OEMs create and supply products based on the specifications of their VAR customers, whereas original design manufacturers (ODMs) research and design their own goods. Often referred to as "white label" or "private label" suppliers, ODMs produce unbranded goods that are sold under a VAR’s name.

This hub has most of the same ports as our top pick, although they’re mostly a little slower. It lacks Ethernet, and it isn’t as good with a 4K monitor, but its price is much lower, so it’s a good choice if you don’t need a wired internet connection or smooth, high-res video.

Yeolibo’s 9-in-1 USB-C has all of the ports you might want or need. But it supports 4K only at a 30 Hz refresh rate, and it produced some of the slowest transfer rates for memory cards we encountered during our testing.

Because hubs and adapters can get hot during use, we also measured the temperatures of our picks with an infrared thermometer after 15 minutes of continuous data and Ethernet use to confirm that they weren’t dangerously hot. We also took size into consideration; people often use their hubs with a portable setup, so the smaller and lighter a hub is, the better.

Tripp Lite’s Protect It 12-Outlet Surge Protector TLP1208SAT absorbs thousands of volts so they won’t fry your gear, and it helpfully lets you know when its protection wears out.

1. The maximum payment period on purchases is 54 calendar days and is obtained only if you spend on the first day of the new statement period and repay the balance in full on the due date. If you'd prefer a Card with no annual fee, rewards or other features, an alternative option is available – the Business Basic Card.

Nick Guy, the previous author of this guide, has covered mobile and computer accessories for more than a decade. During his tenure at Wirecutter, he reviewed more than 1,000 iOS and Mac products, including dozens of hubs and docks.

OEMs can play different roles within supply chains, depending on the contracts they have signed with their clients, but they generally operate business-to-business.

Quality assurance processes take time to put in place and that can pose difficulties for makers of fast-changing products, such as smartphones or laptops, which may be updated every six months. In this case, the OEM’s reputation for reliability will be a deciding factor.

Industry organisations, such as the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) in the UK automotive sector, will also play a crucial role here. They maintain a registry of industry participants, including manufacturers and suppliers.

This hub looks unlike any other hub we tested, and that’s a good thing. It has all of the ports you might want or need, including Ethernet, and it bested our top pick in data-transfer speeds.

However, in other circumstances, aftermarket companies can become OEMs by default when the original manufacturer no longer produces the part - as can be the case with some of those components produced by ECD Auto Design.

Unlike most other hubs we tested, the Anker 555 USB-C Hub (8-in-1) can send a clear, crisp image to a high-resolution 4K monitor without sacrificing the smooth movement and animation of a high screen-refresh rate. This model (formerly known as the PowerExpand 8-in-1 USB-C PD 10Gbps Data Hub) offers the best way to add the widest array and greatest number of the fastest ports to your USB-C–based computer. Plus, its sturdy and highly portable design makes it handy on the go or even as a semipermanent desk accessory.

“Finding the right OEM suppliers is crucial for our business,” says Humble. “We carefully evaluate potential suppliers based on their quality, reliability, and ability to meet our unique customisation needs. We maintain strong partnerships with suppliers who can deliver the high-quality components required for our projects.”

Brands have market shares and reputations to protect. When sourcing suppliers such as OEMs they go to great lengths to ensure the companies they contract pay the highest attention to product design, safety and cost.

It supports 4K video at a 60 Hz refresh rate. The most noteworthy feature of the Anker 555 USB-C Hub is the video output from its HDMI port. Since this product category launched, we’ve been disappointed to see a large number of hubs support a limited, 30 Hz video refresh rate when connected to a 4K monitor. But this Anker hub is one of a handful of models that—finally—allow for 60 Hz. The result is an experience as smooth as what you get on the screens of most laptops.

If you just want more USB-C ports: The Satechi 4-Port USB-C Hub turns a single USB-C port into four USB-C 3.0 Gen 1 ports. Because it is limited to transferring data, you can’t use it to charge your laptop or connect a monitor. It transfers data at the same speed as our top pick, the Anker 555 USB-C Hub, so it’s more than enough for performing occasional backups and transferring large files. It’s also perfect for connecting modern keyboards, mice, and thumb drives while you’re on the go.

The Sabrent HB-B7C3 offers a lot of USB-A ports in a compact design but lacks any additional ports dedicated to charging accessories and other devices.

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Though the Sabrent Multi-Port USB-C Hub is affordable and fast, it ultimately fell short due to its limited number of ports overall.

“Some VARs, including some large retailers, will have assembly lines at their receiving warehouses, where they put the products together,” says Dani. “Others may simply have a packaging machine in which they box or bag products.”

