The executive shakeups at Apple continue this week with a new Bloomberg report saying that the company’s robotics team will be under new management.
The team, which isn’t public but isn’t exactly a secret, has been working under John Giannandrea’s machine learning and AI group. We wrote recently about an interesting research paper and video from the team showing expressive “emotion” movements with an experimental AI-powered lamp. It’s an impressive demonstration of some of the things the group has been working on, likely in advance of a future rumored tabletop assistant with a robotic arm and iPad-like display “face.” With advanced AI, speakers, microphones, cameras, and robotic actuators, this is meant to be a sort of helpful home companion.
Now, this robotics team is moving from the AI/ML group to the hardware division, which is overseen by Senior Vice President John Ternus.
This could be seen as simply a move to reduce the responsibilities of Giannandrea’s group, taking away the impetus to build products and letting the group focus on the underlying artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies that are used throughout the company. More of a pure specialized R&D group, in other words. The Siri team was moved out of Giannandrea’s group earlier this year after the well-publicized failure to meet deadlines and keep up with the digital assistants of rivals.
But it might also mean that the project is shifting out of the lab to into serious product development. Once a core concept has been proven, it takes a long time to engineer a real mass-produced product out of it, especially to the quality level one expects from Apple. This shift to the hardware division may be an indication that this work is now underway.
Leaker Majin Bu has published a blog post with a few new details about iPadOS 19 and iOS 19, and how they’ll work to improve multitasking and productivity.
The first rumor concerns iPadOS 19, which we have already heard will feature improved multitasking and more “macOS-like” capabilities, while not actually running or copying macOS. Bu says this will take the form of what he calls “Stage Manager 2.0” (we can see Apple calling it Stage Manager 2, but probably not 2.0). This will reportedly activate automatically when a keyboard is attached, though we presume you’ll be able to trigger it without a keyboard by using the Control Center, as you can today.
When docked with a Magic Keyboard (and maybe any keyboard?), iPadOS 19 will also show a menu bar at the top of the display, just as Macs do. This raises all sorts of questions—will there be menu bar utilities for iPadOS 19, for instance?
Moving over to the iPhone, Bu says iOS 19 will bring a big enhancement to how it operates with an external display. As it stands, you can use the USB-C port to connect an external display, but it simply mirrors your iPhone display (this feature dates back to much older iPhones when using Lightning-to-HDMI or digital display adapters). With iOS 19, the external display will reportedly show an expanded view, something Bu calls a “Stage Manager-like interface.”
It’s not clear how you will control this view, as your iPhone (the sole means of input) would presumably show the same single-app view it always has. Perhaps when using an external display, your entire iPhone’s screen will become a keyboard/touchpad like the Apple TV Remote app, while the display shows a multi-app interface? The rumor makes it sound like less than the full desktop mode of Samsung’s DeX mode, but still a huge step up from the simple iPhone mirroring we have today.
All of these changes are in service of providing a more consistent experience across iPhone, iPad, and Mac, one of the key goals of the big redesign coming to Apple’s operating systems this fall. Apple will unveil the new operating systems at the WWDC keynote on Monday, June 9.
It doesn’t take long for iPhone rumors to circulate. It’s one of the most iconic and influential tech gadgets of all time, and everyone wants to know what’s coming next. That Apple is so secretive only heightens the appeal of iPhone rumors and leaks.
So it should come as little surprise that iPhone 17 rumors, leaks, and info started to circulate months before the iPhone 16 was even formally announced. Here’s everything we know so far, but don’t take any of it as solid info: even when early rumors are accurate, plans can change, and nothing is ever certain until Apple announces it.
Updated April 24: Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reiterates that Apple intends to equip the iPhone 17 Pro, and potentially even iPhone 17, with 12GB of RAM. An episode of the YouTube channel Unboxed Therapy goes hands-on with a dummy model of the iPhone 17 Air from a third-party supplier.
Here’s something we do know: The new iPhone lineup is almost always announced in September—usually on a Tuesday in the second week of September, to be specific. So we would expect the iPhone 17 line to be announced on or around September 9, 2025. Here’s when the most recent models were released:
Historically, preorders for the iPhone begin on the Friday after the announcement, and the phones ship a week later. On occasion, some specific models may ship a couple of weeks later than others due to production issues.
We haven’t yet heard if the iPhone 17 line will cost the same as the iPhone 16 line. Most rumors suggest the “Plus” model will be replaced by the new super-slim “Air” model, which will take over its price in the lineup as well:
This would mean a significant upward shift in overall iPhone pricing, with the Pro model jumping up $100 and a new model replacing the Plus with a price of $100 more than the Pro Max.
Now that Apple has introduced the iPhone 16e there may also be an iPhone 17e joining the lineup in September 2025, although we don’t know if it will be updated in September 2025, or if that model won’t arrive until spring 2026. The price is likely to be $599 for the iPhone 17e, unless Apple introduces an iPhone 17e in place of the iPhone 15, with a price of $699, in which case the iPhone 16e could remain in the lineup with its $599 price tag.
In April, Majin Bu reported that the iPhone 17 Pro models will come in a new and “irresistible” sky blue color. That would be the second product with that color, following the M4 MacBook Air.
The iPhone 16 comes in five colors including Ultramarine, Teal, Pink, White, and Black. The iPhone 16 Pro comes in Desert Titanium, Natural Titanium, White Titanium, and Black Titanium, which are reminiscent of the classic gold and space gray options. There were rumors that the iPhone 16 would also come in purple, so perhaps that’s in the pipeline for 2025.
