(Part 2) Best laptop docking stations according to redditors
We found 975 Reddit comments discussing the best laptop docking stations. We ranked the 240 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the products ranked 21-40. You can also go back to the previous section.
They're working through USB with DisplayLink. The dock has ports for HDMI and DVI.
Here's a link to what I'm using https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LX8LQ8Y/
Any USB 3.0 dock will do the trick. The downside, is it will not power the Surface, so you'll need to use the power supply as well.
The official dock for the SP2 will work with dual monitors, via displayport daisy chaining, if you have monitors that support it. It would power the surface, but STUPIDLY only has a 100mb ethernet port.
I'm liking the Dell dock, personally. http://accessories.dell.com/sna/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19&sku=452-bbpg
Also the Toshiba Dynadock worked well. https://www.amazon.com/Toshiba-Dynadock-Docking-Station-PA3927U1PRP/dp/B006ZGWJU2
I use this at work for my laptop, and just plugged in my Note 9, and it works awesome, shows up on dual monitors, you can full-screen apps etc. Totally missed this feature when thinking about getting this phone.
This docking station is way too expensive to want to buy for the house, but its pretty neat that it works by just plugging it in.
Hi please see this post for a list of docks I've researched:
https://www.reddit.com/r/UsbCHardware/comments/dniwk3/list_of_titan_ridge_jhl7440based_multifunction_docks_supporting_TB3_and_USBC/
Vendors found so far:
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The HP G5 would be my choice - it has both an upstream USB-C port and a downstream port and the most capable DisplayPort MST/repeater chip. So you can plug the Dock into the laptop, and the Cintiq into the dock and be good to go for either MBP or SB2.
Cheers,
Dan
While it’s true that you can’t get conventional docks for Macs, newer Macs use USB-C for I/O and you can get Thunderbolt docks that connect with only one wire.
Copied Directly from r/ElgatoGaming Sticky
$130$99.99) -BUY NOW$180$119.99) - BUY NOW,400$249.95) - BUY NOW$150$99.99) - BUY NOW$100$59.99)- BUY NOW$200$149.99) - BUY NOW$160$129.99) -BUY NOW$300$199.99) - BUY NOW$350$299.99) -BUY NOW$90$59.95) -BUY NOWFull View : https://www.reddit.com/r/MusicBattlestations/comments/ck6f79/complete_view_of_my_home_studio_stacked_sitstand/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x
https://imgur.com/gallery/FR36P0H
Some more photos :
https://imgur.com/gallery/FR36P0H
https://drive.google.com/open?id=11ye0iLpMpWgtjylLOZmUWG2m9eAZEylb
Sketch Plans:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Ez0g_PjKXiPOKbEZ4OKhXuapxJ1vdjMP?usp=sharing
I had drawn plans for the desk and pretty much every single thing in this room but I can no longer find a few of them.
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Details:
Desk Frame: 2 x Autonomous AI 2 Dual motor frames
Desk Top: Birch Counter Tops from Home Depot
Monitor Setup : 2 x Samsung U590 controlled by 3x1 HDMI Switches
Computers: Mac Mini 2018, Macbook Pro 2017 15", Hackintosh, i7 8700K, Asus Maximus X Code, Vega 64 Liquid, iPad Pro (using Duet Display for Superior Drummer)
Macbook Dock: Thunderbolt 3 Dock by Elgato
Speakers / Monitors: Mackie CR3, Yamaha HS5, Google Home Mini (really nice as a cheap speaker test for mixes)
Monitor Stands: K&M 26772 Monitor stands
Sound Booth: Wooden Frame with MDF Walls filled with Rock wool
I'm using the [Toshiba DynaDock] (http://www.amazon.com/Toshiba-Dynadock-Docking-Station-PA3927U1PRP/dp/B006ZGWJU2) with my Surface Pro and it's great. I have one at work and home and each is connected up with two 24" mointors and I've never had any performance issues in the last 3 months of use. I'd much rather buy the Toshiba dock for $140 than the MS dock for $200. If i decidce to buy an Ultrabook later on at least I'll already have a docking station.
I've used this Toshiba USB 3 dock with my laptops before. Works really well, driver is non intrusive, and just plugs right into USB 3: Amazon Link
Hello there,
I'm personally using this one for traveling for my Blade 15:
https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-Thunderbolt-Dock-Windows-DisplayPort/dp/B07BJJX47G/?tag=gearbeacon-20
I have a pretty expensive one for home, but I also have a Core x and a lot of other stuff connected to it.
https://www.amazon.com/CalDigit-TS3-Plus-Thunderbolt-Dock/dp/B07CZPV8DF/?tag=gearbeacon-20
I sadly couldn't find any Docks which could output 144hz for the monitors.
Hope I could help.
Another option is the Surface 3 Dock
Which has the benefits of charging over the abandoned display port charging method and charges 2-3x faster than the micro-USB port. Plus it is extremely cheap brand new on Amazon for $19.
