Docking Stations

Before buying a docking station, there are several things you need to think about. Firstly, should you go for an original branded dock from the same manufacturer as your laptop or opt for a universal docking station instead? If you have an Apple MacBook, there’s no decision to make here since Apple doesn't offer Apple docking stations. You will however find plenty of docks from Dell, HP, Lenovo and Microsoft as well as third party brands such as Belkin, Startech and Kensington. The main advantage of buying an official branded dock is the peace of mind regarding compatibility; they are certified by the manufacturer to work with a specific range of laptop models so you shouldn’t encounter any issues. Universal docks can sometimes work out cheaper and have the added benefit of being useful even if you replace your laptop but may require more troubleshooting in the event you encounter conflicts or driver problems.

Are you looking for a portable docking station you can use in multiple locations or one that will sit stationary on a desk? Portable docks are smaller, have fewer ports and draw their power from your laptop. In that sense, they are more like port replicators than fully fledged docking stations. Stationary docks have their own power supply, a wider set of ports and many of them can be used to power and recharge your laptop.

When assessing a docking station look at the number and types of ports available. You want to ensure there are enough ports available to support the devices you plan to connect and that the variety of ports is suitable too. Take monitors for example, there are multiple interfaces for connecting external displays including HDMI, DisplayPort, VGA and USB-C. If you need to connect multiple screens, make sure the dock has enough outputs of the correct type to support your displays. Most docks will support one monitor, many will support two and relatively few docks will support three external monitors. 

If you’re planning to connect your dock to external monitors, you also need to ensure that both the dock and your laptop can support the maximum resolution and refresh rates for the monitors you plan to hook up. A dock may be able to run one monitor at a specific resolution and refresh rate but that might not be the case when two monitors are connected, even if the dock has multiple video connectors. If you need to connect two 4k screens for example, some docks may only support a 30Hz refresh rate which will appear sluggish and strain your eyes.

USB ports need special attention as there are multiple types of USB port available including USB-A, USB-C and Thunderbolt. USB-A is the original USB port that’s been around for years and is found in most devices. USB-C is newer, offers faster data transfer and charging speeds and uses a smaller, rounder connector. Thunderbolt looks identical to USB-C, is twice as fast and is mostly currently found in one of two generations; Thunderbolt 3 and Thunderbolt 4. Thunderbolt 4 supports superior video and data transfer rates but is relatively new and found in few devices at present. Check the type of port on your laptop matches that of the dock to avoid overpaying for connectivity features you can’t use.

Power is another consideration when assessing docking stations. USB-C and Thunderbolt docks that have their own power supply can potentially power and charge your laptop but this depends on both the laptop and dock as well as the interconnecting cable. 

Your laptop must be equipped with a Thunderbolt 3 or 4 port or a USB-C port that supports power delivery (these are often marked with a lightning bolt symbol next to the port). Also check the power rating for your laptop to see how much power it needs. You’ll find this in the listed specs or the laptop’s power adapter. Compare the power requirements for your laptop against the maximum power output of the docking station to see if it can deliver enough watts to power it. Even if it doesn’t, you can still use it for its connectivity features though.

The dock has to support power delivery too. Less expensive docks don’t always offer this feature and assume you’ll use the dock purely for connectivity. Most Thunderbolt 3 and 4 docks will be ok but check the listed specs for USB-C docks to see if power delivery is supported. Some docks also allow you to wake your laptop up from sleep mode by pressing the dock’s power button.

Finally the cable itself can be important. Thunderbolt 3 and 4 cables can deliver up to 100 Watts of charge but you’ll need a charging specific USB-C cable if you need more than 60 Watts. Third party cables in particular are often not rated for USB 3.0 speeds so check the specs before buying.

If you do a lot of work that involves audio such as podcasts, video, meetings or webinars, a dock that has audio input and output sockets can seriously boost the quality of your laptop’s sound by allowing you to plug in a proper microphone and a decent set of external speakers.

Last but by no means least, consider the dock’s ergonomics. Look at product photos of any dock you’re considering to ensure the various ports are placed in a configuration that works with your desk setup. You’ll find that there are usually a collection of ports on both the front and back of the dock and occasionally some on the sides or top of the unit. Consider how this will work when you’re plugging in cables between those ports and the laptop based on how your desk is arranged. Some docks have a built-in cable that cannot be removed. If you’re buying a dock with an integrated cable, make sure it’s long enough for your specific set up.