Several analysts have reported that the existing Plus model will be replaced by a new “Slim” model with a larger screen size and a much thinner body. Analyst Jeff Pu was the first to report this change (in May 2024), and in the same month, The Information reported on the Slim model, stating that it would be a new even-higher-end model that sits above “Pro Max” in the lineup and would have a centered rear camera and a smaller Dynamic Island.
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who has been accurate about supply-chain predictions, mentions that a future folding iPhone will have “the same high-density battery cells as the ultra-thin iPhone 17.” It’s already possible for iPhone batteries to hold more energy in the same volume, it’s just a matter of cost—with the slim iPhone 17 Air, Apple will likely spend more on a battery that holds more charge in its limited volume.
A report by Mark Gurman of Bloomberg in August 2024 claimed the new model will fit between the standard iPhone and the Pro: ” If you want something snazzier than a standard iPhone–but don’t really need the performance, screen size, or cameras of a Pro model–you can get something that looks much cooler while still having the specifications of a regular iPhone.”
A report from Jeff Pu in November 2024 claims that the iPhone 17 Air/Slim will be around 6mm thick. That’s thinner than any iPhone so far. The iPhone 16, for context, is 7.8mm thick. The thinnest new iPad Pro is 5.1mm thick.
According to Korea’s Sisa Journal in January 2025, the so-called iPhone 17 Air will be 6.25mm thick and cost in the same price range as the iPhone 16 Plus (starting at $899 U.S.). A medium post from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo stated that the “thinnest part” of the new ultra-slim iPhone is just 5.5mm thick, but it’s difficult to know what that means without more context.
The camera bump, according to Weibo leaker Ice Universe, will be 4.0mm thick, bringing the total phone thickness to 9.5mm at the camera.
In October 2024 Pu said he expects the phone to have an A19 chip (not A19 Pro), 8GB of RAM, around a 6.6-inch display, an aluminum body, and a single 48MP rear camera.
A leaked image in January reportedly showed the case of the new iPhone 17 Air, with a prominent “camera bar” design.
Majin Bu/X
Most recently, an episode of the YouTube channel Unboxed Therapy featured a “dummy model” version of the phone from a third-party supplier. It’s our best look yet at the overall size and thin design.
All iPhone 17 models have been rumored to feature a 24MP front-facing camera. An October 2024 research note from analyst Jeff Pu added that the iPhone 17 Pro would feature a 48MP telephoto camera along with a new 24MP front camera. According to a later report from Majin Bu, the 48MP telephoto camera will have a zoom of 3.5x (85mm), with an optical “crop zoom” mode similar to today’s 48MP wide camera, so you can shoot 12MP 7x (160mm) shots before the digital zoom kicks in.
Some iPhone 17 models (maybe even all of them) will have a new camera bump, a wide rectangular raised area that stretches across the phone similar in style to Google’s Pixel line. According to a leaked image of one iPhone 17 aluminum frame (we don’t know from which model), it will be substantial in size.
The Pro models are expected to have a “camera bar” design like the iPhone 17 Air, only larger and with three cameras in the familiar array. According to leaker Jon Prosser, it should look something like this:
Front Page Tech / @Zellozi
Months later, Mark Gurman clarified in his newsletter that the camera bump won’t have a dark interior, but rather the entire area will match the color of the phone.
In February 2025, veteran leaker Majin Bu leaked iPhone 17 CAD images that seemed to reveal three different camera designs. The images suggest that there will be not one or two but three different camera module designs on show. The two Pro models will have triple rear lenses embedded in a thick band that runs across the back of the phone, as predicted by Jon Prosser (above). The standard iPhone 17 will stick feature two lenses stacked vertically. And the rumored iPhone 17 Air will offer an iPhone 16e-like single camera lens on the rear in order to reduce costs and keep the chassis slim and light.
A report from The Information in July 2024 claims that “at least one” model will feature a mechanical aperture, which would be new for iPhones but has been seen in a handful of Android phones so far.
Various rumors suggest that the new iPhones could benefit from the following updates:
The always-on display is supposed to finally be available on the non-Pro models. In addition, some believe that ProMotion will come to the non-Pro models, since the same LPTO technology that enables the always-on display is what makes ProMotion possible, in Apple’s iPhone implementation. If true, it would be the first time Apple has offered ProMotion on a non-Pro device.
Apple is also said to be working with Corning on a new anti-glare and scratch-resistant glass for the iPhone 17 lineup.
The iPhone 17 Pro Max may have a smaller dynamic island. Rumors have changed back and forth—Jeff Pu said the dynamic island (or rather, the hardware “pill” that the island surrounds) will be smaller in the iPhone 17 Pro Max. Then Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said it will be the same size as current models. Then leaker Digital Chat Station on Weibo said it will indeed be smaller.
We don’t know much about what chips will power the iPhone 17 line, but we expect the high-end models will get an A19 Pro, while the non-Pro models may get a standard or cut-back version of the A19, or perhaps a more souped up variant of the A18.
Since Apple bumped every iPhone 16 model to 8GB of RAM due to the demands of Apple Intelligence, rumors have suggested Apple will increase the memory in the iPhone 17 Pro models to 12GB. In a report concerning RAM suppliers, Ming-Chi Kuo says that Apple wants the regular iPhone 17 to feature 12GB as well, but supply shortages may be an issue.
When it comes to wireless, the cellular modem is likely to still be supplied by Qualcomm; Apple’s own efforts to produce a top-tier 5G modem seem to be stalled and likely won’t be ready in time for next year’s iPhone 17 line. Wi-Fi 7 support seems likely, too.
