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The 5 Best USB-C to HDMI Adapters That Actually Work!

USB-C adapter next to a laptop

The 5 Best USB-C to HDMI Adapters That Actually Work!

Picking up a solid USB to HDMI cable can open up a new world of connectivity, whether you want to link your computer, tablet, or smartphone. Laptops and most devices feature USB-C or thunderbolt as the only I/O. This can come in handy if you need to plug into another screen. So, what are your options?

Here are our top 5 best USB-C to HDMI cables and adapters on the market today:

uni USB C to HDMI Cable for Home Office 6ft (4K@60Hz), USB Type C to HDMI Cable, Thunderbolt 4/3 Compatible with MacBook Pro 2021/2020, MacBook Air,iPad Pro 2021, Surface Book 2, Galaxy S22 and More
$15.99
  • 【USB-C to 4K HDMI Cable】Use the uni Type-C to HDMI Cable with your USB-C device to view sporting events, movies, video games, and photos/albums directly on your HDMI-equipped monitor/display/TV -...
  • 【Compatible & Reliable HDMI Cable】 Plug-&-Play, instantly turns your laptop or phone’s USB-C port into an HDMI port, with no installation necessary. Connect one or two HDMI monitors/displays at...
  • 【Uni-Directional】This USB C to HDMI cable only works to convert from USB C source to HDMI display. Simply connect the USB-C end to your laptop/phone, and the HDMI connector to your TV or other...
  • 【Sturdy & Long-Lasting Design】Braided nylon cable for extra durability and user-friendly non-slip grips for easier plugging & unplugging. Premium aluminum alloy casing for better heat dissipation....
  • 【Thunderbolt 3 Compatible】USB-C Input compatible with Apple MacBook Pro/Air M1, MacBook Pro 2016 or later, MacBook Air 2018 or later, iPad Pro 2018 or later, iPad Air 2020-2022, XPS 17/15/13,...
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03/11/2024 03:46 pm GMT

The UNI is perfect for a home office laptop setup.

Unlike adapters, you don’t need extra cables or accessories with this model. Simply connect the USB-C end to your laptop and the HDMI end to the display. The cable is available in different sizes, from three feet to a whopping 15 feet. It’s well built, with a braided cable jacket and durable aluminum casings on the connectors, meaning it will last you a long time.

On the performance front, the uni USB-C to HDMI adapter supports high-resolution output of up to 4K at 60Hz. It’s also fully compatible with other resolutions and refresh rates—for example, 4K at 30Hz and 1440p at 144Hz. And realistically, for a gaming laptop, you probably won’t be able to drive a game at 4K 144HZ.

Check out the UNI on Amazon.

Connection is Easy!
Apple USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter
$64.99
  • Connect your USB-C-enabled Mac or iPad to an HDMI display, while also connecting a standard USB device and a USB-C charging cable
  • Mirror your Mac Display to your HDMI-enabled TV or display
  • Connect the adapter to a USB-C or Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) port on your Mac or select iPad model and then to your TV or projector via an HDMI cable
  • Use the standard USB port to connect devices such as your flash drive or camera or a USB cable for syncing and charging your iOS devices
  • Requires an HDMI cable (sold separately) for connection to your TV or projector
  • Supports both video and audio output
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03/11/2024 04:22 am GMT

The Apple USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter is a simple USB-C to HDMI adapter designed for Mac devices and the latest iPad models with USB-C connectivity.

This adapter also has a USB-C to allow you to charge your device while having it connected to another screen. It’s build quality is exactly what you would expect from Apple. It outputs high-quality video up to 4K at 60Hz and works with other laptops with USB-C or Thunderbolt ports. So don’t count this adapter out if you’re not an Apple use, although the price tag is quite steep.

Check out the Apple on Amazon.

Turn Your USB-C Port into an HDMI Port
Anker USB C to HDMI Adapter (4K@60Hz), 310 USB-C Adapter (4K HDMI), Aluminum, Portable , for MacBook Pro, Air, iPad Pro, Pixelbook, XPS, Galaxy, and More
$14.99
  • You can connect to any TV or display that has an HDMI port
  • Up to 4K resolution video streaming
  • Plug and play with no software or drivers required
  • 18-month warranty
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
03/11/2024 08:17 am GMT

The Anker (4K HDMI) is perfect for travel with its lightweight and compact design.

The adapter features an aluminum casing and a braided cable between the connectors, allowing better durability and heat dissipation. Anker has well-reviewed batteries and chargers, and this adapter lives up to their excellent reputation. This adapter complies with HDMI 2.0, which supports all common resolutions up to 4K at 60Hz. It works with any laptop, tablet, or mobile phone with a USB-C port.

Check out the Anker on Amazon.

Turn Your USB-C Port into an HDMI Port
Anker USB C to HDMI Adapter (4K@60Hz), 310 USB-C Adapter (4K HDMI), Aluminum, Portable , for MacBook Pro, Air, iPad Pro, Pixelbook, XPS, Galaxy, and More
$14.99
  • You can connect to any TV or display that has an HDMI port
  • Up to 4K resolution video streaming
  • Plug and play with no software or drivers required
  • 18-month warranty
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
03/11/2024 08:17 am GMT

If you want to set up two monitors on a laptop, the Anker is the kind of adapter you need.

extend screen
Moving a window from one monitor to another is called “extending” the screen.