Satechi’s Aluminum Multi-Port Adapter V2 is very expensive but has a good array of ports, including Ethernet. It’s worth considering if you see it on sale.

The Dockcase Smart 6-in-1 USB-C Hub is an impressive hub that does a lot of what our top pick does, but with two fewer ports and for nearly double the price.

“Engaging closely with other OEMs in our supply chain has proven vital for our growth,” says Tom Humble, Chief Experience Officer (CXO) and Founder of ECD Auto Design, which provides specialised parts made in the UK for vintage cars, primarily Land Rover Defenders.

It’s portable yet spacious. At 4.8 by 2.2 by 0.6 inches, this aluminum hub is a bit larger than comparable devices. Its 7-inch USB-C cable is long enough that you should be able to position the hub as needed, and the cable feels sturdy but not so stiff that it’s hard to keep the cord where you want it.

Jason Cipriani has covered consumer technology for the past 15 years for a wide range of publications, reviewing and testing countless devices and gadgets during that time. He specializes in mobile, computing, and smart-home topics.

“We do not hold licenses from Land Rover to manufacture parts or upgrade their vehicles – our customisations are done independently, based on the preferences and requirements of our clients,” says Humble. “By nature, we also provide aftersales support and services to our clients, offering maintenance, repairs and additional upgrades.”

“You can have, say, a chocolate maker that sells to a department store which will put its branding on the packaging," says Samir Dani, Professor of Operations and Supply Chain Management at Keele University.

Our power bank picks allow you to pack hours of extra battery life in a pocket or purse to charge a phone, tablet, or other small electronic device.

These products are less expensive because they usually aren’t made under licence of the OEM or brand. Depending on the terms of warranty, use of aftermarket parts can nullify any product warranties provided by the OEM or brand owner.

ODMs can be an attractive option for those businesses lacking their own research, design, and manufacturing capabilities. They're also sought after by businesses that have identified market gaps and want to act quickly with products that are ready to sell.

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These VARs contribute significantly to familiar brand names seen in retail stores. They add their value to diverse products, from children's toys to appliances and automobiles, before these items reach consumers.

This hub has most of the same ports as our top pick, although they’re mostly a little slower. It lacks Ethernet, and it isn’t as good with a 4K monitor, but its price is much lower, so it’s a good choice if you don’t need a wired internet connection or smooth, high-res video.

This portable hub supports 4K monitors at 60 Hz over HDMI and has every other port you’re likely to need, all of which performed at expected rates in our tests.

Outsourced manufacturing can also include companies that supply non-branded aftermarket parts for ongoing maintenance. These are third-party companies that make spare parts or components almost identical to those made by OEMs, but without the OEM's logo or licence.

In the case of common goods like washing machines or electric heaters, VARs might integrate a unique control system into the user interface for added value. Others may provide additional enhancements.

Businesses that outsource to OEMs should first identify their in-house production limitations and then look for suitable manufacturers to plug any gaps. Online B2B marketplaces can provide a means of connecting manufacturers and suppliers.

This portable hub supports 4K monitors at 60 Hz over HDMI and has every other port you’re likely to need, all of which performed at expected rates in our tests.

Buyers may alternatively source parts from aftersale suppliers, who make almost identical parts more cheaply, only without the licence's warranty coverage and other guarantees associated with parts made by OEMs. Buyers can lower their costs by using trusted aftersales providers if they are prepared to bear the costs of any faults in the products.

It offers fast data transfer through its USB-A connections. The 655 USB-C Hub’s two USB-A ports outpaced those of nearly every other USB hub in our tests; it even bested our top pick by an increase of 47% when reading data and 69% when writing data. The 655 USB-C Hub also boasts a Gigabit Ethernet port, which measured at the expected 1 gigabit per second on a MacBook Air and a Surface Laptop Studio.

If you’re looking for a more powerful desktop docking option and your computer’s USB-C ports also support Thunderbolt 3 or Thunderbolt 4, you might consider a Thunderbolt dock, which can connect to more monitors and transfer data faster, though you have to pay quite a bit more for the privilege.

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It offers acceptable transfer speeds. In our tests, the 341 USB-C Hub’s USB data-transfer speeds were slower than the 555 USB-C Hub’s but in line with those of every other USB 3.2 Gen 1 hub—that is, pretty much every other hub. In comparison with the results we got from our top pick, this model’s USB-A and USB-C speeds were about 20% slower in read and 12% slower in write. But those figures are absolutely fine for daily tasks; unless you’re constantly transferring a lot of data, you’d likely never notice a difference. Its tested SD and microSD speeds were similar to what we saw from our top pick.