The iPhone 16 range and the iPhone 16e are the current-generation models available from Apple. Below you can find links to our reviews of all iPhone models, including the latest generation. Learn more about all the new Apple products coming this year and when is the next Apple event. You might also want to check out our advice on when is the best time to buy a new iPhone, our iPhone buying guide, and our comparison of every iPhone that is available to buy today.
There are so many reasons to love the Apple iMac—the incredible display, powerful processor, pretty accessories—but this deal has to be at the very top: B&H Photo is selling the M3 iMac in silver or blue with 512GB of storage for $1,099, a massive savings of $600 and the lowest price you’re ever going to find.
Right off the bat, the iMac’s 24-inch Retina Display with a 4480x2520p resolution really makes this setup stand out. The iconic all-in-one computer also comes with a gorgeously slim and color-matched Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and Magic Mouse, so it’s ready to go right out of the box. Under the hood, the iMac features last year’s M3 chip with 8GB of RAM, as well as a 512GB SSD, which should provide plenty of speed and storage space for apps, files, and whatever else you need to store on your device.
It probably comes as no surprise that we gave the M3 iMac a 4.5-star rating and Editor’s Choice because there are so many things to love about it. We found that it delivers a fantastic CPU and GPU performance, loved the thin design and the colors, as well as the great image quality of the display. “If you’re looking for a new, complete Mac setup– a computer, display, and input devices–the M3 iMac is a great choice. Apple makes the setup easy and smooth, the iMac looks good on a desk, and the new M3 chip is speedy and solid for everyday use,” reads our review.
Sp don’t miss out on the chance to get the M3 iMac for $1,099 and save $600 on your purchase over at B&H. But act fast, because once this deal is gone, it’s never coming back.
Get the M3 iMac for $600 offUSB-C is the latest standard of USB that allows data-transfer speeds of up to 10Gbps, can fast-charge devices, and conveniently fits in a port either way up—which means that you can wave bye-bye to the age-old USB guessing game of “Which way does it go in?”.
USB-C is no one-trick pony, either—handling data transfer, video output and power input. You’ll find faster variants of USB-C (called Thunderbolt 3, 4 or 5) on Macs. Each version of Thunderbolt is backwards compatible with USB-C so the adapters reviewed here will all work with modern Macs, although USB-C’s 5 to 10Gbps speeds will limit some of Thunderbolt’s 40 to 80Gbps potential. A number of hubs reviewed below do use Thunderbolt or 40Gbps USB4. Find out more in our Thunderbolt 5 vs Thunderbolt 4 vs Thunderbolt 3 comparison.
Apple
In general, an “adapter” works with a single port (such as USB-A or Ethernet) while a “hub” gives you multiple ports. If you require even more, then look for a “docking station” or “dock“. If you’re after a full desktop setup for your MacBook, look out for our recommendations for the best USB-C and Thunderbolt docking stations for MacBooks.
Apple sells its own range of USB-C adapters to HDMI, VGA and more, but they are overpriced and underpowered compared to the premium USB-C hubs and adapters we have reviewed here. We haven’t included the many much cheaper but lower-quality versions out there.
Below the list of our favorites, we describe the types of ports you might require from a hub and what to look for in each.
Pros
9 Ports:2x USB-C, 3x USB-A, HDMI, Gigabit Ethernet, SD Card Reader, MicroSD Card Reader, 125W laptop charging
This 9-in-1 hub is bristling with top-end ports and—with an unrivaled 125W of laptop passthrough power—is a great match for larger laptops.
A seven-inch cable connects the hub to your MacBook at 10Gbps and a possible 125W passthrough charging when the hub is connected to a USB-C charger—the highest passthrough charging we’ve seen in a USB-C hub. Total power output from the hub to laptop and devices is 140W.
There’s one dedicated 10Gbps USB-C data port, HDMI 2.0 port with 4K 60Hz support, and both SD and MicroSD card readers at fast UHS-II media-transfer speeds. If you need to attach legacy devices there are two USB-A ports, also at 10Gbps. One of these can drive 7.5W of power to the connected device. There’s also a much slower 480Mbps USB 2.0 port that good for a memory stick or mouse/keyboard.
With its extra USB-A port and faster SD card readers, the 9-in-1 Plugable USB-C Hub beats our long-time USB-C hub champ, the Anker 555 8-in-1 USB-C Hub, reviewed below. If you prefer DisplayPort to HDMI the Anker 565 should be considered even with its slower card readers.
Pros
Cons
8 Ports:2x USB-C, 2x USB-A, HDMI, Gigabit Ethernet, SD Card Reader, MicroSD Card Reader, 85W laptop charging
The Anker 555 USB-C 8-in-1 Hub is compact and powerful, offering greater specs than some of the other leading options on this list. It’s one of two similar USB-C hubs from the company, and we start with the best-value option.
The 555 offers two USB-C ports—one that supports 85W USB-C Power Delivery, while another supports data transfers up to 10Gbps. You also get speedy 10Gbps transfer rates through two additional USB-A ports, where many rivals max out at 5Gbps.
The Anker 555 is special as it offers an HDMI port that supports 4K 60Hz resolutions, where most are limited to 4K 30Hz. For 4K 60Hz resolution, your device must support DP 1.4. This includes MacBook Air (from 2020), MacBook Pro 15in (from 2018), MacBook Pro 16in (from 2019) and iPad Pro (from 2018).
