Good laptops can do every thing desktop computer systems can do, plus they slot in a backpack when it’s time to work or play elsewhere. One notable distinction, although, is the variety of ports on a conveyable pc versus a tower setup. If you would like intensive connectivity once you’re at your desk, whereas nonetheless reserving the power to pack up and go at a second’s discover, docking stations can get you there. Counting on only one USB-C port in your laptop computer and a DC energy provide, a docking station helps you to plug in your wired mice and keyboards, hook up a monitor with HDMI or DisplayPort jacks and switch information to exterior drives and SD playing cards. Figuring out one of the best docking station relies on precisely which ports you want and whether or not the supported requirements of every port will ship the speeds or resolutions you’re searching for. We examined greater than 15 extremely rated docks that will help you decide one of the best laptop computer docking station to your wants.
What to search for in a docking station
Initially, take into account what you want to plug in. This can seemingly be the deciding issue once you go to really purchase a docking station. Do you want three screens for an expanded work view? A fast approach to add photographs from an SD card? Are you seeking to plug in a webcam, mic and streaming gentle, whereas concurrently profiting from sooner Ethernet connections? When you’ve settled on the kind of ports you want, you might also need to take into account the era of these ports as nicely; even ports with the identical form can have completely different capabilities. Right here’s a quick overview of the connectivity completely different docking stations provide.
Monitor ports
Exterior displays sometimes want one in every of three ports to hook up with a PC: HDMI, DisplayPort or USB-C. HDMI connections are extra widespread than DisplayPort and the cables and units that use them are typically extra inexpensive. The most well-liked model of the DisplayPort interface (v1.4) can deal with greater resolutions and refresh charges than the most typical HDMI model (2.0). The entire docking stations with HDMI ports that we advocate right here use model 2.0, which might deal with 4K decision at 60Hz or 1080p as much as 240Hz. The DisplayPort-enabled docks help both model 1.2, which permits for 4K decision at 60Hz, or model 1.4, which might deal with 8K at 60Hz or 4K at 120Hz.
You too can use your dock’s downstream (non-host) Thunderbolt ports to hook up your displays. In case your exterior show has a USB-C socket, you’ll be able to join straight. In case you have an HDMI or DisplayPort-only monitor, you need to use an adapter or a conversion cable.
After all, the variety of displays you’ll be able to join and the resolutions/charges they’ll obtain rely on each your pc’s GPU and your displays — and the extra displays you plug in can carry down these numbers as nicely. You should definitely additionally use cables that help the bandwidth you’re hoping for. MacOS customers ought to take into account that MacBooks with the usual M1 or M2 chips help only one exterior monitor natively and require DisplayLink {hardware} and software program to help two exterior shows. MacBooks with M1 Professional, M2 Professional or M2 Max chips can run a number of displays from a single port.
USB ports
Most docking stations provide a number of USB Sort-A ports, that are nice for peripherals like wired mice and keyboards, bus-powered ring lights and flash drives. For sooner information switch speeds to your flash drive, go for USB-A sockets labeled 3.1 or 3.2 — or higher but, use a USB-C Thunderbolt port.
Sort-C USB ports are available many alternative flavors. The Thunderbolt 3, 4 and USB4 protocols are newer, extra succesful specs that help energy supply of as much as 100W, a number of 4K shows and information switch speeds of as much as 40Gbps. Different USB-C ports are available a variety of variations, with some supporting video, information and energy and a few solely capable of handle information and energy. Switch charges and wattages can differ from port to port, however most docks record the wattage or GB/s on both the dock itself or on the product web page. And once more, reaching the quickest speeds will rely on components just like the cables you utilize and the units you’re transferring information to.
Practically each dock accessible as we speak connects to a pc by way of USB-C, usually Thunderbolt, and people host ports are almost all the time labeled with a laptop computer icon. In addition they permit energy supply to your laptop computer: accessible wattage varies, however most docks are rated between 85 and 100 watts. That must be sufficient to maintain most computer systems powered — and it additionally means you gained’t must take up an additional laptop computer connector for charging.
