Battony USB-C Multiport AV Adapter (4K HDMI, USB 3.0) Review

The Battony USB-C Multiport AV Adapter turns one USB-C port into a 4K HDMI output, a full-size USB 3.0 port and a passthrough charging port. It suits port-starved laptops and phones on the move. Plug and play, no drivers. One catch matters: your device's USB-C port must support video.

Modern laptops and phones have shed their ports for thinness, which is fine until you need a TV, a monitor or a USB stick. A USB-C multiport adapter is the small dongle that hands those ports back. Judge an adapter like this on what it actually adds, the quality of the video and data it carries, how convenient it is, and the one compatibility catch that trips people up. The 4K HDMI and USB 3.0 cover what it adds. Its 5Gbps transfer covers data. Plug-and-play covers convenience. Your device's port support is the catch. It is a neat three-in-one travel adapter rather than a full docking station, and it depends on your USB-C port supporting video, explained below.

It is a compact 3-in-1 design: a single USB-C plug that connects to your laptop or phone and gives you three things back. The headline is the HDMI output. It mirrors or extends your screen to a TV, monitor or projector at up to 4K resolution, which genuinely helps with presentations, big-screen video or a second display at a desk. Alongside it sits a standard USB 3.0 port for a memory stick, drive or accessory. That supports fast data transfer up to 5Gbps, which the maker notes is around ten times quicker than old USB 2.0.

The third port is a USB-C passthrough for charging. It keeps your laptop or phone powered while the adapter is in use, which matters because the dongle occupies the port you would otherwise charge from. Setup is fully plug and play, with no software, drivers or configuration to worry about. It is built pocket-sized for travel rather than as a desk-bound hub. On paper, compatibility is broad, covering a range of recent MacBook, Dell XPS, HP and similar USB-C laptops, plus phones and tablets that support video over USB-C.

Used with a compatible device, it does its job cleanly. Plug it in and a second screen simply appears, letting you extend your laptop across a monitor or throw a film onto the TV in up to 4K. The USB 3.0 port pulls files off a drive at proper speed while the passthrough keeps the battery topped up. For a travel bag or a work-from-anywhere kit, getting HDMI, USB-A and charging from one small dongle is exactly the convenience these adapters are bought for. Plug-and-play means there is nothing to install.

The honest points matter, and they are mostly about your device, not the adapter. Video output over USB-C only works if your device's port supports it, a feature called DisplayPort Alt Mode. Not every USB-C port does. Many entry-level laptops and phones have USB-C ports that only handle data and charging, and older iPhones with Lightning cannot use it at all. So the single most important step is to confirm your specific laptop or phone supports video out over USB-C before buying. Beyond that, single-cable adapters commonly output 4K at a 30Hz refresh rate. That is fine for video but can feel less smooth for desktop mouse work, so check the refresh rate if it matters to you. This is also a three-port travel adapter, not a full dock with ethernet or card readers. Matched to a compatible device and used for what it is, it is a genuinely handy little tool.