This $40 Anker dock turns your laptop’s USB-C port into 8 connections | usagoldmines.com

If your laptop has just one or two ports and you’re always swapping between them to plug in monitors, flash drives, keyboards, mice, and whatever else, you deserve to treat yourself with a proper docking solution. This Anker 8-in-1 Laptop Docking Station is $40 at Amazon, which is a 26% discount off its usual $54.

Like any hub or dock, this one plugs into your laptop’s USB-C port and turns it into a bunch of usable ports, but this one stands out for two reasons: it’s eight full-blown connections, two of them 4K HDMI and one 85W USB-C Power Delivery. That makes this perfect for productivity laptops, allowing you to expand your setup with dual 4K/30Hz monitors and keep your laptop charged despite taking up its USB-C port.

The other ports are useful too, including double USB-A for data or peripherals, SD and microSD slots for cards, and Ethernet for a stable internet connection as needed.

One thing to keep in mind, however, is that if you’re on a Mac, using both HDMI outputs will show the same image on both (mirrored) instead of treating them as separate spaces (extended). Also worth noting is that this dock is only compatible with Windows, macOS, and Chrome OS—it will not work with Linux machines.

At $40, this 8-in-1 hub is a solid value for any thin-and-light laptop that’s lacking in usable ports. If you want to expand your laptop into a capable workstation, this is a great entry-level option. For more options, check out PCWorld’s picks for the best USB-C hubs and best Thunderbolt docks.