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Gallery: USB-C devices and accessories

Here's our guide to some of the best adapters for your older USB peripherals, as well as the smartest new devices that offer the full versatility of USB-C.
By Cliff Joseph, Contributing Writer
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1 of 11 Belkin

USB-C

It's taken a while, but manufacturers other than Apple have finally begun to adopt the versatile new USB-C interface. As well as providing higher speeds, USB-C can perform multiple tasks -- providing power supply, data and file transfer, and even handling audio and video output.

But, of course, most of us are still using existing printers, hard drives and other peripherals that use older USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 interfaces. So here's our guide to some of the best adapters for your older USB peripherals, as well as the smartest new devices that offer the full versatility of USB-C.

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2 of 11 Apple

Apple USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter

Apple received a lot of complaints about the high prices of its own range of USB-C cables and adapters and so, following the launch of the new MacBook Pro range last year, it announced some 'temporary' discounts on several devices.

The best option for most users will be this Multiport adapter, originally costing £65, which includes a USB-C connector, USB-A for older peripherals, and HDMI for an external monitor. Apple's not saying when the price discount will end, but the current price of £49 means that the Multiport Adaptor is actually cheaper than most of the third-party alternatives that we've seen recently.

Apple USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter

£49 / $49

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3 of 11 Belkin

Belkin USB-C Car Charger With USB-A Port

Belkin has an extensive range of USB-C cables and adapters, as well as some of the first in-car accessories that we've come across. Three separate car chargers are available, although this dual adapter is probably the best bet for people who need a bit of backwards compatibility too. The charger has a fixed USB-C cable with 15W output for charging smartphones and tablets, but also includes a separate USB-A port so you can charge up older devices too.

We're not sure that the 4ft (1.2m) fixed cable is an entirely sensible idea (apart from anything else, it's a bit untidy when you're not using it), but Belkin does make a separate model with a detachable USB-C cable (but no USB-A port) if you prefer (see image inset).

Belkin USB-C Car Charger With USB-A Port

£24.99 / $34.99

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4 of 11 Elgato

Elgato Thunderbolt 3 Dock

Elgato's Thunderbolt Dock has proved popular with many professional Mac users who need a versatile desktop dock. This new version (due in February) supports Thunderbolt 3, which, rather than following Apple's traditional proprietary approach, uses the USB-C connector, thereby providing compatibility with a wider range of USB peripherals and Windows PCs.

There's a single USB-A port on the front, along with two 3.5mm connectors for headphones and microphone. Tucked around the back you'll find two more USB-A ports, RJ-45 Ethernet, two Thunderbolt 3/USB-C ports and a separate DisplayPort interface for a second monitor. It's expensive, at £269.95, but probably still cheaper and more convenient than buying a whole bunch of adapters for your new MacBook Pro.

Elgato Thunderbolt 3 Dock

£269.95 / $300

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5 of 11 Griffin

Griffin BreakSafe USB-C Power Cable

The MagSafe power cables that Apple used on its MacBook laptops for many years were both popular and practical. The cables were held in place magnetically, and would easily detach themselves if you tripped over the cable or attempted to stretch it too far, thereby avoiding many potentially costly accidents for MacBook owners.

Sadly, Apple has ditched the MagSafe connector for some of its recent laptops, as it switched over to the new USB-C interfaces instead. However, Griffin's BreakSafe combines a USB-C cable with a little magnetic adaptor that works just like the old MagSafe. And if you think that sounds like a good idea then the company also makes a BreakSafe cable for older USB-A connectors too.

Griffin BreakSafe USB-C Power Cable

£29.99 / $39.99

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6 of 11 Kanex

Kanex GoPower USB-C

Battery packs and chargers are a necessary evil for many business travellers, and the Kanex GoPower is also one of the larger and more expensive chargers currently available -- but it should at least ensure that it keeps your portable office running for longer than most of its rivals.

It's a little on the chunky side, measuring 175mm by 125mm by 12mm, but that gives the GoPower room for a powerful rechargeable battery with a capacity of 15,000mAh. That's enough to fully charge Apple's ultraportable MacBook laptop, for example, or to provide multiple charges to smaller devices such as smartphones and tablets. It's got both USB-C and USB-A interfaces, so you can use the GoPower with most devices that charge via USB, including cameras and in-car GPS systems.

Kanex GoPower USB-C

£99.95 / $99.95

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7 of 11 LaCie

LaCie Rugged USB-C

LaCie's portable Rugged drives have been a popular storage option for laptop users over many years, so it's no surprise to see the range updated with a number of new USB-C models.

Like its predecessors, the Rugged USB-C sports LaCie's distinctive orange rubber sleeve, which protects the drive from drops, bumps and rough weather. Prices start at around £125 for a conventional 1TB hard drive with just a single USB-C interface. However, there are several models in the range that include both hard drive and SSD options, as well as models with multiple interfaces, including Thunderbolt and USB 3.0 for older laptops.

LaCie Rugged USB-C

from £125 / $125

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8 of 11 Moshi

Moshi Cardette Type-C

The versatile little USB-C connector can handle power supply, file transfers, and even audio and video signals, but most people will still need some sort of adapter or hub that will let them use peripherals with older USB-A ports.

Moshi's compact Cardette is a good option for travellers who need a portable hub they can carry around with them. Measuring just 11cm wide, 6cm deep and 1.8cm thick and weighing 91g (3.2 ounces), the Cardette can easily slip into a pocket or carrying bag alongside your laptop. Despite its small size, it manages to squeeze in a pair of USB-A ports for a hard drive and other peripherals, as well as slots for SD, Memory Stick and CompactFlash memory cards.

Moshi Cardette Type-C

£39 / $40

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9 of 11 Samsung

Samsung USB-C Sync And Charge

This simple adapter from Samsung will be the cheapest and most straightforward option for most people, and just lets you plug in a USB-A cable so that you can continue to use your existing printer, hard drive, or other peripherals, with a Mac or PC that has USB-C.

You can buy the adapter on its own, but for the same price Samsung also sells a 1m (3.3ft) adapter cable with USB-A and USB-C connectors; or for £19.99 you can get a dual adapter that works with both USB-A and Micro-USB for charging Samsung smartphones and tablets.

Samsung USB-C Sync And Charge

£9.99 / $14.99

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10 of 11 SanDisk

SanDisk Ultra Dual Drive USB-C

SanDisk makes several versions of its Ultra flash-memory stick, including one that just has a single USB-C connector. However, this Dual Drive version will be more useful for most people since, as the name implies, it has both USB-C and standard USB-A connectors, so you can transfer or backup files from a wider range of USB devices.

The pocket-size Dual Drive is available with up to 128GB of storage, but costs around £40, so it's a handy and affordable way of transferring files or freeing up some space on a laptop or other mobile device that has limited internal storage.

SanDisk Ultra Dual Drive USB-C

£40 / $65 (128GB)

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11 of 11 Seagate

Seagate Innov8

Many of the new USB-C products that are hitting the market focus on mobile devices and portability, but Seagate's new Innov8 is a good old-fashioned desktop backup drive. There's just a single version of the drive currently available, with 8TB of storage priced at around £335, which should be adequate for many small businesses and offices.

That's a bit more expensive than a conventional USB 3.0 drive, but the USB-C connector provides the higher speed of USB 3.1 (10Gbps maximum) and can also provide the power supply as well, which means there's no need for a separate power cable.

Seagate Innov8

£335 / $320

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