Best USB-C Hubs with SD Card Reader (2026): UHS-I vs UHS-II Picks for Fast Card Transfers

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Two USB-C hubs can both list "SD card reader" on the box and still differ by a factor of three in how fast your camera card empties — the deciding variable is whether that slot runs at UHS-I or UHS-II, and it is almost never in the product name. The same pattern runs through the wider best USB-C hubs market: port count gets top billing, throughput does not.

The gap is concrete. A UHS-I reader like the one in the Anker 555 moves data at roughly the ~104 MB/s ceiling of that generation. Satechi's compact adapter has been measured at about 280 MB/s from its full-size reader with a fast UHS-II card — nearly three times the throughput on the same card, from the same connector, with the same bullet point on the spec sheet.

This guide ranks eight hubs on the card-reader subsystem first: bus generation, measured read/write where real numbers exist, whether both card slots work simultaneously, how much wattage actually reaches the laptop after the hub takes its share, and what the display output genuinely does on macOS versus Windows.

It covers bus-powered travel hubs for photographers and video editors who ingest on the move, plus two AC-powered Thunderbolt docks for desk-bound ingest and 140W-class laptop charging. If your cards are inexpensive UHS-I media used for documents and casual shooting, the budget entries here are honest answers — the throughput ceiling simply does not matter for that workflow. If you shoot modern mirrorless RAW or video, only the UHS-II options pay off.

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Quick Picks

• Best overall card ingestion in a travel hub — Plugable 9-in-1 USB-C Hub (USBC-9IN1E): dual SD + microSD UHS-II slots, 140W PD 3.1 input, HDMI 2.0, Ethernet, 133g.
• Fastest verified full-size SD reader in a compact hub — Satechi USB-C Multiport Adapter 8K With Ethernet V3: measured ~280 MB/s, HDMI 2.1, three 10Gbps USB-C ports.
• Best compact UHS-II reader with Ethernet and the least PD overhead — OWC USB-C Travel Dock E: measured ~230/160 MB/s read/write, ~92W to host from a 100W charger.
• Best dual SD + microSD UHS-II travel hub — HyperDrive Next 7-Port (HD4003GL): both slots rated SD 4.0 at up to 312 MB/s, 80g.
• Best budget general-purpose hub — Anker 555 (8-in-1, A8383): UHS-I card slots, 4K60 HDMI, Gigabit Ethernet, 10Gbps USB.
• Best value everyday hub — UGREEN Revodok Pro 109 (SKU 15532): simultaneous SD + TF reading, 4K60 HDMI, ~90W to host.
• Best desktop dock with a verified UHS-II reader — CalDigit TS4: measured 247.8/225.8 MB/s, simultaneous SD + microSD, 2.5GbE, 98W host charging.
• Best Thunderbolt 5 workstation dock — CalDigit TS5: simultaneous UHS-II readers, 140W host charging, 240W PSU, 2.5GbE.

What Makes a Great USB-C Hub with SD Card Reader?

Card reader generation decides almost everything

UHS-I and UHS-II are different bus generations, not marketing adjectives. A UHS-I reader tops out near 104 MB/s; a UHS-II reader is rated to roughly 312 MB/s of bus bandwidth. Put a current UHS-II camera card in a UHS-I hub and the hub — not the card — becomes the bottleneck. That is exactly what a detailed owner test on the UGREEN Revodok Pro 109 showed: roughly 93 MB/s read and 82 MB/s write from a card faster than the reader.

A 312 MB/s rating is an interface ceiling, not a result

Reader specs quote bus capability. Measured throughput depends on the card, the file sizes, the controller and how much other traffic shares the upstream USB link. Where independent measurements exist, this guide uses them: ~280 MB/s for Satechi's full-size slot, ~230 MB/s read / ~160 MB/s write for OWC's, ~247.8 MB/s read / ~225.8 MB/s write for CalDigit's TS4. Where no measurement exists — Plugable's and HyperDrive's UHS-II slots — the rating is presented as a rating.

Two slots do not mean two readers

Three distinct situations hide behind "SD + microSD":

• Confirmed simultaneous operation. CalDigit's TS4 and TS5 both read SD and microSD at once, and UGREEN explicitly documents simultaneous SD/TF access at its UHS-I-class speed.
• Shared controller. Plugable's two UHS-II slots run through a single Genesys Logic GL3231S, and Plugable does not publish an aggregate dual-card figure.
• Undocumented. HyperDrive lists both slots as SD 4.0 but does not disclose controller topology or simultaneous performance.

