Amazon’s Prime Day gross sales provide one of many yr’s greatest alternatives to attain offers on USB-C hubs and docks and their extra highly effective cousins, Thunderbolt docking stations. All provide essential, vital methods to increase your laptop computer’s ports and join legacy units like printers and mice.
It’s your final day to grab benefit of the reductions although — the offers finish at midnight Pacific on Friday, July 11. Though most of not all the greatest gross sales we’ve discovered occur to be on Amazon, have been checking each Amazon and its chief opponents for one of the best offers.
I write, check, and suggest one of the best USB-C hubs and dongles, and do the identical for one of the best Thunderbolt docks. For the previous a number of years, I’ve been chargeable for looking for out one of the best offers in each classes for Amazon’s Prime Days, Black Friday, and extra. I believe it’s honest to say that you just’ll discover one of the best USB-C and Thunderbolt docking station offers proper right here. Confused? Examine the FAQ, beneath.
Beneath, you’ll discover a record of offers, in addition to an inventory of frequently-asked questions explaining what you need to search for. That is an attention-grabbing transitional interval! I don’t count on something uncommon when it comes to USB-C hub costs. Thunderbolt docks, nevertheless, are a unique story: Thunderbolt 5 is arriving out there, and older Thunderbolt 3 merchandise (that are nonetheless considerably viable) are being phased out. And sure, there are tariffs, that are in flux — though some simply kicked in at this time and extra could take impact on day 2 of Amazon’s Prime Day gross sales.
Finest Prime Day offers on Thunderbolt docks
StarTech USB4/Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station, 98W charging, $248.36 (25% off at Amazon)
Ugreen Revodok Max 208 8-in-1 Thunderbolt 4 Dock, 85W charging, $159.99 (36% off at Amazon)
Plugable 16-in-1 Thunderbolt 4 Dock (TBT4-UDZ), 100W charging, $269.95 (16% off at Amazon)
Microsoft Floor Thunderbolt 4 Dock, 96W charging, $199.99 (33% off at Amazon)
Ugreen Revodok Max 2131 13-in-1 Thunderbolt 5 Dock, 140W charging, $299.99 (25% off at Amazon)
Kensington SD5700T Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station, 90W charging, $158.99 (28% off at Amazon)
CalDigit TS4 Thunderbolt 4 Dock, 98W charging, $303.99 (32% off at Amazon)
Anker Prime TB5 Docking Station, 14-in-1, 140W charging, $339.99 (15% off at Amazon)
I worth flexibility in my docking station selections, and proper now StarTech’s dock affords probably the most port flexibility, as does Plugable’s TBT4-UDZ, reviewed right here. (I reviewed an earlier StarTech dock, however not this one.) I actually like Ugreen’s {hardware} as nicely, but it surely’s extra of a hub, and also you’ll want to purchase show cables that take its USB-C video connections and translate them to HDMI. These are about $20 per cable.
Weirdly, I nonetheless haven’t reviewed Microsoft’s Floor docking station. However I’ve both used these particular docks or one which’s very comparable, and I believe you’ll be pleased with each one on this record. Simply make certain they provide the ports you want on the worth you need.
TechAdvisor, our sister website, cherished the CalDigit TS4, which remains to be costly however on a good sale.
Finest Prime Day offers on USB-C dongles and hubs
The variety of offers have expanded, so I’m separating out the standard “dongles” from the others, beneath. Anker and Ugreen are top-rated manufacturers that I’ve personally used, so simply choose no matter matches your funds.
Finest Prime Day offers on USB-C docking stations
These are extra conventional, chunkier docking stations on your desktop, and one thing you would possibly choose should you’d like extra ports or in some instances devoted energy. Plugable’s 10-in-1 is a stable dock on a stable deal, but it surely’s a bit extra ungainly than the Baseus Spacemate. I’ve added Wavlink’s dock for its flexibility, as nicely.
I’ve reviewed the Baseus Spacemate 11-in-1 dock listed right here, and I quite preferred it, though it felt a little bit unnecessarily over-engineered. Be aware that the value once I reviewed it was $199.99, so the low cost is a little bit deceiving — it’s nearer to half off the preliminary worth. Be aware that the 11-in-1 provides its personal charger; the 9-in-1 hub doesn’t. Belkin’s dock affords a ton of charging energy.
Finest Prime Day offers on DisplayLink docking stations
All of those are DisplayLink docking stations, which implies that you should use them with a laptop computer with a generic USB-C port. You’ll simply have to put in a software program driver first.(The linked story has a fuller clarification.) They’re primarily extra highly effective variations of a generic USB-C docking station just like the Belkin 11-in-1 GaN dock.
My choose proper now’s the Wavlink, with help for 3 4K shows. Wavlink affords a less expensive mannequin ($112.49 at Amazon) however simply with help for 4K on one show, and 1400p throughout the others. Which may be fantastic, too!
Up to date at 12:05 PM PT on July 11.
