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.

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TBT4-UD5
$199.95 USD
TBT4-UDX1
$229.95 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:

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

Free 3-Day Shipping on Orders Over $35!

Amazon US ($199.95 USD)
Amazon US ($199.95 USD) Amazon AU ($299.00 AUD) Amazon CA ($274.95 CAD) Amazon SG ($249.00 SGD) Amazon UK (£269.99 GBP)
Direct purchase in most US states. Currently excludes AK, AZ, IL, KY, MD, MI, MN, NJ, and OH.

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
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UD-3900
$99.95 USD
UD-6950Z
$129.95 USD
UD-6950PDH
$199.95 USD
UD-ULTC4K
$229.95 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:

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Buy the Plugable USB-C Triple 4K Monitor Docking Station with 100W Laptop Charging
List Price: $229.95

Free 3-Day Shipping on Orders Over $35!

Amazon US ($229.95 USD)
Amazon US ($229.95 USD) Amazon AU ($399.00 AUD) Amazon CA ($299.95 CAD) Amazon JP (¥36,980.00 JPY) Amazon MX ($4,838.00 MXN) Amazon SG ($299.00 SGD) Amazon UK (£299.99 GBP)
Direct purchase in most US states. Currently excludes AK, AZ, IL, KY, MD, MI, MN, NJ, and OH.

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.

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e8845e350f4cc4d5e98ab9afe37cb145
d0881e91b16e56886323491fcf63c6b2
USBC-4IN1
$28.95 USD
USBC-7IN1
$34.95 USD
USBC-7IN1E
$39.95 USD
USBC-11IN1E
$79.95 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:

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Buy the Plugable USB-C 7-in-1 Hub
List Price: $34.95

Free 3-Day Shipping on Orders Over $35!

Direct purchase in most US states. Currently excludes AK, AZ, IL, KY, MD, MI, MN, NJ, and OH.
Out of Stock at Amazon.com—Sign Up for Back-in-Stock Notification
Amazon US(Out of Stock) Amazon AU ($49.95 AUD) Amazon CA ($47.95 CAD) Amazon JP (¥4,380.00 JPY) Amazon SG ($37.95 SGD) Amazon UK (£43.99 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.

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Buy the Plugable 140W USB-C GaN Power Adapter
List Price: $49.95

Free 3-Day Shipping on Orders Over $35!

Direct purchase in most US states. Currently excludes AK, AZ, IL, KY, MD, MI, MN, NJ, and OH.
Amazon US ($49.95 USD)

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

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Buy the Plugable GaN USB-C Charger Block, 30W - White
List Price: $18.95

Free 3-Day Shipping on Orders Over $35!

Direct purchase in most US states. Currently excludes AK, AZ, IL, KY, MD, MI, MN, NJ, and OH.
Amazon US ($18.95 USD)
Amazon US ($18.95 USD) Amazon CA ($26.95 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.

View Other Articles in Category

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

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