Docking stations are one of the best solutions to expand your laptop’s screen and functionality without investing in a full-fledged desktop. Here’s a list of the best docking stations for multiple monitors.
Plugable USB 3.0 Universal Laptop Docking Station
- Ports: 1 x HDMI, 1x DVI-I, 2x USB 3.0, 4x USB 2.0, 1x 3.5mm audio, 1x Gigabit Ethernet
Plugable’s USB 3.0 docking station is one of the least expensive docks out there. However, don’t let the low price tag fool you because this dock can do so much. For one, it can support dual monitors at 1920×1200 pixel resolution at 60Hz.
You can even drive a single display up to 2560x1440p @ 50Hz. Apart from this, there are quite a few ports to connect your keyboard or mouse. The AUX connection lets you use speakers with AUX inputs. Plus, the USB 2.0 USB ports ensure you can connect everything from printers to wired scanners. That said, it has some limitations. The USB ports lack Power Delivery, which means you’ll have to charge your laptop separately.
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Dell USB 3.0 4K Triple Display Docking Station
- Ports: 1 x DisplayPort, 2 x HDMI, 2 x USB 2.0, 3 x Superspeed USB 3.0 , 3.5 Audio, Ethernet port
The Dell docking station is one of the few docks that can connect your laptop to three monitors. The best part is that this dock is compact and doesn’t occupy much space. Despite this, the number of ports is sufficient.
Dell has thrown in a bunch of USB 3.0 USB-A ports as well as an HDMI to DVI adapter if you have an older monitor. There’s a slight catch. If you have 4K monitors, only one can stream in 4K, and the other two will stream at Full HD.
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Tobenone Store USB Type-C Docking Station
- Ports: 2 x HDMI, 4 x USB 3.0, 1 x USB-C, 1 x USB C PD 3.0, 2 x USB 2.0, 1 x 3.5mm Audio, 1 x SD card reader and 1 x Gigabit Ethernet port
Another docking station for two monitors is this one from Tobenone. It brings more than a dozen ports to the table, and unlike the ones above, it bundles dual HDMI ports, plus there’s an SD card reader as well.
More importantly, the USB Type-C port supports Power Delivery to deliver up to 87W of power to connected laptops. The Tobenone Store’s docking station can drive two 4K monitors @ 60Hz. Even though it supports Apple Mac laptops, it can’t drive dual-displays on MacBook running the M1 chip.
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Belkin USB Type-C Dual Display Dock
- Ports: : 2 x HDMI, 2 x USB-A 3.1 Gen1, 1 x USB-A 3.1, 1 x USB-C, 1 x Gigabit Ethernet, 1 x 3.5mm Audio
The Belkin USB Type-C dock is a good overall pick. It supports 1080p dual displays for dual monitors. One feature that separates it from the rest of the docks is its compact form factor. The ports appear cleverly placed to let you go about your job with ease.
There are fewer ports than the Tobenone Store’s dock, but it gets the essential work done. However, you might lose out on USB ports that are available in other docks. One of the flaws of this dock is its HDMI placements, which are stacked on top of one another. So, if you have braided cables with thick strain reliefs, you may have some issues plugging them in.
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Anker PowerExpand Elite 13-in-1 Thunderbolt 3 Dock
- Ports: 2 x Thunderbolt 3, 2 x USB-C, 4 x USB-A, 1 x HDMI, 1 x Ethernet, 1 x SD/microSD card slots, 1 x 3.5 mm AUX port
The Anker PowerExpand Elite is an excellent pick for a dual-display docking station to drive a multi-monitor rig through your Thunderbolt-powered laptop. It can handle both MacBook and Windows laptops.
As is the rule with M1 Mac laptops, only a single display will work by default. That said, it brings a whooping 13 ports to the table. It packs two Thunderbolt ports and USB Type-C ports. Plus, it has quite a few power options up its sleeves. Apart from the 85W Power Delivery, it has a 15W Thunderbolt port.
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Plugable USB Type-C Triple 4K Docking Station
Another Plugable docking station is the company’s USB Type-C Docking Station. The USB Type-C port on this docking station can deliver up to 100W of power. You get to pick from a slew of different ports.
For video, you can choose between HDMI and DisplayPort connectors, depending on your monitor’s input port. You can also extend the display to up to four monitors. The Plugable USB Type-C docking station supports up to three 4K monitors. In fact, when you connect the right cable, you can get up to 4K @ 60Hz.
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Satechi Thunderbolt 4 Dock
If you are looking for a slim and sleek dual-display docking station, you can’t go wrong with the Satechi Thunderbolt docking station. As suggestive of its name, this one is suitable for laptops with Thunderbolt ports.
The main highlight of this docking station is its compact form factor. You can simply pack it up and get going when the need arises. There are quite a few connectivity options, including downstream Thunderbolt 4 ports, USB Type-A 3.2 ports, a couple of USB Type-A 2.0 ports, and three Thunderbolt 4 ports.
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Last updated on 17 April, 2024
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