Also included are SD and MicroSD card reader slots. These are rated at UHS-I (104MBps) so not the fastest. If you transfer a lot of data via SD cards, look for a hub with faster UHS-II (312MBps).
The Gigabit Ethernet port is great for those times when Wi-Fi just won’t do.
It’s also incredibly light at just under 4.5oz (130g) and compact so you can take it anywhere. At $49.99 / £79.99 it’s hard to deny this hub’s value for money. In our experience, it does get warm with use but Anker says this is normal.
Anker
The higher-end $65.99 / £89.99 Anker 565 USB-C Hub, shown above, offers eleven ports instead of the 555’s mere eight, and is equally lightweight at 4.8oz (136g). The extra ports are one USB-A and an audio jack, which isn’t a remarkable boost—but it does include a top-end DisplayPort 1.4 video connection in case HDMI is not for you. If the inclusion of a native DisplayPort is important to you, then the 565 is a better solution (read our full Anker 565 11-in-1 USB-C Hub review) than maybe even the Plugable 9-in-1 reviewed above.
Pros
Cons
5 Ports:1x USB-C, 4x USB-A
If all you need from an adapter is the ability to connect a bunch of older USB-A devices to your MacBook, this simple adapter should do the trick.
The Ugreen USB-C 4-port hub is a slim and inexpensive adapter that allows you to add four full-size USB 3.0 ports that can handle data transfer at up to 5Gbps. It has recently been upgraded to feature a further USB-C port that can supply a 10W charge for connected devices, but not the host computer. While all four ports can be used simultaneously, a maximum of two hard drives can be connected at one time.
It looks the part with most modern MacBooks, and is an easy way to connect memory sticks, a printer or other older devices that don’t come with USB-C.
Pros
Cons
1 Port:1x USB-C to USB-A
There’s a misconception that USB-C is an inconvenience for people with a bunch of devices still reliant on USB-A, hence the existence of little adapters like this one from Nonda. Products like this are there to help us bridge the gap.
This cute little adapter is simply to allow you to plug in one standard USB-A device or cable at a time, great for using a USB stick, for example. Just don’t misplace it, it’s tiny.
Pros
Cons
5 Ports:4x HDMI, 1x USB-C passthrough charging
There are many USB-C hubs with more than one HDMI port but most are restricted to Mirrored Mode (where all external screens show the same image as on the MacBook) or in only partially Extended Mode (where the external displays show a different image to the MacBook but are the same themselves). That’s a Mac limitation only, not the fault of the hubs themselves, which work fine for Windows. Blame Apple.
Using DisplayLink software—a simple download—the Plugable USB-C Quad 4K HDMI Adapter (USBC-7400H) can support four 4K external displays, all showing a different image to the MacBook and each other—so full Extended Mode. It also features 100W passthrough USB-C charging. See below this list of hub recommendations for a graphic showing the differences between Mirrored and Extended Modes on the Mac.
Plugable
If you need only two external displays in full Extended Mode, the $89.95 / £109.95 Plugable USB-C Dual HDMI Adapter (USBC-6950M) shown above features two HDMI ports but no passthrough charging.
Pros
Cons
7 Ports:2x USB-C, 1x USB-A, HDMI, Gigabit Ethernet, SD Card Reader, MicroSD Card Reader
All of the portable USB-C hubs reviewed here are compatible with the Mac’s Thunderbolt 3 and 4 ports, but most feature slower USB-C connections (5Gbps or 10Gbps) compared to Thunderbolt (40Gbps).
The Satechi Pro Hub Max, available in either Silver or Space Gray, features USB4 ports that are both compatible with Thunderbolt and can reach the same 40Gbps maximum throughput.
Connecting directly to two of the MacBook’s Thunderbolt ports, it boasts a bunch of ports that should be enough for most of us. The hub receives 40Gbps from each of the Thunderbolt ports on the Mac (so a total of 80Gbps). 40Gbps is used for the USB4 pass-through port, while the second Thunderbolt port distributes 40Gbps of bandwidth to the rest of the ports on the hub.
The USB4 port supports up to 96W charging—easily fine for a 14-inch MacBook Pro and punchy enough to keep a 16-inch Pro going and charged pretty quickly. This same USB4 port can be used to connect to an external display—up to 6K at 60Hz display output, transferring data at 40Gbps.
It should allow video output and passthrough charging simultaneously. In a test connection from a MacBook to an LG 4K UltraFine Display, the MacBook was able to output video to the monitor, while the monitor was able to provide power to the MacBook, all through the single connection. Owners of the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro and M2 Air can charge via the MagSafe connector at the same time as using the Pro Hub.
The HDMI 2.0 port can also be used to connect a 4K 60Hz display, so you can achieve a dual 4K monitor setup on any Pro or Max M1 or M2 MacBook. Plain M1/M2 MacBook Airs are limited to just one external display.
Also onboard are a 5Gbps USB-A port and a 5Gbps USB-C port—although neither can charge connected devices. There are both SD and MicroSD card readers (UHS-I), a Gigabit Ethernet port, and 3.5mm combo audio jack port.
In the same family, Satechi also offers the Pro Hub Mini (the same as the Max but without the HDMI port) and the Pro Hub Slim (which swaps the Ethernet port for an extra USB-A port, and boasts 10GBps USB-A and USB-C ports compared to the Mac and Mini’s 5Gbps). If you don’t need wired Internet access, the Pro Hub Slim edges out the Pro Hub Max. If you don’t need more than one external screen or you want to save the USB4 for passthrough charging only, consider the Pro Hub Mini or the Plugable 5-in-1 USB-C Hub reviewed below..
