Guidemaster: Picking the right Thunderbolt 3 or USB-C dock for your desk

Enlarge (credit: Valentina Palladino)

Update: After publishing our original Thunderbolt 3 or USB-C dock recommendations in July 2018, Ars has been testing new docks and hubs on and off ever since. Below, we've updated our picks ahead of the 2019 holiday shopping season.

The introduction of USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 ports and the transition away from legacy ports hasn't been smooth. PC and smartphone OEMs began using the USB-C port a few years ago because it allowed companies to make thinner devices with faster ports. Gargantuan in comparison, the USB-A ports we all know and love from thumb drives take up a lot of space on devices, they don't handle data transfer as efficiently as new ports, and they're limited when it comes to multiple connections and charging.

USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 are the way of the future, but most of our accessories are stuck in the past. PC and smartphone OEMs led the way by adopting USB-C as standard, but that often leaves users to search for an adapter or dongle to connect all of the peripherals they already have. On top of that, many new peripherals are still using the old connections.

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