In the era of remote work, maintaining a fluid and productive work environment is more vital than ever.  Connecting with the right devices can enhance your remote work experience, keeping you engaged and organized. This post delves into three must-have USB connectivity gadgets designed to boost productivity while working remotely: docking stations, USB-C multiport adapters, and chargers.

Laptop Docking Stations

Transform your laptop into a potent workstation with a laptop docking station. It’s an easy way to connect your laptop to multiple peripherals—everything from monitors and keyboards to external storage devices and SD cards. Here, we will focus on two well-known technologies that enable this: Thunderbolt and DisplayLink.

Thunderbolt Docking Stations

Harness the power of a single cable with Thunderbolt docking stations to transfer data, video, and power. These stations support various features, such as multiple 4K 60Hz displays and various peripherals, including USB-C and USB-A devices and SD card readers. Plugable’s Dual Display Thunderbolt 4 & USB4 13-in-1 docking station excels in this category.

Plugable TBT4-UD5 Thunderbolt 4 dock with front audio, SD, 2x USB 5Gbps, 96W charging; rear 2x HDMI, 2x USB 10Gbps, Ethernet.
Plugable TBT4-UDX1 Thunderbolt 4 dock with front SD UHS-II, USB 10Gbps, audio, 96W host port; rear HDMI, 2x TB4, Ethernet.
Plugable TBT4-UDZ Dual Display Docking Station for M4 Macs and Windows with 100W host charging and 4K support.
Plugable TBT3-UDZ Thunderbolt dock with front Micro SD/SD, USB 10Gbps, USB 10Gbps, and audio jack ports.
TBT4-UD5
$199.95 USD
TBT4-UDX1
$249.95 USD
TBT4-UDZ
$269.95 USD
TBT3-UDZ
$239.95 USD
Host Connection
TBT4, USB4
TBT4, USB4
TBT4, USB4
TBT3, USB4
Downstream TBT Ports
1
2
0
0
Laptop Charging
100W
100W
100W
100W
Max # of Displays
2
2
4
4
Display Types
HDMI
HDMI or TBT
HDMI or DisplayPort
HDMI or DisplayPort
# of Ports
13
11
16
14

Plugable's Top Thunderbolt ⚡️ Pick:

Plugable TBT4-UD5 Thunderbolt 4 dock with front audio, SD, 2x USB 5Gbps, 96W charging; rear 2x HDMI, 2x USB 10Gbps, Ethernet.

Buy the Plugable Thunderbolt 4 Dock for 4K Dual Monitors or Single 8K, 100W Laptop Charging
List Price: $199.95

Free 3-Day Continental U.S. Shipping on Orders Over $35!

Direct purchase in most US states. Currently excludes AK and NJ.
Amazon US ( $199.95 USD )
Amazon US ( $199.95 USD ) Amazon CA ( $299.95 CAD ) Amazon MX ( $3,311.85 MXN ) Amazon UK ( £257.99 GBP )

DisplayLink Powered Docking Stations

DisplayLink docking stations offer expansive connectivity options without necessitating a Thunderbolt or USB4 connection on the host laptop. They are generally more affordable and compatible with a broader range of devices.

DisplayLink powered docks are excellent for Apple M1 and M2 users, providing a solution to Apple's single external display limitation.

Learn more: Apple Silicon Macs and Plugable Products
M1/M2, M1/M2 Pro, and M1/M2 Pro chips
Plugable UD-3900 USB-A/USB-C docking station with 2x USB 3.0, 4x USB 2.0, Ethernet, 2x HDMI, audio jacks, and 5V/4A.
Plugable UD-6950Z docking station with 6 USB 3.0 ports, Gigabit Ethernet, 2 DisplayPort or HDMI, audio jack, and cables.
Plugable UD-6950PDH dock with 100W PD, USB 5Gbps, SD/Micro SD, headset jack, Ethernet, 2x HDMI, and 2x DisplayPort.
Plugable UD-ULTC4K 13-in-1 docking station with USB 5Gbps, Ethernet, DisplayLink, 100W power, SD card, and 20W PD port.
UD-3900
$99.95 USD
UD-6950Z
$149.99 USD
UD-6950PDH
$199.99 USD
UD-ULTC4K
$245.99 USD
Host Connection
USB-A/USB-C
USB-A/USB-C
USB-C
USB-C
Laptop Charging
No
No
100W
100W
Max # of Displays
2
2
2
2
Display Types
HDMI/DVI
HDMI
HDMI
HDMI/DisplayPort
# of Ports
11
11
13
13

Plugable's Top DisplayLink Pick:

Plugable UD-ULTC4K 13-in-1 docking station with USB 5Gbps, Ethernet, DisplayLink, 100W power, SD card, and 20W PD port.