Note that all three requires a MacBook with two adjacent Thunderbolt ports on one side.
Pros
5 Ports:1x USB-C, 2x USB-A, HDMI, Gigabit Ethernet, Audio jack
While not certified as either USB4 or Thunderbolt 4, this compact and very portable 5-in-1 USB-C hub (AMS-5IN1E) offers 40Gbps data-transfer via its USB-C port, and is designed for the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros introduced after 2021, or MacBook Airs introduced after 2022. A smart cutout keeps access to those MacBooks’ MagSafe charger port.
The inclusion of the 40Gbps USB-C port is useful as the hub uses the two Thunderbolt or USB4 ports in its flush side connection to the MacBook. But, in return, it gives you two 5Gbps USB-A ports (4.5W charging) and Gigabit Ethernet. The audio jack port is also covered but replicated on the hub.
The 40Gbps USB-C port can be used to connect a display up to 6K at 60Hz, or offer passthrough charging at up to 100W—15W for phones and other devices.
Its closest rival is the Satechi Pro Hub Mini (reviewed above), which features an extra USB-C port (5Gbps) but is more expensive, so this hub wins our budget 40Gbps hub award.
Pros
Cons
6 Ports:2x USB-C, 2x USB-A, HDMI, Gigabit Ethernet
We are big fans of the Baseus 6-in-1 USB-C Hub which lacks the card readers found on some hubs but boasts three 10Gbps USB ports (2x USB-A and 2x USB-C) and Gigabit Ethernet, plus an HDMI port that supports an external display at 60Hz. It also features a button that will quickly turn the connected external display off.
Baseus has several other excellent and affordable USB-C hubs, one of which might suit you better, so check out what each offers:
Baseus 7-in-1 USB-C Hub: 100W passthrough charging; 1x HDMI (4K@60Hz); 3x USB A (5Gbps, 7.5W charging), SD and MicroSD card readers via Amazon US and Amazon UK.
Baseus 8-in-1 USB-C Hub: 100W passthrough charging; 1x HDMI (4K@30Hz); Gigabit Ethernet; 3x USB A (5Gbps, 7.5W charging), SD and MicroSD card readers via Baseus.
Baseus 9-in-1 USB-C Hub: 100W passthrough charging; 2x HDMI (one at 4K@120Hz; other HDMI can only mirror the display on Macs at 4K@30Hz); Gigabit Ethernet; 3x USB A (two at 5Gbps and one at 480Mbps), SD and MicroSD card readers via Baseus.
Each hub includes an integrated USB-C cable that can be minimized for travel with its neat cable-tidy port that creates a loop. And there’s an LED that shows you when the the hub is in use.
Pros
Cons
8 Ports:5x USB-C, HDMI, Gigabit Ethernet, SD Card Reader
This USB-C hub has four USB-C ports but no USB-A. If you no longer have need for old-time USB-A by buying this hub you won’t be wasting money on a port you don’t require. If you have USB-A peripherals, such as an older memory stick, then you should look for a hub with a Type-A USB port.
Three of the USB-C ports offer fast 10Gbps data transfer, and one at 5Gbps. A fifth USB-C port is for attaching a power source, most likely a USB-C wall charger. If the charger is rated at 100W, all that power can be distributed via the hub, including up to 85W PD to the host laptop or tablet.
However, aside from the pass-through PD port, none of the USB ports can output power to connected devices.
The EZQuest USB-C Slim Gen 2 Hub Adapter 6-in-1, reviewed here lower down, has four 10Gbps USB-C ports, each with 7.5W device charging, plus two more for 4K/60Hz monitor support and 80W passthrough charging, but it lacks the Ethernet and card reader.
It’s not just the USB ports that are fast—the Ethernet port can reach 2.5Gb, compared to most hubs’ 1Gb Ethernet, if your network supports such speeds; of course, it is backwards compatible with GigabIt Ethernet networks.
And the SD card reader is also top-notch at 312MBps, compared to some that are UHS-I at 104MBps.
Despite the 8K in its name, the HDMI 2.1 port can support only as high a resolution as an external 4K display at 60Hz refresh rate, as well as display options of 2K/144Hz and 1080p/240Hz. Apple display limitations mean that its potential 8K/30Hz display support is limited to Windows machines.
It’s at the high end for price but you get high-end, premium and future-proof ports for your money.
It is available in Apple MacBook-matching Space Gray, Silver, and Midnight colors.
Pros
Cons
1 Port:5Gb Ethernet
For even faster speeds when connected to a supporting network, this one-function adapter adds an inexpensive route to 5Gbps Ethernet. It’s simple yet effective. if you need more ports, you’ll pay more for such fast network speeds.
It’s backwards compatible with 1Gb and 2.5Gb networks, so is more future proof than a 2.5Gb adapter. if you are always after the fastest data transfers.
The cable is short at 4.7 inches (12cm) but you shouldn’t need any longer for a network adapter.
if you want fast Ethernet but more ports, check out some of the Satechi hubs also reviewed here.
Pros
6 Ports:6x USB-C
This USB-C hub loves USB-C so much that it boasts only that type of port, of which there are six—seven if you count the connector that links to the laptop.
Four of these are rated at 10Gbps for data transfer, which is about as fast as you can get before you have to switch up to 40Gbps Thunderbolt.
Another can link up to an external display up to 4K in resolution and at a gamer-friendly 60Hz refresh rate. You can either connect direct to a USB-C monitor, or use a USB-C to either DisplayPort or HDMI adapter.
