# Skip the dock, get a USB-C hub

> Docking stations cost a fortune and bolt you to a desk, so here's when a cheap hub does the same job.
- Title: Skip the dock, get a USB-C hub · Engadget | Shortify
- Summary: Docking stations cost a fortune and bolt you to a desk, so here's when a cheap hub does the same job. If you carry your laptop around and plug in light…
- Keywords: usb-c, docking stations, laptops, accessories, desk setup, technology, Skip, dock, get, hub, Engadget
- Source: Engadget — https://engadget.com/2252831/what-use-instead-of-docking-station
- Author: Deven McClure
- Published: 2026-09-13T14:30:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: usb-c, docking stations, laptops, accessories, desk setup, technology
## Your laptop needs more ports
Most laptops ship with too few ports to actually work on. A docking station fixes that, but the good ones cost more than the problem is worth.

> many of the best docking stations can be prohibitively expensive
## The hub is the other option
USB-C hubs cover a lot of the same ground as a dock for a fraction of the money. Which one fits comes down to what you plug in and where you work.
## Size splits them apart
Docks are big, port-heavy boxes built to permanently transform one desk. Hubs are small and light, made to go in a bag with the laptop.
## Power is the real difference
A dock plugs into the wall and feeds power out to your devices. A hub usually siphons power from the laptop it's attached to, and passthrough charging is slow.

> hubs tend to draw their power from the device they're plugged into
## Bandwidth caps what works
A hub splits the bandwidth of the single port it occupies, while a dock gets its own dedicated lane. External SSDs stall, and HD webcams or external GPUs are a nonstarter.

> most USB-C hubs can only support one external monitor
## Portability costs lifespan
Hubs travel, so they collect debris and take drops a stationary dock never sees. Expect a shorter life, and accept it as the price of carrying your ports with you.
## Key takeaway

If you carry your laptop around and plug in light peripherals, a USB-C hub beats a dock on price and portability. Anything power-hungry still needs the dock.