Compared to desktop PCs, laptops have fewer ports, smaller screens, and compact keyboards, but it doesn't have to stay that way. A laptop docking station takes up only one port but converts your portable device into a fully-fledged desktop productivity machine.
Best Laptop Docking Station Overall: Kensington SD2500T
The Kensington SD2500T is a dual monitor docking station that supports two external displays up to 4K resolution at 60Hz or a single 8K display at 30Hz. It uses DisplayPort connectivity, making it a perfect choice for high-resolution screens and high-refresh-rate gaming monitors.
The dock is compatible with Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C laptops and delivers up to 60W of power to charge your laptop. It also offers a pair of DisplayPort ports, five USB ports (including one 10Gbps downstream USB-C port), SD and microSD card readers, Gigabit Ethernet, and an audio port at a price much lower than the competition.
Kensington SD2500T
With 11 ports, the Kensington SD2500T is a great all-rounder. It supports USB-A, USB-C, Gigabit Ethernet, and more, along with 60W PD.
- Plenty of ports
- Supports up to 8K monitors
- Charges your laptop
- Supports USB-C laptops
- Lower power delivery than competitors
- Lacks HDMI; only features DisplayPort
Best Premium Laptop Docking Station: CalDigit TS3 Plus
The CalDigit TS3 Plus is an excellent option for professionals and power users. With 14 downstream ports, including high-quality inputs like DisplayPort and digital audio and blazing-fast 40Gbps Thunderbolt 3 ports, it delivers consistent, top-notch performance for bandwidth-intensive tasks like video editing and high-refresh-rate gaming.
While it's a little expensive, it more than makes up for that with a higher number of ports, allowing you to connect just about any desk accessory to your MacBook or Windows laptop. For a clean and clutter-free setup, the TS3 Plus can also charge the host laptop with up to 87W of power, eliminating the need for extra cables.
CalDigit released a Thunderbolt 4 version of the Thunderbolt Station with even more ports. However, unless you need to connect an 8K display or want multiple 10Gbps USB ports, the TS3 Plus has the connectivity and throughput to keep up with the most demanding tasks.
CalDigit TS3 Plus
The CalDigit TS3 Plus is the answer if you're looking for the greatest number of ports in a compact docking station. It has just about every port you need to enhance your laptop greatly.
- 14 downstream ports
- Charges your MacBook at full speed
- Solid and sturdy design
- Supports dual 4K external monitors
- No HDMI ports
Best Budget Laptop Docking Station: Plugable UD-3900
The Plugable UD-3900 is one of the most affordable docking stations on the market. It offers 11 ports of connectivity with support for dual monitors at less than half the price of some premium options. It's a great choice if you want to extend the number of USB-A ports on your laptop or connect external monitors for maximum productivity. With its vertical design, the dock takes up less space on a desk, giving you more room for other accessories.
The dock provides access to a variety of ports, including HDMI, DVI, dual USB 3.0, four USB 2.0, Gigabit Ethernet, and audio input and output jacks. With the HDMI and DVI ports, you can connect dual monitors with resolutions of up to 1920x1200. Even better, Plugable includes display adapters, allowing you to connect modern HDMI monitors or older displays with VGA inputs. Furthermore, this dock is versatile enough to be connected to either a USB-C or USB-A host laptop.
Plugable UD-3900 Dual Display Universal Docking Station
When you want to exceed a single monitor or even two, the Plugable UD-3900 Docking Station is the perfect solution. Thanks to HDMI and DVI, you can extend your laptop to multiple monitors for better productivity.
- Affordable
- Plenty of ports
- Good display resolution
- Solid performance
- Does not charge your laptop
- Doesn't support 4K
Best Docking Station for Mac: OWC Thunderbolt Hub
If you're looking for more Thunderbolt 4 ports, the OWC Thunderbolt Hub has you covered. It doesn't just feature one or two extra Thunderbolt 4 ports, but four. On top of that, it comes with a single USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 port that supports transfer speeds up to 10Gbps.
With so many Thunderbolt 4 ports available, the OWC Thunderbolt Hub can simultaneously support multiple monitors. You can connect two 4K displays while still maintaining 60Hz or a single 8K monitor at 30Hz. It is just as useful for charging, allowing up to 60W of power delivery to your laptop.
Best of all, the OWC Thunderbolt Hub is quite friendly to older devices. Its Type-A port is backwards compatible with USB 3.0 and USB 2.0. The Thunderbolt 4 ports are also compatible with Thunderbolt 3 and Thunderbolt 2, though you'll need an adapter for the latter.
OWC Thunderbolt Hub
If you have a Mac laptop, you already know how few Thunderbolt ports are available. The OWC Thunderbolt Hub is the perfect solution, giving you four ports to use at the cost of a single Thunderbolt port.
- Thunderbolt 4 support
- Features four USB-C ports
- Very tiny docking station
- Also works with PCs featuring Thunderbolt 4
- Limited to 60W charging
Most Space-Efficient Laptop Docking Station: Anker 577 Thunderbolt Docking Station
The Anker 577 Docking Station is a well-rounded Thunderbolt 3 docking station. It's compatible with both Thunderbolt and USB-C laptops, offering 12 downstream ports for your peripherals. In addition, it provides 85W of charging power, which is enough to support full-speed charging on most laptops.
There are two 10Gbps USB-C ports at the front, along with a USB-A port, an audio in/out port, and SD and microSD card slots with support for SD 4.0 and UHS-II speeds. One of the USB-C ports supports 18W PD, which is ideal for fast-charging phones. On the rear, you get two Thunderbolt 3 ports, three additional USB-A ports, Gigabit Ethernet, and a 4K HDMI port.
With Thunderbolt 3 and HDMI ports, you can connect dual 4K 60Hz monitors to your laptop, significantly increasing productivity. If you're using a Windows laptop, you can take it further and use a splitter to connect up to three 4K monitors.
Anker 577 Thunderbolt Docking Station
Packed with 13 ports of connectivity and faster 40Gbps Thunderbolt speeds, the Anker 577 Thunderbolt Docking Station is an excellent docking station for productivity and power users.
- 12 downstream ports
- Charges your laptop
- Good combination of ports, including USB, HDMI, and Audio
- Compatible with USB-C laptops
- Gets hot on heavy usage
FAQ
Q: What does a docking station do for a laptop?
A docking station expands the number of ports on a laptop, allowing users to connect multiple monitors, keyboards, mice, Ethernet, and other desk peripherals for a desktop-like experience.
Q: Can you use any docking station with any laptop?
No, not every laptop is compatible with a docking station because docks require a specific port on your laptop, such as USB-C or Thunderbolt 3, and some docking stations are designed to work only with certain operating systems.
Q: Do I need a docking station to connect a laptop to a monitor?
Not always. You'll only need a docking station to connect a laptop to a monitor if your laptop does not have the required video inputs, like HDMI or DisplayPort. Most 14-inch and bigger laptops can connect directly to a monitor via HDMI or Thunderbolt ports.
Q: Can a docking station overcharge a laptop?
A docking station cannot overcharge a laptop because modern laptops use smart USB Power Delivery, which only delivers the required power to the laptop. If your laptop is always plugged in, setting the maximum charging limit at 80% can help extend the battery life of your laptop.
Q: Can a laptop with a docking station replace a desktop?
With the option to connect monitors, keyboards, mice, and other desk peripherals, a laptop and docking station combo can replace a desktop, but you'll also need a powerful laptop for a seamless desktop-like experience.