Whether you want a standard dongle-style hub or just something without an integrated stand, here are some other options I’ve tried and like. Read our Best USB Hubs and Docks guide for more recommendations.
Twelve South StayGo Mini USB-C Hub for $60: This little USB-C hub might be all you need, and it is seriously compact. It’s a little taller but narrower than a Zippo lighter, and you get a 4K HDMI port, a USB-A, an 85-watt USB-C port with pass-through charging, and a headphone jack. I had trouble fitting it to an iPad protected by a case, but Twelve South includes a female USB-C to male USB-C cable that solves this issue.
Hyper HyperDrive 6-in-1 Dongle for $96: It has a 60-watt USB-C port, USB-A, MicroSD slot, SD card slot, 3.5-mm audio, and 4K 60-Hz HDMI. You can plug it into your iPad’s USB-C port and have it sit flush and secure on the edge or swap out for a flappy, short cable. You need the cable if you have a case on your iPad, and Hyper provides the screws and screwdriver to replace the part (took me two minutes). Just remember to unplug it when you’re not using it, as it will slowly drain your tablet’s battery.
Satechi USB-C Hybrid With SSD Enclosure for $90: Satechi’s four-port hub is pretty small, considering the number of ports you get, but there’s a good reason for that. Pop the aluminum cover and you’ll find a slot for the M.2 SATA solid-state storage drive slot. That means access to an external SSD, along with two USB-A jacks, a 100-watt USB-C pass-through charging port, and a 4K HDMI at the same time. I don’t have an M.2 SATA drive to test, but this 1-terabyte card should work. Just be aware that Satechi’s hub does not support NVME M.2 cards.
Anker USB-C to Ethernet Adapter for $23: Most people don’t need an Ethernet port on an iPad, but maybe you’re taking a stab at some cloud gaming on your tablet. If so, you need the fastest speed you can get so your games can be viewed in the highest quality possible. This simple, aluminum USB-C to Ethernet dongle delivers about 700 Mbps download speeds to my home iPad Pro, which is what my desktop PC usually hits.
