Folks that work from laptops know the pain of dongles and hubs that promise everything but deliver compromises. Either the charging is weak, the display support is limited, or the network speed feels stuck in the past. Plugable is aiming to fix that with a new accessory that tries to check all the boxes without turning into a bulky docking station.
The company has announced the Plugable USBC-10IN1E, a compact 10-in-1 USB-C hub that pairs 140W Power Delivery passthrough with HDMI 2.1 capable of 8K output and 2.5Gb Ethernet. According to Plugable, it is the first portable hub in this class to combine those three capabilities in a single device.
SEE ALSO: Acer invests in Plugable
Plugable says the goal was simple. Most portable hubs force users to sacrifice something, whether it is power delivery, display quality, or network performance. CEO Lynn Smurthwaite-Murphy explained the thinking behind the new hub, saying, “USB-C hubs usually come with tradeoffs. It’s a compromise between power, display quality, and performance.” The USBC-10IN1E, is designed to remove those compromises while staying small enough to toss into a laptop bag.
Power delivery is one of the standout features. The hub supports USB Power Delivery 3.1 and can accept a 140W USB-C power adapter, passing up to 125W to the host laptop. That should be enough to keep demanding systems such as a 16-inch MacBook Pro charged even while under heavy workloads.
Display support is another area where the hub tries to stand out. The HDMI 2.1 port supports up to 8K at 30Hz or 4K at 144Hz, which could appeal to both creative professionals and folks running high-refresh monitors. Plugable notes that modern Apple Silicon systems such as M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max Macs running macOS 26 or newer can reach 4K at 144Hz, while older machines such as base M1, M2, MacBook Neo, or systems on macOS 15 and earlier are limited to 4K at 60Hz.
Beyond power and display, the hub also includes a useful mix of connectivity. There is 2.5Gb Ethernet for faster wired networking, SD and microSD card readers, two USB-C 10Gbps ports, and three USB-A ports. One of those USB-A ports runs at 10Gbps and supports BC 1.2 charging, while the other two provide 5Gbps speeds. The idea is to give users enough ports to handle storage, accessories, and networking without needing additional adapters.
The device is built around a driverless design, meaning it works across Windows, macOS, and ChromeOS systems that support USB-C, USB4, or Thunderbolt. For mixed-device environments, that plug-and-play approach could make deployment a lot easier.
I will say this from personal experience. I have always liked Plugable products. The company tends to focus on practical gear that works reliably without costing a fortune. In my experience, the build quality is solid and the prices are usually reasonable compared to some competing accessories that charge a premium for similar features.
The Plugable USBC-10IN1E is available starting today on Amazon for $74.95. For folks looking for a compact hub that gets close to docking station capabilities, this one might be worth a look.
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