Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days gross sales provide one of many 12 months’s greatest alternatives to attain offers on USB-C hubs and docks and their extra highly effective cousins, Thunderbolt docking stations. All provide necessary, needed methods to broaden your laptop computer’s ports and join legacy units like printers and mice.
The second Prime Day occasion of the 12 months is ready to kick off on October seventh and can final by means of October eighth, however early offers are already popping up.
I write, take a look at, and advocate the best USB-C hubs and dongles, and do the identical for the best Thunderbolt docks. For the previous a number of years, I’ve been chargeable for in search of out the very best offers in each classes for Amazon’s Prime Days, Black Friday, and extra. I feel it’s truthful to say that you simply’ll discover the very best USB-C and Thunderbolt docking station offers proper right here. Confused? Check the FAQ, under.
Below, you’ll discover a record of offers, in addition to an inventory of frequently-asked questions explaining what you need to search for. This is an fascinating transitional interval! I don’t count on something uncommon by way of USB-C hub costs. Thunderbolt docks, nevertheless, are a distinct story: Thunderbolt 5 is arriving out there, and older Thunderbolt 3 merchandise (that are nonetheless considerably viable) are being phased out.
Best early October Prime Day offers on Thunderbolt docks
- StarTech USB4/Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station, 98W charging, $209 (37% off at Amazon)
- Ugreen Revodok Max 208 8-in-1 Thunderbolt 4 Dock, 85W charging, $169.99 (32% off at Amazon)
- Microsoft Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock, 96W charging, $239.99 (20% off at Amazon)
- Kensington SD5700T Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station, 90W charging, $169.99 (23% off at Amazon)
- CalDigit TS4 Thunderbolt 4 Dock, 98W charging, $379.99 (16% off at Amazon)
I worth flexibility in my docking station decisions, and proper now StarTech’s dock affords essentially the most port flexibility. I actually like Ugreen’s {hardware} as properly, 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. Those are about $18 per cable.
Weirdly, I nonetheless haven’t reviewed Microsoft’s Surface docking station. But I’ve both used these particular docks or one which’s very comparable, and I feel you’ll be proud of each one on this record. Just make certain they provide the ports you want on the worth you need.
TechAdvisor, our sister web site, loved the CalDigit TS4, which continues to be costly however on a good sale.
Best early October Prime Day offers on USB-C dongles and hubs
The variety of offers has expanded, so I’m separating out the normal “dongles” from the others, under. Anker and Ugreen are top-rated manufacturers that I’ve personally used, so simply choose no matter suits your funds.
Best early October Prime Day offers on USB-C docking stations
These are extra conventional, chunkier docking stations to your desktop, and one thing you would possibly want should you’d like extra ports or in some instances devoted energy.
I’ve reviewed the Baseus Spacemate 11-in-1 dock listed right here, and I reasonably appreciated it, although it felt slightly unnecessarily over-engineered. Note that the value after I reviewed it was $199.99, so the low cost is slightly deceiving — it’s nearer to half off the preliminary worth. Note 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.
Best early October Prime Day offers on DisplayHyperlink docking stations
All of those are DisplayLink docking stations, which signifies that you need to 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 rationalization.) They’re basically extra highly effective variations of a generic USB-C docking station just like the Belkin 11-in-1 GaN dock.
Other nice early October Prime Day offers
These aren’t the one early October Prime Day offers being tracked by the PCWorld staff. If you’re trying to supercharge your property setup with the juiciest tech gross sales, hit the hyperlinks for less than the very best expert-curated picks we’ve discovered.
FAQ
Why ought to I purchase a USB-C hub or Thunderbolt docking station?
Laptops have typically begun changing all the legacy ports (the boxy USB-A plug, HDMI, SD card slots, and extra) with generic USB-C ports. That’s high quality, however what 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 proper bodily port connector.
If you may have a quick exterior SSD or onerous drive, the exterior throughput will definitely allow you to get essentially 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 assist for 2 show connectors.
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.
Manufacturers, although, aren’t compelled to label their ports. Your greatest wager is to haul out your laptop computer’s guide and examine.
Thunderbolt docks will solely work with a Thunderbolt connection. You should buy a USB-C hub or dongle and join it to a Thunderbolt port, however it can solely run on the 10Gbps velocity.
USB-C hubs, dongles, and docking stations: what’s the distinction?
I take advantage of hubs and dongles interchangeably to explain the small units that cling off your USB-C port with a brief cable. A docking station is mostly massive and heavy sufficient that it’s going to stay in your desk. Virtually all Thunderbolt units are massive sufficient to be thought of docking stations.
You should buy USB-C docking stations that lack Thunderbolt connections, however these are a bit rarer. A docking station additionally normally features a charger so you need to use it as an alternative of your laptop computer charger.
My laptop computer has USB4, not Thunderbolt. Can I take advantage of 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 principally something with a USB-C port on it. Don’t fear about these in any respect.
How do I do know whether or not to purchase Thunderbolt 3, 4, or 5?
Thunderbolt is backwards-compatible, so you’ll be able to 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. While Thunderbolt 3 and Thunderbolt 4 each switch 40Gbps, you’re most likely greatest to play it protected and match the specs of your port to the specs of the machine.
How will tariffs have an effect on the costs of Thunderbolt docks and USB-C hubs throughout Prime Day gross sales?
This is the massive wild card. The United States has prolonged its pause on reciprocal tariffs on international items till November 10. 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. On the opposite hand, dock makers like Plugable have particularly advised me that they’ve moved manufacturing out of China, too. But contemplate: CalDigit announced its TS4 docking station in 2022 for $359.95. Its present record worth: $449.95, and it’s “on sale” at Amazon for $379.
Unfortunately, it’s turn out to be much more difficult, 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 means of the nation. It’s simply not clear precisely which firm makes its merchandise in Vietnam or China, nevertheless.
There’s most likely one positive reply to keep away from tariffs: purchase early to keep away from paying the opportunity of further import tax.
Some of those docks have had dangerous critiques on buying websites. Why?
While Macs adopted Thunderbolt first, a number of the Apple M1 silicon couldn’t sustain with Intel Thunderbolt controllers utilized by Windows PCs, and the Apple MacOS expertise suffered consequently. If you see a adverse remark, try to decide if it’s a Windows person making it. The expertise could also be completely completely different.
Are the very best Thunderbolt dock and USB-C dongle offers at Amazon?
Historically, sure. I examine different websites, however over the previous few years Amazon has persistently supplied the very best offers on these two product classes. Thats not all the time the case; Best Buy, for instance, is commonly very aggressive in Chromebooks.