The Surface Pro 8 is a brilliant 2-in-1 Windows laptop but due to its form factor, it isn't exactly packed with ports. Fortunately, it does have USB-C, which means you can easily and affordably expand your options with a USB-C hub or an adapter. And if you don't have a Surface Pro 8, the great thing is that all these hubs will work with all your favorite USB-C-enabled laptops and tablets, including other Surface devices like the new Surface Laptop Go 2. Here are the best USB-C adapters and hubs for Surface Pro 8.
Top pick
If you're looking to expand your connectivity, the CalDigit SOHO should be in your basket. It adds six total ports, power delivery to keep charging your Surface Pro 8, and it has a removable host cable. With 10Gbps USB-C performance, it will gobble up everything you can throw at it, as well as support dual 4K external monitors.
Travel companion
The OWC USB-C Travel Dock is, as the name implies, the perfect travel companion. It has an integrated cable that stows away neatly on the bottom, and the port selection is just right. You get Gigabit Ethernet, SD card, USB, HDMI, and 100W passthrough so you can get everything you need on your Surface Pro 8 from this one little puck.
Budget choice
This 5-in-1 Anker USB-C hub adds two USB-A 3.0, an HDMI port with support for 4K output, as well as SD and microSD card readers. This is one of the more affordable USB-C hubs that is ideal if you just need to add more ports to your Surface Pro 8 without spending a lot of cash.
USB-C To USB-A
Sometimes all you need to do is turn USB-C into USB-A. This 2-pack of adapters gets the job done without hassle or taking up any room in your laptop bag. They're well built and won't look out of place sticking out of the side of your Surface Pro 8 while making sure you can hook up any of your legacy USB devices.
Get connected
This USB-C to Ethernet adapter from Tecknet will give your Surface Pro 8 the best possible internet connection with wired speeds up to 1Gbps. It's a sleek little aluminum adapter with status lights on the end to let you know it's working and nothing more. Perfect to toss in your bag, smaller and more affordable than larger docks with ports you might not even need.
Multiple displays
If you want to really turn your Surface Pro 8 into a desktop PC with multiple displays, then this is something you need in your arsenal. It includes two DisplayPorts and one HDMI port, so you won't be able to connect any other USB devices to it, but if you need something simple and compact to hook up displays, this is the one to get.
Ergonomic focus
Sitting in front of your laptop all day everyday can be neck-breaking work. IOGEAR's Dock Pro helps mitigate that as this USB hub integrates a laptop stand, allowing you to both expand your device's port selection as well as position your notebook's display at an elevated, more ergonomic angle that helps reduce back, neck, and shoulder strain. IOGEAR's hub works best with a laptop, though with a Surface, you can use the most upright angle on the dock without the Type Cover attached.
A smarter USB hub
The DockCase hub comes with a compact HD display to quickly display which connections are used, how much power is consumed, whether you have USB-A drives connected, and how fast data is being transferred. While the display may seem like a gimmick, it is a useful tool in our testing to diagnose why connected devices aren't working properly, whether it's due to a loose connection or an entirely bigger issue. Build quality is superb, and the display adds a new twist to a very utilitarian product.
Premium travel companion
Anker's USB-C Hub 655 is an 8-in-1 hub with a braided USB-C cable that's used to connect to your Surface Pro or laptop of choice. The bundled cable means one fewer thing to carry while traveling, and the braided fabric adds extra durability. You'll get access to plenty of ports and card slots, but the downside is that you won't find any extra USB-C ports for connecting more USB-C peripherals.
The bottom line
Thanks to having a USB-C port, the Surface Pro 8 can be easily expanded to offer a number of additional features. Whether you want to add additional ports, external displays, or memory card readers, there's a compatible dock or adapter that will do the job.
The CalDigit SOHO dock is the best of the bunch, covering off all the main connectors you might want to attach to your Surface Pro 8. It is a tad pricey, but that's OK because there are some great budget alternatives.
USB-C can also be used alongside the Surface Connect port, so if you already have an existing Surface Dock, you can pair it alongside a USB-C hub for maximum connectivity.
If you're at your desk and want to minimize clutter, you can connect your Microsoft tablet to a USB-C monitor. Many of these displays come with a built-in hub on the rear where you'll be able to connect additional peripherals. This way, you'll have just one cable running from the Surface Pro 8 to the monitor.
Chuong's passion for gadgets began with the humble PDA. Since then, he has covered a range of consumer and enterprise devices, raning from smartphones to tablets, laptops to desktops and everything in between for publications like Pocketnow, Digital Trends, Wareable, Paste Magazine, and TechRadar in the past before joining the awesome team at Windows Central. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, when not working, he likes exploring the diverse and eclectic food scene, taking short jaunts to wine country, soaking in the sun along California's coast, consuming news, and finding new hiking trails. For news tips or to connect, please message him on the Signal messaging app at +1 (424) 666-7438.