This adapter allows you to drive two external monitors off of one USB-C port freeing up your other I/O if you have more. For Windows users, you can use this to mirror or extend your display real estate. But unfortunately, for Mac users, you can only use this device to mirror the two external displays.

This adapter supports a single 4K monitor at 60Hz or dual 4K monitors at 30Hz. If your laptop has DisplayPort 1.4 or runs an 11th-generation Intel processor or later, you can enjoy 4K at 60Hz across all two monitors. We want to note that even if your laptop only has USB-C ports, the protocol that those ports use to drive displays is still classified as DisplayPort.

Check out the Anker on Amazon.

Excellent for Ultra High Resolution Displays
Cable Matters 48Gbps USB C to HDMI 2.1 Adapter
$31.99
  • The latest HDMI 2.1 standard
  • Supports up to 8K@60Hz resolution or 4K@120 Hz
  • Durable braided cable prevents fraying
  • Metal connectors with aluminum enclosure
  • LED power light
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03/11/2024 06:07 am GMT

The Cable is an excellent option for those with the latest TVs or monitors with HDMI 2.1.

It’s a USB-C to HDMI 2.1 adapter that lets you enjoy 4K at 120Hz gaming or breathtaking 8K content from your laptop or PC. If 120HZ is not fast enough for you, you can choose to run it at 1080p instead for a blazing fast refresh rate of 240Hz.

Again Mac users have a slight disadvantage with this adapter, only allowing them to run at 4K 60Hz. The build quality of this adapter is excellent, with a braided cable and aluminum housing. If you are looking for stunning resolution on the go, look no further; this Cable Matters adapter is the way to go.

Check out the Cable on Amazon.

How To Pick The Best USB-C to HDMI Adapter: Step-by-Step

With more and more devices only offering USB-C I/O, these adapters are becoming increasingly available. That does make the decision process a little bit more complicated, though. Luckily, we have some features to look at, and after you go through these steps, it should make the process a lot easier.

  • Adapter or Cable?
  • Resolution and Refresh Rate
  • Mac or Windows?

Adapter or Cable

The first question you should ask yourself is whether you want a cable or an adapter. Cables make it a more streamlined process to hook up. So if you are looking for a one-cable solution, a USB-C to HDMI cable is the way to go.

But if you use multiple monitors in multiple locations, we recommend looking at an adapter instead. This makes it easier to use the HDMI cable already at the location, and still carry around a small adapter.

Resolution and Refresh Rate

When it comes to these cables or adapters, the second thing you have to consider is the resolution you want your external display to be driven at. You might be able to find an adapter that is a killer deal, but it might only be able to display a 1080p 60Hz signal. However, all the products we recommended above can at least run 4K.

The refresh rate is when your screen refreshes the image on screen per second. The higher the number, the more responsive your screen feels. For most people and everyday use, 60Hz is a reasonable refresh rate. However, for all the gamers out there, you will want to be sure that the adapter or cable supports higher refresh rates. We recommend looking at ones that offer at least 120Hz or above.

Mac or Windows

This is the last thing we recommend filtering out. Many of these adapters and cables now support both Windows and Mac. But we thought it was worth including wanting for the best experience on either device.

For Mac users, the most consistent adapter we have found was the one from Apple. This is because Apple has a lot of proprietary protocols for display drivers. On the other hand, Windows users will not run into many adapters that don’t work for them.

What To Know Before Buying a USB-C to HDMI Adapter

After going through those 3 steps above, there is not much more to consider before buying a USB-C to HDMI adapter. Many of these products are plug-in-play, and very few require driver installs to work.

However, you will want to check that the USB-C port you intend to use is working correctly and is compatible with the DisplayPort protocol you are looking to use. An excellent way to do this is to look up the specs of your laptops online, specifically in the I/O section.

Using USB-C to HDMI Adapters: What it’s Like?

All of these adapters that we talked about in this article are a pleasure to use. Specifically, we would like to shout out the Anker dual display adapter as a surprise favorite. This adapter does an excellent job of driving two displays from just one port, especially on Windows devices allowing for 3 distinct screens for a laptop.

You cannot really go wrong with any of these products, though; they are the best for good reasons.

After an initial couple of uses, the novelty might wear off, but being able to convert a USB-C-only device to use HDMI is quite a fantastic experience. Especially if you were hesitant to make an upgrade over the fear of having only USB-C.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does USB C to HDMI adapter affect quality?

You don’t lose quality with a USB-C to HDMI adapter, but you have to make sure the display supports the correct HDMI specification.

Are all USB-C to HDMI cables the same?

No, not all USB-C cables are equal. USB-C stands for the shape and type of connector, which is the same for all USB-C cables, but not all cables support the same kind of protocols and transfer speed.

Can USB C to HDMI work both ways?

Most USB-C to HDMI cables are not sold as directional cables, but if you want to use your laptop or tablet as a display, that will not work. This is because laptop display protocols are only meant for output, not input.

Why are USB-C to HDMI cables so expensive?

With a smaller production run, prices are higher. Once the demand scales up and the supply with it, costs for manufacturing will fall.

Do you lose quality with longer HDMI cables?

The loss in quality does depend on the cable. Still, the length of an HDMI cable does have a negative effect on signal quality, with manufacturers generally not recommending cables over 20 feet. The absolute maximum distance HDMI can send a signal is 50 feet.

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