Different nice Prime Day offers
These aren’t the one Prime Day offers being tracked by the PCWorld group. If you happen to’re trying to supercharge your private home setup with the juiciest tech gross sales, hit the hyperlinks for under one of the best expert-curated picks we’ve discovered.
FAQ
1.
Why ought to I purchase a USB-C hub or Thunderbolt docking station?
Laptops have usually begun changing all the legacy ports (the boxy USB-A plug, HDMI, SD card slots, and extra) with generic USB-C ports. That’s fantastic, however what if in case you have a wired printer or mouse or exterior SSD? You’ll want to attach it to your laptop computer, and also you would possibly want the fitting bodily port connector.
When you have a quick exterior SSD or exhausting drive, the exterior throughput will definitely enable you to get probably the most out of your peripheral. And if you wish to join a number of shows, you’ll want a USB-C hub (and ideally a docking station) with help for 2 show connectors.
2.
How do I do know whether or not to purchase a USB-C hub or a Thunderbolt docking station?
USB-C hubs and Thunderbolt docks use the identical bodily USB-C connection. A USB-C port (and USB-C hub or dongle) use a fundamental 10Gbps connection, whereas a Thunderbolt port will increase the throughput to 40Gbps. Ideally, you need to see a small “lightning bolt” icon sign a Thunderbolt port, whereas an unmarked port could also be only a generic USB-C port.
Producers, although, aren’t pressured to label their ports. Your greatest wager is to haul out your laptop computer’s handbook and test.
Thunderbolt docks will solely work with a Thunderbolt connection. You should purchase a USB-C hub or dongle and join it to a Thunderbolt port, however it can solely run on the 10Gbps velocity.
3.
USB-C hubs, dongles, and docking stations: what’s the distinction?
I exploit hubs and dongles interchangeably to explain the small units that grasp off your USB-C port with a brief cable. A docking station is usually massive and heavy sufficient that it’ll stay in your desk. Nearly all Thunderbolt units are massive sufficient to be thought of docking stations.
You should purchase USB-C docking stations that lack Thunderbolt connections, however these are a bit rarer. A docking station additionally often features a charger so you should use it as a substitute of your laptop computer charger.
4.
My laptop computer has USB4, not Thunderbolt. Can I exploit a Thunderbolt dock?
USB4 and Thunderbolt 4 are functionally the identical. Intel refuses to certify non-Intel platforms like AMD’s Ryzen for Thunderbolt, and the brand new Copilot+ PCs from Microsoft powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite chips are in the identical boat.
USB-C hubs work with mainly something with a USB-C port on it. Don’t fear about these in any respect.
5.
How do I do know whether or not to purchase Thunderbolt 3, 4, or 5?
Thunderbolt is backwards-compatible, so you possibly can personal a laptop computer with Thunderbolt 4 and join it to a Thunderbolt 4 or Thunderbolt 3 dock with out fear. It’s not forward-compatible, nevertheless. Whereas Thunderbolt 3 and Thunderbolt 4 each switch 40Gbps, you’re in all probability greatest to play it secure and match the specs of your port to the specs of the gadget.
6.
How will tariffs have an effect on the costs of Thunderbolt docks and USB-C hubs throughout Prime Day gross sales?
That is the massive wild card. The USA has paused its reciprocal tariffs on international items till July 9, the second day of Amazon’s Prime Day offers. At that time, it’s anybody’s guess what’s going to occur.
Many hubs and docks are made in China, which has been a first-rate tariff goal for this administration. However, dock makers like Plugable have particularly informed me that they’ve moved manufacturing out of China, too. However think about: CalDigit introduced its TS4 docking station in 2022 for $359.95. Its present record worth: $449.95, and it’s “on sale” at Amazon for $379.
Sadly, it’s turn out to be much more sophisticated, virtually in a single day. Some dock and hub makers have moved their manufacturing out of China and Taiwan to Vietnam, and the Trump administration simply set a 20 % tariff on items imported from Vietnam, and 40 % on items routed by the nation. It’s simply not clear precisely which firm makes its merchandise in Vietnam or China, nevertheless.
There’s in all probability one certain reply to keep away from tariffs: purchase early to keep away from paying the opportunity of further import tax.
7.
A few of these docks have had unhealthy opinions on procuring websites. Why?
Whereas Macs adopted Thunderbolt first, a number of the Apple M1 silicon couldn’t sustain with Intel Thunderbolt controllers utilized by Home windows PCs, and the Apple MacOS expertise suffered because of this. If you happen to see a damaging remark, attempt to decide if it’s a Home windows person making it. The expertise could also be completely totally different.
8.
Are one of the best Thunderbolt dock and USB-C dongle offers at Amazon?
Traditionally, sure. I test different websites, however over the previous few years Amazon has persistently supplied one of the best offers on these two product classes. Thats not at all times the case; Finest Purchase, for instance, is usually very aggressive in Chromebooks.
