You've got a new laptop with just one USB-C port, and you're considering a hub, but what if it turns out not to work with your specific MacBook, Dell, HP or Lenovo? That's not a vague worry: not every USB-C port can do the same things, and that's not always easy to tell just by looking at the laptop itself. This guide shows you, in three steps, how to check for yourself whether a USB-C hub will work with your laptop, before you order.
What determines whether a USB-C hub works with your laptop at all?
"USB-C" is a shape of port, not a guarantee of what it can do. Two things determine whether a hub actually works the way you expect:
- DisplayPort Alt Mode: the feature that lets a USB-C port send a video signal to a screen through the hub, alongside data. Not every USB-C port has this; without Alt Mode, your HDMI output stays black, even if the cable fits perfectly.
- Power Delivery (PD): the standard by which a USB-C port delivers power, for example to charge your laptop while the hub is connected. How many watts your port and charger can handle determines whether pass-through charging via the hub works.
Data, ethernet and card readers work through virtually any USB-C port, even without Alt Mode. It's specifically video and charging where compatibility comes into play.
How to check it yourself, in 3 steps (before you order)
- Look up "DisplayPort Alt Mode" in your laptop's specifications. Check the specification page or the manual for the terms "USB-C with DP", "USB-C with DisplayPort", "Thunderbolt 3" or "Thunderbolt 4". If one of those terms is listed, video works through the hub.
- Count how many USB-C ports your laptop has. If you only have one, check whether it's also your only charging port: that determines whether you'll be able to charge and use the hub at the same time.
- Compare the wattage of your own adapter with the hub's PD capacity. The Switss 12-in-1 hub delivers 100W passthrough (see below), more than enough for virtually any USB-C laptop.
Step 2 is general hardware knowledge, not a Switss-specific spec: you find the number of USB-C ports simply by looking at your own laptop or checking the specifications.
MacBook (Air/Pro, Apple Silicon): what can and can't you connect?
One external screen always works, three screens don't via this hub
On a MacBook, the Switss 12-in-1 hub works for one external screen via HDMI or VGA, plus all the other ports (ethernet, USB, card readers and audio) work as normal. Three screens at once isn't possible natively on macOS, not even with this hub: that comes down to how macOS handles USB-C video, not a limitation of the hub itself. Do you still want multiple screens on a Mac? Then you need a dock with DisplayLink technology (a chip that converts the video signal in software, instead of via your laptop's native Alt Mode). That's a different product category from this hub.
Apple documents this itself, per chip generation, and it varies. MacBooks with an M1, M2 or M3 chip support one external screen alongside the built-in screen via native USB-C Alt Mode. With the M3 chip that can extend to two external screens, but only with the laptop closed and a separate keyboard and mouse connected; with the lid open it stays at one. From the M4 chip onward (both base and Pro variants), that native maximum has been structurally raised to two external screens at once, even with the lid open. This guide assumes the scenario that applies across every chip generation: one external screen via the hub, with the lid open, exactly as Switss has tested the 12-in-1 hub on a Mac.
Do you work with two or three screens and want to know exactly what is and isn't possible there? That's covered in more detail in Three screens on your laptop or MacBook: what's possible?
Windows laptops from Dell, HP and Lenovo: why it differs per model (not per brand)
This is the core of this guide: the brand (Dell, HP or Lenovo) says nothing on its own about compatibility. What actually matters is the exact port design of that specific model. Within every brand there are both entry-level models with a USB-C port that can only charge, and premium and business models with full DisplayPort Alt Mode and Power Delivery.
Look up the same terms as above, now for your Windows model: your laptop's specification page or manual, looking for "USB-C with DP", "Thunderbolt" or "DisplayPort Alt Mode". Windows Settings or Device Manager doesn't always show this clearly, so the manufacturer's specifications are the most reliable source.
