This docking station turns your laptop into a real desktop PC


Laptops have changed a lot over the past decade. Once thought of as a mere replacement for the desktop computer, the laptop is now powerful enough to become many people’s primary machine.

On the other hand, laptops are often limited on the ports and connectors front. But don’t worry, a huge accessory market has emerged to solve this problem: docking stations, hubs, adapters…

The easiest docking stations to use are those that slip under your laptop, acting as a kind of kickstand (very handy if you have a laptop that tends to get hot, as this greatly improves the circulation of the air).

I’ve been using the Sandberg USB-C All-in-1 docking station on the go for the past few weeks and this accessory has dramatically improved my productivity.

Sandberg USB-C All-in-1 Docking Station

Sandberg USB-C All-in-1 Docking Station – Best prices:

  • Amazon

    24.07

  • Amazon Marketplace

    89.90

Features

  • Aluminum construction

  • USB-C connectivity

  • 1 x USB-C (power supported up to 100W), 1 x HDMI, 1 x Mini DisplayPort, 1 x VGA female, 3 x USB 3.0 A, 1 x RJ45, 1 x audio output

  • 1 x SD card readers supporting SD/SDHC/SDXC/MMC

  • Slot for Micro SD/TF card reader

  • RJ45 connector supporting 10/100/1000 Mb/s.

  • HDMI resolution up to max 4K/2K @ 30Hz (1920 x 1080P @ 60Hz)

  • DisplayPort resolution up to 4K/2K @ 30Hz (1920 x 1080P @ 60Hz)

  • VGA resolution up to 1920x1080P@60Hz.

  • Supports simultaneous DisplayPort+HDMI and DisplayPort+VGA output.

  • Automatic recognition of monitor type, resolution and characteristics.

  • Support 192kHz/24bit audio sampling rate.

  • 329g

  • 27.5 x 7.3 x 2.1cm

Facility

My biggest concern with using this docking station was that I’m using the massive 16-inch MacBook Pro and the docking station itself is a bit narrower. However, this was not a problem, as the laptop sits quite stably on the docking station.


Closeup of ports


Image: Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

It also tilts the keyboard forward, making long typing sessions much less straining on the wrists. It also helps cool the laptop by allowing better airflow (not an issue with the MacBook Pro M1).

As for ports, there’s everything I could possibly need, three USB-A ports, one HDMI, one VGA, one Ethernet, and even a mini DisplayPort (there’s an adapter if you want to use a DisplayPort normal size).


Adapter next to laptop ports


Image: Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

For creative jobs, there are even ports for SD and microSD cards to grab photos and videos for editing.

Use

I really like the Sandberg USB-C All-in-1 Docking Station, partly because it lives up to its specs. She does everything she claims to do without complaining.

My biggest complaint with this docking station is that I wish the USB-C connector was shorter so it wouldn’t stick out as much.


USB-C connector plugged into port


Image: Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

And that brings me to an important detail: there seem to be plenty of docking stations that look like the Sandberg docking station and sell for a lot less. I’ve used some before and found the quality to be much lower. My testing found the 100W charging capacity to be hit or miss, and support for external displays sketchy.

Sandberg’s docking station is expensive, but in terms of quality and performance, it’s among the best.

It’s sturdy and looks out of place, even when paired with a high-end computer. It has all the ports you could need, whether you want to connect to a wired network, hook up two screens to your laptop, or a host of USB devices.


Source: “ZDNet.com”





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