Anker 563 USB-C Hub Review
Discover the Anker 563 USB-C Hub: a sleek, 10-in-1 gadget that elegantly orchestrates your tech life with dual 4K HDMI and 85W charging. Harmony at its finest!
Have you ever found yourself juggling multiple devices, wishing for a single solution to streamline your tech life? You’re not alone, and that’s where this nifty little gadget enters stage left, ready to perform some electronic alchemy. The Anker 563 USB-C Hub (10-in-1, Dual 4K HDMI) is eager to solve the problem of scattered connections, much like a well-trained conductor manages an orchestra. So, let’s settle in and sift through the essentials of how this gadget might just be the ultimate sidekick for your tech-crazed world.
The Elegant Ensemble: Design and Build Quality
The Anker 563 USB-C Hub looks and feels like an overachiever, despite being inconspicuous at first glance. Picture a gadget that’s not flashy, yet right at home in a sleek veneer of modern tech. It’s like hosting a black-tie event—simple yet sophisticated, and free from the fussy frills that sometimes plague these sorts of gadgets.
The Subtle Showstopper
The hub’s unassuming design can easily be mistaken for any other tech accessory—until you actually begin to use it. Its well-constructed body houses all the exciting action without screaming for attention. It’s as if the device is confident in its capabilities and doesn’t need to flaunt it. A neat finish of a dark-hued alloy adds a touch of elegance, reassuring you that this gadget was built to last.
Port-O-Mania: A Port for Every Occasion
Remember when Wallace had to wrangle his trousers in “The Wrong Trousers”? Thankfully, dealing with this hub is far from that level of chaos—it’s more of a breath of relief. Here’s the breakdown of what the Anker 563 packs into its slender silhouette:
- HDMI Ports: 2
- USB-C Upstream Port: 1
- USB-C Data Port: 1
- USB-A Data Ports: 2
- SD Card Slot: 1
- MicroSD Card Slot: 1
- Ethernet Port: 1
- PD-IN Charging Port: 1
And all of these eager elements find their home in a device less cumbersome than your good old sitcom collection.
Anker 563 USB-C Hub (10-in-1, Dual 4K HDMI), Docking Station Dual Monitor, with Max 100W Pd-in, 5Gbps USB Data Ports for Windows Laptops, Dell XPS, Thinkpad, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air and More
Technical Pas de Deux: Performance and Compatibility
In another world, this hub could be a ballet dancer—effortlessly lifting multiple devices in a remarkably graceful manner. And, just as a dancer needs the right partner, this hub pairs beautifully with modern laptops.
Ballet of Ports: Dual 4K Display
Thanks to its two HDMI ports, the Anker 563 allows you to waltz into the realm of dual 4K displays. Whether you’re extending your screen or mirroring it for dramatic effect, expect remarkable clarity. Imagine painting with a palette full of vibrant colors—all thanks to the support for up to two external monitors. It’s like having Picasso himself step in to manage your masterpieces.
Compatibility Waltz
A key question sways in every mind: Will my laptop play nice with this hub? Rest assured, we’ve got this performance well-rehearsed for harmony. Supporting USB-C, USB4, and Thunderbolt connections, this device is like the charming Gatsby of the tech world. Invite your MacBook, Windows 10 or 11, ChromeOS laptop, and they’ll be met with open arms and a spot on the dancefloor. Sadly, Linux sits this one out, perhaps whiling away the time at a different party.
Quickstep Through Data
Elvis once sang about being lonesome, but you’ll be anything but with data speeds reaching up to 5 Gbps via USB-C and USB-A data ports. It’s a speedy shuffle that suits large file transfers, sharing work, and backing up your digital life.
Energy Efficient Pirouette
If you’ve got a laptop that runs out of juice at the most inconvenient moments, this hub’s got a sweet trick up its sleeve: 85W pass-through charging. The catch? You’ll need a 100W charger to power the performance, but only the PD-IN port supports said charging. It’s a small pirouette around finding the right partner if you will but totally worth it for the reliability.
Unboxing: What Comes in My Box?
Anyone who’s participated in Secret Santa knows the thrilling anxiety of not knowing what you’ll receive. Luckily, this hub’s a send-off straight to your doorstep about as straightforward as these things come.
The Final Reveal
What you’ll get is a hub that’s compact yet impactful, complete with an 18-month warranty to smooth over any jittery synapse. Additionally, there’s a cordial welcome guide to help would-be technophobes through their initial setup. And for the grand finale: Anker’s oh-so-helpful customer service. It’s like discovering that your blind date knows magic tricks—quite the pleasant surprise!