Two physical slots never prove two independent readers.

"100W PD" is an input figure, not a laptop figure

Every bus-powered hub reserves power for itself and its peripherals before passing the rest to the host. The differences are real across this shortlist:

Feeding a hub less than it expects compounds this: 60W into the Plugable yields roughly 45W for the laptop. On a 140W-class MacBook Pro or a workstation laptop, the input/output distinction is the difference between charging slowly and charging properly. The docking station Power Delivery guide covers the negotiation mechanics in more depth.

Display output on Mac is not the same story as Windows

Every travel hub here exposes exactly one display output, which sidesteps most of the Mac confusion — one HDMI port drives one monitor regardless of what the Mac's GPU can address. The two CalDigit docks are the exception and must be evaluated against the host chip, not against the connector count.

Two separate limits apply, and they get conflated constantly. First, the Mac's own native display-engine count: early base M1/M2 systems cap at one external display, base M3 MacBook Air and Pro reach two with the lid closed, and an M4 MacBook Air drives two external displays while its built-in panel stays active. Second, the transport: generic multi-output USB-C hubs rely on DisplayPort MST to create extended desktops, and macOS does not extend displays through MST — those outputs mirror. Thunderbolt transports independent DisplayPort streams instead, which is why the Thunderbolt 4 docking stations behave differently from cheap dual-HDMI hubs. No hub or dock raises a Mac above its own maximum display count.

Bus-powered versus AC-powered

Travel hubs run off the host and need a separate USB-C charger only for laptop passthrough. Powered docks ship with large supplies — 230W for the TS4, 240W for the TS5 — hold their host charging fixed regardless of peripheral load, and dissipate heat through finned aluminium rather than a palm-sized shell. The trade-off is portability, and a captive short cable on every travel hub here versus a detachable Thunderbolt cable on both docks.

Warm is not the same as throttling

Compact hubs get hot because one small enclosure handles power conversion, USB data, Ethernet and display conversion simultaneously. Anker's own guidance treats roughly 149°F under full load as normal for the 555. No reproducible benchmark demonstrates sustained SD-transfer thermal throttling on any of these products, so heat complaints should not be treated as throughput failures.

#1 Plugable 9-in-1 USB-C Hub (USBC-9IN1E) — Best Overall

The USBC-9IN1E is the one travel hub here that pairs genuinely fast card readers with a modern power path. Both slots are UHS-II / SD 4.0 rated to a 312 MB/s bus ceiling, routed through a Genesys Logic GL3231S controller — one controller serving both slots, so full aggregate dual-card throughput is undocumented. The 312 MB/s figure is an interface rating rather than a measured result.

Specs & characteristics

• Card readers: SD + microSD, both UHS-II / SD 4.0, 312 MB/s bus rating, shared GL3231S controller
• Ports: 1× HDMI 2.0, 1× USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 10Gbps data, 2× USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 10Gbps, 1× USB-A 2.0 (BC 1.2, up to 7.5W), 1× Gigabit Ethernet, USB-C PD input
• Display: native DisplayPort Alt Mode converted to HDMI — no DisplayLink. One external display; 4K60 on a DP 1.4 host, 4K30 on a DP 1.2 host
• Power: USB PD 3.1 EPR input up to 140W, up to 125W to host; ~85W from a 100W input; ~45W from 60W
• Host & OS: USB-C with DP Alt Mode; also works on USB4 and Thunderbolt 3/4/5 hosts as a 10Gbps USB hub. Windows 10/11, macOS 11+, ChromeOS 100+, Linux; no drivers required
• Build: 133g portable chassis, captive host cable ~0.19m, 2-year limited warranty plus lifetime North American technical support

Pros

• Dual UHS-II card slots at this size and price tier
• 140W EPR input path — the only travel hub here that can feed a 140W laptop properly
• HDMI 4K60, Gigabit Ethernet and 10Gbps USB-A ports in a 133g body
• Explicit, current Linux and ChromeOS support statements
• Manufacturer technical staff participate directly in USB-C community troubleshooting

Cons

• No independent SD read/write benchmark; the 312 MB/s figure is unmeasured
• Both card slots share one controller, so simultaneous full-speed reads are not guaranteed
• 0.19m captive cable is short for desk routing
• Every high-bandwidth device shares one 10Gbps upstream link

Verdict: The strongest all-rounder for anyone who wants UHS-II card ingestion without moving to a powered dock — provided you accept an unverified reader rating and pair it with a high-wattage PD 3.1 charger to unlock its best charging behavior.

