Reddit mentions: The best laptop docking stations

TL;DR
I found a newer model Kensington dock after writing the post, so consider if/when reading

• Great dock, has refresh rate limitations.
  
• Works great with 2016 MBP W/TB3, whether booting from MacOS or Windows.
  
• If anything use this as a guide for things to consider while shopping for a dock.
  
• just cuz... THUNDERBOLT/TYPE-C CABLES MATTER! THEY MATTER SO MUCH!
  
  
  
  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.

It's a really nice device and I've had no issues with it, but I can't help but feel underwhelmed given how much it costs. Keyboard feels good, screen is nice (if not just a little less sharp than 4k offerings, but this helps battery life), and the build quality is as good as it gets. And I love the minimalist, flat slab look to it.

But there are several other competitive options available now that offer more for less, like the Spectre x360, Yoga C940, and of course XPS 13. Those have their compromises as well (usually in QC), but they're also hundreds of dollars less for better specs, better port selection, and a 2-in-1 design.

I don't mind paying a premium, but the SL3 just doesn't feel future proof enough for me to do so. I actually just bought an X1 Carbon Gen 7 yesterday because they're heavily discounted for BF. With my work discount, the i7/16GB/1TB/4k model was just $1584. It's not as flashy as the other laptops I listed, but blows all of them out the water otherwise. If I hadn't got that, I probably would have looked at the Spectre next rather than the XPS.

And I only have two of my 1440p monitors hooked up to the SL3 for now, daisy chained via a single usb-c to display port cable. Haven't had any issues. Looks like I could have got the third hooked up with an adapter like this or the official surface dock.

I know this is probably the wrong subreddit for this, but /r/laptops looks extremely dead. If there is a better subreddit for this question, please point me there!

I need 1 docking station for 2 laptops (one personal, one work).

Personal: Dell XPS 15 9550 ( https://www.dell.com/en-us/work/shop/dell-laptops-and-notebooks/xps-15-laptop/spd/xps-15-9550-laptop )

Work: Dell Latitude E7470

My personal supports Thunderbolt 3 with charging. My work computer just has USB 3.0 ports, which I believe support video. I have 2 HDMI monitors, a mouse, keyboard, etc. that I want to be able to hook up to either computer. So, ideally, I'm looking for a docking station that can provide power, video, and USB peripheral access to my personal laptop through Thunderbolt 3 I suppose while also allowing me to swap out my personal laptop for my work laptop and be able to flip over to providing video and USB peripheral access via USB 3.0. This sounds like it probably doesn't exist, so I'm looking for the next best thing. Here are my priorities:

1. Sending video from 2 HDMI monitors to either laptop.
   
2. Using my USB peripherals on either laptop.
   
3. Providing power to my thunderbolt 3 laptop (while also being able to do #1 and #2 above without too much cord swapping).
   
   I was looking at this: https://www.amazon.com/Plugable-Charging-Delivery-Specific-Thunderbolt/dp/B01FKTZLBS/ref=sr_1_2?fst=as%3Aoff&qid=1563645495&refinements=p_n_feature_keywords_browse-bin%3A6804268011&rnid=6804256011&s=pc&sr=1-2. But I'm thinking that this one won't be able to do anything for my work laptop because I don't see a "to host" USB 3.0 port.
   
   ​
   
   Please help! I'm sitting here with 2 monitors, only one of which I can use, with 500 wires all over the place. I'm thinking I am just going to have to go with something simple like https://www.amazon.com/Plugable-Universal-Docking-Station-Ethernet/dp/B00ECDM78E/ref=sr_1_1?fst=as%3Aoff&qid=1563645495&refinements=p_n_feature_keywords_browse-bin%3A6804268011&rnid=6804256011&s=pc&sr=1-1 and forget the thunderbolt/power.
   
   ​
   
   This seems like it could work?
   
   https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07JHZX4GH/ref=psdc_778660_t2_B07F6X5SJK. Can I just toss a USB-C to USB adapter on the end of the thunderbolt cable whenever I want to use the monitors/peripherals on my work laptop?

I haven't looked into the Pixelbook lineup but I've been using an Asus C302 for front-end development and I honestly can't see myself going back to windows right now.

The only downside with the C302 is it's limited to Crouton. Apparently the kernel is too old for Crostini, but I haven't run into a problem that requires Crostini.

With Crouton I run a Xenial chroot and open Linux Apps through the xiwi extension. I've run into a few issues with Xiwi, mainly authentication. Some apps require me to authenticate in the browser (Postman & Spotify), but they don't have the ability to access the native ChromeOS browser. To solve this I had to add a desktop environment to my chroot and authenticate in that desktop's browser. Luckily, I only have to do this once, so if you're limited on storage you can just remove the desktop environment after.

The other issue with running Linux apps through xiwi is you lose access to the media keys. Crouton has a flag named keyboard that should fix this but it doesn't seem to work with my chromebook. This isn't that big of a deal for background apps, like Spotify, but when I run VSCode I would get tired of having to leave the app to turn down the audio or turn up the brightness.

I did some research and found code-server. It was built to allow developers to access VSCode remotely through their browser, but I use it to run VSCode on http://localhost:3000. I created a shortcut for this port and checked "run as window" so it takes up the whole screen.

The only downside with code-server is that it doesn't have access to all the extensions in the VSCode Marketplace. Apparently the code-server team maintains their own collection of extensions and optimize them individually. Simple extensions like themes and icons get added automatically but more complex extensions like live-server and live-share have yet to be supported.

Also, I bought this USB Hub from Cable Matters. After it shipped, I was informed by Cable Matters that my dual 1080p setup would not be supported, but not only did my C302 extend to both, it kept the original display available so now I have a nice triple monitor setup!

The only way I know how would be to get one of those thunderbolt docking stations. This is one of the more popular ones. This will take your Thunderbolt port and replicate it across 2 monitors, but ONE of those monitors MUST be a thunderbolt monitor (according to the specs on the dock). This is the same across every other Thunderbolt dock I have seen.

This is a huge restriction on the older Macbook Pros, as they really haven't really cared about multi-monitor displays that aren't thunderbolt displays.

The adapter you are using will simply not do what you want, unfortunately. You might be able to get something similar that will DUPLICATE the display to two monitors, but it definitely won't allow you to have extended displays.

Now, one other option (this might sound odd), is that you could actually get an apple TV and connect it up to one of your monitors, and connect the other monitor with that adapter you posted above.

In El Capitan, Mac OS will allow you to EXTEND your desktop wirelessly to the Apple TV. Then, in theory, you could use your cabled monitor to extend on the other one. Read here for more. This may be the best solution if you don't want to go out and purchase a $200 dock AND return one of your monitors for a more expensive Thunderbolt Monitor, since an Apple TV only runs $150. I'm not sure if the 3rd Gen (at $70) supports it, but the 4th Gen will.

Good Luck!!

You'll want a Microsoft Surface Dock. Don't mess with cheaper USB docks: they don't provide a single wire connection, and only support emulated (rather than native) video. Performance and convenience will be a lot better with the real thing.

https://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-PD9-00003-Surface-Dock/dp/B0163HP38W

If you buy the Surface Dock, make sure to update it to the latest firmware: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/surface/surface-dock-updater

You can use either USB or Bluetooth keyboards and mice with your Surface. I like the Microsoft Surface keyboard and mouse, but any will work fine.

Re. displays: stick to displays that support DisplayPort connections if possible, and use a good quality miniDP to DP cable. If your display has only HDMI connections, you'll want a compatible active miniDP to HDMI adapter.

When you dock your Surface you'll have a choice of how to configure your display output: mirrored, extended desktop, or use the external display exclusively. Most people either extend their desktop or just use the external display. Either way, Windows 10 will automatically switch resolution and scaling.

If you want avoid the minor inconvenience of having to log off / on when docking / undocking (to fix scaling issues with older apps), then consider a 23-24" 4k display. At this size, you can run the display at the same scaling level as the Surface Book display (200%) to have a comfortable desktop. Since both displays are scaled the same, no compatibility issues are created for software.

Good luck.

Ok.. here's my final update. I found another monitor it's more expensive but it is 4k and better on my eyes for coding. I am not coding at UHD resolution though - I'm coding at the 1920x1080 so I can read the text lol.

However for video or such i can switch it back to UHD and enjoy an amazing picture..

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XPJYVF2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

And then the doc for my office I am using ( one monitor on usb-c and one on display port)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07CZPV8DF/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The mini doc i use for traveling around which has my usb adapter for my travel mouse and connects to the hdmi monitor at home is :

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074J79WWJ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

All are working great!

The surface laptops have a special docking connector called SurfaceConnect ,which is supposed to have more bandwidth than USB 3.1, but I couldn't find a number in my quick google search. It seems like only microsoft has a decent dock with that connector but maybe look around. Could that dock replace the functions of the Aten dock that you linked?

Also what exactly do you need the blackjack dock for? SSDs? SD cards?In any case, I'm sure we can find something comparable. I quickly found this device, the Lexar Professional Workflow HR2. It's not cheap as you need to buy the card readers separately but it supports daisy chaining and should have enough bandwidth to not bottleneck even professional SD cards, I think. If you tell me exactly what kind of storage media you use, then we might be able to find a better solution. Edit: The amazon link isn't very informative about the device, this video is more helpful.

My laptop draws 85W over USB-C (thunderbolt 3) while also gaining a full gigabit Ethernet connection, driving two 1440p 60Hz monitors, a DAC, keyboard, and mouse. For cables like that you’re limited to very short runs but it’s perfect for a docking station setup. I use this dock.

The fact that I can do that over just one cable is amazing, it’s a genuinely brilliant connector. Gone are the days of complex docking mechanisms, now I just sit down and plug in my one cable and I’m good to go.

I was in a similar situation recently but my laptop only had 1 hdmi port despite having a gtx 1060.

Since you have 2 ports on both laptops, you could buy 2 hdmi and 2 hdmi to type c converters on amazon (make sure it works with your laptop). Anytime you and your gf want to switch however, it will be a hassle to change the respective connections on the laptops and monitors (Not a big deal, but frequent switching could get annoying).

