the USB-A port on its front side.Valentina Palladino
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The dynamic bandwidth switch lets you control how speedy your file transfers are in reference to your external display quality.Valentina Palladino
| Specs at a glance: Cable Matters USB-C Dual 4K DisplayPort Docking Station | |
|---|---|
| Price | $169 |
| Ports | 2 x USB-C 3.1 Gen 2 1 x USB-A 3.1 Gen 2 2 x USB-A 3.0 2 x USB-A 2.0 2 x DisplayPorts 1 x Gigabit ethernet 1 x microSD card slot 1 x SD card slot |
| Power delivery | 80W |
| Display options | Dual display support—4K mode: 2 x 4K@30Hz, 1 x 4K @60Hz, HD mode: 2 x FHD@60Hz, 1 x 4K@30Hz (macOS only supports one external display) |
| Dimensions | 7.85 x 2.76 x 1.02 inches |
| Compatibility | macOS, Windows 10 |
Cable Matters excelled in this category with its versatile USB-C dock. Arguably its best feature is its set of DisplayPorts, allowing Windows machines to connect to two 4K displays at once, with both running at 30Hz. In addition, it has five USB-A ports, two USB-C ports, a Gigabit Ethernet port, and both SD and microSD card slots.
This particular dock gives you more control over data transfer speeds and external display quality with its dynamic bandwidth switch. Depending on your needs you can choose from the HD or 4K modes: the former lets you connect two HD monitors at 60Hz or 4K monitor at 30Hz while supporting transfer speeds up to 10Gbps. The latter lets you connect two 4K monitors at 30Hz or or one 4K monitor at 60Hz while supporting transfer speeds of 60Mbps (typical of USB 2.0 ports). It’s a useful feature, particularly for those who have 4K monitors but still want control over how quickly their system transfers data.
That combined with the two DisplayPorts justify this dock's slightly expensive price tag. It also has a sturdy design that’s similar to Cable Matter’s Thunderbolt 3 dock—the metal-encased slab curves downward at its ends, giving it the friendly shape of a flattened hill. It comes with a metal stand as well, allowing you to place it vertically or horizontally on your desk. I also appreciate its power button because, unlike other docks, it lets you control power consumption without unplugging the entire unit when you don’t need it.
Good
- Dual DisplayPorts and dynamic bandwidth switch.
Bad
- No HDMI port.
Cable Matters USB-C 4K DP dock
Runner up
Kensington SD2000P USB-C nano dock
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Kensington's SD2000P USB-C nano dock packs a lot into its small, square frame.Valentina Palladino
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It has two USB-C ports and two USB-A ports.Valentina Palladino
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It also has one HDMI and one Display port for various external monitor options (although it only supports on external display at a time).Valentina Palladino
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It's VESA mounting compatible, so it can totally disappear in your desk setup.Valentina Palladino
| Specs at a glance: Kensington SD2000P nano dock | |
|---|---|
| Price | $99 |
| Ports | 2 x USB-C 3.1 Gen 1 3 x USB-A 3.1 Gen 1 1 x HDMI 1 x DisplayPort++ 1.2 1 x Gigabit ethernet 1 x Kensington lock slot |
| Power delivery | 60W |
| Display options | One display (4K @ 30Hz) |
| Dimensions | 4 x 4 x 1 inches (102 x 102 x 25 mm) |
| Compatibility | macOS, Windows 10, Chrome |
Kensington's SD2000P USB-C nano dock is a solid option for those who don't want to spend close to $200 for Cable Matter's dock, or for those who don't need as much power or versatility in such a dock. But make no mistake, the Kensington nano dock may be small but it packs a lot of value into its tiny frame. First and foremost, its data transfer speeds were close to those of Cable Matters' dock, so you won't sacrifice too much speed if you opt for this $109 dock instead.
It also takes up much less space than our top pick in general. While none of the docks we recommend in this guide are huge, there's something to be said about smaller docks that also have fast data speeds and a variety of ports. Kensington's nano dock is a simple 3.86 x 3.86-inch square that manages to fit two USB-C ports two USB-A ports, a DisplayPort++ and an HDMI port on it as well as a few other useful ports like an Ethernet port and a lock slot. It won't take up a lot of space on your desk, and you could have it disappear into your work area by mounting it on a VESA system (additional accessory required).
The Kensington nano dock also supports up to 60W laptop charging and connectivity to one external, 4K @ 30Hz monitor. If your host PC supports alt mode over USB-C, you can connect a projector to this dock as well.
While there are USB-C docks that have many more bells and whistles than Kensington's nano dock, the former is likely a solid dock for most users who want an accessory that helps them do more with their current PC than they can do with its built-in ports. It's small size, and equally small price tag, make it an even more attractive option.
Good
- Compact dock with a good number of ports at a good price.
Bad
- Only supports on external display.