Perfect for: photographers and editors who want one compact hub for fast card offload, wired networking and a single 4K monitor, and who carry a 100W+ USB-C charger already.

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#2 Satechi USB-C Multiport Adapter 8K With Ethernet V3 — Best Verified Full-Size SD Speed

Satechi's V3 adapter carries the best-substantiated card reader of any compact hub here. Independent testing with a PNY X-Pro90 UHS-II card reached approximately 280 MB/s — not a rating, a measurement — and the same test recorded roughly 1,055 MB/s across the 10Gbps USB ports and 976 Mbps over Gigabit Ethernet. The cost of that focus is a narrower port layout: one SD slot only, and no USB-A at all.

Specs & characteristics

• Card reader: one full-size SD 4.0 / UHS-II slot, rated to 312 MB/s, measured at ~280 MB/s. No microSD slot
• Ports: 1× HDMI 2.1, 3× USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 10Gbps data, 1× USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 5Gbps data, 1× Gigabit Ethernet, USB-C PD input. The downstream USB-C ports carry data, not video
• Display: one HDMI output; hardware capability extends to 8K30, with 4K60/120/144 modes depending on host and OS. 4K60 is the realistic Mac ceiling; high-refresh modes are primarily a Windows-host feature
• Power: up to 100W PD input, approximately 85W maximum host charging, ~15W reserved
• Build: aluminium housing, braided captive cable ~16.8cm, 114.4 × 54.1 × 16.0mm, 120g. SKUs ST-P8KEM (Space Gray), ST-P8KES (Silver), ST-P8KED (Midnight)
• Warranty: 2 years

Pros

• The only compact hub here with an independently measured ~280 MB/s full-size SD reader
• HDMI 2.1 output with 8K30 capability on suitable hosts
• Three 10Gbps USB-C data ports — unusually fast for a bus-powered adapter
• 15W reserve is the lowest overhead tied to a measured 4K-class display path

Cons

• No microSD slot — microSD users need a full-size adapter
• No USB-A ports at all, which rules it out for legacy peripherals
• Satechi advises connecting only one bus-powered external drive at a time
• All data devices share one 10Gbps upstream link

Verdict: If what matters is how quickly a full-size UHS-II card empties and nothing else, this is the best-evidenced compact choice on the list. If you need microSD, USB-A or a second display output, look elsewhere.

Perfect for: photographers who shoot to full-size SD cards and want measured throughput rather than a spec-sheet number.

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#3 OWC USB-C Travel Dock E — Best Compact UHS-II Reader with Ethernet

OWC's Travel Dock E combines a UHS-II reader, Gigabit Ethernet and the lowest power overhead of any bus-powered hub here. Independent testing recorded approximately 230 MB/s read and 160 MB/s write — well past UHS-I territory, though below the 312 MB/s bus ceiling and below Satechi's measured result. A once-documented passthrough issue with a low-wattage 45W Dell XPS charger illustrates how cheap chargers negotiate poorly once dock overhead is counted; it is not a systemic defect.

Specs & characteristics

• Card reader: one full-size SD UHS-II slot. No microSD
• Ports: 2× USB-A USB 3.2 Gen 1 5Gbps, 1× HDMI 2.0, 1× Gigabit Ethernet, USB-C PD input. No downstream USB-C data port
• Display: one external display up to 4K60 over HDMI, native DP Alt Mode conversion, no DisplayLink
• Power: up to 100W PD input, approximately 92W to host, roughly 8W reserved. Operates without a charger
• Build: compact mixed-material body with an aluminium outer ring, ~3.1 × 3.1 × 1in, 174g, permanently attached ~15cm host cable with an integrated cable-storage groove
• Warranty: 2 years

Pros

• Measured ~230/160 MB/s read/write from a UHS-II reader
• Only ~8W reserved — the best host-charging ratio on the bus-powered list
• Gigabit Ethernet plus two USB-A ports in a genuinely pocketable dock
• Cable-storage groove makes the short captive lead a design feature rather than a compromise

Cons

• No microSD slot and no downstream USB-C data port
• USB-A ports run at 5Gbps, not 10Gbps
• 4K60 is the display ceiling
• Short captive cable limits under-desk routing

Verdict: The most balanced compact option for photographers who need a fast card reader, wired networking and near-full charger wattage at the laptop.

Perfect for: photographers who want one small dock that handles UHS-II ingest, Ethernet and laptop charging without eating into the charger's output. More choices of this type are covered in the roundup of docking stations and hubs with Ethernet ports.