The solution that helped me (and would help you too imo) would be to get a docking station (~$100) . This would be slightly more expensive than buying all the connections, but would be much less of a hassle since it only requires a usb to be swapped between laptops for quick and easy switching.

Docking station:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ECDM78E/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_6LxLDb41BVWHV

Edit: just realized there are better options than the one I linked for type c to hdmi, a little bit of research and you can find them.

I use a Surface Pro original for programming with Visual Studio 2013 Pro and it's great. It can drive up to 3 external displays with the correct setup. The 128 GB version is fine, I have Office 2013 and VS2013 installed plus a heap of developer utils (git, tortoisegit, beyond compare, etc...).

You can easily get one external monitor with the built-in displaylink and this mini-displaylink to HDMI/DVI/VGA adapter. I also recommend this little USB 3.0 hub + ethernet adapter. Both of those products together with the Surface Pro make for a nice portable workstation (sans external display).

To run 2 external displays, you need to get this Plugable UD-3900 which adds 4 USB 3.0 ports, ethernet, HDMI and DVI. I have one - it works great for office stuff (haven't tried any video games with it except SNES emulators which work great too.)

Yeah there are a ton of terrible reviews there - most about a year old but some recent as well. Keeping them live is a credit to MS about being transparent. MS has a pretty good return policy.

Similar reviews appear on Amazon, but the more recent reviews better reflect the product today and the top-rated Amazon reviews tend to give a little more detail: https://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-PD9-00003-Surface-Dock/dp/B0163HP38W

In order to drive my 4k + 2x 1080p monitors from my Slate, I bought this dock (after trying it out at work). It'll fast-charge my Slate (45 W at least), drive up to 3 monitors over DisplayLink (see below), and acts as a USB hub and external audio. I have one for home and one for work.

Note that you're going to have less-than-spectacular results playing a 4k video over DisplayLink (though a 1080p one will be fine). It's a separate GPU inside the dock, which is what allows it to do things that would otherwise exceed the bandwidth of USB-C. You're not going to get great gaming performance on it or anything, but as long as you're not expecting to do ridiculous things on it you'll probably be fine.

Answering your questions directly:

1. Yes. It's even possible to drive two 4k monitors (at 60 Hz), but you'll need to use both ports for that. If you're looking to drive a lot of monitors, I would recommend finding a DisplayLink dock like the one I mentioned above.
   
   
2. If the monitor can provide power using USB-PD, yes. I haven't seen a monitor that can do this (yet), but it seems like "monitor with integrated docking station" would be a reasonable step in the near future.
   
   
3. Using a DisplayLink dock, yes. It can also drive up to 4 1080p monitors at 60 Hz (or one 4k monitor at 60 Hz) with a single USB-C connector (so double that for its total capability).
   
   
4. I don't know. However, if you're not using that screen it would likely not take up much GPU capacity and only a few megabytes of memory.
   
   
5. If they're compatible with Android then probably. My father-in-law has a Brydge keyboard for the SurfaceBook (ironically he doesn't have a SurfaceBook but a different Windows tablet) and that worked flawlessly with my Slate. Most likely the Microsoft branded ones are just using the standard Bluetooth HID protocol.
   
   If you're looking for answers to Crostini questions, maybe also check out /r/Crostini!

Before the XPS 13, I used 15" laptops by themselves. This time around, I wanted to try something different: something small, lightweight, and with good battery life while I'm on the go, but with a desktop-like experience when I'm at my desk. That's why I chose to buy an XPS 13 9350 and a WD15 (Dell's USB-C Dock). By plugging in a single cable into my laptop's USB-C port (laptop to dock), I connect my laptop to a 25" 1440p monitor, a mechanical keyboard, a mouse, power (USB-C can provide up to 100 watts of power), headphones, a microphone, a backup SSD, and a micro USB cable (for phone, Xbox One controller for emulation, etc). I also have a highly adjustable office chair with great back support. Then when I want to take the laptop somewhere, I unplug that one single cable, put the laptop in a perfectly sized sleeve/bag hybrid, and go. It's a rather nice setup, especially now that Dell addressed my USB-C stability issues in a recent BIOS update (version 1.4.4 that came out a few days ago).

You make a good point about charging all the time being bad for the battery, but the dock /desktop mode is a core part of my setup and there's not a way to use the dock without it charging the laptop. I suppose I could start unplugging the laptop from the dock each night before I go to bed. That won't entirely fix the problem, but it should help some while still giving me the benefits of the dock.

You won't find anything quality under $100. You'll buy something cheap, it will be crap, then you'll get what you should have gotten in the first place.

I've used TB16 extensively and I have few of the Plugable USB-C docks that I wanted to try out:

https://www.amazon.com/Plugable-Charging-Delivery-Specific-Thunderbolt/dp/B01FKTZLBS

TB16 is still superior in my mind, but they both work well. The plugable one isn't built as sturdy and easily gets knocked around. It also doesn't supply enough power through the USB-C, so you have to connect power directly to the laptop anyway (maybe not a problem for you, I want my users to just have to connect one cable when moving around).


It sounds like you have a nice setup right now, I wouldn't cheap out on the dock just to save $100

In my opinion your best bet for dual monitor support is just to get a dual display dock that works over USB 3.0 - many people are having issues with the Microsoft one so perhaps get something like this:
http://www.amazon.com/Plugable-UD-3900-Universal-Docking-Ethernet/dp/B00ECDM78E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1465082911&sr=8-1&keywords=pluggable+usb+3.0+dock+dual+monitor

That dock already has the correct connections for both of your monitors, which is a bonus.

Most of these docks going through USB 3.0 have more than enough bandwidth for watching videos etc. so latency shouldn't be a concern but it will used ~5-10% CPU during watching videos for the dock itself just FYI.

Good luck!

I agree that the OEM docks are always the best, hands down - but I recently had a surprisingly good experience with an aftermarket USB dock. Plugable makes one that's compatible with just about anything, tablets included (using an OTG cable). This wasn't on an important system else I would have gotten the OEM dock for a little bit more.

I was having trouble getting it to work, and while suggesting a BIOS update first would have been helpful, they were happy to 2-day a tested and working dock to isolate the fault, and provide free return shipping on the test unit.

Of course, you don't get the built in charging ability, which for most users is a dealbreaker because an extra cord is too much to remember and "my laptop keeps dying ever since I started using this new dock you put in."

I recently graduated law school and built a home office setup for around $600 (my law firm has a good work from home policy). Details below:

​

Desk - DlandHome L-Shaped Desk - $130

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0798JW7FD/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The L-shaped desk contains plenty of space for my dual monitor setup and has plenty of extra space on the sides. It was very easy to assemble (unlike some IKEA desks) and ships in a manageable flat box. I keep it in the corner of my room and it is very sturdy and doesn't shake.

​

Chair - AmazonBasics Office Chair -$50

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01D7P5BFS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Cheap and comfortable.

​

Monitors - 2x HP 23.8 in Monitors - 2x $110

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B072M34RQC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

These can rotate both horizontally and vertically, which makes them perfect for work. Also VESA compatible. The quality of these are pretty good, but I only use them for word processing and web browsing. Not sure how good they are for movies or gaming.

​

Laptop Dock - Dell Universal Dock - $130

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071YTQBXM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Compatible with any laptop with a USB-C port. It charges the laptop as well while plugged in. It works with my work laptop without installing any additional drivers. Supports 2x DP and 1x HDMI. You might need to buy additional DisplayPort to HDMI cables depending on the monitors you use.

​

Accessories

Logitech K840 Mechanical Keyboard - $60

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071VHYZ62/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Anker Wireless Charger - $15

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DBXZZN3/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

​

If anyone requests, I can upload a picture when I get home tonight. Also feel free to ask any questions.

For when I'm on-the-go I usually just leave these two things in my bag:

Aukey (30W) charger for my rMB 2016. Great for the 29W requirement of the rMB, but I don't think it will charge the current MBPtb as fast as the included Apple charger. There are certainly similar alternatives available on Amazon that are better suited for the power requirement of the MBPtb though.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LX063QN/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Cable Matters USB-C Cable
Only for charging. Data transfer with this cable is at USB 2.0 speeds (like the Apple cable included in the box). I prefer this to the apple cable because the adapter is at a right angle, and thus sends the cable directly backwards instead of off to the side. This is far less obtrusive/annoying when I'm sitting at my desk at work.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N41JUI4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1for charging

When I'm at home I use the Dell WD-15 as a dock. This charges my rMB at full speed in addition to being a source of USB 3.0 ports, 3.5mm audio out, and my HDMI/VGA/Mini-displayport monitor connection with a single USB-C input. This dock will definitely charge your MBPtb, but it will do so at a slower speed because it only uses around 60W(?) for charging. I believe Dell makes another dock that has a greater power output if slower charging speed is a big issue for you.
https://www.amazon.com/Dell-Dock-WD15-Adapter-Type-C/dp/B01C8PHWQY/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1501694857&sr=1-1&keywords=dell+wd15

> No usb video adapter is going to be going above that due to the tech needed to run that display.

And yet, they exist. They have to be doing something other than just running an uncompressed video signal over the USB data line, but I don't know the details.

> A standardized extremal facing PCI-e x8 or even x16 port would be much better due to the ease of passive adapters vs active converters.

That's pretty much what Thunderbolt is (though it only delivers 4 lanes)

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.

I play WoW on medium settings. On battery temps are around 65-68c and the fans are pretty loud, although I got this coming from an old Sony Vaio Flip 15 which was 10x louder when doing hardly anything... so the MXP's fans are not too loud for me.

If gaming while charging it adds another 3-6 degrees. This laptop is hotter while charging which is my only real gripe. But while playing wow they keyboard does get hot but not "too" hot to handle. More demanding games I can totally see it getting too hot unfortunately.

I must note as well that I have Undervolted and Overclocked as well, which helps a lot and I recommend, but the numbers above are based on that... so if you don't do this it will be even hotter. Probably another 5c or so.