Do you have USB 3? There's a new-ish display standard that transmits over USB. I use a dock like this on my surface:
https://www.amazon.com/Universal-Ethernet-Charging-Ultrabook-PC-Black/dp/B01LX8LQ8Y
You can use the DVI and HDMI outputs at the same time.
This one works fine for two Full HD monitors. Just make sure if you have HDMI monitors you need to get active converters to DisplayPort.
Cable Matters 10Gbps USB C Dock (USB C Docking Station) with Dual 4K DisplayPort and 80W Charging for Windows - USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 Port Compatible - Support One External Display with MacBook Pro https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07F2VRRJ9/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_rRotDbN0DV6ZS
Tested on kernel 5.2.
You think that's bad? ASUS charges $850 for the XG Station 2.. and that doesn't even come with a GPU, just the enclosure.
Which is really fucked up when you consider that the Gigabyte one for the same price comes with an RTX 2070.
We had this exact same problem with laptops having hdmi/mini displayport/vga/etc and decided on this: http://www.amazon.com/Toshiba-Dynadock-Docking-Station-PA3927U1PRP/dp/B006ZGWJU2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1394051000&sr=8-2&keywords=toshiba+u+dock
It works for usb2 & 3 and basically once the software is installed, they plug in USB (which everyone has) and they get a 2nd monitor up on the display. We put a little 1GB flash drive hooked up to it with the software on it so it auto mounts that drive with the software when users hook up to it.
There's no docking station for the X1 Carbon that connects via the bottom. There's just the OneLink dock, which... I believe acts like a USB 3.0 port or several.
The T440s has a docking port on the bottom and can be used with Thinkpads' latest generation of docks.
See here: http://shop.lenovo.com/us/en/accessories/dock-port-replicators/conventional-docks-port-replicators
In particular, the latest generation of Thinkpads is incompatible with the older generation of docks, so you need the new Basic/Pro/Ultra docks, like those you see at the link above -- this amazon page has a decent picture so you can recognize them: www.amazon.com/ThinkPad-Pro-Dock-Canada-Mexico/dp/B00G6T8EK2/ (and I guess you can see the list of systems it supports in the listing -- the *40 models).
Just tossing this in here: A good deal for something to allow you to run dual monitors via DVI (so you don't need a DP hub or any other adapters...):
http://www.amazon.com/Toshiba-Dynadock-Docking-Station-PA3927U1PRP/dp/B006ZGWJU2/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1404417157&sr=1-1&keywords=toshiba+dock
Lots of people with Surfaces use this, and you can find some owners in the reviews talking about it. It's cheaper than the OEM Surface dock, and you don't need new monitors (if yours don't already have DP), or extra adapters...
Yes they absolutely make external GPU enclosures.
like this: https://www.amazon.com/ASUS-ROG-XG-STATION-2-Thunderbolt-External-Graphics/dp/B06WGRT5GS
or this: https://www.amazon.com/Razer-Thunderbolt-External-Graphics-Enclosure/dp/B0791ZCH4Q
I have one of these Kensington docks.
Works well but pricey. Does allow for a single USBC to power 2 external displays, charging support, etc.
You're not gonna be able to run anything above 1080p but there are socks like this WAVLINK USB 3.0 Universal Laptop Docking Station Dual Video Monitor Display, HDMI, DVI & VGA, Gigabit Ethernet, 2X USB Charging Port, 4 USB Data Ports Audio for Laptop, Tablets, Ultrabook-Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LX8LQ8Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_vz4GDbZAKQ89K
here's one
that's if you wanted up to 4k@60hz so it's expensive.
or this for dual 4k@30hz but every other port under the moon
there's so many docks so it just depends on your needs
With charging:https://www.amazon.com/Lenovo-ThinkPad-UltraDock-40A90090US-Packaged/dp/B01N9RW2A3?keywords=usb-c+dock&qid=1535833937&sr=8-7&ref=mp_s_a_1_7
Without charging:https://www.amazon.com/Adapter-Topoint-Adaptor-Converter-MacBook/dp/B073J79QWF?crid=2YPA7XURYWB58&keywords=usb-c+vga+multiport+adapter&qid=1535834027&sprefix=usb-c+vga&sr=8-5&ref=mp_s_a_1_5
I highly suggest the Lenovo USBC dock.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N9RW2A3/
While I cannot for sure say they work in Linux (I can't see why not, especially for Ubuntu), we use these at work and rarely have any issues with them.
I use the elgato TB3 dock with my RB15RTX. While the RB15 doesn't charge via TB, the dock supplies up to 80w iirc. It should be enough for the Stealth. It also is enough to charge my work laptop, a Thinkpad T470 via TB3.
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https://www.amazon.com/Elgato-Thunderbolt-Dock-Ethernet-aluminum/dp/B01MZ2ATGK
No I don't know why. It makes sense that it should, but maybe there's something else in play that prevents it.
Just search for dual monitor usb-c/thunderbolt 3 docks.
Here's one, and another.
