Plugable

Those looking for loads of screen space can connect a pair of HDMI monitors to their MacBook with the newly released Plugable USBC-6950M adapter.

And it can do this with Macs that ordinarily support only one external display.

Today’s featured setup packs two powerful MacBooks Pro — an M1 Max for work and an M3 Pro for play. To give them hassle-free equal time with peripherals, including a big, beautiful OLED smart TV serving as a display, the user employs a Thunderbolt 4 dock bristling with ports for maximum connectivity options.

A new Plugable docking station provides 10 ports for Thunderbolt 4 and USB4 laptops, including support for dual 4K displays at 60Hz, the company said upon rolling out the new device Tuesday.

You’ll always know how much current is flowing to your devices with the just-launched Plugable USB Type-C Extension Cable with Power Meter. A small display shows how many watts are being transferred by the affordable cable.

Plugable also introduced on Tuesday a tiny 30W USB-C GaN charger plus a 32W wall charger that includes USB-C, USB-A and AC power ports.

The movies and shows on a MacBook or iPad can be easily played on a full-size TV, but many computers need an adapter to add the HDMI port. The Plugable USBC-4IN1 has just what’s needed, offering 4K video at 60Hz. Or Plugable’s USB-C dock is well suited for using an HDMI monitor to get work done.

Plus, it stands out from the pack with a USB-C port that supports simultaneous 100W power pass-through charging and 10Gbps data transfers. There’s a couple of high-speed USB ports, too.

I put the surprisingly affordable accessory through a series of test to see if it lived up to its promises. Here’s what I found.

Connect the new Plugable USBC-4IN1 hub to a Mac or iPad to add an HDMI port, and two USB-A ones, also. And its USB-C port supports simultaneous 100W power pass-through charging and 10Gbps data transfers.

All for under $30.

Plugable just launched a hub for MacBook or iPad users who need to connect to multiple USB-A accessories. It includes four ports for legacy accessories, and connects to the computer via USB-C.

The inexpensive hub is designed for use in an office or on the go.

The just-released Plugable AMS-5IN1E is a USB-C hub that attaches to the side of a MacBook and adds ports that Apple won’t, including USB-A and Ethernet. And it does so without blocking one of the USB-C/Thunderbolt ports and MagSafe charging.

I tested the five ports in this affordable hub to see how well they perform in the real world.

Plugable expanded its product line with two new triple display USB-C docking stations. These can add three screens even to Macs that are ordinarily limited to one external monitor.

The UD-3900PDH and UD-768PDZ docks also feature additional ports, including USB-A, Ethernet and SD card readers.

The Plugable USB-C Stand Dock goes beyond just holding up an iPad so the display can be seen — it’s also an 8-port hub with HDMI, two USB-A ports and many more.

The design reduces clutter on the user’s desk. And the stand/hub is also portable.

Plugable’s new USB-C dock is small enough to be mistaken a hub but has room for seven ports. And that includes dual 4K HDMI ports that can be used even with Macs that ordinarily support only one external monitor.

The USB-C HDMI Docking Station also has USB and Ethernet ports, as well as an SD card reader.

Plugable’s new Quad HDMI Adapter can add up to four displays to a MacBook, even even ones that would otherwise only support only a single external monitor.

The USB-C accessory is even portable.

Your MacBook isn’t charging right and you can’t figure it where the problem is? Plugable’s USBC-VAmeter3 can help. Connect it to the power cable running to your Mac, iPad or iPhone to see the voltage, wattage and amperage.

I’m no electrical engineer, but I tested this miniature power meter. I found it both useful and kind of fun.

The Plugable UD-6950PDH is a just-launched USB-C dock that lets Mac users add a wide variety of accessories via a whopping 13 ports. And that includes a pair of 4K monitors even on Macs that not designed to handle that many.

On top of that, the dock offers 100W of power for charging high-end MacBooks.

Anyone who’s ever said to themselves “Is this $%&@ thing even charging?” might be interested in the new version of Plugable’s voltage and amperage meter.

Plug the USBC-VAMeter3 into your device then plug the charging cable into the meter and you’ll see how much power is flowing and in which direction.

A new version USBC-VAMeter3 launched Tuesday for under $30. It can handle more power, which makes it more useful and less likely to be accidentally damaged.

While the Plugable UD-ULTC4K doesn’t have a very exciting name, the USB-C hub does boast a whopping 13 ports. It can add up to three high-res external displays to a Mac, plus USB-A accessories, Ethernet and more.

It’s an improved version of a popular model that first launched back in 2017.

Ever show off your painstakingly constructed computer setup only to have everybody race past the gear just to ogle what’s showing on the screen(s)? The desktop wallpaper.

It’s kind of like that with today’s featured setup, the brainchild of a graphic designer.

He put together the dual-monitor setup around a 13-inch M1 MacBook Pro with a lineup of nice touches. And he also made the neato race-car wallpaper that got most of the attention.

The Plugable UD-6950PDZ Docking Station includes a trio 4K HDMI Ports and the same number of 4K DisplayPort ports. These allow users to mix and match up to three monitors. That includes M1 MacBooks that natively support only one.

The USB-C dock also includes half a dozen USB-A ports, Ethernet and more.

I put this powerful accessory through a battery of hands-on tests to see how it performed. And it lived up to my expectations.

If you want more Thunderbolt ports for your Mac, the Plugable USB4-HUB3A hub offers a trio of them. And they are fully functional, offering up to 40 Gbps transfer speeds and support for 4K monitors. Plus, there’s a USB-A port for good measure.

I put Plugable’s new Thunderbolt hub through a round of testing to be sure it lives up to specs.

Plugable used CES 2022 to unveil a dock that can handle up to three 4K external monitors using either HDMI or DisplayPort. The UD-6950PDZ also has ports for Ethernet, USB-A, audio and more.

In addition, Plugable also announced the USB4-HUB3A, a small hub with three Thunderbolt ports and more.

The new Plugable UD-3900C universal docking station is a reasonably priced means of “hot-desking” with Macs and PCs. That allows hybrid workers to easily connect and get right back on the job when they come back to the office, even if they always use a different desk.

The new Plugable TBT4-HUB3C hub turns a single Thunderbolt 4 port into three of them, expanding the number of high-speed accessories that can be connected to a Mac or iPad Pro. That includes big displays and large-capacity drives.

And Plugable also launched new 1-meter and 2-meter Thunderbolt cables Thursday.

Nobody’s too happy when Apple decides to subtract ports from a new MacBook, but that’s what connectivity hubs are for. The newly launched Plugable 7-in-1 USB-C Charging Hub is no exception, adding seven USB-A ports to your MacBook Pro or MacBook Air.

Plugable’s USBC-Vameter voltage and amperage meter shows how much power is moving through a USB-C connection. It helps users see what’s happening when their devices are charging… or not charging.

On Tuesday, Plugable released a new version of the tiny multi-meter with an easier-to-read OLED screen and other improvements.

Plugable freely admits its new 7-in-1 USB-C hub for Mac or iPad is entering a crowded market. But the accessory maker promises its new USBC-7IN1E multiport adapter stands out from cheap competitors with better hardware.

Nevertheless, the cost is just $30.