I am planning on getting this to help for gaming: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079JFW3YT/?coliid=I1VYO4B83RSIUJ&colid=1ON11UAPA6MN&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

When not gaming this thing is cool and quite though... even with a lot of multitasking.

We've gone all-in on Plugable USB 3.0 docks with our Surface Pro 4's and new Dell Latitude 3390 2-in-1 machines. They've been damn near flawless. This is after a year of suffering with SP4/Surface Docks.

Downside is it seems like a lot of the rendering is done on the CPU, so dragging windows across the external monitors can cause CPU usage to spike, but we haven't had any issues from it. Just something to note. All machines are specced with i5 CPUs at a minimum, wouldn't recommend anything lower with it.

Plugable support has been very friendly and helpful in the two times I've contacted them. They also offer discounts when you buy a "case" of docks (a case is 12). You have to e-mail support for that.

Hi! Your setup looks pretty great, and we were curious if we could use this photo on our Facebook page.

Additionally, if you're interested in more ports as well as 85W charging and the ability to connect to dual extended displays, I'd suggest taking a look at our TS3 Plus (also available on Amazon).

I got this for my stealth.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01FKTZLBS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I'm not sure why it's not available currently but I absolutely love it. It's approved and works with the Stealth, can drive 3 monitors, charges the laptop so I can keep my charger in my bag, has an additional USB-C port, plenty of other ports. I've had it for a month and absolutely love it.

You can't daisy chain HDMI monitors.

Your options are to see if your laptop manufacturer has a first party docking station that has 3 outputs, or you could get a third party dock like this one: https://www.amazon.com/Plugable-Universal-Docking-Station-Ethernet/dp/B00ECDM78E

The last option would be to get a couple of USB Video cards like these: https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-USB-HDMI-Adapter-External/dp/B00H91BQ7Y/


Good luck.

I got the Caldigit TB3 dock about a month ago and it's been great. I really did my research and I just wanted the best one. I'm running 2 HD monitors and tons of peripherals. I WFH so I wanted the most useful ports + reliability + not a million bucks. Highly recommend.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CZPV8DF/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_5U6XCbN4D2P5A

It seems like you have a few Ikea items - usually, within an IKEA series, accessories provide good value/$ IMO for improving existing items:

• connecting hardware Linnmon to Expedit - will help get rid of table legs hindering shelf access
  
• door inserts for expedit book case - will probably help hide clutter inside the shelves
  
• doors for billy bookcase - again hides any clutter in bookcase shelves
  
• signum cable tray
  
  
  Productivity wise, I would also suggest:
  
• a VESA mountable second monitor
  
• a monitor desk mount - once you go 2 monitor... you don't go back.
  
• laptop docking station - 1 cable to connect to 1 box, which connects speaker, monitor, keyboard, etc.
  
• any mechanical keyboard hooked up to docking station
  
  For that wall space facing the desk - I would recommend against shelves and opt for a wall mount cabinet with doors instead. Again, you can store more stuff and hides clutter.
  Mount it on the wall,then hanging lights on the bottom of it for lighting.
  

He's wack. You don't need a TB3 port to connect a docking station. You can use a USB version but its best to only use it if you have a perm work station since you'd have a bunch of wires coming from it. This is the cheapest one with the best reviews: https://www.amazon.com/Plugable-Universal-Docking-Station-Ethernet/dp/B00ECDM78E/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1550788223&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=docking+station&psc=1

​

​

I would go with Acer Aspire 5. It has discrete graphics card MX150, 8th gen i5 processor. (it's under $598 on Amazon).

Pros:

• Attractive design;
  
• Gorgeous display;
  
• Nvidia MX150 graphics;
  
• Comfortable keyboard;
  
• An SSD and HDD
  
  Specifications:
  
  
• 8th Generation Intel Core i5-8250U Processor (Up to 3.4GHz)
  
• 15.6″ Full HD (1920 x 1080) ComfyView widescreen LED-backlit display
  
• NVIDIA GeForce MX150 with 2 GB of dedicated GDDR5 VRAM
  
• 8GB DDR4 Dual Channel Memory & 256GB SSD
  
• 802.11ac WiFi (Dual-Band 2.4GHz and 5GHz)
  
• 1 – USB 3.1 Type C Gen 1 port, 1 – USB 3.0 Port & 2 – USB 2.0 ports
  
• 1 – HDMI port
  
• Backlit Keyboard
  
• 4-cell Li-Ion (3220 mAh) Battery, Up to 7 Hours Battery Life
  
• Windows 10 Home
  
• Weight of 4.41 lbs
  
  More Details
  
  And this is a good docking station on Amazon the price is $89.

In terms of ram you're probably alright if you stick to a good name brand such as kingston or G skill. Just make sure it's 260pin SODIMM when your order it.

I don't have a lot of experience with docking stations, as I have a powerful tower that sits at home. But I know lenovo has a dock that has a nvidia 1050 inside to help performance with 4k screens or multiple monitors. It runs by tb3 x4 and has 2 display ports and an hdmi port. I've never used it, but I can imagine that would be very helpful for high resolution or high refreshrates, video/photo editing, and of course gaming. https://www.amazon.com/Lenovo-G0A10170UL-Thunderbolt-Graphics-Dock/dp/B079JFW3YT

It's fairly pricey, but very interesting nontheless.

Get a Pluggable USB-3 dock, a male DVI to female VGA adapter, a USB 3 sharing switcher, and a female USB 3 to male USB-C OTG cable. I promise absolutely nothing

• Install the appropriate DisplayLink drivers on each computer
  
  
• Plug the computers into the host USB ports of the USB sharing switch (use the USB OTG cable to connect the Mac)
  
  
• Plug the Pluggable dock's host USB cable into a peripheral port of the sharing switch
  
  
• Plug the DVI to VGA adapter into the DVI port of the Pluggable dock
  
  
• Cable up the monitors
  
  
• Pray
  
  Plugable USB 3.0 Universal Laptop Docking Station for Windows (Dual Video HDMI & DVI / VGA, Gigabit Ethernet, Audio, 6 USB Ports) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ECDM78E/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_30Q1Ab3BX3P9J
  
  UGREEN USB 3.0 Sharing Switch Selector 4 Port 2 Computers Peripheral Switcher Adapter Hub for PC, Printer, Scanner, Mouse, Keyboard with One Button Swapping and 2 Pack USB Male Cable https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N6GD9JO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_53Q1AbPGC4FS6
  

Remember: Friends & Family/Gift payments, Venmo, gift cards, Zelle and cryptocurrency are non-refundable and offer NO BUYER PROTECTION. - If as a buyer, you choose to pay through the "Friends and Family" option, or agree to send Gift Cards, Venmo, or cryptocurrency as payment, please understand that you will not be able to open a claim should something go wrong in the transaction.

Title: [USA-LA] [H] Henge Docks Stone USB C dock for MBP [W] Paypal

Username: /u/Byakugan360

Body:

I have a mint condition Henge Docks Stone USB C dock for sale for $125 + shipping. 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/n0JtND7

(sorry about the lint on top of the dock; I can retake the photos without the lint and send them to you upon request)

​

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)


I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

Bought one of these: https://www.amazon.com/Plugable-UD-3900-Universal-Docking-Ethernet/dp/B00ECDM78E/

Love it, Love it, Love it. Had problems with it after 4 months and emailed them for help. They sent me a brand new unit at no cost to me. Top notch customer service. Ended up being a Surface driver issue an not the hub. Go figure.

What about the HP Spectre x360 Convertible Laptop - 13t touch?

• Intel Core i5-8250U (1.6 GHz, up to 3.4 GHz, 6 MB cache, 4 cores)
  
• 13.3"
  
• 1920 x 1080
  
• 8 GB RAM
  
• 256 GB SSD
  
• Intel UHD Graphics 620
  
• Windows 10 Home 64
  
• 2.78 lbs.
  
  It has good build quality and around 9 hours of battery according to this review. The screen covers 99% of sRGB accordign to that review, so it is probably one of the better displays in this price range. I think the laptop has a premium feel and the keyboard is comfortable to type on.
  
  It also has two Thunderbolt 3 ports.
  
  This latest gen quad core CPU should be great for general use and multitasking.
  
  You can also configure it with more RAM and a larger SSD if you prefer that.
  
  If you need a docking station you can connect one over Thunderbolt. For example, seems this one should work according to the reviews.
  
  For more options you can check this list of laptops for general use. You can click on the 2-in-1 column to compare different Detachable and Convertible options.
  
  

Since thunderbolt 3 is relatively new there are very few docks that have been released and the ones that have don't have any reviews stating if they work with certain computers. One option: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01FKTZLBS/
Another option is to buy a USB 3.0 docking station. I have Dell's D3100 which work pretty well but there are also a lot of other options but most only support 2 monitors: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ECDM78E/
http://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-Universal-Docking-Station-DVI-Ethernet/dp/B008YT4N3E
http://www.amazon.com/Dell-Display-UltraHD-Universal-D3100/dp/B00O0M46KO/
These of course won't charge the laptop like a thunderbolt 3 dock may be able to.
Since the xps 15 does not have displayport you would not be able to daisy chain directly but would instead have to buy thunderbolt 3 to displayport cable that supports daisy chaining but I am not sure if one is out yet.

Out of interest: have you tried the D3100 dock with 3 external monitors (+ thinkpad screen = 4 displays in total)?

So you have the usb-3 version (ie: with the standard usb-a connector). 3 displays, but can't power your laptop as well. Right?

Looking at the amazon page for this, it looks like there are 2 variants.

The usb-3 one, which you have, and a usb-c one. That tops out at 2 external displays, but it ought to (according to one of the Q&A answers on the page) also supply power to the thinkpad.

Would that one do the trick?

I haven't had time to read down through all the comments in this thread,... but in the environment I work in,.. we specifically and purposely DO NOT recommend any of the smaller pass-through USB-C type adapter/hubs.

If a User wants some kind of multi-port solution.. the only solution we officially recommend is some sort of fully-featured Docking Station ($200 to $300 range).

We had originally started buying OWC TB3 docks.. but the 1st and 2nd gen had similar problems (2nd monitor wouldn't reliably detect). OWC finally came out with a 3rd revision that provides dedicated 85W Laptop Power and (from what I hear) solves the Monitor-detection issues.