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#4 HyperDrive Next 7-Port USB-C Hub (HD4003GL) — Best Dual UHS-II in a Small Hub

HyperDrive's HD4003GL is the only bus-powered hub on this list that pairs a full-size SD 4.0 reader with a microSD 4.0 reader, each advertised at up to 312 MB/s — on paper the most card-friendly layout of any travel hub here. The caveat is evidence: no independent throughput benchmark is available for this model, and HyperDrive does not document which controller serves the two slots or whether they can both run at full speed concurrently. Treat it as a feature-driven contender, not the proven fastest.

Specs & characteristics

• Card readers: SD 4.0 UHS-II + microSD 4.0 UHS-II, each advertised up to 312 MB/s. Controller topology and simultaneous performance undocumented
• Ports: 1× HDMI up to 4K60, 2× USB-A 10Gbps, 1× Gigabit Ethernet, USB-C PD input. No downstream USB-C data port
• Display: one external 4K60 display, no DisplayLink
• Power: USB PD 3.0 input up to 100W, up to 85W to host
• Build: 100% recycled aluminium shell with 85% recycled plastic, 136 × 37 × 15mm, 80g. Exact host-cable length not published
• Warranty: 2-year limited

Pros

• Both card slots specified at UHS-II / SD 4.0 speeds — rare in a bus-powered hub
• 80g and 15mm thick, the most portable entry on the list
• Two 10Gbps USB-A ports plus Gigabit Ethernet
• Recycled aluminium construction

Cons

• No independent measurement of the 312 MB/s claim
• Simultaneous dual-card behavior not documented
• Host cable length unpublished
• Retail availability is limited compared with the other picks

Verdict: The right pick if you specifically need both SD and microSD at UHS-II ratings in a tiny hub and can accept unverified throughput. If a proven number matters more than a second slot, Satechi or OWC is the safer buy.

Perfect for: hybrid shooters who carry both full-size SD and microSD media and want one small hub for both.

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#5 Anker 555 USB-C Hub (8-in-1, A8383) — Best Budget General-Purpose Hub

The Anker 555 is a well-rounded 8-in-1 hub whose card subsystem is explicitly UHS-I. That single fact repositions it: it is excellent value for documents, casual photography and slower cards, and structurally incapable of exploiting a modern UHS-II camera card. Anker publishes no MB/s ceiling for its reader, so expect sub-100 MB/s in practice rather than a number in the 200–300 MB/s range. For the broader Anker lineup, the Anker USB-C hubs and docks brand guide maps the whole family.

Specs & characteristics

• Card readers: 1× SD and 1× microSD, both explicitly UHS-I. No published controller or simultaneous-performance detail
• Ports: 1× HDMI up to 4K60, 2× USB-A USB 3.1 Gen 2 10Gbps, 1× USB-C USB 3.1 Gen 2 10Gbps data, 1× Gigabit Ethernet, USB-C PD input
• Display: one HDMI monitor; 4K60 requires a DP 1.4-capable host, with lower ceilings on older DP hosts. Downstream USB-C does not carry video
• Power: 100W maximum input, 85W maximum to the laptop, with 15W explicitly reserved for hub operation. Charger not included
• Build: aluminium/polycarbonate body, approximately 128g, short captive host lead
• Warranty: approximately 18 months, with lifetime customer support

Pros

• Strong port balance for the price tier: 10Gbps USB-A, 10Gbps USB-C data, HDMI 4K60, Gigabit Ethernet
• Anker publishes the 15W reserve openly rather than hiding it in a footnote
• No drivers required; works on USB-C DP Alt Mode and Thunderbolt hosts
• Widely available, with an 18-month warranty backed by lifetime support

Cons

• UHS-I readers only — roughly a third of the throughput of the UHS-II options here
• No published reader ceiling or controller information
• 4K60 display requires a DP 1.4 host
• Anker states a fully loaded unit can reach about 149°F, which is normal for the design but noticeable

One reliability item worth tracking: a small number of user reports describe the full-size SD slot becoming unreadable while microSD kept working. That is too small a sample to call the model failure-prone, but it is a reason not to choose the 555 as a dedicated ingest hub.

Verdict: A genuinely good everyday hub that should be recommended for value and port balance — never presented as equivalent to the photographer-focused picks above.

Perfect for: students, office users and casual shooters who need a bit of everything and whose cards are UHS-I anyway.