Kensington SD2000P nano dock
Best travel hub
OWC Travel Dock
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OWC's Travel Dock connects to your PC with its attached USB-C cable.Valentina Palladino
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The cable hides under the dock when not in use.Valentina Palladino
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The palm-sized hub has one USB-C port, two USB-A ports, an HDMI port, and an SD card slot.Valentina Palladino
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It supports one external, 4K display at 30Hz.Valentina Palladino
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It also supports up to 100W of laptop charging via passthrough.Valentina Palladino
| Specs at a glance: OWC Travel Dock (Gen 2) | |
|---|---|
| Price | $54.99 |
| Ports | 2 x USB-A 3.1 Gen 1 1 x USB-C 3.1 Gen1 1 x HDMI 1 x SD card reader |
| Power delivery | 100W (via passthrough) |
| Display options | One display (4K @ 30Hz) |
| Dimensions | 3.2 x 3.2 x 0.7 inches (80 x 80 x 17 mm) inches |
| Compatibility | macOS, Windows 10, Chrome |
OWC's USB-C Travel Dock takes what you think you know about travel dongles and hubs and turns it on its head. We often think of "travel" accessories as things that sacrifice some usability in favor of portability. OWC's device does that to a degree, but it acts more like a typical dock than any other travel hub we tested. It's compact, carries multiple ports, and has data speeds that come close to those of desk-bound devices.
The 3.1 x 3.1-inch square fits comfortably in the palm of my hand, and it has a USB-C cable attached to it that hides in a cavern in the dock's underside. That means you don't need to remember a USB-C cable to connect it to your computer—but if you choose to bring your PC's power cable and adapter, OWC's dock supports 100W power delivery via its other USB-C port. You can charge your laptop while using the dock without any extra hassle.
Three sides of the OWC dock contain its ports: one USB-C port for PD pass-through, two USB-A 3.1 Gen 1 ports, one HDMI port, and one SD card reader. We only wish it had an Ethernet port because that would truly make it a device that toes the line between travel and stationary accessory. In addition to driving an external 4096 x 2160 display at 30Hz, the OWC travel dock will transfer data nearly as quickly as most of the regular docks we tested. It was also leaps and bounds faster than the travel hubs we tested, all of which were traditional dongles that stick as many ports as possible into their small frames.
Those devices aren't all bad (check out our alternative travel dock below for one we actually liked), but they sacrifice speed so much so that traditional docks blow them all out of the water. OWC's travel dock strikes a good balance between portable and practical with its smart yet compact design, speedy internal tech, and more-than-reasonable $55 price tag.
Good
- Powerful yet conveniently compact USB-C hub at an excellent price.
Bad
- No Ethernet port.
OWC Travel Dock
Alternative travel hub
VAVA USB-C hub
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VAVA's USB-C adapter combines a slim design with a useful selection of ports at a decent price.
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Three USB-A ports sit next to an HDMI port on one side of the device.
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The other side holds an SD card slot and a TF card reader.
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The smallest edge has a USB-C power port and a drop-down Ethernet port.
| Specs at a glance: VAVA USB-C hub | |
|---|---|
| Price | $59.89 |
| Ports | 1 x USB-C 3 x USB-A 3.0 1 x HDMI 1 x SD card reader 1 x microSD card reader 1 x Gigabit Ethernet port |
| Power delivery | 100W (power delivery charging—requires adapter) |
| Display options | One display (up to 4K) |
| Dimensions | 2 x 0.5 x 4 inches |
| Compatibility | macOS, Windows |
VAVA's USB-C adapter has everything you could want (and reasonably expect) in a travel-sized hub. The company managed to fit the most essential ports in a slim little rectangle. With three USB-A ports, one USB-C port, one HDMI port, an SD card reader and microSD card reader, and a drop-down Ethernet port, most users can connect anything and everything they'd need on the go. I particularly appreciated the drop-down design of the Ethernet cable, which keeps the device thin without sacrificing a hardware Internet option.
While it cannot charge your laptop on its own, VAVA's hub does include a USB-C charging port that can connect to a power cable. It supports 100W power delivery, allowing you to charge your PC while also connecting numerous peripherals all through one USB-C port.
VAVA's device used to be our favorite travel hub because it produced much faster data transfer speeds than the other similar hubs we tested. However, OWC's Travel Dock now surpasses it by a lot, with benchmark scores closer to those of stationary desk docks. While both devices are compact and portable, VAVA's has the advantage of being more like a traditional adapter. This makes it great for users who don't have a lot of space to spare in their travel bags, or those who simply like to travel as light as possible.
Good
- Slim and compact design with a drop-down Ethernet port.
Bad
- No DisplayPort.
VAVA USB-C adapter
Testing methodology
USB-C 3.1 or Thunderbolt 3?
Instead of delving into the full history of USB connectors, let's focus on the two most current types, which often get confused for one another.
USB-C 3.1 and Thunderbolt 3 ports look nearly identical, as they're both oval-like holes in the sides of your smartphones, laptops, and other electronics. In fact, "USB-C" is just the name for that oval-shaped port, so it isn't enough to know that you have two USB-C ports on your laptop—to get the most out of them, you'll need to know the standards that each follows.
