The Best USB-C Adapters, Cables, and Hubs to Connect Old Accessories to Your New Laptop

USB-C–to–USB-A adapter

For nubs, we also tested Nonda’s USB-C to USB 3.0 Mini Adapter and Rankie’s Hi-speed USB-C to USB-A 3.0 Adapter. Both exhibited the proper charge and data speeds. The Nonda has the nicest feeling build quality, but it’s the widest, meaning you can’t use two at a time on a MacBook Pro; it’ll even block wider cables to the second port. The Rankie model just felt cheaper than the rest we tested.

For cables, we also tested Anker’s USB-C to USB 3.1 Adapter, Google’s USB Type-C to USB Standard-A Adapter, iXCC’s USB Type C to USB 3.0 Type A Adapter, and RAVPower’s Type C Adapter. All performed well, and nothing in our tests indicated that they’re structurally inferior, but we prefer the Apple adapter at its current price.

USB-C–to–USB-C cable

Because we relied on USB-IF certification and Nathan K.’s testing, we didn’t independently test any other USB-C–to–USB-C cables. We’ll continue to keep an eye out for noteworthy cords and update as necessary.

Video/USB-A/charging adapters

HooToo’s HT-UC001B Shuttle USB 3.1 Type-C Hub with Power Delivery for Charging, HDMI Output, SD Card Reader and 3 USB 3.0 Ports is identical to our HDMI-less pick, but it costs significantly more. It’s not a bad option if the price drops into the same range as the Satechi and Sanho adapters.

Anker’s USB-C to 2-Port USB 3.0 and 1-Port USB-C Hub with HDMI Port is functionally the same as our two picks, but is physically larger.

Apple’s USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter only has one USB-A port and normally sells for a crazy high price. Even with Apple’s current discounted pricing, it’s expensive for what you get.

Satechi’s Aluminum Multi-Port Adapter worked great in our testing, but it’s larger and more expensive than our picks thanks to the addition of an Ethernet port and SD and microSD slots. It’s worth considering if you need all those features.

Monoprice’s Select Series USB-C HDMI Multiport Adapter is a knock-off of Apple’s HDMI adapter, but the spacing of its ports prevents you from connecting a flash drive and an HDMI plug at the same time.

Aukey’s CB-C26 was promising thanks to four USB-A ports and a low price. Unfortunately, we heard an annoying coil whine during use, so we don’t recommend it.

USB-A hubs

Anker’s Premium USB-C Hub (3 Ports) is more expensive than our HooToo pick and lacks the HooToo’s SD card slot.

Satechi’s Type-C USB 3.0 3 in 1 Combo Hub costs more than the HooToo but has one fewer port; on the other hand, it has SD and microSD slots. We like the design, which allows the adapter to sit flush against the computer’s body, rather than hanging off by a cable. However, we worry about the stress such a design puts on your computer’s USB-C port, and Amazon reviews (30 percent of which include 1-star ratings at the time of publication) frequently mention the hub breaking down or getting dangerously hot.

The design of Monoprice’s Select Series USB-C to 4x USB-A 3.0 & USB-C (F) Adapter makes it difficult to fit USB plugs in adjacent ports simultaneously.

Aukey’s CB-C23 is inexpensive but especially large compared to the competition. Our testing also showed that one of the ports provided more power than the rest, which was strange and a bit concerning.

USB-C–to–DisplayPort cable

Accell’s U188B-006B USB-C to DisplayPort Cable, Plugable’s USB-C to DisplayPort Adapter Cable, and StarTech’s USB-C to DisplayPort Adapter Cable are identical to one another and work as well as our top pick—they just lack the clip that “locks” the DisplayPort plug in place. Don’t hesitate to get one of these if the price is particularly good or if our pick is out of stock.

USB-C–to–VGA adapter

Accell’s U187B-004B USB-C to VGA Adapter and Aukey’s Aluminum USB-C to VGA Adapter both lack screw holes to hold the attached cable in place. It’s a small fault, but considering that everything else performed just as well, it’s enough to knock these cables out of the running.

Aukey’s USB-C to VGA Adapter, Belkin’s USB-IF Certified USB Type C (USB-C) to VGA Adapter, and Cable Matters’s USB 3.1 Type C to VGA Adapter are all functionally equivalent to our pick, but they cost more and offer no advantages.

CableCreation’s Gold USB 3.1 Type C (USB-C) to VGA Adapter worked well in our testing, but enough customer reviews cite failure over time that we don’t feel comfortable recommending this adapter.

USB-C–to–HDMI adapter

The product listing for Cable Matters’s USB 3.1 Type C to HDMI 4K UHD Adapter says it works with Apple’s 2016 MacBook Pro models, but we can’t recommend it, because too many customer reviews on Amazon say they’ve experienced issues using it with those computers.

Plugable’s USB-C to HDMI 2.0 Adapter has a warning that explicitly says “NOT compatible with late 2016 MacBook Pro.”

Accell’s U187B-002B USB-C to HDMI 2.0 Adapter and StarTech’s USB-C to HDMI Adapter both work well, but are more expensive than our pick and don’t provide any advantages.

USB-C–to–USB-A cable

Nathan K. has verified two other USB 3.1 Gen 1 cables: the Anker USB-C to USB 3.0 Cable and the Anker PowerLine+ USB-C to USB 3.0 Cable. The former is more expensive than our pick with worse build quality, while the latter is about double the price of our pick. The braided cable of the PowerLine+ may be a bit sturdier than our pick’s, but we don’t think most people need to pay extra for the rugged design. The PowerLine+ did work well in our testing, if you happen to prefer its looks or want something that’s overbuilt.

Belkin offers a good alternative to the Google USB 3.1 Gen 2 cable with its Apple-exclusive USB-A to USB-C Cable (USB 3.1). The plug housings are a bit bigger than our pick’s—the only real downside.

USB-C–to–DVI adapter

StarTech’s USB-C to DVI Adapter requires a cable, as most adapters do, but it’s just as expensive as our pick and doesn’t add any value over the other options.