Dell Docking Station Usb C Macbook

Since 2016, Apple tree has made a lot of big changes to the number of ports you lot get with a MacBook. In the past, MacBooks came with an Ethernet port, HDMI port, card slot, and more. Nowadays, you only get a couple of USB-C ports plus a 3.five mm audio jack.

If you have a monitor that uses an HDMI port or a DisplayPort instead of USB-C, and so you'll need more than what your MacBook has to offer to connect to it.

An easy way to solve this problem is to become your hands on a USB-C hub or docking station to turn one of your MacBook's USB-C ports into much more than. Whether you lot need an Ethernet port, an HDMI port, USB ports, or basically anything else, information technology couldn't be easier to do.

The only thing left to decide is whether you lot need a USB-C hub or a docking station.

1. USB-C Hub vs Docking Station

USB-C hubs and docking stations share the same bones functions, just there's a big gap in price.

USB-C hubs are smaller, lighter and more portable than docking stations, and usually come up with a mix of mutual ports like HDMI, USB, USB-C, SD/microSD carte du jour slots, and Ethernet.

In addition to having a range of mutual ports, docking stations will generally support some higher-terminate functionality. That can range from iii-screen display, 8K back up, and 40 Gbps information transfer speed. The number of ports is generally a lot more than a standard USB-C hub.

The only potential downside to a docking station is that they tend to exist larger and heavier than USB-C hubs. They also come with hefty power adapter, then they're much more suited to being used in a fixed location.

2. How Many Screens Do You lot Need?

Later on using a MacBook for a while, you might get frustrated by the screen size or get sick of hunching over at your desk. That'south why a lot of people volition choose to connect one or more than external monitors.

Most monitors on the market have an HDMI port, so yous'll demand a hub or a docking station to connect to your MacBook.

For example, Anker PowerExpand eight-in-1 USB-C PD 10Gbps Data Hub is equipped with an HDMI two.0 port which allows yous to hook up your MacNook to an external display.

If you are a macOS (not-M1) user and want to utilize MST mode, you'll need a USB-C hub or docking station (similar this Anker Apex Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station ) that has either 2 USB-C ports or supports Thunderbolt applied science.

If yous use a MacBook with an M1 flake, no thing what kind of USB-C hub or docking station you lot utilize, you volition withal but be able to connect to ane screen.

If you want to learn more about setting up external displays, accept a look at our dedicated guide here.

3. Is Charging Important?

Usually, because USB-C hubs are designed to be calorie-free and portable, they won't ship with an included power supply. Y'all can connect your own charger to a USB-C hub's PD input port to give your laptop a laissez passer-through charge, simply a certain corporeality of your charger's output will be diverted to the hub. This means your charging speed will be slower than if you were directly connecting the charger to your laptop. Hubs too more often than not don't support high-speed charging to mobile devices.

So if yous're looking for something that comes with a power supply, can charge at high-speed, and tin even accuse your mobile devices simultaneously, then a docking station sounds similar the all-time option for you.

Have for example Anker Apex Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station . It tin provide up to 90W of charging ability to your continued laptop, and you lot can as well give your mobile telephone or tablet a charge via the other ports.

4. Are Yous a Big Data Transfer-er?

Most USB-C hubs can transfer data at v Gbps, and a few can transfer at 10 Gbps. That's enough for occasional apply, but if you're a graphic designer or a photographer who often needs to transfer files at loftier speed, and so you'll need something with a bit more kick.

Luckily, docking stations can transfer data at up to 40 Gbps, which is fast enough to transfer a 20GB file in merely fourteen seconds (according to our internal testing). If you demand that kind of speed, check out the newly-released Anker Apex Thunderbolt iv Docking Station .

5. On-the-Become or Never Go?

If you spend a lot of time working outside, moving effectually, commuting, or switching meeting rooms, then the compactness and portability of a USB-C hub will suit you well.

At present, there are ii USB-C hub connexion types. The first is the classic wired connection, and the second is a wire-free hub which plugs directly into your laptop.

Wired hubs have a built-in cable which connects to your laptop. This allows you to move the hub around more on your desk-bound, merely the cable can too make it the mode or touch on portability.

Wire-costless hubs have built-in connectors which plug directly into your laptop'due south ports. With this kind of hub, you can easily carry your laptop around with you lot and proceed the hub connected the whole time.

Anker PowerExpand 11-in-one USB-C PD Hub is an example of a wired hub, while PowerExpand Straight 7-in-ii USB-C PD Media Hub is an example of a wire-free plug-in hub.

Docking stations are wired, and they besides don't offer anywhere near the same level of portability equally a USB-C hub. But if you're someone who works in one identify and doesn't move around a lot, and so a docking station could be the all-time option for you.

half-dozen. Summary

So when yous're looking for a way to expand your MacBook's ports, it's of import to carefully recollect most what functionality you lot need, and what kind of product will fit your lifestyle the best. It'due south as well important to understand clearly what your MacBook tin and can't exercise. The concluding thing you lot want is to purchase a bunch of monitors and then find out that your MacBook tin can only support single screen output.

If yous want to get a good recommendation for a USB-C hub or docking station, take ourquiz here.

You lot can also check and compare 4 of our best-selling USB-C hubs and docking stations below.

Our Top Picks for You

Product proper name	Anker Apex Thunderbolt iv Docking Station	PowerExpand 8-in-one USB-C Hub	PowerExpand 11-in-1 USB-C Hub	PowerExpand seven-in-2 USB-C Hub
Price	$299.99	$89.99	$99.99	$59.99
Movie	Larn More	Learn More	Learn More	Learn More
Number of Ports	12	eight	11	vii
Number of Supported Displays	3	one	2	2
Supports Laptop Charging	✅	✅	✅	✅
Information Transfer	40 Gbps	10 Gbps	5 Gbps	40 Gbps
USB-A Port	two × USB iii.1 Gen 2, 10 Gbps, 5V/0.9A 2 × USB 2.0, 480 Mbps, 5V/0.5A	two × USB iii.ane Gen 2	2 × USB 2.0 1 × USB iii.0	2 × USB iii.0
USB-C Port	1 × USB 3.1 Gen 2, 10 Gbps, PD 3.0, 9V/2.25A	1 × USB 3.one Gen 2	i × USB three.0	1 × USB 3.0
Thunderbolt Port	1 × Thunderbolt 4 downstream port, 40 Gbps, 8K@30Hz, 15W	-	-	1 x Thunderbolt 3 port, 40 Gbps, 5K@60Hz
HDMI Port	2 × HDMI 2.0, 4K@60Hz	1 x HDMI, 4K@60Hz	1 ten HDMI, 4K@60Hz	1 10 HDMI, 4K@30Hz
Display Port	-	-	ane x HDMI, 4K@60Hz	-
SD/microSD Carte du jour Slot	SD Carte du jour Slot: UHS-II	UHS-I	UHS-I	UHS-I
Sound In&Out	3.5 mm	3.v mm	three.five mm	-
Ethernet Port	i Gbps	ane Gbps	ane Gbps	-