However by the time the 3rd revision had come out.. we had already switched everyone over to CalDigit TS3 docks. (https://www.amazon.com/CalDigit-TS3-Plus-Thunderbolt-Dock/dp/B07CZPV8DF/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1549380627&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=caldigit+tb3)

That's pretty much the only thing we use now (mostly for Macs). On all of our DELL's we're using WD15 and WD16.. but they've proven to be a nightmare of glitches and flakyness. DELL BIOS updates and WD-Dock Firmware updates have helped,. but we probably field 10 to 20 DELL Docking station problem-tickets to our Helpdesk every week.

Currently $156 on Amazon

I just received mine Saturday and it is really really nice. Awesome build quality, huge rubber grip on the bottom, and it keeps your XPS 15 charging too (make sure you get the 180W version). I haven't had a chance to try yet, but I'm hoping the Mini Displayport out will be able to use my 2010 27" iMac as a display. USB C is just such a cool connector too.

Honestly love the monitor, i have it connected to this Pluggable USB C hub from amazon so i can single wire it to my macbook and charge as well; [Here]

Thank you!

Your best bet would be to go with a powered docking station which would connect to your stealth via one usb c cable. Certain docking stations like the one linked below provide up to 60w power which would work for the stealth which can charge via usb c and only requires 45w of power. From the docking station you can connect a monitor, keyboard, mouse or whatever other accessories you may want.


I currently have this docking station for my Razer blade and love it.

I'm not saying they have feature parity I'm saying that as a device it has existed I'm more excited for the pcie capabilities. You guys fill in the gaps with what i'm saying and assume i don't know anything

https://www.amazon.com/Dell-Display-Docking-Station-D3100/dp/B00O0M46KO

one port. and yes i know it's only a single 4k monitor. The whole bandwidth issue.

I know all about the power output of 3.1, the capability to use external graphics, etc etc. I, honestly, cannot wait for it to become ubiquitous. It's glorious. But let's not kid ourselves here.

OK, what about this

It's cheaper, but isn't USB-C. I'm assuming that means things like the video quality will be low/laggy? I am going to want to play FFXIV so I'm assuming I should go with the link you provided? Thank you.

Whatever you need! for 2x Screens, DP Alternate over USB-C can only really drive 2x DP @ 1440P 60hz before it runs out of bandwidth - Dual 4K @ 30Hz is possible but I don't consider that usable for normal work. Also you'll have to give up Gigabit Ethernet and USB 3 because of bandwidth limitations.

Something like this:
https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-Multiport-DisplayPort-Ethernet/dp/B0746NKVBN?ref_=w_bl_hsx_s_hi_web_13705622011


But it may fit your needs, Keyboard/Mouse/PD Passthrough and 2xFHD.


Otherwise you will have to go TB3 which is much more $$. If you want eGPU Lenovo has the TB3 Graphic dock w/ the 1050, however also be aware most eGPU Docks may have flaky compatibility with certain mice/keyboard, basically bandwidth allocation issues. It usually rears it's head when you have load on the GPU portion, seeing as the T480s only has twin lane, you could run into bandwidth issues under heavy load where USB connections may drop intermittently however this is a general issue with pretty much all current TI83 TB3 implementations which almost all eGPUs use.

I got this one a few months back and I really like it. I only wish I had gotten a different model that supports two external displays since this model only supports one. Otherwise, it works great. I have a monitor, keyboard, speakers and a usb-a drive connected to it and I haven't experienced any issues whatsoever. It connects all of that stuff and charges my Pixelbook through a single usb-c cable.

> Surface Connect predates both TB3 and USB-C and was an innovative docking solution at the time.

You do realize that Thunderbolt has been around since 2012. If you look at the 1st generation Retina MBP, it comes with Thunderbolt 1 using the MiniDP connector.

TB1 has a bandwidth of 10 Gbps which is twice the bandwidth of USB 3.0/3.1 Gen 1 or equal to that of USB 3.1 Gen 2.

Thunderbolt 2 has twice the bandwidth at 20 Gbps and also uses MiniDP (at least on the Mac). And TB3, 40 Gbps.

Even back in 2012, there were Thunderbolt dock like this one from Belkin:

https://www.amazon.com/Belkin-Thunderbolt-Compatible-Technology-Separately/dp/B00BQHD4B8

Thunderbolt 2 (20 Gbps) came out late 2013 (when Apple released the 2nd Gen rMBP). And there were docks like this one from Elgato:

https://www.amazon.com/Elgato-Thunderbolt-Dock-Ethernet-aluminum/dp/B00PAPMSLE

All version of Thunderbolt uses the same protocol: 4 x PCIe and DisplayPort. The difference is in the revision ie PCIe 2.0 to 3.0/DP 1.1 to 2.2 (and doubling the number of stream).

And finally, Thunderbolt is the result of the collaboration between Intel and Apple who was looking to replace FireWire (which was also initiated by Apple with the help of Sony and Panasonic).

I'm pretty happy with my setup. For the sake of balancing out the desk I'd really like the third monitor. Also down the line would be a triple monitor mount so that everything comes out of one stand rather than three.

The biggest thing that I like about this setup is that I was able to get my USB dock, the dell monitor, mouse and keyboard for about the same price as the surface dock ($250 CAD).

Here's the link to the dock I ended up buying

I think something along the lines of a "tech HD" screen protector.

Carrying cases are eh from what i have seen. However I know USB hubs are great. You can also get a cheap 2.0 usb hub for like 10 bucks.

However, if you want to get super fancy:
http://www.amazon.com/Plugable-UD-3900-Universal-2048x1152-Ethernet/dp/B00ECDM78E/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1381347622&sr=8-8&keywords=universal+docking+station

or

http://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-Universal-Docking-Ethernet-USB3SDOCKHD/dp/B008YT59Q4/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1381347622&sr=8-11&keywords=universal+docking+station

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.

I got 3 of these for my Asus laptops and they all work great. Supports 2x HDMI monitors each on risers plus have laptop open to form visual triangle, all 3 screens work perfectly.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00O0M46KO/ref=psdcmw_778660_t1_B00ECDM78E

*forgot to add, just grab some HDMI to VGA or DVI cables or adapters as necessary.

I Don't have the 16 inch, but I have the 15 inch 2017 model. I have 3 27 inch 2k monitors and use them and the built in screen everyday.

I use this dock to connect all the monitors and peripherals and have one cable going to my MacBook.

https://www.amazon.com/Plugable-Charging-Support-Power-Delivery-Thunderbolt/dp/B01FKTZLBS/ref=asc_df_B01FKTZLBS/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=309707619534&hvpos=1o2&hvnetw=g&hvrand=7739158159097921200&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9033594&hvtargid=pla-461427470761&psc=1

For a while I had issues with this dock under Mavericks, but Plugable updated their driver and have had no problems since. Been using one of these at home and one at the office, and I love it. Everyone in a while the dock will get confused and only show on one screen when I plug in my computer, but restarting the dock fixes this.

I also have used these docks for triple monitors on a MacBook Pro 13, MacBook 12, a Dell 13, and my daughters boyfriend comes over and plugs in his Windows laptop and it works great. Hell even my iPad Pro likes it, but the iPad only supports 1 external screen, so only one of the monitors will work then.

​

Edit; I should mention that I've been using these docks for 2 years without issue, and have bought 4 more for various users around the office, so my experience with them have been great.

How about these?

• Plugable USB-C Triple Display Docking Station w/Power Delivery: US$179 direct from the brand, Gigabit Ethernet + 4x USB3 + 1x USB-C + 2x HDMI + 1x DVI
  
• StarTech USB-C Dock w/Power Delivery: US$182 direct from the brand, Gigabit Ethernet + 3x USB3 + 1x USB-C + 1x HDMI + 1x DisplayPort
  
  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...

Great thanks for the info. What sort of adapter should I be looking to get to be able to do this? Would something like this suffice? Or would this docking station work?

Thunderbolt 3 is capable of driving a 4K display at 120Hz which is the equivalent (more or less) of four FHD displays at 120Hz. From that perspective you're covered, the problem is finding an adapter with two DisplayPort outputs or HDMI 2.0 outputs. I'd recommend the official Lenovo Thunderbolt 3 dock but I don't know if it supports 120Hz. One review of the Plugable dock mentions it supports 120Hz and the Yoga 920, but it only has one DisplayPort output. OWC Thunderbolt 3 dock supports 120Hz too, but it too only has one DP output.

Honestly, I carry a Lenovo X1 and this CableMatters hub. We've also replaced all of our traditional docks with these things. They also make a dual HDMI version. They're great. We have a few T480's and a T490 kicking around, which IIRC have RJ45 ports. Highly recommend those models if you absolutely want the RJ45.

Are you sure the BenQ has VGA? I checked the BenQ website it said it only has D Vid and D Sub. If you do have VGA, buy the WD15, it has VGA and HDMI.

If not, the Samsung has HDMI a connector but the BenQ only has D vid and VGA. There are two options:

1. If you really want the Dell WD15 you should buy a D Vid to HDMI for the BenQ then connect Samsung by VGA.
   
   
2. The second, easier option would be to buy this adapter. Same brand as the other one but more ports.
   
   I recommend the second option but if you do have a VGA on your BenQ buy the WD15.

I believe there are monitors that are capable of forming a daisy chain like you've described, but not for under your budget and they won't provide power deliver to your computer. Splitters from USB C to multiple displays are easy enough to find, but they also won't provide power.

If you really want to charge your unit and run 3 displays all in a single cable, you'll need a hub to control it all. It will take a chunk out of your budget, leaving you with cheaper display options: https://www.amazon.com/Plugable-Charging-Delivery-Specific-Thunderbolt/dp/B01FKTZLBS

You're paying a premium for the "single cable solution" that's been marketed so heavily by the industry, but your tastes are your own.

Maybe it's just me, but I'd rather have a 13" Laptop + a 24" screen + A Thunderbolt Dock than a 15" laptop with no accessories.