The USB-C 3.1 standard now has two generations, Gen 1 and Gen 2, which differ in their transfer speeds. Gen 1 supports transfer speeds up to 5Gbps while Gen 2 support speeds up to 10Gbps. Additionally, USB-C 3.1 Gen 2 offers 20 volts (or 100 watts) of power delivery, allowing it to charge devices as well as connect to accessories like external drives.
Thunderbolt 3 ports provide more versatility than USB-C 3.1 Gen 2 ports do. In comparison, Thunderbolt 3 ports can transfer data much faster than USB-C 3.1 Gen 2 ports, supporting transfer speeds up to 40Gbps. They also support 100 watts of power delivery as well as two 4K 60Hz displays, four lanes of PCI Express Gen 3, eight lanes of DisplayPort 1.2, and daisy-chaining for up to six devices.
Daisy-chaining lets you connect more than one peripheral using a single Thunderbolt 3 port, so you can do more even when you have a limited number of ports at your disposal. Thunderbolt 3 is also bi-directional, letting you transmit and receive data at the same time.
Whether those features are all relevant to you or not, the heart of the matter is the Thunderbolt 3. It lets you do more (and more quickly) than USB-C 3.1 Gen 2. But since their ports look the same, it's hard to know just by looking which you have. Thunderbolt 3 ports typically have a small lightning bolt next to them, unless you have a device like a MacBook Pro that follows Apple's stringent design rules (no lightning bolts mark any of that machine's four Thunderbolt 3 ports).
Apple's premium laptop is an anomaly with its numerous Thunderbolt 3 ports—most ultrabooks have only two or three at most. Similar Windows machines like the Dell XPS 13 or the HP Spectre 13 have a mixture of Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C 3.1 ports, and some also include a few ports with older standards like USB-A (the larger, rectangle-shaped port we're all familiar with from years past).
The more Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C 3.1 ports you have, the more flexibility you'll have in terms of data transfer, peripheral connectivity, and charging. They're also good for future-proofing, since USB-C is the new standard and likely will be for the foreseeable future. However, the world hasn't quite caught up to the evolving USB standards, resulting in scant Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C 3.1 ports on most ultrabooks.
That also means that there are still more USB-A accessories that can't be used without a USB-C adapter, like mice and keyboards—as well as accessories for HDMI, DisplayPort, and other ports. Over the past few years, you might have heard people scowl, "We're living the dongle life," and that's true. Without the specific adapter you need to connect your old accessories to your new port, your old peripherals are unusable with your new computer.
How we tested
This is where docks come in. Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C 3.1 Gen 2 docks connect to just one of your USB-C ports to add access to a slew of other ports—more USB-C and USB-A ports, HDMI, DisplayPort, Ethernet, and audio jacks, and more.
You might consider investing in one if you currently have limited USB-C ports on your PC, and you might do the same if you often connect to numerous drives, peripherals, and other accessories. Instead of a cable mess snaking out from your PC as you use up all your built-in ports to connect to what you need, a dock or hub makes it easy to connect to just one port and glean access to everything you use regularly.
While the number of available Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C docks is still limited, more continue to pop up as laptops and other electronics embrace USB-C ports as the new standard. We called in many of the Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C hubs currently available and ran tests to evaluate the abilities of each. In addition to test results, we took design, port selection, and price into consideration when choosing our favorite docks and hubs. Here's a rundown of the benchmark tests we ran:
Read/write speeds
We connected each dock to two laptops—a 13-inch Apple MacBook Pro and a Dell XPS 13 2-in-1—and ran Xbench (macOS) and CrystalDiskMark (Windows) to measure the speeds of disk storage tasks with a 500GB Samsung T5 external drive connected via one of each dock's Thunderbolt 3 or USB-C ports. We ran each test three times and averaged the sequential and random scores.
Real world transfer speeds
We ran two different file-transfer tests—one with a large, 5GB file and another with a folder containing 5,000 small files—from both the MacBook Pro and the XPS 13 2-in-1 to the Samsung T5 SSD. We used each dock as a bridge between the machines and the external drive.
On the MacBook Pro, we used the iostat command to record MB/s speeds at one-second intervals for the entire transfer. After the files were successfully transferred, we averaged all the individual MB/s scores to glean an average transfer speed. We repeated this test three times for both the 5GB file and the folder of 5,000 files, and we averaged the three scores to obtain a final MB/s average score.
On the XPS 13 2-in-1, we used the Robocopy command to measure the average MB/s speed for each file transfer. We repeated this test three times for both the 5GB file and the folder of 5,000 files and averaged the three scores to obtain a final MB/s average score.
https://arstechnica.com/features/2019/11/guidemaster-how-to-navigate-the-tricky-world-of-thunderbolt-3-and-usb-c-docks/
2019-11-08 13:02:00Z
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