USB-C for audio works fine. I use a usbc to trs adapter with my wired ones.
For display out, the HDMI out is generally more consistent, but nothing really wrong with Display port over usbc, it just sometimes needs plugging/replugging.
I even saw one laptop that only had 2 USB-C ports, with 1 of them to use for charging. (Dell XPS 13 for example)
It's very important for me to connect my laptop to a monitor, and to use earbuds, be connected to ethernet, and to have a charger going, all at the same time. I have an old laptop with an HDMI output port, USB, and direct audio jack for earbuds.
I'm struggling to accept that dongles are fast enough or reliable enough. What if I get a HDMI dongle or audio dongle and the connection keeps dropping on my video calls? A direct connections feels "safer" to me than a USB-C splitter.
What do you think. Should I still look for laptops with direct HDMI/Audio/USB connections, or are USB-C only laptops still reliable enough even if you need a dozen different dongles?
For display out, the HDMI out is generally more consistent, but nothing really wrong with Display port over usbc, it just sometimes needs plugging/replugging.