13" by itself is definitely too small for multiple windows. 15" might be barely enough.

13" + 24" though is more than enough, and you can throw in a second monitor later. The XPS series has a Thudnerbolt 3 port: take advantage of it! Hubs are awesome.

I use this for work (plus an additional HDMI to DVI cable since both my work monitors are DVI): https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00ECDM78E/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1495686225&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65

This model is slightly cheaper but is still good quality. I highly recommend using a dock as well.

I would highly recommend getting one that is Thunderbolt 3 capable. I rather buy one used than get a USB-C, nonthunderbolt dock. All of the USB-C docks will drive the dispaly outputs using a software chip. The thunderbolt 3 docks can use a display port signal directly on the laptop, which works much better.

Looks like the Thinkpad thunderbolt 3 docking station will cost you $160.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B071NWZDJB/ref=dp_olp_all_mbc?ie=UTF8&condition=all


Here is a dell one that sells for $96 used, and $130 new.

https://www.amazon.com/Dell-Display-Docking-Station-D3100/dp/B00O0M46KO/ref=sr_1_5?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1510008363&sr=1-5&keywords=Thunderbolt+3+docking+station

The laptop stand is an [AmazonBasics Ventilated Adjustable Laptop Stand] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00WRDS8H0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_juNgz9ZFcAZtz) with a custom built wooden riser underneath.

The dock is the D3100 but honestly isn't that great. I got to use a TB 16 during my internship this summer and it was far better.

I'm currently running 1920x1080@75 Hz (lower) and 1600x900@60Hz (upper) from HDMI and DisplayPort respectively.

Edit: FWIW the docking station I want is this one: Plugable Thunderbolt 3 Dock with Charging Compatible with MacBook Pro 2019 2018 2017 and Specific Windows Laptops (Supports DisplayPort or HDMI up to 4K 60, Gigabit Ethernet, Audio, 5 USB 3.0 Ports). It's just a little too expensive to justify.

Thanks. The docking stations look good, but atm would be a bit much to spend. There's a USB 3.0 one for $90, and a USB-C for $180. Would there be a significant difference between these two as USB-C is faster, or is USB 3.0 plenty fast enough for this?

So I could probably just let them use without for the while, and in the future add the docking station. A few of the docking stations I found on Amazon actually just have a power LED though, it's not actually a power button they have, so the power button would still be absent from more direct access. Like these:

https://www.amazon.com/Plugable-Universal-Docking-Station-Ethernet/dp/B00ECDM78E/

https://www.amazon.com/Plugable-Charging-Support-Power-Delivery-Thunderbolt/dp/B01FKTZLBS/

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

So, your formatting is a bit sloppy up there. To clarify, you're looking for a hub with 3 USB3 port, HDMI, and Ethernet. Sound right?

To get what you seem to be looking for, try searching for USB-C "Docks" instead of "hubs". This one from Dell seems to be the most popular on amazon. There are a great number of options available though.

What you are looking for is a dock with HDMI 2.0, as HDMI 2.0 does support 1080p at 120Hz+.

If you know that, it's more than easy to find one that fits your needs...

Like this dock from Promise Technology

Is passthrough charging possible at all while also acting as a USB host (like for a flash drive or gamepad)? I see this done all the time on USB-C laptops, but I can't find any accessories that support this on the 6P or 5X.

Some examples:

• dodocool USB-C hub with charging port: This works fine on XPS 13 and Chromebook Pixel laptops, but on Nexus phones, Android prompts me to either charge itself (can't use USB ports) or power the connected device (USB ports work but can't charge). I believe the problem here is that the hub doesn't actually power the USB ports by itself, unlike normal powered hubs, which the Nexus can't handle.
  
• Plugable USB-C Docking Station: This works great with XPS/Pixel laptops. It can fast charge my Nexus phones on the host port, but the USB and Ethernet ports don't work at all. I know the HDMI port can't work because Nexuses don't support USB Alternate Mode.
  
• Anker Powered USB Hub: I wish there was something like this that connects to and charges a USB-C host.
  
• Superbook Kickstarter: This claims to be able to charge USB-C phones while using the USB OTG, but it's only a Kickstarter right now so I have no idea if this will actually be possible.
  
  Basically, no matter what accessory I use, the "lsusb" terminal command returns nothing when my phone is charging. I've tried both stock Android and Cyanogenmod 13, but not the Nougat preview.

I would look at the plugable docking stations. I've used that before and it works great. Pretty much just need to load the respective drivers on each computer and that's pretty much it. Obviously you'll need an adapter for the MacBook. The only thing I didn't like was that the blue light was bright as hell. And it doesn't charge your devices like with device specific docks. But I didn't have any problems switching back and forth between Mac and Windows.

This is the one I used, but I see they make new USB-c versions now which is cool:

Plugable USB 3.0 Universal Laptop Docking Station for Windows (Dual Video HDMI & DVI / VGA, Gigabit Ethernet, Audio, 6 USB Ports) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ECDM78E/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_DNqDzbZ60F4GZ

I re-read your original post, and I think I understand better what you're looking for.

You need a docking station on your laptop that will give you multiple outputs. We use these at work and they work pretty well: https://www.amazon.com/Plugable-Universal-Docking-Station-Ethernet/dp/B00ECDM78E/

From there, you could use the KVM switch to move the monitor, keyboard and mouse between devices, or your multiple inputs on the monitors to switch back and forth.

I use the Plugable usb C docking station. It works great with multiple monitors, wireless keyboard, Ethernet, and power all through the usb C port.

Only problem I've had is I substituted the 1 meter usb C cord that came with it for a 2 meter one so I could put the docking station under my desk, and everything still works but it charges super slowly. Like it won't lose power while I'm using it, but it won't really charge either.

Yeah I will probably end up using an HDMI cable but then I would have two cables coming from the monitor (one HDMI cable from the monitor to the hub and a second USB-C cable coming from the monitor to the hub).

I guess I have been watching too much Setup Wars on YouTube and was hoping for just one USB-C hub that everything could connect to. Purely aesthetic reasons only. Something like this would be great if it was not so expensive.

https://www.amazon.com/Promise-Technology-Thunderbolt-TD-300-Ethernet/dp/B077GFRJDM/

You could try the Dell USB-C Dock? Using it at work rn and it seems to be fine. (Not sure about the gaming aspect of course)

Glad to hear it plays nicely with a curved 4K monitor. Was gonna pick up a Vivotek monitor if I can find the color I want.

Got my Surface Book 2 (512 GB) from the Surface Plus Program on Saturday (no tracking info through either Microsoft or Klarna) and have been loving it so far. It's low-key a Netflix binger's dream.

Also, for those in the Surface Plus Program, I believe they have a backorder on the 256 GB model and the 1 TB model.

I ordered the 512 GB model about a week ago cue bobby but it only took about 5 days to be shipped and delivered from the time I ordered it.

Never had any issues with this dock at work, didn't buy it myself tho.

This was a hard spend at almost $100 but it was totally worth it. It saved me from having to plug in 2 monitors as well as all my other peripherals every time I brought my laptop to my desk. All it uses is a single USB 3.0 port.

https://www.amazon.com/Plugable-Universal-Docking-Station-Ethernet/dp/B00ECDM78E/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1498572280&sr=8-10&keywords=plugable+usb+hub

Not much help from me I'm afraid.

​

After a lot of research it seems all the 'good' options are way too expensive right now. I ended up going with a cheap 3rd party dock and I'll be sticking with my 1440 regular monitor until a reasonable option to run an ultrawide at 60Hz or more from a laptop with USB-C power delivery comes out.

​

So far as I can tell you're basically just looking at thunderbolt docks when it comes to higher res at a reasonable refresh rate. Built-in USB-C docks on monitors were all lacking in some way. Even Lenovo's official ThinkPad docks either won't run anything above 1080 at 60Hz, or have strange problems when powering higher res displays (like the gen 2 thunderbolt dock powering off / overheating randomly).

​

I ended up with the following as a solution for now, plugged into a x280 ThinkPad. It works ok but having a non-detachable short cord kind of sucks. Also I don't think this would power an ultrawide at 60Hz+ either, but a 2560x1440 is fine. All in all I'm dissapointed but will probably look into future docks offered by Lenovo in about a year. The current offering _should_ work but so many people seem to have issues that it's just a non-starter for me right now. I did find a list of docks offered by Lenovo and their supported resolutions / refresh rates, but it's lacking in some information.

​

Good luck!

https://www.amazon.ca/Cable-Matters-Multiport-DisplayPort-Ethernet/dp/B0746NKVBN/ref=sr_1_4?crid=26HOCB0T8SLL7&keywords=cablematters+usb+c&qid=1575069335&sprefix=cablematters+%2Caps%2C174&sr=8-4

https://support.lenovo.com/gt/en/solutions/pd029622

Second this. I bought the Plugable USB-C Triple Display Dock (currently unavailable on Amazon) and it's a night and day difference from the POS TB-15. Truly plug and play, without a single disconnect when using HDMI, ethernet, USB audio and multiple USB 2.0 peripherals. Also, the USB-C data cable is twice as long, allowing me to keep the dock behind my standing desk.

Plus, as a bonus, the USB-C power pass through allows my XPS 13 users to keep the standard power adapter in their laptop bags, thus saving me from purchasing $70 power adapters per user.

Another good option is CalDigit TS3 Plus Thunderbolt 3 Dock which should give you one some good connectivity options. Hope that fits your budget. You would also have to get a USB-C to DP cable or some thing similar..


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CZPV8DF/

We dominantly have this one: https://support.lenovo.com/us/en/solutions/migr-76983
It works well, a little choppy with video but sufferable.

This is my new fav: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ECDM78E/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
USB 3.0 and dual monitor (DOES NOT WORK WITH OSX).

I also like this one: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C631EYU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
USB 3.0, dual monitor and very shiny. Not sure if it works with OSX.

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.)