Different ports
None of our at present really helpful laptops embrace an Ethernet jack; a docking station is an effective way to get that connection again. Everyone knows objectively that wired web is quicker than Wi-Fi, however it would possibly take operating a fundamental velocity comparability take a look at to actually get it on a intestine degree. For reference, on Wi-Fi I get a few 45 megabit-per-second obtain velocity. Over Ethernet, it’s 925 Mbps. In the event you pay for a high-speed plan, however solely ever join wirelessly, you’re most likely leaving a number of bandwidth on the desk. Each docking station I examined contains an Ethernet port, and it could possibly be the connector you find yourself getting essentially the most use out of.
Simply two of our favourite laptops have SD card readers, and for those who want a fast approach to add recordsdata from cameras or audio recorders, chances are you’ll need to get a dock with a kind of slots. Of the docks we examined, about half had SD readers. For now, most (however not all) laptops nonetheless embrace a 3.5mm audio jack, however for those who favor wired headphones and need a extra accessible place to plug them in, many docking stations will present.
If you’re counting up the ports to your new dock, do not forget that most corporations embrace the host port (the one which connects to your pc) within the complete quantity. So for those who’re searching for a dock with three Thunderbolt connections, be sure you examine whether or not one in every of them might be used to plug in your laptop computer.
Design
Most docking stations have both a lay-flat or upright design. Most docks put the extra “permanent” connections in again — reminiscent of Ethernet, DC energy, monitor connections and some USBs. Up-front USB ports can be utilized for flash drive transfers, and even plugging in your cellphone for a cost (simply be sure the port can ship the facility you want). USBs within the rear are finest for keyboards, mice, webcams and different belongings you’re more likely to all the time use. Some docks place the host port up entrance, which could make it simpler to plug in your laptop computer once you return to your desk, however a bunch port in again might look neater general.
How we examined
We began out by on-line opinions, spec sheets from numerous manufacturers and docking stations that our fellow tech websites have lined. We thought of manufacturers we’ve examined earlier than and have preferred, and weeded out something that didn’t have what we take into account a contemporary suite of connections (reminiscent of a dock with no downstream USB-C ports). We narrowed it right down to 12 contenders and I examined every dock in a house workplace, utilizing an M1 MacBook Professional, a Dell XPS 13 Plus and an Acer Chromebook Spin 514. I plugged in and evaluated the standard of the connections for 12 completely different peripherals together with a 4K and an HD monitor, a 4K and an HD webcam, plus USB units like a mouse, keyboard, streaming gentle and mic. I plugged in wired earbuds, and transferred information to a USB-C flash drive and an exterior SSD. I ran fundamental velocity exams on the Ethernet connections in addition to the file transfers. I judged how straightforward the docks had been to make use of in addition to the assorted design components I described earlier. I made spreadsheets and had sufficient wires snaking round my work space that my cat stayed off my desk for 3 weeks (a brand new report).
Greatest docking stations
Photograph by Amy Skorheim / Engadget
Host connection: 2 x USB-C | Energy supply to host: 75W (USB-C) | USB-C: 1 x USB 3.0, 1 x 3.1 | USB-A: 2 | Monitor: 2 x HDMI 2.0, 1 x DisplayPort 1.4 | Aux 3.5mm: No | SD Card: No
The Satechi Twin Dock Stand is completely different from all the opposite docks we examined in two respects: it doesn’t require an influence supply and it goes beneath your MacBook as a substitute of beside it. You may nearly classify it as a hub, however I feel the excessive variety of ports earns it docking-station standing. It plugs into the 2 USB-C ports along with a Mac, which permits MacBooks with M1, M2 or M3 Professional or Max chips to function twin displays in prolonged mode. Sadly, MacBooks with normal M1 or M2 chips, can natively solely energy a second exterior show in mirrored mode. The brand new MacBook Air with the M3 chip can solely energy two shows in prolonged mode with the laptop computer lid closed. In case you have a Mac with an ordinary chip and want two displays, you will want a docking station that helps DisplayLink {hardware} and software program, such because the Kensington SD4780P, which is our high choose for Chromebooks.
