Laptop Docking station

[champshire]

Hi Guys,

I am looking at purchasing a docking station for my laptop. I was wondering if anyone had any input as far as what to look for. My laptop has a thunderbolt 3 connection, so I definitely want to take advantage of that.

I want to be able to run dual monitors and not have to use the screen on the laptop. Is that something that I can accomplish with a docking station?

Is there any drawbacks to using one?

This is the one that caught my eye:https://www.amazon.com/Anker-PowerExpand-Thunderbolt-Charging-Ethernet/dp/B087219P5J/ref=pd_ci_mcx_mh_mcx_views_0?pd_rd_w=AyHGB&content-id=amzn1.sym.0250fb24-4363-44d0-b635-ac15f859c3b5&pf_rd_p=0250fb24-4363-44d0-b635-ac15f859c3b5&pf_rd_r=C5RVD6EYGY9E7D93G4VC&pd_rd_wg=wlidI&pd_rd_r=c1604125-db57-4142-9466-68a55d9793d1&pd_rd_i=B087219P5J

As always, any input is welcomed.

Thanks!

[JParis]

The docking station I have for my Dell has everything plugged into it, monitors, Ethernet....the Thunderbolt connection has worked like a treat.

The one I have
https://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/dell-thunderbolt-dock-wd22tb4/apd/210-bdqh/pc-accessories

[YoDoug]

The docking station I have for my Dell has everything plugged into it, monitors, Ethernet....the Thunderbolt connection has worked like a treat.

The one I have
https://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/dell-thunderbolt-dock-wd22tb4/apd/210-bdqh/pc-accessories

Interesting to hear. We have four users here that have Dell precision laptops and I think we have replaced at least 6 of those POS Thunderbolt docking stations. Nothing but problems here with them.

[JParis]

Interesting to hear. We have four users here that have Dell precision laptops and I think we have replaced at least 6 of those POS Thunderbolt docking stations. Nothing but problems here with them.

We have them all through the company, Manufacturing Engineering, Engineering, QC....close to 100 I'd guess

To the best of my knowledge, we have had zero issue....

[JakeL]

The docking station I have for my Dell has everything plugged into it, monitors, Ethernet....the Thunderbolt connection has worked like a treat.

The one I have
https://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/dell-thunderbolt-dock-wd22tb4/apd/210-bdqh/pc-accessories

I have to agree with Doug on this one. We ran into issues fairly frequently. When they do work they work really well and I have no complaints. Maybe the NH air is better for them.

I think in the past few months we have had an ethernet port stop working on one, a fan quit on another, and one that took like 5 minutes to recognize you plugged your computer into it. Our 3rd party IT company was dumbfounded about that last one.

I'd be surprised if we have more than 30 of these things between our programmers, engineers, QC, and other office folk.

Here's the one we run:
https://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/dell-performance-dock-wd19dcs/apd/210-azbn/pc-accessories

[JParis]

Maybe Dell just ships us the good one :shrugs:

[CADCAM396]

had one Dell completely give up on my not sure of the model. they replaced with WD19TB and not enough power so I have to plug in power supply also does not recognize one of the USB ports. suspect this was a hand me down with this problem to start with.
am shopping for one for home dont think I will go Dell with this track record.

[champshire]

Sounds like everyone uses them....any drawbacks to them? I think it would make life easier working on the same computer all the time. Right now I go back and forth between laptop and desktop. Laptop is newer and faster than the desktop, so it only makes sense to just use that. Less files to keep track of and update.

[JParis]

any drawbacks to them?

None that I've seen...

I have older style, when the laptop clicks into it, docking station at home, nary a problem with either

JM2C YMMV

[Programinator]

Interesting to hear. We have four users here that have Dell precision laptops and I think we have replaced at least 6 of those POS Thunderbolt docking stations. Nothing but problems here with them.

Agreed.  Have had 3 of these things for my laptop.  Have had and continue to have problems with these docking stations.  Are there even any other alternatives for these that anyone knows about?

[champshire]

Agreed.  Have had 3 of these things for my laptop.  Have had and continue to have problems with these docking stations.  Are there even any other alternatives for these that anyone knows about?

Check out the one off amazon that I shared in my first post and see what you think. I'm not big on dell stuff, I think it's over priced and you pay for the name. I tend to steer away from it for that reason.

[Programinator]

Check out the one off amazon that I shared in my first post and see what you think. I'm not big on dell stuff, I think it's over priced and you pay for the name. I tend to steer away from it for that reason.

On that one I would be worried about the 85w power being insufficient.  The Dell dock is 130w.  Plus I have 3 monitors connected to the Dell dock and I'm not sure that Anker one supports 3 displays.

[TSmcam]

I'm running a HP Thunderbolt 4 280W Dock, with a HP ZBook Fury G6. Dual Monitors and two USB plugs being utilised, along with the ethernet.

This dock (tempting fate typing this) has so far worked really well. The last HP Dock I had sucked, as sometimes it would choose not to connect to the peripherals at all. I had to shut down, unplug the dock connection, and then reconnect and restart.

[champshire]

So I'm gathering that I need enough wattage to match the power brick? My charger says the output is 240 watts, so the one from HP should suffice?

[TSmcam]

So I'm gathering that I need enough wattage to match the power brick? My charger says the output is 240 watts, so the one from HP should suffice?

Yes, the HP one should suffice.