For on the go I have use a smaller j5 create one like in the link OP put up. My main dock is this star tech StarTech.com Dual 4K Monitor Thunderbolt 3 Dock with DisplayPort - 85 W Power Delivery + Charging - Mac & Windows (TB3DK2DPPD) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073JDZGKK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_SjeZCbMNGP4GR and it’s been great for close to two years.
Step 1: buy a thunderbolt 3 dock. Here's one: https://www.amazon.com/Dell-TB16-240W-Thunderbolt-Dock/dp/B06XN6XWD7/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=dell+tb16&qid=1555467611&s=gateway&sr=8-1
Step 2. use the dock with a system running v102. Connect a mouse and keyboard to the dock. No lag
Step 3. upgrade the bios to v104
Step 4. use the dock with the 104 bios. Connect a mouse and keyboard to the dock. LAG. LAG. LAG.
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Please fix it. Thanks!
I was thinking about this Caldigit dock. It has dual display ports. What are your thoughts on this dock?
Are you running dual displays with the TS3 Plus?
The dock has two DP ports, no HDMI. You can see all the ports in the pics on the Amazon product page here. If you need HDMI to Mini-DP converter, you can get the one I use here. I prefer surface dock because I love how easy it is to connect the Surface connect port to my computer and then just have charging, displays, and all my USB-stuff just work. If you get a USB-C dock, even if it does charging, I can't guarantee that it will charge it well. The SP7 seems to charge slower on USB-C than on Surface Connect port. If you plan on plugging in but then also having a port to run your dock, you should look at this USB-C dock. But again, I love that the Surface Dock does everything in one connection, and then my USB-C port is still available if I need to connect anything that way.
saw some folks hype this up a month or 2 ago
https://www.amazon.com/Elgato-Thunderbolt-MacBook-charging-Ethernet/dp/B01MZ2ATGK
I have had my eyes on it since.
DONGLE^3 - Thunderbolt 3 to Thunderbolt 2 - Thunderbolt 2 to FW800 - FW800 to FW400
This is kinda a dumb way to do it, there are also Thunderbolt 3 Docks that will give you a Firewire port.
You can get an interface with native USB-C/TB3, I just went with a cheap USB-C to A cable for my old USB 2 interface.
Here you go. Lenovo ThinkPad USB 3.0 Docking Station (0A33970)
This also means that you free up the Thunderbolt 3 port for any future 4K displays.
If you don't mind charging you X1E separately, this works also really well and it's a lot cheaper: https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B079H4WTR4
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I use it with this:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006ZGWJU2/ref=oh_details_o03_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
and it works flawlessly
Sorry for my delayed response too - this got lost in the pile so to speak. I loaded my Amazon cart up with $4,200 worth of goodies to save so I can link some options for you. Now, you're not going to get around having both the AGA cable and a TB3 cable going to your laptop. What you can do, however, is combine the electronics of the TB3 enclosure and the AGA into a small to mid size tower chassis if you don't want two separate boxes on your desk. There's pros and cons to that and it's a lot of work and takes a bit of skill but it's been done.
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I'll break these down into two categories: enclosures that support a GPU and those that do not. The main difference is a) size and b) PSU capacity. If you went the route of hacking both the AGA and TB3 into the same enclosure you'd negate both of those and gain some extra flexibility.
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GPU Capable:
Not GPU Capable - these are all much smaller in size
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I don't have any of these but I sure wish I did. Hope this helps...took a while to put together this list! The expensive units with the 3 extra PCI slots would allow you to add in extra NVME drives - either Intel's PCIe slot based drives or standard M.2 PCIe drives on a riser card. EIther would do the trick. I don't know how much data you work with but this would also allow you to add in 10gig ethernet to high speed data transfer to network attached storage or to add in a SAS / SATA controller and have an external storage array. This would allow you to have dozens of terabytes of high speed and data redundant storage.
Awesome man, thanks for the heads up.
However, shouldn't small units like this be treated as a "travel adapter" of last resort? If your company can afford that many MacBooks, surely they can afford to use proper USB-C docking stations at the desks? I've had pretty good luck with these on our MacBooks so far (fingers crossed):
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B073JDZGKK/
As for Windows laptops, the Dell WD15 and TB16 docks have been pretty damn solid (as long as you upgrade their firmware).
https://www.amazon.com/OWC-Port-Thunderbolt-Dock-Space/dp/B01N51P3BB
Are these the ones you're talking about?
How about these?
Between the two, you get one more USB port and one extra display on the Plugable product, but aesthetics-wise I think the StarTech's one will look sleeker and thus better. Both requires their own barrel-type power plug though, so unfortunately you cannot reuse the existing USB-C chargers to power them to in turn power the laptop.
Disclaimer: Not affiliated with either brands, have not tested both myself. Please do more research on the respective user reviews to see if there are any caveats especially for the multi-display output...
This docking station is compatible with the X240.
You might be able to find it for a bit less on eBay if you serach for 40A10090US
General question about Nvidia laptop GPUs, thunderbolt, and docks:
If I have a laptop with an Nvidia GPU and a Thunderbolt port, and I hook it up to a dock like this via TB3, will my Nvidia GPU be used for the HDMI and Thunderbolt3 outputs on the dock, or is it like those Displaylink docks where they have their own GPUs inside powering those ports?
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I'm not really sure how good USB-C monitors are these days. The RBS uses standard USB-C, USB-PD, and TB3, so it's most likely an issue with how the monitor works. Drivers may be a factor for some things.
If you just want a hub to connect a monitor, there are a few options out there, and they're all cheaper than a core (but if you play games or use other GPU programs, a core could be a worthy investment). Something like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01IBNK6V0
I don't have one but I've been looking around at some docks as well.
There's this OWC dock with 5 USB A ports, 2 thunderbolt 3 ports, and a USB C and apparently 85W power.
This Elgato pro dock has 5 USB A ports, 2 thunderbolt 3, 2 USB C and 60W of power. Looks nice but pretty pricey.
These two docks by Promise and Cable Matters look to have the same features: 5 USB A, 2 thunderbolt 3, and 60W of power.
They all have some other things like HDMI, SD card slots, headphone inputs, etc.
My understanding is that if you have a 13" then 60W should be fine but if you have a 15" then you'll need the 85W.
StarTech.com Mini Dual 4K Monitor Thunderbolt 3 Dock with DisplayPort - Mac & Windows (TB3DKM2DP) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BJJX47G/
StarTech.com Mini Dual 4K Monitor Thunderbolt 3 Dock with HDMI - Mac & Windows (TB3DKM2HD) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DB5DSXX/
I use the HDMI one at my home office and DP one at my work office. They both work fine but these are slightly cheaper options without power delivery. I don't have a shortage of TB3 ports so I don't mind also plugging in the AC adapter
I just got a Darter Pro and bought a Cable Matters TB3 dock for it. Everything works with the exception of the second monitor. I read somewhere that some laptops don't support dual displays through Thunderbolt, regardless of OS. I couldn't find anything specifically about the Darter (Clevo N151ZU), but it seems likely from my experimentation that you won't be able to get two displays out of the Thunderbolt port.
I also noticed that with a fully updated installation of PopOS, the dock is basically unusable when TB security is in place. I disabled it in the EFI firmware, but just keep in mind that without security enabled you'll need to be careful about what you plug in there. When I had security enabled, the system would frequently fail to authorize the dock on boot, and would also often hang on shutdown.
Even with security disabled, sometimes if I remove and replug the dock while the system is running, the network and USB ports will fail to initialize. However, I have had that same experience on Lenovos and Dells in Windows, so I think that's more of a Thunderbolt issue than Linux or Darter Pro.
You straight up should have just got a better dock. This, which is the first one I found, has everything you're using here in one package. Sure it's not cheap, but neither were those OEM Dell docks.
what about this? Claims it delivers 87 watts over USB-C...
https://www.amazon.com/USB-Dock-MacBook-Pro-DisplayPort/dp/B076W7GVFY/ref=sr_1_13?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1519856640&sr=1-13&keywords=USB+C+Dock
not sure if it would work with the SB2, but I don't see why not.
my work supplies us with these https://www.amazon.com/Kensington-SD5200T-Thunderbolt-Docking-Station/dp/B0785DQLZ7/
they work really well, super solid. only problem is they won't output the full 135W the P1 needs for fast charging. it should keep your machine topped though
is it this model?
https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-Docking-DisplayPort-Charging/dp/B07F2VRRJ9
Do we get downstream power when using a non Samsung dock? Does it matter how the monitors are hooked to the dock? displayPort/hdmi/usb-c daisy chain?
Does dex have dual screen support?
You would think this usb-c thingy would make things standardized and simple.
https://www.amazon.com/Toshiba-Dynadock-Docking-Station-PA3927U1PRP/dp/B006ZGWJU2
looks like it connects with 1 usb 3.0 cable and can run dual monitors. this way you don't have to use a cloud save between laptop/desktop. if you feel like studying at the library you just unplug and roll out.
The 240 watt version of the TB16 is $200 right now on Amazon. That's not expensive for a Thunderbolt 3 dock, which start out at $100 and are most often over $200 if they support things like dual 4k displays @60Hz.
The trick is making sure you're not looking at USB-C docks, which are less expensive and vastly less capable. And as others have noted, only the TB16 will charged the XPS 15 at the full 130 watts.
So you would need something like this https://www.amazon.co.uk/StarTech-comThunderbolt-Dock-Windows-DisplayPort-Docking/dp/B07BJJX47G
Not sure about that dell though, I haven’t used windows with displays connected via thunderbolt.
The dock is different than the keyboard. It's this: https://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-Docking-Station-compatible-GJ3-00001/dp/B00VGJI1RS. However I see that you're better off ordering here. Than from me. :/ I'd be willing to throw it in with the keyboard for 10(basically to cover shipping)
Buy a used T440p and upgrade components as desired. I absolutely love mine and only dropped $200 to bring it home.
Some recommendations if you go that route:
Here's a fairly recent guide that may help guide you along as you make your choices.
This is the dock I bought for my S3 Non-Pro ( paid around $20 on liquidation for it a few years ago )
https://www.amazon.ca/Microsoft-Surface-Docking-compatible-GJ3-00001/dp/B00VGJI1RS/ref=sr_1_3?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIhdWKiPWR4gIVnEwNCh0M0g5CEAAYAiAAEgLDm_D_BwE&hvadid=230004443165&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9000501&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t2&hvqmt=e&hvrand=8441531048072773104&hvtargid=kwd-295506217860&hydadcr=1533_10290167&keywords=surface+3+docking+station&qid=1557524010&s=gateway&sr=8-3
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I bought it for VERY cheap, but it works great. The S3 charges up beautifully, faster and more reliably than with the stock Microsoft power brick.
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Title: [USA-LA] [H] Henge Docks Stone USB C dock for MBP [W] Paypal $120
Username: /u/Byakugan360
Body:
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I have a mint condition Henge Docks Stone USB C dock for sale for $120. It's served me well for the last few months, but the nature of my job changes so I need a more portable dock:https://imgur.com/a/Fo0IYw1
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Comment on this thread first before PM me. And please do your research on the product before purchasing it (https://hengedocks.com/pages/tethered-docks and https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076W7GVFY/?coliid=I31RJJH5TL4K8Q&colid=283PHZ3SGUFK0&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it)
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As the other guy posted, the easiest way is to get a Thunderbolt Dock and connect everything to that one. Here is a good rundown of what's available.
https://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-thunderbolt-dock/
The alternative is to spread the load over the two ports and connect some to each. You could for instance use this one and connect power to the other port:
https://www.amazon.com/CalDigit-Thunderbolt-Portable-Charging-Ethernet/dp/B079H4WTR4/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1538643440&sr=8-1-spons
Or you could get two of my favorite adapters:
https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-Multiport-DisplayPort-Ethernet/dp/B06Y5N3YCD/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1538643605&sr=8-4
(note that that one is only DisplayPort, not HDMI, but your displays support that as well, and it's a better cable type anyway).
Switching between a Mac and a PC is best done with a KVM. If you mean to switch two displays, that gets a little bit more expensive, but not insanely so. That is a separate thing from all the other purchases, though.
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Fwiw I have the dock. And t charges at close to double the rate with the screen on (according to battery bar) which means it probably actually charges at double the rate with the screen off.
I got my dock of Amazon warehouse deals for 37$ about a month ago I think they went up in price a bit but it said used very good condition and that it may have some scuffs but those were just dust that wiped right off. Was basically brand new in box, though the box was a little beat up.
Batter bar shows me between 4000-4500 charging rate in the dock, vs 2000-2500 charging rate with the supplied charger.
While that extra power is for displays it naturally has to provide more power to the tablet so that it won't drain during use (which can happen with the stock charger depending on your activities). It makes sense if you think about it as the dock doesn't use the micro USB (2.0) port but the full size USB (3.0) to provide power to the tablet.
Edit: just checked, looks like some people bought the cheap ones to realist for some profit. There are a bunch around the 40-50$ price point, but for one from Amazon warehouse deals it's 65$ but says like new.
http://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-Docking-Station-compatible-GJ3-00001/dp/B00VGJI1RS
Cool, thank you. I guess something like this would suite me. It seems to have 2 DVI ports - https://www.amazon.com/Lenovo-ThinkPad-Docking-Station-0A33970/dp/B008ABKADI
Assuming you don't already own a docking station, I would suggest looking into a Lenovo Thinkpad. There are a number of options that would fit your needs depending on how much portability you think you'll need.
You can buy a docking station for ~$150 new.
Other options to look into is the Lenovo X1 Carbon or the T470s. Both are incredibly light and well built - the x1 Carbon weighs in at 2.58 (battery up to 10hrs or so), while the T470s is a bit more at 3.0 lbs (battery up to 8hrs or so). If you want a bit better value, you could look into the even heavier Thinkpad E470 for just over $1000 which has an entry level dedicated GPU.
You could also look into the normal T470 as well, which weighs a bit more than the T470s and a bit less than the E470.
I'm using one of these with my macbook, it works fine for me and is supposed to be windows compatible (just install the driver)
https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-Thunderbolt-Compatible-Supports-Displays/dp/B073JDZGKK/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1537378980&sr=8-3&keywords=startech+thunderbolt+3+dual-4k+docking+station
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Also, Lenovo makes a ThinkPad Thunderbolt 3 dock that charges and provides up to 3 4k displays, it doesn't specifically list Yoga 730 so I can't say for sure that it will work.
I have a Lenovo Thinkpad dock station that I use everyday - connect and disconnect like 30 times per day - no issues.
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https://www.amazon.com/Lenovo-ThinkPad-UltraDock-40A90090US-Packaged/dp/B01N9RW2A3/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1536341018&sr=8-2&keywords=lenovo+thinkpad+usb-c+dock
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Alt(ernate) mode is using USB-C for something other than USB, in your case HDMI (it can also do DisplayPort, ThunderBolt, MHL) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB-C#Alternate_Mode_partner_specifications
The idea is it's not like DisplayLink that has to encapsulate the video data in USB traffic, alt mode uses the same signalling as the native interface. Less latency, higher performance.
Seems like you got it working though I suspect not ideally. Basically you have 2 displays hooked up via DisplayLink, something you could accomplish for much less $$$ I think. The 4k HDMI connection is why that doc costs more, and you're not getting to use it.
You have a couple of option I think. This looks like it might do the trick: https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-USB-C-Docking-Station-Delivery/dp/B01IBNK6V0
Has native alt mode DP and HDMI (if your monitors only have HDMI no DP you can also get a cheap $15 DP to HDMI to have 2 HDMI).
But because you are only really using the dock for video it seems, you can probably get away with just an adapter + DisplayLink device. It's generally more reliable that way than a dock IMHO.
So get something like this that has alt mode HDMI and a couple of USB3 ports: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01J4BO0X8/
Then plug in a DisplayLink adapter to one of the USB ports (your 2K HDMI Adapter from plugable for example). What you've created with your current setup is like plugging in 2 DisplayLink devices to a USB-C to USB3 hub (which is another option, buy a second 2K HDMI Adapter from plugable, return the dock and just get a USB-C to USB3 hub and plug in both 2K HDMI Adapter from plugable into the hub.)
Lenovo ThinkPad USB 3.0 Docking Station (0A33970) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008ABKADI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_p5qPDbPA2DC6A
There are a few Thunderbolt 3 option for 4K60 HDMI (x2), USB-A, Ethernet etc, off a single (USB-C) port like this one from CalDigit:
https://www.amazon.com/CalDigit-Thunderbolt-Portable-Charging-Ethernet/dp/B079H4WTR4
It costs US$100 but for what it does, it’s a pretty good value.
I'm using a cable matters usb-c dock
We have some kensington USB-C docks that might work, i'll give it a shot today.
I didn't even think about printing, because I hate printers haha. But looking now, it doesnt seem that I can print to any of our printers, because konica minolta doesn't have drivers for aarch64. What a bust...
TL;DR
I found a newer model Kensington dock after writing the post, so consider if/when reading
I use the Kensington SD 5000T (and recommend it)
THIS IS A LINK TO A NEW MODEL, SD5200T, THAT SUPPORTS 2 DISPLAYS @4K & 60Hz!
Kensington SD5200T Thunderbolt 3 Docking Station - 170 Watts with Power Delivery - Dual Monitor 4k for Mac and PC (K38300NA)
I did quite a bit of research on docks a couple years ago and this one seemed to best the best because it didn’t over promise and under deliver.
Display Outputs:
It offers a DP++ and an extra thunderbolt 3 port (other than the input source), as well as many other inputs.
Sounds like it would work well for you since it has a Type-C output as well as a DP output (either of which can be adapted to other ports like MiniDP, HDMI, etc.)
Limitations:
note: link to new model, SD5200T, which supports higher refresh rates, but still limits 60Hz to a given monitor.
It’s a bit more expensive, so if the older model, SD5000T, is sufficient (eg. running two 1080p monitors @60Hz), you might be able to find it for less.
Keep in mind that this dock (and almost all other docks and laptops in general) only support a max of 60Hz refresh rate that is distributed as follows:
60Hz - to 2 displays @1080p
or
60Hz - to 1 display @4K
or
30hz - to 2 displays @4K
Again, MOST (older) docks only support 4K @60Hz to a single display or 30Hz to two, as far as I know, even to this day. Some newer docks do but are more expensive.
So... it’s not entirely future proofed with the refresh rate limitations, but the prices on these come down often making them a worthwhile purchase. I got mine for $190 2 years ago on a daily deal at B&H Photo Video.
Higher refresh rates are only supported by running a cable (through DP only) directly from your computer, which should have a more powerful video card and software to support it, to the display.
Latitude in limitations:
You can still mix-n-match 4K & 1080p displays through the dock but the OS you’re running will automatically lower the refresh rate to what the dock supports. You can also set this up manually in the display settings.
Machine Support:
I would double check compatibility with all your machines. Also check to see if there are any new models which do support higher refresh rates.
Testimonial:
It works really well with my 2016 15” MBP.
I don’t have any issues waking up the computer while it’s asleep since I have all peripherals (keyboard, wireless mouse, USB-A 3.0 hub, Apple LED Cinema Display [which has USB ports]), plugged into the dock.
Some docks have an issue where if the machine is asleep, then the dock goes unresponsive and pressing the space bar or moving the mouse won’t wake the machine.
I run both MacOS and Windows 10 on my MBP and it is fully supported my both. Since it’s the dock is advertised for the MacBook, it makes sense for it to work well with MacOS.
I was very surprised to find that it works really well on Windows as well. All peripherals work well as well as the AMD software for the video card. Which means that if I got a monitor that supports AMD Freesync, it would be able to utilize the AMD software whether on MacOS or Windows.
I had run an old 1080p @60Hz HP monitor via a Type-C to HDMI cable and a 1440p @60Hz BenQ monitor via a DP to Mini DP adapter, at the same time.
That worked well while awake, but the BenQ monitor had some issues waking up after about an hour (< than that was fine), while the HP was fine.
I couldn’t find the root cause in the settings of the BenQ, so I suspect it had something to do with the DP to Mini DP adapter AND that specific monitor, because I’m currently using that adapter for my Apple LED Cinema Display and it works really well.
Apple LED Cinema Display, running 1440p @60Hz, DisplayPort also passes audio. No issues at all with this setup.
Final note, CABLES MATTER!!!!!!!!!!! THUNDERBOLT 3/TYPE-C CABLES! I CANNOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH!
Hopes this helps, again, I recommend the Kensington.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MZ2ATGK
This one should work for you.
7 ports for cheap
13 ports for not so cheap
I bought a lenovo displaylink usb hub for 60 bucks. It works flawlessly on my 2014 macbook pro 13 inch. Except the monitor part, sometimes it glitches since apple has bad support for displaylink. Everything else, including ethernet, worked well. It even has a powered USB port
The version im linking to you has 2 dvi, try to look for the 1 dvi version since that is the one I got for 60 bucks.
https://www.amazon.com/Lenovo-ThinkPad-Docking-Station-0A33970/dp/B008ABKADI
There is one from Caldigit, but no additional usb c. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079H4WTR4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_fHR0DbG3AE574
I use a Surface 3 dock which charges through the mini display port. Amazon has them for $22.98 https://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-Docking-Station-compatible-GJ3-00001/dp/B00VGJI1RS/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=surface+3+dock&qid=1571526142&sr=8-3 .
In that case, perhaps I should mention that I want to use it to connect my laptop which lacks the appropriate port to one of these Dell docks.
https://www.amazon.com/Dell-Business-Thunderbolt-Dock-Adapter/dp/B06XN6XWD7?SubscriptionId=AKIAILSHYYTFIVPWUY6Q&amp;linkCode=xm2&amp;camp=2025&amp;creative=165953&amp;creativeASIN=B06XN6XWD7
There are others. I have a Kensington and it’s been great so far. https://www.amazon.com/Kensington-SD5200T-Thunderbolt-Docking-K38300NA/dp/B0785DQLZ7
For something portable, Anker has a nice one, but the cable is only 6 inches and not removable. Has HDMI but no Ethernet.
For something that is going to sit on a desk all day, I like the Henge Dock. Do note that the cable that comes with it is rated for both power and data. The USB-C cable that comes with your Macbook is only rated for power.
Every dock I've bought from OWC has issues with the ethernet and some also have issues with the video output. The only way I've gotten them to work was by plugging dongles into the dock. I don't recommend them at all.
FYI,
I got the one mix 3 (base model) and this USB c hub from Utechsmart (Note that this hub is rebranded by multiple companies using VL817 and LT8712X chips. the port layout and triple display advertising are exactly the same, find one that you like: Hiearcool, YXwin)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07PRJJNGF/
In windows:
I am able to drive 3 monitors , independent extended mode (laptop internal + 2 HDMI, or laptop internal + 1 HDMI +1 VGA). The external displays are 1080p (don't have anything higher)
The USB C female port on the hub is power only (it does pass through power to the laptop. A lot of these mini hubs only does USB C power pass through, which means you cannot plug a USB C flash drive in the hub
Manual for hub says it passes through 14.5/20V, which is fine because the factory included laptop charger supports 5v/3A, 9v/3a, 12v/2.5a, 15v/2a, 20v/1.5a. not sure if hub is able to support just 5/9/12V power input
Still looking through your Linux testing to see which Linux distro I want to use, will test the hub and display out probably with KDE Neon
Edi: tried different Linux distros (kde neon, Ubuntu 19.04/18.04). Only able to drive one display from hub (even if I plug in 2x HDMI or 1x HDMI 1x vga). Both displays mirror the same content. Need to investigate. Can still drive triple display by doing internal+usbC hub+miniHDMI from laptop
I bought this POS, everything but the displays worked. Bought one of these, and it works beautifully.
Good question, this took me some time and money to figure out, but it was important to me to be able to run this whole setup through 1 port.
My setup is that I have two ASUS PB258Q 25" monitors. I run those through Elgato Thunderbolt 3 Dock, one is connected via display port and the other is connected to a usb-c port using a displayport -> usb-c adapter.
Then I just connect the macbook to the USB-c dock and the dock supplies power + display connection to the monitors.
The ThunderBolt 3 dock is highway robbery but all of the docks that supply 85W of power are expensive, and it does work perfectly for my setup.
