From Travel to Desk, Plugable’s New Hubs Deliver Ultra-High 4K 144Hz Resolution and Ports for Under $60

The new 6-in-1 and 8-in-1 USB-C hubs bring high-refresh-rate HDMI 2.1 and 100W pass-through charging to Windows, ChromeOS, and Mac laptops

REDMOND, Wash. (October 20, 2026) — Plugable Technologies, a longtime leader in USB-C and Thunderbolt connectivity solutions for professionals and businesses, today expands its hub lineup with two new USB-C hubs, the Plugable USB-C 6-in-1 Hub (USBC-6IN1) and USB-C 8-in-1 Hub with Ethernet (USBC-8IN1E).

The latest additions to Plugable’s professional-grade hub lineup support a single external display at up to 4K 144Hz or 8K 30Hz over HDMI 2.1, support up to 100W pass-through charging to the laptop, and work without drivers on Windows, ChromeOS, and macOS. The USBC-6IN1 is available today for $39.99 and the USBC-8IN1E for $59.99.

Until now, the USBC-10IN1E was the only hub in Plugable’s lineup to support 4K 144Hz, offering workstation-class features like fast storage, 2.5Gbps Ethernet, and 140W charging. The 6-port hub and 8-port hub bring that same HDMI 2.1 display performance to smaller, more affordable hubs for people who want their laptop to drive a 144Hz monitor smoothly from a single cable. At 144Hz, scrolling, cursor movement, and scrubbing through a video timeline look the way the monitor was designed to show them.

USBC-6IN1: High refresh rate in a compact hub

The 6-port hub brings 4K 144Hz support to the entry-level end of Plugable’s hub lineup, offering an option for users who want high-refresh-rate display performance without Ethernet or card readers. Measuring 4.79 × 1.34 × 0.45 in, the very portable space gray aluminum hub features a built-in 6.7 in USB-C cable. Alongside the HDMI 2.1 port, it adds one USB-C data port and three USB-A ports, all at 5Gbps, with up to 7.5W charging on the USB-C port and one USB-A port. HDMI 2.1 also carries HDR, 8, 10, and 12-bit color for photo and video work, and HDCP 2.3 for protected streaming content. It’s built for video editors, designers, developers, and gamers who travel light but plug into a high-refresh-rate monitor at the other end.

USBC-8IN1E: Ethernet and dual card readers for creatives on the move

For users who need more connectivity, the 8-in-1E adds high-refresh-rate display support to Plugable’s everyday hub options. It pairs 4K 144Hz HDMI 2.1 output with Gigabit Ethernet for a wired connection that’s more reliable than Wi-Fi, plus SD and microSD card readers (UHS-I, up to 104 MB/s) that work simultaneously. Photographers and video editors can offload two cards side by side instead of swapping one at a time. It also includes a 5Gbps USB-C data port, a 5Gbps USB-A port, and a USB-A 2.0 port suited to 2.4GHz wireless mouse and keyboard receivers. The aluminum hub measures 5.99 × 1.34 × 0.55 in with a built-in 6.7 in cable.

“We built the 6-in-1 and the 8-in-1E to give customers flexibility. It isn’t just about counting ports,” said Lynn Smurthwaite-Murphy, CEO of Plugable. “With industry-wide constraints driving prices higher, and availability lower, we are always looking for ways for our customers to extend the life of the hardware they already own. These hubs do just that.”

Charging and compatibility

Both hubs support up to 100W from a USB-C Power Delivery charger and pass up to 85W to the laptop, keeping 15W to run their own ports. PD 3.0 Fast Role Swap helps keep connected devices running if the charger is unplugged. A power supply is not included and not required for use.

For video output, laptops must support Alternate Mode (“Alt Mode”) video over USB-C. All Thunderbolt and USB4-enabled laptops and most modern USB-C laptops support Alt Mode. Achieving 4K 144Hz or 8K 30Hz requires DP 1.4 with DSC on Windows, or a compatible Mac running macOS 26 or later (M1/M2 Pro or Max, or M3 and newer), along with an HDMI 2.1 cable and compatible display. Base M1 and M2 MacBooks, MacBook Neo, and laptops with DisplayPort 1.2 are limited to 4K 60Hz.

Pricing and availability

The Plugable USB-C 6-in-1 Hub (USBC-6IN1) is available on Amazon and Plugable.com for $39.99 with a 20% launch discount, and the USB-C 8-in-1 Hub with Ethernet (USBC-8IN1E) is available on Amazon and Plugable.com for $59.99 with a 20% launch discount. Both are backed by a two-year warranty, access to Plugable’s North America-based human support team, as well as Watts, Plugable’s AI support assistant for quick answers.