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#6 UGREEN Revodok Pro 109 (SKU 15532) — Best Value Everyday Hub

UGREEN's Revodok Pro 109 documents what most budget hubs leave vague: up to 104 MB/s from its card readers and simultaneous SD + TF access. A detailed owner measurement with a faster Samsung card recorded roughly 93 MB/s read and 82 MB/s write — direct proof that the hub, not the card, becomes the bottleneck. That is entirely acceptable for documents and casual media, and it is not acceptable for full UHS-II camera cards.

Specs & characteristics

• Card readers: full-size SD + TF/microSD, approximately 104 MB/s class, simultaneous SD + TF reading documented. Owner-tested at ~93/82 MB/s
• Ports: 1× HDMI 2.0 (4K60), 1× USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 10Gbps data, 1× USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 10Gbps, 2× USB-A 3.0 5Gbps, 1× Gigabit Ethernet, USB-C PD input
• Display: one HDMI display up to 4K60, no DisplayLink
• Power: 100W input with approximately 90W available to the host
• Build: aluminium-alloy-style shell, captive braided host cable measuring roughly 25cm (about 10in)
• Warranty: 2 years plus a 30-day return window through UGREEN's own store

Pros

• Simultaneous SD and TF reading explicitly supported at this price tier
• Best bus-powered host-charging ratio after the OWC: ~90W from a 100W input
• Genuinely long braided captive cable — about 10in, well above the 15–19cm norm
• 10Gbps USB-C and USB-A data ports alongside two 5Gbps USB-A ports
• Independent editorial testing has confirmed its 4K60 display, cable length and ~90W host charging

Cons

• UHS-I-class reader, roughly a third the throughput of the UHS-II picks
• No published UHS-II support for future card upgrades
• Some owners report the shell running warm with every interface occupied; without evidence of sustained throttling
• Officially less explicit about Linux support than Plugable

Verdict: The value benchmark for a general-purpose hub that happens to include card slots — provided you understand the slots are UHS-I and buy accordingly.

Perfect for: everyday laptop users who transfer smaller files and want maximum port count and host charging per dollar.

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#7 CalDigit TS4 — Best Desktop Dock with Verified UHS-II Readers

Once ingestion moves to a desk, a powered Thunderbolt dock changes the equation: fixed host charging, a large passive heat sink and card readers that have been measured properly. The TS4's full-size reader recorded approximately 247.8 MB/s read and 225.8 MB/s write with a Kingston Canvas React UHS-II card, with similarly strong microSD behavior — and both readers can run at the same time. It remains on sale, but it is no longer CalDigit's newest generation; the CalDigit docks buying guide covers the full lineup.

Specs & characteristics

• Card readers: SD 4.0 UHS-II + microSD 4.0 UHS-II, simultaneous use confirmed, measured at ~247.8/225.8 MB/s
• Ports: 3× Thunderbolt 4 at 40Gbps (1 upstream, 2 downstream), 3× USB-C 10Gbps, 5× USB-A 10Gbps, 1× DisplayPort 1.4, 2.5GbE, front 3.5mm combo audio, rear audio in and out
• Display: DisplayPort 1.4 plus downstream Thunderbolt display paths; up to a single 8K-class display or dual high-resolution displays depending on the host. On Mac, the chip's native display-engine count sets the ceiling
• Power: included 230W PSU, fixed 98W host charging regardless of peripheral load; up to 15W per downstream Thunderbolt port
• Build: finned aluminium enclosure, approximately 640g, stands vertically or horizontally; detachable certified 0.8m Thunderbolt 4 cable
• Warranty: 2 years

Pros

• Independently measured UHS-II performance with dual simultaneous readers
• Fixed 98W host charging that does not sag when peripherals draw power
• 2.5GbE, DisplayPort 1.4 and three 40Gbps Thunderbolt 4 ports
• Detachable cable and a substantial passive heat sink — both desk advantages travel hubs cannot match
• Reduced-mode compatibility with Thunderbolt 3, USB4 and some USB-C hosts

Cons

• No longer the current flagship; the TS5 supersedes it
• Requires AC power — no portability
• Mac display count is limited by the host chip, not the dock
• A larger installed base means more visible troubleshooting traffic, including macOS-generation reports of devices disappearing after sleep cycles that were tied to firmware and OS interactions rather than a universal hardware fault

Verdict: The safest desk-bound choice for anyone who wants measured, simultaneous UHS-II readers plus Thunderbolt-class expansion and does not need the newest generation.