Because the Twin Dock works with out energy, it’s lots simpler to arrange than different docks with transformer containers and DC cables. I discovered it made essentially the most sense to simply use the MagSafe connector on the laptop computer, however you may as well provide energy to the dock utilizing the non-data USB-C port and it’ll go 75 watts to your machine.
Each the 4K and HD displays I examined regarded nice and labored nicely in prolonged mode. There are two USB-Cs for a webcam and mic, plus two USB-As which could possibly be used for a dongle mouse and a streaming gentle — that’s seemingly sufficient ports for conferencing or perhaps a fundamental video creator setup. The dock is in the end restricted by the truth that not one of the USB-C connections are Thunderbolt and there are solely two USB-A sockets to work with. Nevertheless it’s an excellent alternative for extending productiveness in a method that tucks beneath a MacBook, neatly shifting the cords to the again of the machine and out of the best way.
- Distinctive design enhances MacBooks
- Can energy two displays on Macs with M1 Professional or M2 Professional chips
- Good number of ports
- Simply two USB-A ports
- No Thunderbolt ports
$150 at Adorama
Photograph by Amy Skorheim / Engadget
Host connection: Thunderbolt 4 | Energy supply to host: 96W (DC) | USB-C: 3 x TB4 | USB-A: 2 | Monitor: 2 x HDMI 2.0 | Aux 3.5mm: Sure | SD Card: Sure
It’s as if Satechi known as me up and requested for the design of my superb docking station. They didn’t, to be clear, however the manages to get proper what so many docks nearly do. First off, there are sufficient downstream USB4 ports to deal with quite a lot of setups, whether or not you want a monitor array or simply need to run a USB-C keyboard similtaneously your webcam and nonetheless have a port left over. You additionally get two HDMI 2.0 connections, an Ethernet jack, two USB-A ports, an SD card slot and a headphone jack.
That’s solely a complete of 10 downstream ports however for most individuals they’re those that supply essentially the most versatility. The trio of Thunderbolt 4 ports can help as much as 8K displays at 60Hz and 40Gbps information transfers. They’ll even ship 15 watts of energy for those who simply must cost your cellphone whilst you work.
You too can hook up your screens by way of HDMI. MacBook customers might want to set up the DisplayLink driver to work round Apple’s prolonged monitor limitations. With the software program, even M1 and M2 MacBooks can hook up two exterior displays in prolonged mode. Home windows laptops and M2/M3 Professional and Max chips can have as much as 4 prolonged displays related — two by way of the Thunderbolt ports and two by means of the HDMI connections (once more utilizing DisplayLink tech).
Along with the goldilocks port choice, the association of these ports is kind of logical. From this slim and glossy slab, a bunch connection lives on one facet, permitting for one neat line to your pc. Connections which are more likely to keep put (displays, DC energy, Ethernet and Thunderbolts) are throughout again, whereas the jacks you’ll most likely change up extra usually, such because the USB-A for thumb drives, the three.5mm jack for headphones and the SD card reader, are within the entrance. Proper subsequent to these is a useful on-off change, so you’ll be able to simply flip off all of your peripherals at night time to scale back your energy draw.
The dock delivers on the promise of its intelligent port choice and association. My twin prolonged displays regarded nice and achieved the marketed refresh charges and resolutions, the info transfers had been smoking fast and I used to be capable of (lastly) absolutely join my very fundamental setup with out compromise: Two displays, a webcam, streaming gentle, microphone, keyboard and mouse. I did discover my 4K monitor had the slightest lag when the second monitor was plugged in, however it was minor and solely noticeable when displaying the webcam video.
One minor criticism is the DisplayLink and Thunderbolt branding throughout the entrance and high. They distract from the in any other case elegant look of the high-end aluminum exterior. One not-so-minor concern is how heat the unit acquired as I used it over the course of a pair days. At occasions, it was almost too scorching to carry my hand on comfortably. I by no means observed any opposed efficiency results in consequence, however it’s attainable that would develop into a difficulty in the long run. As for worth, it’s listed at $300; that’s not the most costly dock we’ve examined, however it’s definitely not the most affordable. However for the efficiency and considerate design, it’s a Thunderbolt dock that could possibly be price it for lots of people.