I'm pretty sure I've seen something on this sub where somebody had connected the Lenovo Thunderbolt 3 graphics dock to a regular dock that their laptop was connected to

Edit: Actually this is what I was thinking of, see Sir Hammerfest's review here: https://www.amazon.com/Lenovo-G0A10170UL-Thunderbolt-Graphics-Dock/dp/B079JFW3YT#aw-udpv3-customer-reviews_feature_div

So yes you can daisy-chain docks it seems

​

|Item|Detail|Amount Paid (Pre Tax)|
|:-|:-|:-|
|Laptop|Inspiron 13 7000; i7-8550U@1.8GHz, 16GB 2400MHz RAM, 512 GB M.2 PCI-E NVMe SSD|$940.79|
|Monitors|2 of Samsung IT LC27F398FWNXZA Samsung C27F398 27-Inch Curved Monitor (Super Slim Design)|$435.98|
|Keyboard|Corsair CH-9101021-NA Gaming Mechanical Keyboard, Backlit LED|$103.99|
|Mouse|VicTsing Wireless Gaming Mouse with Unique Silent Click, Breathing Backlit, 2 Programmable Side Buttons, 2400 DPI, Ergonomic Grips, 7-Button Design- Red|$19.99|
|Dock|Dell USB 3.0 Ultra HD/4K Triple Display Docking Station (D3100)|$108|
|Laptop Stand|Vertical Laptop Stand [Adjustable Size], OMOTON Desktop Aluminum MacBook Stand with Adjustable Dock Size, Fits All MacBook, Surface, Chromebook and Gaming Laptops (up to 17.3 inch), Silver|$25.99|
|UPS|APC UPS 600VA Battery Backup & Surge Protector with USB Charging Port, APC UPS BackUPS (BE600M1)|$54.99|
|Headphones|COWIN E7 Active Noise Cancelling Headphones Bluetooth Headphones with Mic Deep Bass Wireless Headphones Over Ear, Comfortable Protein Earpads, 30H Playtime for Travel Work TV PC Cellphone - Black|$62.99|
|Back LED|Megulla Color Bias Lighting for TV and Monitor - Small (39inch), RF Remote and Dimmer -USB LED Backlight RGB Adhesive Strips for HDTV, Desktop Monitors and More -2Pack|$19.99|
|Webcam|Logitech C270 Widescreen HD Webcam and 3 MP designed for HD Video Calling and Recording|$21.99|
|Wireless Phone Charger|Seneo Wireless Charger, Qi Certified Wireless Charging Stand Compatible iPhone Xs MAX/XR/XS/X/8/8 Plus, 10W Galaxy Note 9/S9/S9 Plus/Note 8/S8, 5W All Qi-Enabled Phones(No AC Adapter)|$19.99|
|Flag|Official United States Flag, Flown over U.S. Capitol Building in 2008 (Thanks, Chuck Schumer!)|$0.00|
|Backup Harddrive|WD 2TB Black My Passport Portable External Hard Drive - USB 3.0 - WDBS4B0020BBK-WESN|$79.99|
|Total||$1,894.68|

​

I'm really liking it! It just came in on Thursday. It's great to only have 1 wire going to the MBP, since it's kind of in my face now.

Correct. It's this one https://www.amazon.com/CalDigit-TS3-Plus-Thunderbolt-Dock/dp/B07CZPV8DF

I have this one https://smile.amazon.com/Dell-452-BCYT-D6000-Universal-Black/dp/B071YTQBXM/ and so far it has worked flawlessly with various laptops (Lenovo, Huawei, Dell, Pixelbook) but I sold my MBP before I bought it so I can't confirm that in particular (but comments say it works fine). The best part is that it can also charge the laptop (limited to 65w) while you're using it without having to use a separate power adapter.

I highly recommend the sabrent USB dock!

It's got 2x USB 3, 2x USB 2, 2x USB power, hdmi, ethernet, audio in and out... It's a damn sight cheaper than the surface product, but can't charge the surface. If you're going to get a dock to sit on your desk at home, this is the best I've come across.

Is this the one you have? I'll do it if nothing else works, but that was more than I thought I'd have to spend!

If anyone has something simpler/ cheaper that works, I'd love to know about it.

I have a dual monitor setup. I use a dock, like this one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B013WQWCEA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It works flawlessly. Although the first time setup took a little management. Getting the monitors in order, which one shows the desktop, not to turn off when I close the lid, etc. But once set up, it's done and done. (My taskbar icons are sometimes wonky when going from laptop to dock but a reboot fixes that).

I'm not familiar with your dock, but it should work, right? The dock I use plugs in to the USB, not TB though. Maybe thoroughly check the thunderbolt settings?

And actually- If I open up the laptop screen, it'll actually work with 3 monitors. Overkill for me, but very neat.

I just bought https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075M1XHCK?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share since I moved from a Dell XPS 9560 to a 2019 MBP. It works well so far. It has one display port and one USB-C that I use a USB-C to display port cable with. It does do charging but not at 85W which is what the 15” charger is. It just means it charges slower. It works great. Keyboard will wake it from sleeping. No complaints so far. There are a lot of other hubs out there but this one seems to be the best. Ask any questions you might have.

Edit: I bought a used one from the Amazon warehouse seller. Looked brand new when it arrived.

Wow. Not sure I'm up for getting new monitors.
I have two fairly new HDMI monitors now with the current laptop acting as a third monitor while I use a BT keyboard and mouse to work.

I'm hoping that there is a solution that allows me to run a USB C cable to a docking hub that the two monitors can be plugged in to. This might mean that I need to use some sort of USB C to HDMI or USB 3 adapter but I'm still looking.

EDIT: Something like this, for example.

Your laptop supports thunderbolt 3. Thunderbolt 3 can carry DisplayPort. This means you can run multiple 4K displays through one port.

A 144hz monitor will work just fine, you just need to find one with DisplayPort, and purchase a Thunderbolt 3 to DisplayPort adapter.

Alternatively, you could buy a Thunderbolt 3 dock. These can run ethernet, audio, video, power (physically charge the laptop), USB, and more through one cable. I have this dock, and use every one of the above capabilities on a daily basis. Definitely worth the purchase.

Ty !
Well atm it will be either the D1000 from Dell or this one :
https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-DS-RICA-daccueil-ordinateurs-portables/dp/B013WQWCEA/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1486647122&sr=1-1&keywords=Sabrent+DS-RICA#
I still dont know which one is better and how.

There's a Pluggable USB-C mini dock UD-CAM for $119 on Amazon but it only has HDMI out. It might work with an HDMI to VGA adapter. it is compatible with Surface Book 2, you probably have to email them about the Go support to be sure.

Or just get an HDMI monitor.

Other USB-C Docks with VGA are more expensive.

https://www.amazon.com/Plugable-Charging-Delivery-Specific-Thunderbolt/dp/B01FKTZLBS/

No way is that needed lol. There are cheaper options. You basically want a USB 3.0 or Type - C Dock. Amazon has plenty of choices.

This is what I have for my work setup, and works flawlessly: https://www.amazon.com/Plugable-Universal-Docking-Station-Ethernet/dp/B00ECDM78E/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1519918342&sr=8-3&keywords=usb+3.0+dock

Link to my temporary setup:
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/5FMzfMsYV7T5r5kJzrE1MkNuvrYduETlyElgwfueg4sh1OMd6iiUaKkjIxwSILWpCYbwx8hmjxCC2IOKbbkf=w1817-h749


I know my wiring management is terrible atm, but the hub I'm using works great with dual monitors.

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.

If I had to guess, his current monitors do not have USB-C connectors, so not only would the company issue a new laptop, but also 3 new monitors.

EDIT: Of course, USB-C docks that support multiple monitors are available. But then I read fine print like this: "If both DisplayLink HDMI and DVI outputs are in use, both outputs will be limited to 1080P"

Do you actually want a docking station, or do you just want an ethernet port and HDMI port?

I have a Pluggable USB 3.0 docking station that I use at the office. It works well, but it isn't USB-C so I have to use an adapter along with it. I believe they have a USB-C version, but I use my docking station for a Windows laptop that only has USB 3.0 on it also.

I have a USB-C Adapter that I carry around with me that offers USB 3.0, HDMI, and pass through USB-C on it. If you look around, you can probably find one that has ethernet in it also.

For ethernet use on the go, I have a USB to Ethernet adapter.

There are lots of options out there below $100. It really depends on what you are trying to accomplish with them.

If 100Mbit Ethernet is enough for you and 4K @60hz desirable this dock is the best on the market IMO

https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-Multiport-Adapter-Ethernet/dp/B0746P6LPP/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?keywords=cable+matters+usb-c+dock&qid=1551279739&s=gateway&sr=8-4

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.

I just picked up one of these guys and a Razer Core X. Since it allows for daisy chaining I'll report back my findings... Hoping it will work as a single cord setup. Chances are the 85w will not be enough power for my laptop (Thinkpad X1 Extreme) so I will still need to go for a 2-wire setup.

Edit: Looks like it does charge the laptop! and at a decent rate, too.

USB-B? That's never come on a laptop as far as I know. Does it happen to look like this? If so, that's a mini DisplayPort which would be a perfect solution for another display output. If you have USB-C, there's certainly a chance that you could do display out that way. You'd have to look at the specs for your machine to see what it supports. You'd just be able to use a dongle like this to make that work out.

Worst case scenario, you could get something like this dock here. That display out is done at a software level, so once you connect via USB 3.0 you'd have your display out and some extra USB ports to plug other things into (and since you'd need at least one extra port to plug your Rift since the dock would take up 1/3 of your USB ports, this would work out). I'm not entirely sure just how much CPU resources that would use, so keep that in mind if the CPU on your laptop is on the lower end, but it is another option to keep in your back pocket at least.

While I don't have the Kayby Lake XPS I do have the Skylake XPS 13 (9350) and the WD15 dock (https://www.amazon.com/Dell-Dock-WD15-Adapter-Type-C/dp/B01C8PHWQY) and am also running Fedora 25.

I've got a keyboard+mouse+monitor hooked up to the dock. While it works, it doesn't work perfectly. The largest issue I have is that I can't use HDMI, I have to use VGA. The only way HDMI works is if I have the dock connected when I boot Fedora 25. VGA works fine.