The sixth USB-C port can handle 100W of PD 3.0 power input, 80W of which is reserved for the MacBook if it needs that much. Each of the 10Gbps ports can deliver 7.5W, up to a maximum 15W across all four at the same time.
U.K. buyers can buy direct from EZQuest, but have to swallow a $25 shipping fee. Look for free shipping in the U.S. via Amazon.
Pros
Cons
4 Ports:2.5Gb Ethernet, 3x USB-C
There are hubs with more ports but this 4-in-1 USB-C hub offers three fast 10Gbps USB-C ports and very fast 2.5Gb Ethernet.
The Satechi USB-C Multiport Adapter 8K With Ethernet V3, reviewed above, boasts more functionality including 2.5Gb Ethernet but at twice the price. The Satechi 4-port USB-C Hub, reviewed below, offers an extra USB-C port but none at 10Gbps, and no 2.5Gb Ethernet.
This hub could be in your sweet spot if you need a bunch of fast USB ports and speedy Ethernet. There’s no passthrough charging, so you’ll need a spare Thunderbolt port on your MacBook for power.
Pros
Cons
4 Ports:10x USB-C charging ports
This multi-port hub is not for data transfer but is the best for charging multiple USB-C devices up to 100W utilizing clever priority-charging technology that distributes power across all connected devices—prioritized in the order you choose from left to right. As devices reach full charge, the now greater available power is reallocated down the line.
The Plugable PS-10CC can neatly and efficiently charge up to 10 hungry devices at the same time and at an optimum power distribution without you having to resort to multiple chargers and a desk full of indistinguishable snaking cables.
Pros
Cons
4 Ports:4x USB-C
Sick of hubs that still think USB-A is a thing? If what you want is more USB-C ports, the Satechi 4-Port USB-C Hub has plenty for you. Each port is USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 so 5Gbps, although that should be fast enough for most. If not, look no further than the EZQuest USB-C Slim Gen 2 Hub Adapter 6-in-1 reviewed above with its four 10Gbps USB-C ports.
The USB-C ports don’t support passthrough charging or video output, and can handle only two hard drives or SSDs at the same time.
Pros
Cons
7 Ports:2x USB-C, 5x USB-A
If it’s just USB ports you need to add, then you find more than available on Startech.com’s 7-Port USB-C Hub, although we’d have preferred more USB-C ports, which here are outnumbered by legacy USB-A.
There are five USB-A ports, all rated at a speedy 10Gbps. One offers 12W of device-charging power. One of the two 10Gbps USB-C ports can also charge connected devices at 12W. The other USB ports each offer a small charge of 4.5W.
Even 12W is not powerful enough to fast charge an iPhone but it’s enough to keep most connected devices powered up.
The hub is self-powered via its 65W power supply.
Pros
Cons
10 Ports:2x USB-C, 2x USB-A, 2x HDMI, Gigabit Ethernet, SD Card Reader, MicroSD Card Reader, Audio jack
This hub has enough different ports to call itself a docking station. It has two HDMI ports, two USB-C ports (one PD and one 5Gbps), SD/microSD/SD readers (UHS-I), two 5Gbps USB-A ports, a 3.5mm audio combo jack for headphones, and Gigabit Ethernet.
It doesn’t have its own power supply but offers passthrough PD charging at a more than healthy 100W.
That’s a great set of ports, but that’s not it’s biggest plus for users of Apple’s plain M1/M2/M3-based MacBooks.
The standard M1 and M2 chips (that is non-Pro/Max) in Apple’s MacBooks are powerful but have a major limitation: unlike Intel-based Macs, they don’t support more than one external display. The plain M3 MacBooks can connect two displays but only if the MacBook’s lid remains closed. The smarter M4 and M1/M2/M3/M4 Pro and Max chips do support multiple displays.
If that is a problem for you there is a hardware solution in the Hyperdrive Dual 4K HDMI 10-in-1 USB-C Hub, which lets non-Pro/Max Macs connect two external displays. There is some light software installation involved for M1/M2/M3 users, and you need to allow InstantView access to your Privacy settings in System Preferences. There are alternative solutions for adding two or more monitors to an M1, M2, M3 MacBook.
One HDMI port allows for 4K at 60Hz, and the other 4K at 30Hz. If you want two or more 4K screens at 60Hz and are willing to do without the extra USB ports and so on, look at the Plugable Quad and Dual 4K HMDI adapters reviewed earlier in this article. These are cheaper and offer superior display specs.
Pros
Cons
6 Ports:2x USB-C, 1x USB-A, HDMI, 2.5Gb Ethernet, Audio jack
If you want the fastest Internet and network speeds, you need to push past Gigabit Ethernet to Multi-Gig Ethernet, ranging up to 10Gbps. This six-port hub from Satechi boasts a 2.5Gbps (2.5GbE) Ethernet port—2.5x faster than regular Gigabit Ethernet. 2.5GbE development is becoming more commonplace now that WiFi 6 enables wireless connection to over 1GbE LAN, and you can find 2.5G ports on some WiFi 6 routers. Current CAT5e Ethernet cables are compatible so there’s no need for rewiring.
Aside from this super-fast Ethernet this hub boasts 4K at 60Hz HDMI, 10Gbps USB-A and two 10Gbps USB-C ports (one with 100W passthrough charging) and a combo 3.5mm audio jack. Note that neither USB-C port supports video transfer so it’s a one-display hub.
This hub also stands apart from standard USB-C ports by being USB4, which means you get to play with your Mac’s full 40Gbps Thunderbolt 4 bandwidth.