- Wonderful array of ports
- Ports cleverly organized
- Can help as much as 4 exterior displays
- DisplayLink driver permits for twin prolonged displays on standard-chip MacBooks
- Lay-flat design can take up a number of desk house with no mount
- Unit runs very popular
$300 at Satechi
Photograph by Amy Skorheim / Engadget
Host connection: Thunderbolt 4 | Energy supply to host: 98W (DC) | USB-C: 2 x TB4, 3 x 3.2 | USB-A: 5 | Monitor: 1 x DisplayPort 1.4 | Aux 3.5mm: 1 x audio combo, 1 x audio in, 1 x audio out | SD Card: SD and microSD
There’s lots to understand about CalDigit’s TS4 docking station: It has a sturdy, upright design with a bunch connection on the rear and a whopping 5 downstream USB-C ports, two of that are Thunderbolt 4. Up entrance, you get an SD and a microSD card slot together with a headphone jack, two USB-C and a USB-A connector. In again, there’s room for 4 extra USB-A units and two 3.5mm jacks, one for audio in and one for audio out. One space the place the dock might really feel missing is in show inputs. It solely has one DisplayPort 1.4, however it has loads of TB4 ports, which you’ll be able to simply use to outfit a full command middle (for those who don’t have a USB-C monitor, there are many adapters).
The multi-gig Ethernet jack can deal with as much as 2.5Gbps, so for those who’re paying for a screaming-fast web plan, this dock can assist you benefit from it. The TS4 can ship as much as 98W of energy to your laptop computer, although like all docking station, the wattage goes down when different gadgets are additionally drawing energy.
The TS4 labored equally nicely with my MacBook Professional and the Dell XPS13 Plus and was even suitable with a Chromebook. I examined learn/write speeds on a Samsung T7 SSD by way of a Thunderbolt port and acquired 734 MB/s learn and 655 MB/s write speeds on the Mac and 1048/994 on the Dell. In comparison with the opposite docks, that was within the lower-middle vary for the Mac and the quickest general for the PC. On PC, it additionally dealt with a 1GB folder switch to a flash drive sooner than another dock and delivered the quickest connection speeds over the Ethernet. It’s the one unit that allow me plug in each single peripheral I had available directly. In the event you’ve acquired numerous tech you need to use concurrently (and cash isn’t a priority), that is the one to get.
- An abundance of ports
- Compact, upright design
- 2.5Gbps Ethernet port
$380 at Amazon
Photograph by Amy Skorheim / Engadget
Host connection: USB-C | Energy supply to host: 100W (DC) | USB-C: 1 x 3.1 | USB-A: 5 | Monitor: 2 x HDMI 2.0, 2 x DisplayPort 1.2 | Aux 3.5mm: 1 x audio combo | SD Card: No
The Kensington SD4780P Twin 4K sometimes requires a DisplayLink driver, however any Chromebook made after 2017 helps the connection from the leap. Discovering a docking station that works with ChromeOS is hard; of the 12 models I examined, solely 4 related in any respect with the Acer Chromebook Spin 514, and a kind of 4 couldn’t run two displays. The SD4780P makes use of a USB-C host connection, by means of which it provides a most energy supply of 100W and was capable of run each the 4K and HD screens cleanly.
It permits for a variety of USB-A peripherals by means of 5 such ports, however there’s solely a single downstream USB-C, so I wasn’t ready to make use of each a webcam and mic on the identical time. Which means you’ll want to make use of your Chromebook’s built-in ports if you would like greater than a kind of forms of units arrange. The plastic construct makes it look just a little low cost and I’m not loopy in regards to the lay-flat design, however the host port is within the again, which is able to make your setup neater. If all you’re searching for is a approach to get a number of further displays and use your wired USB equipment, this can be a good choose for Chromebooks.