Buy the Plugable USB-C Triple 4K Monitor Docking Station with 100W Laptop Charging
List Price: $245.99

Free 3-Day Continental U.S. Shipping on Orders Over $35!

Direct purchase in most US states. Currently excludes AK and NJ.
Amazon US ( $245.99 USD )
Amazon US ( $245.99 USD ) Amazon CA ( $339.99 CAD ) Amazon MX ( $4,838.00 MXN ) Amazon UK ( £283.99 GBP )

USB-C Multiport Adapters

USB-C multiport adapters are a compact solution for on-the-go remote workers, offering essential connectivity features such as HDMI, additional USB ports and Ethernet in a pocket-sized package. These adapters are essential for remote workers who need much of the connectivity provided by a traditional docking station, but in a package that is small enough to easily stow in their laptop bag when working on the go.

Plugable USBC-4IN1 hub with HDMI, USB-A, and USB-C 10Gbps ports connected to a laptop.
Plugable USBC-7IN1 hub resting on a laptop inside an open green backpack.
Plugable 7-in-1 USB-C hub with HDMI, SD, microSD, two USB-A ports, and Ethernet, featuring Macworld Best of 2026 award.
Plugable 11-in-1 USB-C Hub with HDMI, USB 5Gbps, Ethernet, audio jack, and SD/Micro SD card slots.
USBC-4IN1
$34.95 USD
USBC-7IN1
$34.95 USD
USBC-7IN1E
$39.95 USD
USBC-11IN1E
$87.95 USD
Total Ports
4
7
7
11
Power Delivery
# of Displays
1
1
1
2
Display Type
HDMI
HDMI
HDMI
HDMI
SD/microSD reader
N

Plugable's Multiport Pick:

Plugable USBC-7IN1 hub resting on a laptop inside an open green backpack.

Buy the Plugable USB-C Hub 7-in-1 with 4K 60Hz HDMI, 100W Pass-Through Charging
List Price: $34.95

Free 3-Day Continental U.S. Shipping on Orders Over $35!

Direct purchase in most US states. Currently excludes AK and NJ.
Amazon US ( $34.95 USD )
Amazon US ( $34.95 USD ) Amazon AU ( $73.95 AUD ) Amazon CA ( $53.95 CAD ) Amazon MX ( $642.89 MXN ) Amazon UK ( £34.99 GBP )

GaN Powered Chargers

Keep your devices charged efficiently with GaN (Gallium Nitride) chargers, which are smaller and more powerful than their silicon counterparts. GaN chargers are a game-changer for remote workers, minimizing charging time remarkably.

Plugable Picks for Power:

The PS-EPR-140C1 delivers up to 140W of power to supported devices like Apples M2 MacBooks. When paired with Apples MagSafe charging cable the PS-EPR140C1 charger will charge from 0-100% in around 90 minutes.

Plugable 140W USB-C PD wall charger with single USB-C port, featuring Macworld Best of 2026 and lifetime support badges.

Buy the Plugable 140W USB-C GaN Power Adapter
List Price: $75.95

Free 3-Day Continental U.S. Shipping on Orders Over $35!

Direct purchase in most US states. Currently excludes AK and NJ.
Amazon US ( $75.95 USD )

The PS-30C1W is a 30W GaN charger that delivers quick, intelligent power to your iPhone, tablet or other USB-C device.

Plugable PS-30C1W 30W USB-C GaN power adapter with foldable prongs and single USB-C Power Delivery port.

Buy the Plugable GaN USB-C Charger Block, 30W - White
List Price: $23.95

Free 3-Day Continental U.S. Shipping on Orders Over $35!

Direct purchase in most US states. Currently excludes AK and NJ.
Amazon US ( $23.95 USD )
Amazon US ( $23.95 USD ) Amazon CA ( $29.95 CAD )

With the proper connectivity devices at your disposal, remote workers can continue to be productive in any setting.

Looking for my on remote and Hybrid work? Visit our "Productivity and Remote Work with Plugable" page.

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Business, Docking Stations, Power Devices, Productivity, USB Hub

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