Before I bought the WD15 dock I was researching the problems others had with it. I found many people who said the dock simply didn't work, and potentially a firmware update would solve it. When I bought the dock I was still uncertain whether it would work with my configuration, but I was pleasantly surprised that it did work to this degree.

When I connect the dock to my already-running laptop, with a screen connected via HDMI, I can see the display in xrandr, but after enabling output to it, the screen doesn't come alive. I haven't pinned down if this is a hardware or driver issue.

Side note: I don't have a 4k monitor attached, but I do have the touchscreen/HiDPI display. This presents an issue because X doesn't handle multiple DPIs well. If you have both HiDPI displays you could probably get away with a single DPI that would work for both the internal display and external monitor. (I've gotten around this by using xrandr's scale flag

xrandr --output DP-1-3 --right-of eDP-1 --auto --scale 2x2

Using a single USB-C would be the best solution, but I am not sure about the available bandwidth. These are the gadgets that must work simultaneously:

• A 2560x1440 display through HDMI
  
• Two HD 1080p@50fps camera modules through the two USB 3.0 connectors
  
• Two low-res 720p or 640p camera modules (USB 2.0) and two low-res 640p TFT displays (+ HDMI to MIPI decoder board) on a USB-C HUB
  
  I want to use a LattePanda Alpha 864s as the brain of the system, and I am not sure if the built-in USB-C connector is capable of covering all of the mentioned things.

Thanks for the clarification on thunderbolt.

Huh, maybe quality control ... XPS 9550 (15") and the WD-15 on launch as well. It was unusable before the firmware update or drivers or both, can't remember what exactly fixed it. It would drop video randomly requiring a reset. USB devices would drop, even mice/keyboards requiring a reset. XPS would complain the power adapter was only a 60w. I'm using it now and it's fairly reliable, not 100%. I have to reset it every few days because it goes wonky, mouse is really choppy, sound is distorted, stuff like that. The video dropping doesn't happen anymore and no more complaints about the charger.

I wasn't the only one with issues. Amazon reviews full of similar issues.

BUT, it is a LOT better than the TB dock :)

thanks, I had seen that unit. but I would like to make it USB-C, so the WD15 is indeed the way to go. could you look up the $80 one? I looked for it but can only find a few 130 and higher. I live in the Netherlands but if it is that cheap then it's cheaper to just ship them. Here they are almost allways 200 euros and higher.


Edit:
Never mind I found it, do you know what the difference is between the $147 one and the $79?

I use this one.

Pretty good in my opinion, I haven't had any issues. I use an HDMI and VGA port.

Definitely no wireless monitors

Wireless speakers over Bluetooth exist, they just have a ton of latency, and it'll eventually drive you crazy if that's what you're using to output audio for your entire computer

There are plenty of really good wireless keyboards, but as far as wireless and mechanical, I only know of one, and it's not particularly good.

Plenty of good wireless mice, like the MX master, or performance MX from Logitech

And for external storage, you'd probably want to go with a NAS or something if you wanted wireless, or one of those weird wireless external hard drives that seem super odd and do some weird Bluetooth nonsense.



My suggestion to you would be, assuming your only reason for wanting this all wireless is ease of setup, getting normal wired peripherals, and getting a thunderbolt hub. Plug all of your peripherals into the thunderbolt hub, most if not all of which will have

At least three USB
HDMI out
Audio out (3.5mm)
And probably another thunderbolt out


That way your setup time when going from portable to desktop is just plugging in your MagSafe charger, and the one thunderbolt cable, as opposed to plugging in mouse, keyboard, monitor, speakers, power, external HDD, blah blah blah


This is one of the more popular and highly recommended thunderbolt docks on this sub (sorry for ugly link, I'm on mobile atm)

Elgato Thunderbolt 2 Dock with Thunderbolt Cable https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PAPMSLE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_SmWCxbD5T921T

I bought this POS, everything but the displays worked. Bought one of these, and it works beautifully.

Includes:

2 x 22" 1080p Monitors

1 x Sony Xperia Z Ultra (Charge only)

1 x Logitech USB Keyboard

1 x Microsoft USB Mouse

1 x Amazon Basics USB-Powered Speakers

1 x 2TB External HDD on USB 3.0

1 x DVD Burner

1 x Surface Pen (duh)

1 x USB-Powered Laptop stand w/ dual cooling fans and USB 2.0 hub

1 x Gigabit Ethernet Connection

with 1 USB 3.0 and 4 USB 2.0 slots free

Single cable, everything connects and is fully functional in about 10 seconds once the cable goes in. Handles it like a champ, no lag on displays or input.

Using this docking station.

I used an earlier model of this Plugable USB 3.0 Universal Laptop Docking Station on my SP1 for 4 years. Unless you need to use dual monitors both for gaming, it's just fine. Also have an SP2 with the original dock and the Plugable is actually better for placement flexibility/pen use.

I used this on my 2017 MBP that I ran bootcamp on.

After looking at the listing, it says it's not compatible with 10.13.4 or later, which surprised me. According to their support site, functionality may have been restored by Mojave

If you go to the "view all reviews" section, there's a search box.. type in Linux and there are plenty of reviews that mention linux. I do this with most hardware.. it's a good tool to find info about linux compatibility for products with lots of reviews.

https://www.amazon.com/Dell-Dock-WD15-Adapter-Type-C/product-reviews/B01C8PHWQY/

Quickly glancing, it seems there were issues early on, but it got better with firmware updates

KK This one has up to triple monitor support.

https://www.amazon.com/Plugable-Display-Docking-Charging-Delivery/dp/B01FKTZLBS

https://www.amazon.com/Plugable-Universal-Docking-Station-Ethernet/dp/B00ECDM78E/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1481135935&sr=8-2&keywords=plugable+docking+station

These are cheaper and just work in my experience. Never had issues with these.

The external dell docking stations that are usb-c tend to be absolute garbage. The usb 3.0 ones also are garbage.

I've had better luck with this cheap plugable branded one than anything else.

I seemed to have good luck with this Plugable: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B078J7FSWM/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Why on earth would you spend so much money on a dock? https://smile.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-Multiport-DisplayPort-Ethernet/dp/B0746NKVBN this is enough for you, I think at least.

> I really see the usefulness of TB3 hubs only when one would also like to charge the laptop with just one cable,

Wrong, USB C can charge just as well. TB3 is useful when your video and data speed requirements are higher than what USB C can provide (USB 2.0 + 4K + 1080p or USB 3.0 + 2 1080p / 1 3440 x 1440). Minimal use case for TB3 is 4K @ 60 Hz + USB 3.0 and can go up to 2 * 4K @ 60 Hz or even 5k @ 60 Hz plus USB 3.0. Alternatively, you need external PCI Express lanes, that's also TB3 territory.

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

I like the cablematters docks. There's a dual DP one that has charge-through, as well as a USB hub and ethernet.

There's also a dual HDMI version that works just as well.

You could assume the rumors about a spring release for SP5 are true and wait a little or you could [buy it now for $120] (https://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-Surface-Dock-Compatible-Book/dp/B0163HP38W/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1484305593&sr=1-1&keywords=surface+dock) and sell it with the SP4 when you upgrade. You probably won't lose too much value if you sell everything as a package.

I think this Dock is a better value?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00O0M46KO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Because of PrimeDay its 90.... but the other displayer adapters are like 60-90 even the usb 2.0 is 40 ... not sure if I should get this dock or the Surface Dock at this point

I'm also wondering how he's able to deliver at such a low price. The third monitor is not possible at this price range because it needs it's own video output. I mean my friend asked me to buy http://www.amazon.com/Plugable-UD-3900-Universal-Docking-Ethernet/dp/B00ECDM78E for him just so that he can use his third monitor.

I'm not trying to advertise or anything but I've been using http://www.duetdisplay.com/ with my Macbook and I'm very satisfied. I bought a used iPad Air just solely for this purpose, meaning I'm willing to spend money for a decent portable monitor.

Cable matters makes nice usb-c hubs that do everything you need and support dual monitors. They are cheaper than the official docks and work with or without thunderbolt. Cable Matters Dual Monitor USB C Hub (USB C Dock) with 2X 4K DP, 2X USB 2.0, Ethernet, and 60W Charging for Windows - Thunderbolt 3 Port Compatible

The best one I know of is the Dell Inspiron 15-7559 Dell's USB-C to HDMI/VGA/Ethernet/USB.

They also make one wiuth more I/O and enough power to charge your device while connected.

For anyone who might be in the same boat I purchased this dock which came with a USB C to C cable:

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B01FKTZLBS/ref=ppx_yo_mob_b_track_package_o0_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

And then I purchased this USB A to C cable to connect my Lenovo to the dock:

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B01GGKYR2O/ref=ya_aw_od_pi?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This setup works perfectly for both my thinkpad and my chromebook.

The CalDigit TS3+ is an amazing dock. Gives you a ton of ports, and you only attach one cable because it acts as an 85W power supply too. Link to it on Amazon $300

Why not use something like this and just use an HDMI cable?


There are lots of options like this out there.


If you need something with a built in charger this is the one I use at home for my pixelbook.


60W+ charger is fine as long as it is well built.

This one is super solid for me: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07CZPV8DF

Lots of ports, full charging speed, video out, etc...

If you decide you want the convince of just plugging in one usb-c I would suggest this if your Mac or pc is powered off of the usb-c it’s all taken care of with in one cord.

I'll believe it when I see it.

In the mean time, I purchased Plugable's dock which has worked PERFECTLY. Couldn't recommend it enough,

https://www.amazon.com/Plugable-USB-C-Docking-Station-Delivery/dp/B01FKMN1BW

I've used one of these, so has my dad and it works great, assuming you have a USB3.0 (blue) port.

https://www.amazon.com/Plugable-Universal-Docking-Station-Ethernet/dp/B00ECDM78E/ref=sr_1_16?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1503969000&sr=1-16&keywords=port+hub+usb+3.0

I have the Dell WD15, and it works great. Two monitors and a phone charger attached. Mouse and keyboard are bluetooth directly to the laptop.

Why do you have the charger plugged into the laptop? Does that dock not charge?