- Works nicely with Chromebooks
- 5 USB-A ports
- Requires a driver for non Chromebooks
- Only one downstream USB-C
$142 at Amazon
Different laptop computer docking stations we examined
Plugable TBT4-UDZ
Once I pulled the Plugable TBT4-UDZ Thunderbolt 4 out of the field, I used to be satisfied it will make the minimize: It has a sensible upright design, a horny steel end, and the host connection is TB4. Whereas there are many USB-A and monitor ports, there’s only one downstream USB-C. A contemporary dock, significantly one which prices $300, ought to allow you to run, say, a USB-C cam and mic on the identical time. In any other case, it’s fairly limiting.
Anker 575 USB-C
At $250 (and extra usually $235), the Anker 575 USB-C might make for finances choose for Home windows. It carried out nicely with the Dell XPS 13 Plus, however had hassle with the third display screen, the 4K webcam and headphone jack when related to the MacBook Professional. It’s fairly compact, which suggests it could get wobbly when a bunch of cables are plugged in, however it has a wide variety of ports and was capable of deal with my fundamental setup nicely.
Belkin Join Professional Thunderbolt 4
Belkin’s Join Professional Thunderbolt 4 Dock is a contender for a Thunderbolt 4 different. It has almost the identical ports because the AD2010 (minus the microSD slot) and a horny rounded design — however it’s $90 extra, so I’d solely advocate getting it for those who discover it on sale.
Acer USB Sort-C Dock
Acer’s USB Sort-C Dock D501 prices $10 greater than our Kensington choose for Chromebooks, however it performs equally and is price a point out. It has almost the identical ports (together with the relatively limiting single downstream USB-C) however each the Ethernet and information switch speeds had been sooner.
Docking station FAQs
Are docking stations price it?
Docking stations are price it in case you have extra equipment to plug in than your laptop computer permits. Say you’ve gotten a USB-C digicam and mic, plus a USB-A mouse, keyboard and streaming gentle; only a few trendy laptops have sufficient connections to help all of that directly. A docking station could make that setup possible whereas additionally providing you with further ports like an Ethernet connection, and supplying energy to your laptop computer. Nevertheless, for those who simply want a number of further USB sockets, you is perhaps higher off going with a hub, as these are usually cheaper.
How a lot does a laptop computer dock value?
Laptop computer docking stations are usually greater and dearer than easy USB-A or USB-C hubs, because of the broader array of connections. Yow will discover them as little as $50 and so they can get as costly as $450. An affordable worth for a dock with a wide variety of ports from a good model will common round $200.
How do I arrange my laptop computer dock?
Most docking stations are plug and play. First, join the DC energy cable to the dock and a wall outlet. Then search for the “host” or upstream port on the dock — it’s nearly all the time a USB-C/Thunderbolt port and sometimes branded with an icon of a laptop computer. Use the offered cable to hook up with your pc. After that, you’ll be able to join your peripherals to the dock and they need to be prepared to make use of together with your laptop computer. A couple of docking stations, significantly people who deal with extra complicated monitor setups, require a driver. The directions that include your dock will level you to an internet site the place you’ll be able to obtain that companion software program.
Does a laptop computer cost on a docking station?
Practically all docking stations mean you can cost your laptop computer by means of the host connection (the cable operating from the dock to your pc). That functionality, plus the upper variety of ports is what separates a docking station from a hub. Docks can go on between 65W and 100W of energy to laptops, and almost all embrace a DC adapter.
Are all docking stations suitable with all laptops?
No, not all docking stations are suitable with each laptop computer. In our exams, the Chromebook had the largest compatibility points, the Dell PC had the least, and the MacBook fell someplace in between. All docks will record which manufacturers and fashions they work with on the web product web page — be sure you additionally examine the era of your laptop computer as some docks can’t help sure chips.
What are some common docking station manufacturers?
Kensington, Anker, Pluggable and Belkin are respected and well-known manufacturers making docking stations for all laptops. Lenovo, Dell and HP all make docks that may work with their very own computer systems in addition to different manufacturers.