Some well-known examples of models with USB-C + DisplayPort Alt Mode: Dell XPS, HP Spectre and Lenovo ThinkPad X1 (source: the product page of the Switss® 8-in-1 hub, which sets the same Alt Mode requirement as this 12-in-1). These are examples of known models that support the feature, not a guarantee for every configuration or model year of that laptop. If in doubt, always check the specifications of your own unit.
Once you've confirmed Alt Mode support, the following applies on most modern Windows laptops: 2x HDMI and VGA work together for three screens via the Switss 12-in-1 hub. Some older Windows laptops can only drive two external screens through a single USB-C port. In that case, check the specifications of your graphics card.
Have you already connected the hub and the screen still stays black, despite an apparently compatible port? Then USB-C hub and a second monitor: why doesn't it always work? is the next troubleshooting step.
Does the hub still work if my laptop doesn't support video over USB-C?
Does your laptop's specification list only say "USB-C for charging"? Then the hub's HDMI and VGA outputs won't work. But that doesn't make the hub useless: ethernet, the USB ports, the SD/microSD card readers and the audio connection keep working as normal, because those functions don't need Alt Mode. Wondering whether the purchase is still worth it: for everything except video via HDMI/VGA, the hub works on virtually any USB-C laptop.
How much power does my laptop need? (Power Delivery briefly explained)
The Switss 12-in-1 hub delivers 100W via USB-C PD passthrough (the hub passes the power from your own charger through to your laptop via the same cable), enough for virtually any USB-C laptop, including power-hungry models like the MacBook Pro 16 inch (96W). Connect your own USB-C charger to the hub's PD port, and the power reaches your laptop via that same USB-C cable. Don't use more than one charger at a time on the PD port.
Want to know exactly how many watts your own laptop model needs? Charging a laptop through a USB-C hub: how many watts (Power Delivery) do you need? goes deeper into that.
What if the hub still doesn't turn out to work with your laptop?
Despite the check above, there can always be something unexpected about your specific laptop model. That's why there's a 30-day return policy and a 2-year manufacturer's warranty, with Dutch customer service. If the hub doesn't work as expected, you simply send it back.
Frequently asked questions
Does a USB-C hub work with every laptop?
No. It depends on whether your laptop's USB-C port supports DisplayPort Alt Mode (for video) and how many watts it can pass through (for charging). Data, ethernet and card readers work through virtually any USB-C port, even without Alt Mode.
How do I know if my laptop has DisplayPort Alt Mode?
Check your laptop's specification page or manual for the terms "USB-C with DP", "USB-C with DisplayPort", "Thunderbolt 3" or "Thunderbolt 4". Does it only say "USB-C for charging"? Then video won't work through the hub, but the rest of the ports will.
Does the Switss 12-in-1 hub work with my MacBook?
For ethernet, USB, card readers and audio, always. For video: one external screen via HDMI or VGA. Three screens at once isn't possible on macOS, not even with this hub.
I have a Dell, HP or Lenovo laptop, will the hub work with it?
For Windows laptops, it's not the brand but the specific model that determines whether the USB-C port supports Alt Mode. Look up the same terms as above in the specifications of your model.
Does the hub need its own power adapter?
No, the hub draws power through your laptop's USB-C port. Want to charge at the same time? Connect your own USB-C charger to the hub's PD port.
What if the hub doesn't work as expected with my laptop?
30-day return policy and 2-year manufacturer's warranty, with Dutch customer service.
Next step
Do you now know your laptop supports DisplayPort Alt Mode? Check the specifications and current price on the product page: Switss® 12 in 1 USB-C Hub (€29,99, price checked 24-07-2026). Only need one screen and want to pay less? The Switss® 8-in-1 USB-C Hub (from €11,99, price checked 24-07-2026) is a cheaper alternative with the same compatibility requirement.
Still unsure which hub model (5-in-1, 8-in-1 or 12-in-1) best fits your use? Which USB-C hub do I need for my laptop? lays out the choice.