If all you need is the 2.5Gbps (2.5GbE) Ethernet port, look at Satechi’s more affordable USB-C 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet Adapter, which boasts a strong braided cable.
Pros
1 Port:2.5Gb Ethernet
If all you need is a USB-C adapter that will add super-fast Ethernet to your computer, the Ugreen USB-C to Ethernet Adapter 2.5G offers 2.5x network speeds compared to standard Gigabit Ethernet on supporting networks.
The short cable isn’t braided like the £39.95 Satechi USB-C 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet Adapter but the adapter is cheaper and just as able.
An interesting alternative is the $29.95 Plugable USB C to Ethernet Adapter 2.5Gb that also offers 100W passthrough charging to the laptop via a USB-C port on one side.
Pros
Cons
3 Ports:1x USB-C, 1x USB-A, 1x HDMI
Apple got a lot of flack when moving to USB-C because it meant that many of its users had to buy one or more adapters to replicate the ports they were used to, and needed.
It wasn’t so much that we needed adapters, but more to do with the price Apple was charging for its simple USB-C hubs and adapters.
Take, for example Apple’s USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter, which cost a lot for just an HDMI port, one USB-A port and a passthrough-power USB-C port.
Plugable has a much cheaper alternative, at about a third of the price. And it looks pretty identical.
Aside from the price, the one drawback is that the HDMI connection can connect a 4K external display at 30Hz rather than the full 60Hz, which may put off gamers.
But otherwise, this is a great alternative at a fraction of the price, and can charge at 60W.
Pros
Cons
4 Ports:3x USB-A, SD Card Reader
We tend to think of hubs for laptops, such as Apple’s MacBooks, which lack more than one or two USB-C ports and so require a dock to add further devices. The Mac Mini and Mac Studio, you’d think, have an army of ports in comparison to Apple’s laptops.
Apple’s latest M4 Mac mini does at least add a couple of USB-C ports and an audio jack at the front—sadly lacking for its earlier M1 and M2 Mac mini models, see below—but it doesn’t have any legacy USB-A ports or card readers.
The Satechi Stand & Hub for the M4 Mac mini adds three USB-A ports—two at 10Gbps and one at 480Mbps—at the front, plus an SD card reader. Inside the Hub is an enclosure that enables you to add an NVMe SSD—so adding more hidden storage at prices much cheaper than offered by Apple at purchase.
It fits neatly under the mini and, in our tests, didn’t suffer the same Wi-Fi problems as its M1/M2 sibling, although it has three fewer ports.
Pros
Cons
7 Ports:1x USB-C, 3x USB-A, SD Card Reader, MicroSD Card Reader, Audio jack
Before Apple miniaturized the Mac mini even further in 2024, the 2018-2023 Mac mini models boasted two Thunderbolt 3 / USB4 (fast USB-C) ports, two old-school USB-A ports, HDMI 2.0, Gigabit Ethernet, and 3.5mm headphone jack. That sounds like a lot, but Apple accessory specialist Satechi believes the Mini needs maxing.
Satechi’s Type-C Aluminum Stand & Hub for Mac Mini expands these capabilities with seven ports: including a USB-C data port, three USB-A ports, micro/SD card readers, and another 3.5mm headphone jack port. (Note that you can’t charge devices connected to the USB ports, as they are there for syncing and data transfer only.)
The crucial point is that these points are front-facing, and not tucked around the back with the unwieldy and unsightly power supply. It also lifts the Mini off the desk, and its built-in air vents help regulate temperature and encourage airflow.
There is a superior model, the Satechi Stand & Hub For Mac Mini / Studio With NVMe SSD Enclosure, which includes an integrated slot where you can insert an SSD card to add affordable fast storage, accessible when connected to your Mac mini or Mac Studio. Read our Satechi Stand & Hub With SSD Enclosure review.
Both of the Satechi M1/M2 Mac mini Stand Hubs, however, can have a negative impact on the mini’s Wi-Fi signal strength, so it’s recommended to use the wired Ethernet option instead.
In spring 2025 Satechi will start selling a version of the hub for the smaller 2024 Mac Mini M4, with up to 4TB NVMe storage and 10Gbps USB-C. Apple has added USB-C ports to the front of its new Mac mini but Satechi’s hub will add USB-A and a card reader. We will review the new Mac Mini M4 Stand & Hub with SSD Enclosure (pictured above) when it is released.
Pros
Cons
6 Ports:2x USB-C, 1x USB-A, 1x HDMI, SD Card Reader, MicroSD Card Reader
You might not think a desktop Mac needs a hub, but the 24in iMac is quite lacking, having either just two Thunderbolt ports on the entry-level model or two Thunderbolt and two USB-C at the top-end. These ports are also all hidden away at the back, which can mean snaking cables all over your desk.
Five of the ports on this hub that clamps to the underside of the iMac are front-facing ports for easy access to memory cards, USB storage, or storage cards. There are two USB-C ports and one USB-A port (all rated at a speedy 10GBps). The USB-A port can charge a phone at 7.5W.
The UHS-I (104MBps) SD and microSD card readers aren’t the fastest but should suffice. Such memory cards are an affordable way of adding portable storage, and will also delight camera users.
At the rear of the hub is an HDMI port that can support an external 4K display at 60Hz.
Hyper also sells a 5-in-1 iMac USB Hub with two USB-C (5Gbps) and three USB-A (5Gbps and one that charges at 7.5W).
Quite brilliantly, the hubs can color-match with your 24in iMac, with 7 iMac color faceplates included.
