USB-C ports, which are frequently equipped with Thunderbolt support on laptops, have become one of the most important advancements in mobile PCs over the past decade. These small, unassuming ports have opened up a world of possibilities for connecting a wide range of gadgets.
Whether you want to expand a laptop with sparse I/O, connect multiple monitors, boost graphics performance, or try something else entirely, here are several ways to make the most of your USB-C ports beyond just charging.
Many thin-and-light laptops no longer include full-size HDMI or DisplayPort in their I/O. These bulky connectors add design complexity and can limit how thin a laptop can get—a significant trade-off, especially since most people rarely use them. Instead, there’s a better solution: DP Alt Mode (and the much less common HDMI Alt Mode).
Laptops with USB-C ports that support the DP Alt Mode protocol can connect to a monitor or TV using a compatible adapter to add a secondary screen. It can do resolutions up to 4K at 60Hz, so it’s more than enough for tasks like watching movies on a large screen and even light gaming.
If your laptop only supports DP Alt Mode, but you need HDMI, you can still use an active USB-C adapter that utilizes DP Alt Mode to convert the signal to HDMI. Essentially, it’s like combining a USB-C to DP cable with another DP-to-HDMI adapter in a single unit.
If you’ve never tried connecting a monitor to your laptop, it’s definitely worth a shot. A larger screen provides a huge productivity boost, and you can use your laptop’s display as a secondary monitor for things like a web browser, Notepad, Spotify, or ChatGPT.
And if the monitor has a USB port, there are lots of cool things you can do with it as well. Aside from charging or powering devices, USB passthrough can communicate with your laptop, so it functions like a conveniently placed mini USB hub.
You can even turn the whole laptop into a desktop PC by connecting a wireless keyboard and mouse to create a versatile workstation.
Note that if you want to connect more than one display, and your laptop has a Thunderbolt port (which is physically identical to USB-C), you can use an adapter to connect two DisplayPort or HDMI monitors, up to 4K at 60Hz.
7
Transfer Files At Lightning Speed
If you have a decent laptop made in the last five years, it probably supports USB4 or Thunderbolt 3 or newer, which can provide bandwidth speeds of 40Gbit/s or more, depending on the exact specification. Thunderbolt 5 can reach a whopping 120Gbit/s with the Bandwidth Boost feature enabled, while the standard 80Gbit/s is still nothing to scoff at.
If you often work with large files like raw video footage, game data, or other work files, using the right Thunderbolt or USB4 connection is much faster than uploading everything to the web or relying on a slow storage solution. Thanks to these extreme speeds, you can transfer hundreds of gigabytes in mere minutes.
For example, you can use an external SSD such as the SanDisk Extreme PRO with USB4, or transfer files directly from your laptop to another laptop or your PC using Thunderbolt Share.
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Send High-Quality Audio To Speakers Or Headphones
Although audio cards that are built into most modern laptops are more than fine for most headphones, if you’re a real audiophile, you might consider investing in a proper mobile headphone amp/DAC combo like the FiiO NEWK3. Whether you’re doing audio or video editing, gaming, or just casually listening to music, this one-time investment can noticeably improve your sound experience.
Headphone amps are especially useful for achieving high volume without compromising sound quality. They can also make high-impedance headphones, such as the Sennheiser HD 660 S, truly shine.
The USB-C port doesn’t have to be reserved just for fancy headphone amps. You can also use it to connect a simple USB-C to 3.5mm adapter if your laptop doesn’t have a headphone jack, or the wireless 2.4GHz dongle that some headphones and earbuds include.
I always use the 2.4GHz for my SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds when working or gaming on my laptop instead of Bluetooth because it provides both lower latency and better sound quality.
5
Add Wired Internet With An Ethernet Adapter
Although the gap has narrowed thanks to Wi-Fi 7, a wired Ethernet connection will always outperform Wi-Fi in both speed and stability.
If you spend a lot of time working on your laptop from one location at home or in the office, there’s little reason not to use a wired connection—especially if you’re competing for bandwidth with others on the same network.
Another benefit is that the Wi-Fi network will be less crowded, and you won’t suffer from signal dropouts caused by interference, which is a common issue when your laptop is far from the router. If you’re a gamer or have frequent online meetings, that’s a must!
Unfortunately, most consumer laptops no longer include Ethernet ports, but thanks to USB-C, that’s no longer a dealbreaker. A simple USB-C to Ethernet adapter lets you enjoy all the benefits of a wired connection for a low price.
4
Boost Graphics Performance With An External GPU
If your laptop has Thunderbolt 3 or higher, did you know that you can use it to connect an external GPU? Both eGPUs and eGPU enclosures need lots of bandwidth to work seamlessly with your laptop, which is the perfect use case for Thunderbolt.
If your laptop already has a solid CPU and enough RAM but lacks a dedicated graphics card, an external GPU can transform it into a powerful gaming or 3D rendering machine. It can also be a more affordable alternative to buying both a high-end workstation or gaming PC and a separate laptop.
Really, the only major downside of external GPUs is the price. Whether it’s an eGPU or an enclosure paired with a desktop graphics card, you’ll have to spend significant money, so it might be a good idea to buy used.
3
Charge Your Phone Or Other Gadgets In A Pinch
Okay, maybe I’m cheating a little by including this one, but I think enough people don’t realize it’s an option, so it’s worth mentioning.
Your laptop’s USB-C port isn’t just for connecting gadgets or charging the laptop itself—it can also be used to charge other devices, such as your phone, tablet, earbuds, or smartwatch.
Although the charging speed and power output from a laptop are rather limited, if you’re on the go and all you have is a USB-C to USB-C cable, it’s still better than nothing. You might squeeze out a couple of extra hours of standby time on your phone in case someone calls, or an extra hour of music playback for your earbuds.
2
Keep Cool With a USB-Powered Fan
If summers get hot where you live, you already know how much relief even a simple fan can provide. That’s why a portable USB-C fan that your laptop can easily power might quickly become your favorite accessory during the sweltering months.
You can use it at home, in the office, or take it with you to stay cool on the go. These fans require very little power, so you don’t need to worry much about the impact on battery life. It’s a cheap and simple accessory, but definitely one of my favorites.
1
Hook Up A Hub Or Docking Station To Expand Ports
You probably saw this one coming, but pretty much all the different uses for USB-C ports that I discussed above can be replaced with a decent USB-C hub or docking station.
Whether you need more USB ports, an HDMI port for your monitor, or even an SD card reader, all while still being able to charge your laptop via the same port, you should invest in a USB-C hub. Even a budget-friendly option like the Anker 4-Port USB 3.0 Hub allows you to connect several USB devices to your laptop.
If you’re using Thunderbolt instead of standard USB-C, you can get even more out of your setup thanks to the increased bandwidth. Although Thunderbolt hubs cost a bit more, they’re well worth it if you need to expand your laptop’s limited ports.
For example, the chunky Anker 777 is a 12-in-1 docking station that supports 90W charging and up to three 4K displays, effectively transforming a simple laptop into a serious desktop workstation.
There are many ways to make use of your laptop’s USB-C port. Whether you need an extra display, better sound, or just a simple fan to keep you cool, there’s little reason not to make use of it. If it has two USB-C ports, that’s double the flexibility, especially if you pair it with a decent hub with USB-C PD for charging.