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 gadgets 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. Although most of not the entire greatest gross sales we’ve discovered occur to be on Amazon, have been checking each Amazon and its chief rivals for the most effective offers.
I write, check, and suggest 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 accountable for looking for out the most effective offers in each classes for Amazon’s Prime Days, Black Friday, and extra. I believe it’s honest to say that you simply’ll discover the most effective 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 it’s best to search for. This is an attention-grabbing transitional interval! I don’t anticipate 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. And sure, there are tariffs, that are in flux — though some simply kicked in right this moment and extra might take impact on day 2 of Amazon’s Prime Day gross sales.
Best 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 Surface 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 provides probably the most port flexibility, as does Plugable’s TBT4-UDZ, reviewed here. (I reviewed an earlier StarTech dock, however not this one.) I actually like Ugreen’s {hardware} as effectively, 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 $20 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 related, and I believe you’ll be proud of each one on this record. Just ensure they provide the ports you want on the value you need.
TechAdvisor, our sister website, loved the CalDigit TS4, which continues to be costly however on an honest sale.
Best 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, under. Anker and Ugreen are top-rated manufacturers that I’ve personally used, so simply choose no matter suits your price range.
Best Prime Day offers on USB-C docking stations
These are extra conventional, chunkier docking stations on your desktop, and one thing you would possibly desire for those who’d like extra ports or in some circumstances devoted energy. Plugable’s 10-in-1 is a strong dock on a strong deal, but it surely’s a bit extra ungainly than the Baseus Spacemate. I’ve added Wavlink’s dock for its flexibility, as effectively.
I’ve reviewed the Baseus Spacemate 11-in-1 dock listed right here, and I relatively appreciated it, though it felt somewhat unnecessarily over-engineered. Note that the worth after I reviewed it was $199.99, so the low cost is somewhat deceiving — it’s nearer to half off the preliminary value. Note that the 11-in-1 provides its personal charger; the 9-in-1 hub doesn’t. Belkin’s dock provides a ton of charging energy.
Best Prime Day offers on DisplayHyperlink docking stations
All of those are DisplayLink docking stations, which signifies that you should utilize 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 basically extra highly effective variations of a generic USB-C docking station just like the Belkin 11-in-1 GaN dock.
My decide proper now could be the Wavlink, with assist for 3 4K shows. Wavlink provides a less expensive mannequin ($112.49 at Amazon) however simply with assist for 4K on one show, and 1400p throughout the others. That could also be high-quality, too!
Updated at 12:25 PM PT on July 9.
Other nice Prime Day offers
These aren’t the one Prime Day offers being tracked by the PCWorld group. If you’re seeking to supercharge your own home setup with the juiciest tech gross sales, hit the hyperlinks for under the most effective expert-curated picks we’ve discovered.
FAQ
Why ought to I purchase a USB-C hub or Thunderbolt docking station?
Laptops have usually begun changing the entire legacy ports (the boxy USB-A plug, HDMI, SD card slots, and extra) with generic USB-C ports. That’s high-quality, however what when you’ve got 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 will have a quick exterior SSD or onerous drive, the exterior throughput will definitely make it easier 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 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, it’s best 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 pressured to label their ports. Your greatest guess is to haul out your laptop computer’s guide and test.
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 should solely run on the 10Gbps velocity.
USB-C hubs, dongles, and docking stations: what’s the distinction?
I exploit hubs and dongles interchangeably to explain the small gadgets that hold off your USB-C port with a brief cable. A docking station is mostly giant and heavy sufficient that it’s going to stay in your desk. Virtually all Thunderbolt gadgets are giant 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 should utilize it as a substitute of your laptop computer charger.
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 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 may 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 secure 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 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 chief tariff goal for this administration. On the opposite hand, dock makers like Plugable have particularly instructed me that they’ve moved manufacturing out of China, too. But think about: CalDigit announced its TS4 docking station in 2022 for $359.95. Its present record value: $449.95, and it’s “on sale” at Amazon for $379.
Unfortunately, it’s grow 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 p.c tariff on items imported from Vietnam, and 40 p.c on items routed by way 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 potential for additional import tax.
Some of those docks have had unhealthy opinions on purchasing websites. Why?
While Macs adopted Thunderbolt first, a few 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 detrimental remark, try to decide if it’s a Windows consumer making it. The expertise could also be completely totally different.
Are the most effective Thunderbolt dock and USB-C dongle offers at Amazon?
Historically, sure. I test different websites, however over the previous few years Amazon has constantly provided the most effective offers on these two product classes. Thats not all the time the case; Best Buy, for instance, is usually very aggressive in Chromebooks.