Table of Features and Specs
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Number of Ports | 10 |
| HDMI Ports | 2 |
| USB-C Upstream Port | 1 |
| USB-C Data Port | 1 |
| USB-A Data Ports | 2 |
| SD Card Slot | 1 |
| MicroSD Card Slot | 1 |
| Ethernet Port | 1 |
| PD-IN Charging Port | 1 (Requires 100W charger) |
| Compatibility | MacBook, Windows 10/11, ChromeOS |
| Charging Support | 85W Pass-Through |
Finale: Using The Anker 563 USB-C Hub Day-to-Day
Using this hub promises a splendid assembly of charm, with just enough flair to make day-to-day tech endeavors less mundane. Whether you’re clicking through files, streaming your favorite shows across twin 4K screens, or transferring data for another work project with unusual ease, it’s all here on the center stage.
The Daily Grind
In the hustle and bustle of daily tasks, quality and ease of use for tech gadgets define whether it’s a hit or miss. Fortuitously, the Anker 563’s thoughtful design and seamless integration make ordinary days just a hint more extraordinary.
Grabbing the Spotlight
For those who thrive on minimalism mixed with power, this is as good an investment as that proper pillow you finally bought for quality sleep. It works in a streamlined fashion, championing both important meetings and leisure pursuits with equal aplomb. It’s as if Mary Poppins herself deemed it “practically perfect in every way.”
In the end, the Anker 563 USB-C Hub (10-in-1, Dual 4K HDMI) invites you to stop wishing for a gadget that rises to every occasion. This one’s already here, waiting to show you that it’s more than ready to be your next sidekick.
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Docking Station Intelligence
The standards are confusing by design. These three panels decode what manufacturers won’t explain clearly. Applicable to every docking station.
The USB-C Confusion Matrix
The USB-C connector is the single greatest source of buyer confusion in docking stations. The physical plug looks identical whether it carries USB 2.0 at 480 Mbps or Thunderbolt 5 at 120 Gbps — a 250x difference in capability hidden behind the same shape. Manufacturers exploit this by labeling everything "USB-C compatible" without specifying which protocol runs through it. Two docks can look identical on the outside and behave completely differently once you plug them in.
The hierarchy matters because it determines everything: how many monitors your dock can drive, how fast files transfer, whether your laptop charges while docked, and whether you need third-party drivers. Here is the real capability ladder, from slowest to fastest:
The practical takeaway: if your laptop has Thunderbolt 4, buy a Thunderbolt dock. If it only has generic USB-C, verify whether it supports DisplayPort Alt Mode before buying anything with multi-monitor claims. Our buying guide walks through verification steps for every major laptop brand.
Power Delivery: What the Watts Mean
Power Delivery (PD) determines whether your docking station can charge your laptop while you work, or whether you need a separate charger cluttering your desk. The math is simple but rarely explained: your laptop draws a specific wattage under load, and the dock must match or exceed it. If the dock delivers less than your laptop needs, the battery slowly drains even while plugged in — defeating the purpose of a docking station entirely.
Most ultrabooks need 45–65W. Standard business laptops need 65–100W. Gaming and workstation laptops can demand 100–140W or more. The dock’s advertised PD wattage is the maximum it can deliver to your laptop — but this drops if you charge other devices (phones, tablets) through the dock simultaneously. Always leave a 15–20W margin above your laptop’s requirement.
Check your laptop’s original charger wattage — that’s your baseline. Our FAQ covers how to find this for every major brand.
Native Display vs DisplayLink: The Hidden Factor
This is the decision most buyers don’t know they’re making. When a docking station outputs video to your monitors, it uses one of two fundamentally different methods: native (the dock passes your laptop’s GPU signal directly to the monitor) or DisplayLink (the dock compresses video over USB and a software driver renders it). The difference is invisible in marketing materials but profoundly affects your daily experience.
Native output through DisplayPort Alt Mode or Thunderbolt uses your laptop’s actual graphics hardware. There is zero added latency, full DRM support for streaming services, no CPU overhead, and no driver to install. DisplayLink, by contrast, adds 5–15ms of latency (noticeable in video calls and cursor movement), blocks DRM content on connected monitors (Netflix, Disney+ show black screens), consumes 3–8% of your CPU constantly, and requires a driver that Apple’s macOS security updates occasionally break.
DisplayLink exists for one reason: Apple Silicon base chips (M1, M2, M3) can only drive one external display natively. If you need two or more monitors on a base MacBook Air or 13” MacBook Pro, DisplayLink is your only option. For everyone else — Windows users, Mac Pro/Max chip users, Intel/AMD laptops — native is always the better choice.
Native (Alt Mode / Thunderbolt)
DisplayLink (USB compression)
The bottom line: if your laptop supports native multi-display output, always choose a native dock. DisplayLink is a workaround, not an upgrade. See our glossary for detailed definitions.
COMMAND CENTERCOMMAND CENTER
Six tools that decode the confusion manufacturers create. Port protocols, power budgets, display configurations, compatibility, desk planning, and future-proofing. Full buying guide →
Port Protocol DecoderWhat does your connection type actually support? Glossary
Power Delivery CalculatorCan this dock keep your laptop charged?
Display Configuration PlannerCan your dock push enough pixels?
Laptop-to-Dock CompatibilityWill this dock work with YOUR laptop?
Desk Setup ArchitectWhat ports do you actually need?
Select everything you need to connect: