2/18/2024 0 Comments Best laptop docking station* Freelance writer Sascha Brodsky contributed to this article.The Lenovo Yoga Ultrabook is a popular line of 2-in-1 laptops that offers a combination of versatility, portability, and performance. A smaller, lighter, (and cheaper) portable dock is a good choice when you just need basic connectivity (USB and monitor, mostly) on the road. But they can be relatively large and heavy and they come with a power supply so it can be a lot to lug around. Stationary docks generally have more ports and can independently power your laptop and/or other devices. PM: Do I want a portable or stationary dock? JM: It depends on your needs. Also, keep in mind that some laptops have multiple ports which don’t necessarily have the same capabilities. (So why wasn’t it called LightningBolt?)īut ports are not always labeled clearly (or at all) so your best bet is to check online for the documentation or a spec sheet for your laptop. Ports with a lightning bolt icon most likely support Thunderbolt. A battery icon denotes the ability to charge, while a stylized “D” logo (for DisplayPort) indicates that the port can pass a video signal. J.M.: Sometimes ports are labeled with their capabilities. PM: How do I know what kind of ports my laptop has? I also considered reviews and customer feedback ratings on Amazon (all of our recommendation scored four stars or better). ![]() To find docks well-suited to particular uses, I pored over the features and specifications of numerous docks. How We Selected These Laptop Docking Stations The docks we specifically recommend for 4K support it at an eye-pleasing 60 Hz. A couple of the docks in our list fall into this category, but we’re not recommending them for 4K. This is not great for your eyes, as you’d likely perceive flickering. redrawing the screen 30 times per second). One last thing-some docks claim support for 4K displays but only do so at a 30 Hz refresh rate (i.e. This refers to a dock's ability to draw power from your laptop’s power supply to charge another device connected to the dock. If you're considering a dock that doesn't have its own power supply (many compact or travel docs don't), you may want to look for pass-through charging capability. So always be sure to check the specs on the latter. In a nutshell, just because a dock provides feature x, doesn’t always mean that feature will work on your laptop. (This kind of selective feature support is less of a problem with Thunderbolt, which is available on many Intel-based PC laptops and all Macs.) Similarly, a dock won’t be able to charge your laptop if the laptop’s USB-C port doesn’t support charging. ![]() If, for example, your laptop’s USB-C port can’t output a video signal, it won’t be able to display on a monitor connected to a dock. When it comes to USB-C in particular, many laptop manufacturers chose to implement some features and not others. While these standards are broadly compatible with each other and use a common physical connector, they are not identical. Docking stations these days connect to laptops via a version of USB-C or Thunderbolt. So, one of the first questions you need to ask yourself is, do you need just one monitor? Two? Four? HD resolution or 4K?Ĭomplete Your Tech Setup: The 9 Best Laptops You Can Buy Right Now | Get More Screen Space with These Computer Monitors | The Best Wireless Mouse for Gaming and Word Processingīut this brings us to another crucial point, which is whether a given dock’s features match the capabilities of your laptop. Most any dock will let you connect devices like keyboards, mice, flash drives, and other common USB peripherals, but it’s in support for external monitors that docks really begin to differentiate themselves. When shopping for a docking station, there are a couple of key things to consider. What to Look for in a Laptop Docking Station I work with laptops and docking stations frequently, supporting about a dozen corporate laptop users and I have four laptops in my own household. My most recent is Hacks for Alexa (Racehorse Press, 2019). ![]() I’ve also authored or co-authored several books. I spend most of most of my time hip-deep in various kinds of tech, and over the years I’ve written for PC Mag, Small Business Computing, and Smart Computing, among others. Show more The Expert: For nearly 30 years I’ve been an IT professional, personal tech consultant, and technology writer.
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