Pros
Cons
6 Ports:1x USB-C, 3x USB-A, SD Card Reader, MicroSD Card Reader
While not as colorful as the HyperDrive 6-in-1 USB-C Hub, this USB-C hub for the 24-inch iMac offers a set of basic ports slung under the iMac screen at an affordable price.
It brings four USB ports within easy arm’s reach, so you don’t need to fiddle around at the back of the computer.
It lacks the HyperDrive’s HDMI port but gains an extra USB-A port, although at a slow 480Mbps and with little charging power.
Pros
Cons
1 Port:SD Card Reader
If you’re a digital professional or just a photography enthusiast, chances are you might be slightly peeved that the new MacBook Pro you held out for doesn’t have an SD card slot.
SanDisk is here to save the day. This neat SD card reader is USB-C compatible and will allow Thunderbolt 3 speed transfers of all your high-resolution photos and videos.
SD cards are also a very inexpensive way to add portable storage to your laptop, from 32GB up to 1TB.
Pros
Cons
2 Ports:HDMI, VGA
This simple adapter makes a USB-C port into a VGA port for older displays and projectors, and also can handle two external displays.
VGA was once the most popular video connector but is seen less these days, being overtaken by DVI, HDMI, DisplayPort and direct USB-C.
It supports 920×1200@60Hz HD resolutions via VGA, and 4K at 30Hz through its HDMI port. It isn’t compatible with supporting two displays on an M1 MacBook.
Pros
Cons
1 Port:DVI
If you need to connect to a DVI (Digital Visual Interface)display or projector, this adapter does the trick.
It can support resolutions up to 1,920-x-1,080 at 60Hz.
Pros
1 Port:Thunderbolt 2
This adapter is designed to help owners of really quite old Macs smoothly transition to using USB-C. You may well have devices such as hard drives and external displays that use Thunderbolt 2 connections. This little gadget lets you keep using them with your MacBook or new MacBook Pro.
It also allows new Thunderbolt 3, 4 and 5 devices to connect to a Mac with Thunderbolt 2 ports–but to take advantage of it this way round Apple advises you need to be running macOS Sierra or above.
Many MacBook users connect their laptop to one or more external displays for greater screen space. You can connect to monitors using USB-C (via adapters to non-USB-C monitors) or better a dedicated video port, such as HDMI or DisplayPort. Check the hub specs to see which displays they support: some are limited to HD displays, others support 4K (also known as UHD) displays. The refresh rate is also important. 4K at 30Hz is fine for most productivity and browsing tasks, but watching video or playing games demands higher refresh rates of at least 60Hz.
You may need some old non-reversible USB-A ports, and most adapters and hubs have at least one for your non-USB-C memory sticks and drives. Look for at least USB 3.0, which has a speedy bandwidth of 5Gbps compared to the lamentably sluggish USB 2.0’s 480Mbps.
To fast-charge an iPhone, you need a minimum of 18W and it has to be USB-C, so look for extra USB-C slots with charging power, which are more capable than USB-A.
Other ports to look for in a hub include Ethernet for faster wired Internet access (without the flakiness of Wi-Fi). You can choose from standard Gigabit Ethernet (1000Mbps) or 2.5Gb and even 5Gb and 10Gb Ethernet (2500-10000Mbps), although the faster Ethernet requires the whole network to support that speed.
An SD or microSD card reader is perfect for adding inexpensive portable storage to your system. Card readers come at different speeds: UHS-I at 104MBps, and UHS-II at 312MBps; although some are slower at 60MBps.
Look for hubs that offer passthrough charging, so you can charge your laptop even though you are using up one of the laptop’s USB-C ports for the hub itself. Most don’t ship with a charger, so you’ll need to add your own, and remember that it needs to be a 100W charger to give 85W and above charging if offered by the hub. Lower wattage chargers are fine but will limit the hub’s charging potential. Couple your hub with one of the best Mac USB-C chargers. See how much power your MacBook needs in our advice below the list of recommended hubs and adapters.
You can also buy USB-C adapters for the many older display standards out there, such as VGA and DVI. We’ve picked the best for you below.
Many hubs and docks aren’t compatible with Apple’s SuperDrive CD/DVD drive. We’ve found only one USB-C dock that is compatible with the SuperDrive, the Caldigit USB-C Pro Dock.
When you attach more than one external display to a Mac you can choose between various setups. Most hubs with more than one video port—usually HDMI—can mirror your MacBook’s screen, but most can at best handle showing a different screen to the Mac but not different to each other when attempting Extended Mode.
For full extended Mode, where each of the screens shows a different image and you treat each as an extension to your workspace—moving your cursor and windows easily between the displays—you will likely need a hub or dock that supports free third-party DisplayLink software, which is easy to download and install. Included above are reviews of the Plugable Dual and Quad HDMI adapters, both of which work with DisplayLink. DisplayLink enables multiple screens even with plain M1 and M2 MacBooks that are technically limited to just one external display.
If you need even more ports than you’ll find on a hub, check our reviews of the best DisplayLink docks.
Baseus
Check the Power Delivery (PD) charging power each hub or adapter offers connected laptops or iPads.
You can certainly use a charger at lower power, but remember that it will power up slower than when using a higher-wattage charger, and if too low your laptop might run out of juice altogether when maxed out on power-hungry apps and devices.
Most of the products tested here work with non-Apple USB-C laptops too, but you can read Tech Advisor’s more general roundup of the best USB-C hubs.
Also, read our roundups of recommended USB accessories:
• Best USB-C to Lightning cables
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