Perfect for: photographers and video editors who ingest large volumes at a fixed desk and want card speed and host charging to be non-issues. Compare against the wider Thunderbolt 4 dock field and the Thunderbolt 4 versus USB4 breakdown before committing.

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#8 CalDigit TS5 — Best Thunderbolt 5 Workstation Dock

The TS5 is the current-generation flagship: Thunderbolt 5 with up to 120Gbps bandwidth boost, 140W fixed host charging, a 240W power supply and confirmed simultaneous SD + microSD UHS-II readers. Its card interface is UHS-II class, but no product-specific read/write benchmark comparable to the TS4's measured figures was located — the numbers should not be inherited across generations. The design also drops built-in HDMI and DisplayPort connectors entirely; monitors connect through Thunderbolt or USB-C.

Specs & characteristics

• Card readers: SD 4.0 UHS-II + microSD 4.0 UHS-II, both usable simultaneously
• Ports: 1× Thunderbolt 5 host (up to 120Gbps boost), 3× downstream Thunderbolt 5 at up to 80Gbps, 3× USB-C 10Gbps, 1× USB-A 10Gbps, 1× USB-A 480Mbps, 2.5GbE, front 3.5mm combo, rear audio out and in
• Display: no built-in HDMI or DisplayPort — displays attach over Thunderbolt 5, USB-C or an adapter. Marketed for dual 8K60 on suitable hosts; the real maximum depends on the host GPU
• Power: included 240W PSU, up to 140W host charging; up to 15W per downstream Thunderbolt 5 port, front USB-C up to 20W, remaining USB-C and USB-A ports up to 7.5W
• Host requirements: full functionality needs Thunderbolt 5 or USB4 v2; backward compatible with Thunderbolt 4, USB4, Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C hosts at reduced bandwidth. macOS 15+, Windows 11+, ChromeOS and iPadOS
• Build: passively cooled aluminium enclosure, 141 × 42 × 113.4mm, 0.64kg; detachable 1.0m braided Thunderbolt 5 cable included
• Warranty: 2 years

Pros

• 140W host charging from a 240W supply — the highest fixed output on this list
• Three downstream Thunderbolt 5 ports at up to 80Gbps each
• Confirmed simultaneous SD and microSD UHS-II readers
• 2.5GbE, 10Gbps USB and detachable braided Thunderbolt 5 cable included

Cons

• No card-reader benchmark specific to this model
• No built-in HDMI or DisplayPort — every monitor needs a TB or USB-C path
• Full capability requires a Thunderbolt 5 or USB4 v2 host
• Newer hardware means a shorter reliability record than the TS4

Verdict: The right dock when you want the newest Thunderbolt generation, 140W charging and simultaneous UHS-II readers at a desk — accepting that its reader numbers are rated rather than measured.

Perfect for: MacBook Pro and workstation-laptop owners who run 140W charging, high-bandwidth storage and card ingest from one dock. The Mac and MacBook docking station roundup covers how these docks behave by chip generation.

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Comparison Table

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

The reason to buy a hub with a card reader is speed, and speed is the one thing the specification rarely states clearly. Ranked on the card-reader subsystem, the field splits cleanly: UHS-II readers that can approach 250–280 MB/s in measured testing, UHS-I readers capped near 104 MB/s, and interface ratings that carry no measurement at all. The Plugable USBC-9IN1E wins the travel category on balance — dual UHS-II slots, HDMI 2.0, Ethernet and a 140W-capable power path in 133g — while the Satechi USB-C Multiport Adapter 8K V3 holds the single best-substantiated compact reader at roughly 280 MB/s. The OWC Travel Dock E is the most power-efficient of the three, and the HyperDrive HD4003GL is the only compact hub specifying both card slots at SD 4.0.

At the desk, the calculation changes entirely. The CalDigit TS4 remains the safest recommendation for measured, simultaneous UHS-II readers paired with fixed 98W host charging, and the CalDigit TS5 is the current-generation option when Thunderbolt 5 bandwidth and 140W charging matter more than a verified card number.

A practical note before you choose: check the card you actually shoot on, not the one you might buy later. If it is a UHS-I card, the Anker 555 and UGREEN Revodok Pro 109 are the sensible buys. If it is a current UHS-II mirrorless card, anything without an explicit UHS-II or SD 4.0 label is a downgrade you will notice on every ingest.

For the wider context around this category, see the best USB-C hubs overall, the USB-C hub versus docking station breakdown, the Power Delivery guide, and the best docking stations for a desk-based setup.

→ Check the current price of the Plugable USBC-9IN1E on Amazon