Contracts negotiated between OEMs and their suppliers will focus largely on invoices and payment terms. To give you greater flexibility in paying your suppliers, with the American Express® Business Gold Card you can have up to 54 days to settle your balance¹.

Modern computers are thinner and lighter than ever before, but sleek design comes at a cost: The number and types of ports on everything from MacBooks to all-in-one desktops have ended up on the chopping block. If you want to plug in anything with a connection other than a USB-C cable, the most efficient and economical option is to use a USB-C hub, which provides multiple types of ports in a relatively compact package.

For our most recent round of testing, we tested each hub with a 15-inch M2 MacBook Air and a Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio. Our tests evaluated the following:

We've tested the best cables, hubs, and dongles to help you connect your all your peripherals to your new laptop, even if it has only USB-C ports.

Memory card transfers are speedy. The 655 USB-C Hub has an SD card reader and a microSD card reader stacked on top of each other, making it easy for you to insert and access one of each card at the same time. In our tests, both readers outperformed those of the competition, reading information from either memory card at an average of 91 MB/s and writing to the same cards at an average of 68.5 MB/s. That represents a minor boost in transfer speeds compared with our top pick, an increase you’d be unlikely to notice unless you’re often transferring large files between memory cards and your laptop.

The faux-leather cover just looks nice. The 655 USB-C Hub is slightly longer and wider than the 555 USB-C Hub, measuring 4.91 by 2.17 by 0.61 inches. Its 7-inch USB-C cable is braided and equipped with a 90-degree connector, both of which give it a premium feel while providing confidence that it won’t easily disconnect from your laptop. When you aren’t using the cable, you can fold it toward the hub and plug the USB-C connector into the USB-C PD port, turning it into a handle for easy carrying, instead of having a cable that just flops around.

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If you need a lot of USB-A ports: The Anker 10-Port 60W USB 3.0 Data Hub has seven standard USB-A ports dedicated to transferring data. Each port has its own LED light so you know when it’s in use. Three additional USB-A ports are built into this hub specifically for charging devices at up to 12 watts.

It has enough power for nearly all laptops. When we connected Nekteck’s 100W PD 3.0 GaN Wall Charger to this hub, our 15-inch MacBook Air reported receiving 85 watts—enough for it to stay powered and to charge at just a little slower than full speed. The 555 USB-C Hub can pass enough power for most laptops to charge at full speed, whether the laptop is a Chromebook, an ultrabook, or just about any smaller MacBook.

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Don’t have a 4K monitor? This hub will do just fine. We found the biggest bummer to be this hub’s video performance, but again that’s mostly in comparison with our top pick. The HDMI port doesn’t support 60 Hz in 4K, instead maxing out at 30 Hz. If you plan on connecting your hub to an external 4K monitor, and you expect smooth performance, this hub simply can’t do it. For lower-resolution displays, including some of our top picks, the refresh rate will be fine, at up to 60 Hz.

Sustainability in manufacturing is now crucial, leading to increased public and investor examination of OEMs' operations. As a result, contracting brands and VARs typically request a sustainability report or evaluation from a sustainability auditor to determine how effectively an OEM manages its environmental impacts.

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This hub looks unlike any other hub we tested, and that’s a good thing. It has all of the ports you might want or need, including Ethernet, and it bested our top pick in data-transfer speeds.

“When the product lifecycle is short, you may find that by the time an issue has been found, the company would already have moved on to the next model,” says Dani. “In the aerospace industry, however, quality assurance is better because it needs to be monitored and traced within an aeroplane that lasts for 50 years.”

Our favorite hub is Anker’s 555 USB-C Hub (8-in-1). In addition to having all the right ports, it’s one of the very few hubs with an HDMI port that supports a proper 60 Hz refresh rate on 4K monitors so that animations and movements on screen are nice and smooth.

The Anker 655 USB-C Hub (8-in-1) has the same number of ports as the company’s 555 USB-C Hub. However, on this model, Anker removed the lone USB-C data port found in our top pick and replaced it with a 3.5 mm audio jack, which is an acceptable trade-off for someone who wants to connect headphones or external speakers to their laptop. The 655 USB-C Hub has an unusual design for a USB hub: It’s covered in faux leather, it has a braided USB-C cable to connect to your laptop, and it looks like something you would probably have no issues displaying on your desk. Its slightly higher price kept it from being our top pick; if you see it on sale, it might be a good buy.