This one has been great for my use: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0746NKVBN/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05__o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Nothing is quite perfect! The Philips does look nice but doesn't have a VESA mount which is on my list of requirements.

This hub seems like it does everything I would want: https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-Multiport-DisplayPort-Ethernet/dp/B0746NKVBN 4k DisplayPort @60Hz, USB ports, and power delivery.

The fast ethernet seems hilariously out of date and I'll still need to get an extra 60W USB-C charger to enable the power delivery.

Still going to hang on for Prime Day to see if there's some price movement on any of these options.

Cable Matters Dual Monitor USB C Hub (USB C Dock) with 2X 4K DP, 2X USB 2.0, Ethernet, and 60W Charging for Windows - Thunderbolt 3 Port Compatible - Support One External Display with MacBook Pro

I use this guy cause I’m strapped to two DP monitors. Gets the job done but doesn’t support two monitors on Mac only PC. I switch between the two.

The TB16 docks were nothing but headaches for us. We've since moved to this dock and things have been flawless so far.

So I looked at a bit of stuff and made sure you could get the most expensive desk on that site when I was looking at it. The monitor I have add is that isn't on the PC part picker list is for productivity. The one on the PC part picker list is Moe of a gaming monitor. I choice to got for ergonomics rather then style, but you might like how it looks too. Also added windows 10 pro to the parts list. All in all, this is what I came up with.


Mouse: https://www.logitech.com/en-us/product/mx-vertical-ergonomic-mouse  $100

Keyboard: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/microsoft-sculpt-ergonomic-desktop/8xk02kz6k69w/961p?activetab=pivot:overviewtab $66

Chair: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EUU5GFK/ref=as_li_ss_tl?&linkCode=sl1&tag=republiclab01-20&linkId=292084818f345f4b4d4c476eba03a361&language=en_US $250

Desk: https://www.upliftdesk.com $2000 max

$2416 left for pc


PC: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/vWg829


Monitor: https://www.amazon.com/Designo-MX34VQ-Adaptive-Sync-Wireless-Frameless/dp/B01N4UQIGT/?ascsubtag=[]st[p]cjng4evzq00jw4myecrbfljzq[i]9Xwcjj&tag=thestrategistsite-20


Universal dock:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00O0M46KO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_j06wCbETFZDP5

Full list with links to everything shown here (and some stuff not shown). Please let me know if I've missed anything or if you have any questions.

PC Specs

Item | Make/model | Link | Price
-|-|-|-
Processor| Intel i7-8700k | Amazon | $355
Graphics Card| MSI GEFORCE GTX1080 TI GAMING X 11G| Amazon | $1,000
RAM | G.SKILL TridentZ RGB 16GB (2 x 8GB) 3200 MHZ | Amazon | $90
Motherboard | ASUS ROG Strix Z370-E Gaming | Amazon | $350
SSD | Samsung SSD 960 EVO 1TB NVMe | Amazon | $300
SSD | Samsung 850 EVO 500GB | Amazon | $130
SSD | Samsung 850 EVO 500GB | Amazon | $130
AIO | Corsair H110i V2 | Amazon | $120
Case | Lian Li PC 011 Dynamic | Amazon | $130
PSU | EVGA SuperNOVA 650 G2 | Amazon | $100
Fans | Corsair LL 120 | Amazon | $220
Drawers | Ikea Alex | Ikea | $90

The rest of the stuff

Item | Make/model | Link | Price
-|-|-|-
Desk | Jarvis Bamboo Standing Desk | Jarvis | $752
Chair | Herman Miller Embody | Amazon | $1,400
Monitor | ASUS PG279Q | Amazon | $610
Monitor | ASUS PG279Q | Amazon | $610
Desk Mat | Godspeed Reverse Panda | Novelkeys | $20
Mouse | Glorious Model O Matte White | Glorious | $50
Keyboard | Tofu65 w/ Gateron Browns | KBDFans | $200
Keycaps | MT3 Godspeed | Drop | $150
Dock | Caldigit TS3 | Amazon | $280
Speakers | Audioengine A2+ | Amazon | $300
Speaker Stands | Kanto S6W | Amazon | $60
Webcam | Logitech C922x | Amazon | $83
Monitor Arm | Jarvis Dual Monitor Arm in White | Jarvis | $160
Desk Backlight | Philips Hue Light Strip | Amazon | $90
Main Lights | Nanoleaf Light Panels | Nanoleaf | $550
Headphones | Hyperx Cloud Flight | Amazon | $135
VR | Oculus Quest | Amazon | $500
Headphones | Sony WH1000XM3 | Amazon | $275
Headphones | Master & Dynamic MH40 | Amazon | $250

Wallpaper Engine Link

\ price as configured

\ Some or all items not pictured here but are part of the setup

I use and can highly recommend this dock from Sabrent:

Sabrent USB 3.0 Universal Docking Station with Stand for Tablets and Laptops supports Windows & Mac (DS-RICA) https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B013WQWCEA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_rZCuDbMMK7NAY

Not bad. You can supposedly play GTA V on it without a hitch on low settings at 720p. For video, it can push a 4k display.

I personally have done molecular graphics on the UHD 620 and its been fine. If you need the GPU Though, you could get an X1 with a thunderbolt 3 port and then get an eGPU dock. Lenovo even has one https://www.amazon.com/Lenovo-G0A10170UL-Thunderbolt-Graphics-Dock/dp/B079JFW3YT .

Seems to work for the X1C5 (same hardware):

https://www.reddit.com/r/thinkpad/comments/67zvmy/new_setup_complete_with_carbon_x1_g5/

You may need to adjust the Thunderbolt security settings, but otherwise all Thunderbolt products should be cross-device compatible.

If it doesn't work, you could always get the Thinkpad Thunderbolt Dock:

https://www3.lenovo.com/us/en/accessories-and-monitors/docking/universal-cable-docks-thunderbolt/Thunderbolt-Dock-US/p/40AC0135US

Or a 3rd party dock (uses DisplayLink, less desirable):

https://www.amazon.com/Plugable-Charging-Delivery-Specific-Thunderbolt/dp/B01FKTZLBS/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1525276978&sr=8-2&keywords=thunderbolt+3+dock+multiple+display

By far one of the best USB 3.0 docks I have used.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ECDM78E/ref=oh_details_o08_s00_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I use this and works like a charm.


http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00ECDM78E/ref=mp_s_a_1_10?qid=1381692421&sr=8-10&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70

Running a surface pro with a cannon AIW, two 28 inch monitors and a big USB 3.0 HDD. Runs very fluid and smooth.

I have this for travel:
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B073GW52L6?psc=1&ref=yo_pop_mb_yo_pop_mb_pd_t2

And this at work:
https://www.amazon.ca/Dell-Monitor-Adapter-450-AEUO-4W2HW/dp/B01C8PHWQY

Both work perfectly without any issues.

I've using this keyboard:
https://www.amazon.ca/Logitech-K380-Bluetooth-Keyboard-Dark/dp/B0148NPH9I

And this mouse:
https://www.amazon.ca/Logitech%C2%AE-Anywhere-Wireless-Mouse-910-005152/dp/B071S7KDWS

From Dec my usual use is remote desktop to VM on my work server, or basic MS office work/presentations.
With Linux I will be doing QC on QGIS projects Python scripts.

So far so good for me.

This [dell]https://www.amazon.com/Dell-Monitor-Adapter-450-AEUO-4W2HW/dp/B01C8PHWQY/ one has been reported to work perfectly with SB2.

There are ways for instance I have a dell M6700 so all I'd have to do is set in it's docking station.

I don't think they made a dedicated docking station for the Inspiron model though.
There is a "Dell USB 3.0 Ultra HD/4K Triple Display Docking Station (D3100)"
That compatible with alot inspirons as well as many other models so you could try that.
https://www.amazon.com/Dell-Display-Docking-Station-D3100/dp/B00O0M46KO

I'm using the Dell WD15 dock. I'm connected to a 1440p monitor, 3 usb devices, external speakers, and charging the laptop all over 1 cable. Works great. It also has an Ethernet port that I have not tested.

https://www.amazon.com/Dell-Dock-WD15-Adapter-Type-C/dp/B01C8PHWQY

> Thunderbolt 3 docking station

I am not an expert on those, but this looks like a great fit

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

I'm using this and it works really well: https://www.amazon.com/Dell-Display-Docking-Station-D3100/dp/B00O0M46KO/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1482862747&sr=8-3&keywords=usb%2B3.0%2Bdock&th=1 the used deals go for about $60-70, but any 3.0 Displaylink capable dock should do the trick!

If I remember right you have two options.

1.) use a USB to HDMI adapter which is like $10 on ebay.

2.) Use a USB Docking Station like this one. However this is like $94 USD.

I think you should try the USB to HDMI adapter first.

Hey,

You can use your laptop like usual while the lid is closed, I think it is something you can adjust on monitor settings on the laptop. That is what I do. Then, you can get a docking station like this one with a lot of ports. You can then connect a monitor, keyboard, mouse, whatever you need.

Get one of the two below, and update the firmware from their site:

• HDMIx2 + USB2.0: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0746P6LPP/
  
  
• DPx2 + USB2.0: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0746NKVBN/
  
  Be sure to download and apply the update from CableMatters' site. The 201055 update works for both versions, use the same procedure.
  
  
• https://www.cablematters.com/CustomerService.aspx?Topic=Downloads
  
  Generally all Intel-based Chromebooks support MST. I don't know about ARM-based ones.

This Plugable dock

Yeah I tried your method before, I couldn't get it to work either, I think USB C technology still needs some time to mature.

this is pretty good if youre willing to drop some cash money

Very happy with the Plugable UD-3900

http://www.amazon.com/Plugable-UD-3900-Universal-2048x1152-Ethernet/dp/B00ECDM78E

I've been using this: https://www.amazon.com/Plugable-Charging-Compatible-Thunderbolt-MacBooks/dp/B078J7FSWM/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1539279240&sr=8-4&keywords=plugable+usb-c for work and its fantastic. Works consistently and I have my external HDD attached for automatic backups whenever I dock my matebook.