Docking stations can be particularly useful for remote workers and anyone who has now find they are working from home a lot more. These handy peripherals, like USB-C docks , can effectively turn your laptop into a feature-packed desktop replacement.
Slim and light laptops, like the MacBook, often come with a limited selection of ports, so these docking stations are an ideal solution if you struggle to plug in extra USB devices.
This is why we've included several of the best MacBook docking stations in our roundup. Make sure you check out our guide to the best laptops as well, where we highlight the top devices money can buy. StarTech claims its Thunderbolt 3 docking station is the most advanced dock ever. The device has been designed to work with thinner notebooks and uses only one cord. As the name suggests, it supports dual 4K displays at 60Hz and harnesses the raw power of Thunderbolt 3, offering 40Gbps bandwidth while keeping portability in mind.
It can be used with up to three USB 3. You can hook up two displays to this dock, and in terms of ports, you get a pair of USB 3. Kensington is a well-known and respected brand which has developed a reputation for its docking stations.
Its latest USB 3. Some users have reported that Windows 10 doesn't always automatically recognize it, so you may need to download new drivers from the Kensington support page. It sits nicely next to your laptop, and is affordably priced — it really is one of the best laptop docking stations around right now. Toshiba is another big tech name that makes laptop docking stations.
The Dynadock V3. Like most docking stations nowadays, the Dynadock offers USB 3. Microsoft is a company known primarily for its software prowess, but in recent years, it has been increasingly working on the hardware front.
The Surface line-up of tablet hybrids demonstrates this perfectly. You can find a dizzying selection of docking stations at Dell's website, with a half-dozen Dell-branded docks on the Products For Work page and a much larger selection including third-party solutions on the Products for Home page.
It delivers W of power over the docking connection and has enough video connections to drive three big displays. This dock has an impressive assortment of ports, delivers up to 65W of power, and can handle up to three displays at once. The downside is that the USB 3.
Navigating HP's website is never fun, and getting detailed specs for any of the company's products feels like a game that we can only play if someone gives us cheat codes.
So we present this no-frills dock and apologize in advance for the lack of detailed specs. Our survey of third-party retailers suggests that you should read the reviews before you hand over your credit card. Among the major OEMs, Lenovo wins the price wars with these two dock options. The basic USB-C Mini Dock is small enough to hide behind your laptop while still delivering up to 45W of power and enabling a full array of external device connections.
Display: HDMI 2. Ports: USB 3. Microsoft's Surface Pro line has always been distinguished by its distinctive blade-style connector, which delivers power, video, and peripheral connections through a decidedly proprietary format. You'll also probably need adapter to connect the USB Type-C connectors on the rear to your external monitors. The latest entry in the company's docking options requires a reasonably modern Surface Pro device Surface Pro 3 and 4 and original Surface Book not supported.
If you meet those specs, you get W of power, support for dual 4K displays, and a total of six USB ports. The list price for this dock is much higher, but it's been discounted from Day 1. The biggest advantage of a third-party docking solution is flexibility. If you replace your laptop with a new model from a different manufacturer, you should be able to plug it into your existing dock and get right to work. For this section, we highlight docks from four leading manufacturers. Don't let this dock's small size fool you; it packs a lot of power into a small package and can deliver 60W over USB-C to your laptop.
The company's website has a useful compatibility chart that can help you determine whether the dock will work with your laptop. You pay top dollar for StarTech. Don't even think of using it with a PC that doesn't support Thunderbolt 3, however. If you have a Windows laptop that includes USB-C with Power Delivery but doesn't support Thunderbolt 3, consider the less expensive Dual Monitor dock; attach your laptop's USB-C power supply and you can power both your laptop and the dock with peripherals.
Kensington's site is packed with useful technical information. If you're stumped about what the various connector specifications mean, visit its main page for some useful tech help. Depending on your needs, you can find cheap laptop docking stations that will output to dual HD monitors over a standard USB, or more expensive docking stations that support USB Type-C and 4K monitors that will work not only with your current laptop but also your next one. Not quite sure if you need a docking station?
You can take a look at our ports guide and Thunderbolt 4 explainer to learn about all of the ports out there and which ones you'll want. When it comes to the best laptop docking station money can buy, you'll want to go for the Plugable USB-C Triple Display Dock, as not only can dish out support for a 4K monitor, but it can also support up to three monitors and can charge USB Type-C laptops.
Plugable is your go-to choice for a Thunderbolt 3 laptop docking station, too, as it powers up to two 4K monitors while also charging and throws in extra USB 3. They even top our list of best docking stations for Dell XPS laptops. Anker also recently released the Anker PowerExpand 5-in-1 Thunderbolt 4 Mini Dock , but we felt it fell short by packing too little while asking for too much. Now that a majority of us are working from an at-home office, setting up a neat workstation can be tricky.
Using an iPad as your main device for work? Kensington's StudioDock iPad docking station will help you out with that. Stay tuned for those reviews If you're after the best docking stations for MacBook , we've got you covered. For all other docking stations, read on. It works with all of the newest standards, including USB Type-C for charging and external displays, along with support for a 4K monitor. It's oriented in a vertical position, so you can't keep the dock under your laptop or monitors, but its performance and support for three displays simultaneously makes the Triple Display Dock our top choice.
For those looking for a Thunderbolt 4 docking station at a more affordable price while sacrificing extra ports, check out our review of the Anker PowerExpand 5-in-1 Thunderbolt 4 Mini Dock. Not only does it vastly expand the number of ports and slots on one of the best laptops on the market, but it gives it the 90W power and additional perks the notebook requires.
While there are still those who may not have monitors or peripherals with Thunderbolt 4, 3, or USB-C connectivity, many devices will soon make having a Thunderbolt 4 port the standard.
Thunderbolt 4 connectivity is here to stay, and the SDT makes for a fantastic portable companion that will future-proof your setup for years to come. Considering Plugable's other offerings, we weren't surprised that its Thunderbolt 3 Docking Station is excellent. It's the best we've tested so far, with a reasonable price, the ability to be used both vertically and horizontally and a DisplayPort to HDMI adapter in the box.
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