It gets hot, but not too hot. Like many USB-C hubs we’ve tested, the 555 USB-C Hub heats up during use. We measured it at 108.7 degrees Fahrenheit after 15 minutes with the USB-C power cable and a USB drive plugged in. That’s warm enough to be noticeable when you touch the hub, but not so much that it’s dangerous; it’s within the normal operating temperature for this kind of accessory. Your laptop’s charger probably gets hotter than that.

Wirecutter is the product recommendation service from The New York Times. Our journalists combine independent research with (occasionally) over-the-top testing so you can make quick and confident buying decisions. Whether it’s finding great products or discovering helpful advice, we’ll help you get it right (the first time).

This hub has most of the same ports as our top pick, although they’re mostly a little slower. It lacks Ethernet, and it isn’t as good with a 4K monitor, but its price is much lower, so it’s a good choice if you don’t need a wired internet connection or smooth, high-res video.

This portable hub supports 4K monitors at 60 Hz over HDMI and has every other port you’re likely to need, all of which performed at expected rates in our tests.

For people using computers with just Thunderbolt 3 or 4 ports, a dock with a wider variety of ports makes a lot of sense. We have options for every budget.

It has a tried-and-true design. Physically, this hub is about the same size as Anker’s 555 USB-C Hub. It’s a little shorter and a few grams heavier, but it’s still totally portable.

Whether your business is selling furniture, high-end hi-fi systems, or chocolate bars, chances are that original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) played a significant role in their production. Read on to learn more.

USB-C hubs and docks let you hook your old stuff up to your new stuff. Many new computers, including Apple’s MacBook Air models, Microsoft’s Surface Pro lineup, and Dell’s XPS 15, either have only USB-C ports or simply lack enough ports for connecting multiple accessories at once. If you need to connect flash drives, printers, an Ethernet cable, a display, or any other peripherals you already own, a USB-C hub or dock allows you to connect them all to a single USB-C port at once. If you just need more USB-A ports, a hub or dock that accepts that cable standard is still a great choice.

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OEMs offer many advantages to brands. Among them, they can achieve economies of scale to make products and parts more cost-effectively. Also, as specialists, they can offer production quality guarantees. This can help free up money so that you can focus on other areas such as design or marketing.

Plugable’s USB-C 7-in-1 Hub with Ethernet checks a lot of the boxes for what we want in a hub, including Ethernet and decent speed-test results, but its lack of an extra USB-C port for data transfers kept us from naming it as one of our picks. However, if you need a slim USB hub, it’s worth a look.

From laptop bags to headphones to chargers to dongles galore, here are the essential accessories to help you use your new laptop.

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Satechi’s Slim Aluminum Type-C Multi-Port Adapter has only two USB-A ports and typically costs more than our pick, but we like its streamlined design.

The Hiearcool 7-in-1 USB C Hub had memory card test scores similar to those of the Yeolibo model and is also limited to 4K at 30 Hz.

You can transfer to and from memory cards at top speeds. One edge of the 555 USB-C Hub has SD and microSD card slots for photo and video transfers. Their speeds matched the fastest we’ve seen in our tests over the past several years.

The side-by-side USB-A ports could be an issue. The 555 USB-C Hub’s two USB-A ports are somewhat tightly arranged side by side, so you may not be able to connect multiple flash drives or thicker plugs simultaneously.

OEMs are contracted to supply products that are built to tight specifications. The contracting company will insist on stringent quality controls because it will be on the hook for legal costs or reputational harm should a deficiency in a product cause injury or damage.

This hub looks unlike any other hub we tested, and that’s a good thing. It has all of the ports you might want or need, including Ethernet, and it bested our top pick in data-transfer speeds.

Should quality issues be discovered in a finished product, or batch of products, the offending part must be identified so that the fault can be remediated. VARs and OEMs alike will keep close track of where each component was made so that faulty parts can be traced back to the source of production.

We researched and tested hubs with a number of different port layouts, ranging from models with just USB-A ports to those with USB-A plus power pass-through, video output, Ethernet connectors, 3.5 mm audio ports, and SD card slots.

It has all of the ports you need and nothing you don’t. There are some kinds of ports that all hubs must have, and some that are nice but not necessary. The 555 USB-C Hub has the essentials and omits anything superfluous. In our tests, this Anker model’s ports worked as expected. Its USB read and write speeds were faster than those of USB 3.1 Gen 1 models by about 22% for reading data and 12% for writing. The Ethernet port, which is useful if you need a hardwired internet connection, measured at 1 gigabit per second, as advertised.

Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) make products and components that other companies sell under their name. OEMs range in size from small fabrication shops to global mega-manufacturers.