For those interested, I picked up one of these docking stations so that I could use 1 USB type C cable for charging, peripherals, and connectivity to the monitor. It's in the drawer below, not pictured.
I actually purchased this monitor in the hopes that it could charge the laptop, but unfortunately I never got it to work. I think it's an issue on Razer's end, as I've seen a lot of posts online about it since.
Great timing!
I actually just found a dock that works well for what I need (2 1080p Monitors, speakers, and 3 USB Peripherals). Only possible downside is that it doesn't use a USB-C connector, but it does everything I need it to so it shouldn't really matter anyways.
WavLink USB3.0 Docking Station
If you wanted to take advantage of the Thunderbolt 3 port you'll have to do a bit of testing. I actually went through 2 of them from Amazon and their support was iffy (USB Peripherals worked sometimes, but monitors wouldn't receive signal).
If you're looking for a one plug solution that charges the laptop and connects to your peripheral, it doesn't exist since the laptop needs 230W to charge whereas Thunderbolt 3 only supports up to 100W.
Not sure tbh, I thought that was a mac thing. Here is the link
Macbooks have one of 2 possible ways to connect to an external monitor. One of them is called Display port and it uses a small cable that looks like this on one end, and a box or dongle with HDMI or a full size display port on the other end. It's what the older MAC's and non pro's use.
Then there is a newer standard called Thunderbolt which Looks like this and combines high speed USB3 connections, and Display port video over the same cable. Very few computers have it, and even fewer monitors have the connector. The 2017 and 2018 Macbook Pro's have them. Wacom also uses them on the newer Cintiq Pro and MSP products. So usually you would use thunderbolt cable, to a dock of some kind that has thunderbolt in, and network, usb, and HDMI/Display Port out on it. Thunderbolt 3 is very fast, but because of this, the cables have to be very short, under 24", and so many people use them with a dock that converts it to USB and full size video connectors.
Yes I have a native thunderbolt 3 on my laptop but I am using a thunderbolt docking station. I plan on connecting the Samsung T5 SSD to the thunderbolt docking station and connecting the thunderbolt docking station to the native thunderbolt 3 on my laptop.
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I am streaming these sessions using a camera and tablet so that I can do this.
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I could potentially edit them in post but I wanted to record them simultaneously to make it easier on myself when I am teaching. I also wanted to do live sessions in the future.
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I havent tested the Magewell yet and OBS. I just got all my equipment in so I am going to troubleshoot tonight.
This one has worked great for me. https://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B01LX8LQ8Y
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07PRJJNGF?psc=1&amp;ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title
Actually, I am looking for something similar at Amazon too. This one for example:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PRJJNGF/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=A1QTGXAMH2TVVP&psc=1
Lovely setup. I was about to get the Lenovo dock, then read some reviews from people about a firmware update knocking out some ports. At the same moment, Caldigit released their newer no-driver-required Thunderbolt 3 / dual displayport dock. I've been using it for a week now and totally loving it. I own a Lenovo P1 Gen 2 with 64 GB ram. Dock as follows:
I haven't tried it myself, but this looks good as a non-portable dock https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07F2VRRJ9/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=A1AMUYYA3CT6HJ&psc=1
Hi everyone --
I'm learning as I go here and figuring this out I didn't realize I needed to know. I have a Thinkpad X1 for work that charges via thunderbolt (it only has one thunderbolt port).
I ordered these two monitors that connect via HDMI, and ordered this docking station with HDMI-to-display adapters so I could use the two monitors as two screens for the Thinkpad X1 (and close the laptop's lid).
That's when I realized I didn't have a way to charge the Thinkpad X1 when I had the docking station plugged into the thunderbolt port (the docking station is powered by the thunderbolt port which, if plugged in, eliminates the battery charger opportunity).
What do I do? I looked in this forum and found that Lenovo makes a few docking stations that may work (the thunderbolt dock 1 or 3). But the amount of research I can do has come to an end, and it is time to ask some questions.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008ABKADI/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1&amp;smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER
Well it depends what kind of machines you are using. Usually I stick with branded solutions. If dell, I get dell docks. If fujitsu, fujitsu...you see where I am going with this. This way, if the machines are having issues, then (Manufacturer) cannot bitch and blame the 3rd party solution (unbranded) docks. But everyone has their own ways.
Look on Amazon. They all have details. I usually get the TB16 dell docks (my environment is all dell). Make sure you update the firmware on these fuckers, they are so finicky out of the box.
https://www.amazon.com/Dell-TB16-240W-Thunderbolt-Dock/dp/B06XN6XWD7
or if you prefer use and cheaper like I do:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Dell-Thunderbolt-Dock-TB16-240W-Adapter/322587996114?epid=840876333&amp;hash=item4b1bbe2fd2:g:FcoAAOSwuMxdC8UG
Good luck!
If you can forego the SD card reader, this dock is ~ $200
https://smile.amazon.com/StarTech-com-Thunderbolt-Compatible-Supports-Displays/dp/B073JDZGKK