Value-added resellers (VARs) take parts or entire products from OEMs and sell them on to consumers. This can range from simply rebranding OEM products to assembling OEM components into the final product.

Anker’s 341 USB-C Hub (7-in-1) provides nearly the same number and variety of ports as the company’s more expensive 555 USB-C Hub, but this model (formerly known as the PowerExpand+ 7-in-1 USB-C PD Media Hub) has a few key differences. All of its USB ports are slower, supporting USB 3.2 Gen 1 speeds rather than Gen 2. It lacks an Ethernet connection, and its HDMI port supports only a 30 Hz refresh rate for 4K monitors. For many people, though, these trade-offs are well worth the significantly lower price. If you don’t own or plan to get a 4K monitor, and if you use only Wi-Fi, this Anker hub offers as much as you’re likely to need.

Depending on the market or product, OEMs will decide to sell either to VARs or direct to consumers. For example, Bosch, the German engineering company, sells OEM parts to car brands whilst also selling home appliances under its name.

Plenty of USB-C hubs have a port selection similar to that of the Anker 555 USB-C Hub (8-in-1), formerly known as the PowerExpand 8-in-1 USB-C PD 10Gbps Data Hub. But finding a hub that reliably supports a 4K video signal at the 60 Hz rate that more modern monitors are capable of is rare. That refresh rate guarantees smooth scrolling on supported displays, addressing a major, longtime drawback of this category. In addition to its HDMI port, the 555 USB-C Hub offers the connectors that most people need most of the time, and in our tests those ports worked just as well as expected. This hub is powerful enough to leave at your desk full-time as a docking station but small enough to slip into a laptop bag and use on the go.

Sporting a faux-leather exterior, the uniquely designed Anker 655 USB-C Hub (8-in-1) is something you might be proud of displaying on your desk or on the counter at your favorite coffee spot while you work. Not only is it a looker, but it’s also a worker: It has a total of eight ports, including an Ethernet port and an audio port, and its data connections produced some of the fastest results in our speed tests. Ultimately, the 655 USB-C Hub fell short of being our top pick due to its cost and its lack of a USB-C data port. You get nearly the same experience with our top pick for less.

These third-party producers, which keep global manufacturing running, can also bring your product to life. Find out what OEMs are, how they differ from original design manufacturers (ODMs), and discover what benefits aftersales markets can bring to your business.

Are you looking for the latest trends and insights to fuel your business strategy? From industry expertise to finance tips, we’ve got your back.

Nick Guy is a former senior staff writer covering Apple and accessories at Wirecutter. He has been reviewing iPhones, iPads, and related tech since 2011—and stopped counting after he tested his 1,000th case. It’s impossible for him not to mentally catalog any case he sees. He once had the bright idea to build and burn down a room to test fireproof safes.

If you don’t have a 4K monitor, get the Anker 341 USB-C Hub (7-in-1) instead. Formerly known as the PowerExpand+ 7-in-1 USB-C PD Media Hub, this model is the little sibling of our top pick, offering a similar port selection at a much lower price. Its USB data-transfer speeds are a bit slower than those of the 555 USB-C Hub but still fast enough for most people. The 341 USB-C Hub lacks an Ethernet port, and if you do try to use it with a 4K monitor, it produces only a 30 Hz refresh rate, not the superior, smoother movements of the 60 Hz refresh rate of our top pick.

It offers a smooth 4K signal and 85 W of power. On the same side as the Ethernet port is an HDMI connection that supports fast and smooth 4K at a 60 Hz refresh rate, identical in performance to the port on our top pick, the 555 USB-C Hub. Next to the HDMI port is the USB-C PD port, which accepts up to 100 W of power, 15 W of which is reserved for powering the hub; we confirmed that the remaining 85 W is then supplied to your connected laptop. This model also has an audio port—somewhat of a rarity on USB hubs—which allows you to connect headphones, speakers, or even a microphone to your laptop.

Jason Cipriani has been a freelance technology journalist for nearly 16 years, covering all types of technology for a wide range of publications online and in print. You can find his byline on sites such as CNET, Fortune, Time, Wired, CNN Underscored, Pocket-lint, ZDNET, and Tom’s Guide. His primary focus has been mobile products, but he has also reviewed countless laptops and computers over the years, including stints reviewing personal laptops for Tech Radar and gaming laptops for IGN. He has dabbled in podcasting on his own and at various publications, co-hosting the Jason Squared podcast for a couple of years (and over 100 episodes) while he was at ZDNET. He’ll go viral, eventually.