In recent years, especially with the impact of the pandemic, remote work has led to a shift in how and where people work. Laptop usage has evolved significantly, adapting to new work environments and requirements. Many professionals have transitioned from traditional office setups to home offices, or they find themselves working in unconventional spaces like coffee tables, kitchen counters, or corporate common areas and conference rooms. Depending on the task at hand, the need for a proper desktop-style setup with multiple monitors, additional USB ports, and even an Ethernet connection for a stable internet connection can arise.
Instead of dealing with a collection of dongles and adapters for various peripherals, a docking station emerges as a convenient and efficient solution, bridging the gap between a laptop and a desktop experience.
In this article, we’ll explore the best laptop docking stations with power delivery support.
Top Laptop Docking Stations with Power Delivery Support
1. Kensington SD2600T Thunderbolt 4 Dual 4K Docking Station
Kensington’s SD2600T Dual 4K Nano Docking Station boasts four Thunderbolt 4 ports. One serves as an upstream port to connect to your laptop and provide 65 watts of charging power, while the other three are downstream ports that support dual 4K monitors or a single 8K monitor with a 60 Hz refresh rate. Additionally, the device includes a front-mounted USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A port with 5V/1.5A fast charging for your smartphone.
Intel VT-d DMA protection is included to prevent unauthorized access to system memory by peripheral devices. This compact docking station measures 0.9 by 4.8 by 2.8 inches and includes an 0.8-meter Thunderbolt 4 cable.
2. Accell Air USB-C Docking Station (K172B-010B)
Accell Air Docking Station provides five USB 3.1 Type-A ports—two Gen 1 and three Gen 2—along with two HDMI 2.0 ports.
The latter can handle dual 4K monitors at a 60Hz refresh rate with Nvidia’s “Turing” RTX 20 or 30 series or AMD Radeon RX 5000 or 6000 series GPUs that support DSC 1.2. Without DSC 1.2, dual monitors are limited to one at 1080p and 60Hz and one at 4K and 30Hz. Measuring 1.3 by 4.3 by 3.5 inches, the dock comes with a 3.3-foot USB Type-C cable and weighs half a pound. Accell provides a one-year warranty for this product.
3. Dell Thunderbolt Dock WD22TB4
Dell Thunderbolt Dock WD22TB4 is a Thunderbolt 4 dock with a unique feature: a swappable module (initially equipped with two Thunderbolt 4 ports) that can be customized in the future according to your IT department’s requirements. The rear panel also offers two DisplayPort 1.4 ports, one HDMI 2.0 port, a USB-C multifunction DisplayPort, two USB-A 3.2 ports, a gigabit Ethernet port, and the power connector.
On the front, the dock, measuring 1.1 by 8.1 by 3.5 inches, provides two USB 3.2 ports (one Type-C and one Type-A) with PowerShare capabilities. It supports display resolutions up to 5,120 by 2,880 pixels at a 60Hz refresh rate and delivers 180 watts of power, allowing Dell laptops with ExpressCharge technology to reach an 80% charge in one hour or 35% in just 20 minutes.
4. Anker 568 USB-C Docking Station
Anker 568 dock offers an impressive array of ports. This 11-in-1 device combines a 40Gbps upstream USB-C port with 100 watts of charging, two 10Gbps USB-C ports (each with 30 watts of charging), two 5Gbps USB-A 3.1 ports, an Ethernet port, two USB 2.0 ports, two DisplayPorts, and an HDMI port.
The monitor ports enable you to connect three 4K displays to your laptop, while a Kensington NanoSaver lock slot ensures the dock stays in place on your desk. The Anker comes with a 1-meter USB4 cable and is covered by an 18-month warranty.
5. IOGear Dock Pro 100 USB-C 4K Ultra-Slim Station
The IOGear Dock Pro 100 USB-C 4K Ultra-Slim Station packs a range of ports and supports up to 85 watts of Power Delivery 3.0 pass-through. It boasts three USB 3.0 Type-A ports and three video outputs—DisplayPort and HDMI (both limited to 30Hz for 4K) in addition to 1080p VGA. This docking station also includes a gigabit Ethernet port, SD and microSD memory card slots, and a USB-C pass-through.
The “100” in the Dock Pro 100’s name refers to its 100 watts of power pass-through capability, with the dock itself consuming 15 watts, leaving 85 watts available for charging your laptop. The dimensions of the docking station are 0.5 by 11 by 2.9 inches, and it weighs 0.65 pounds.
6. Dockcase Smart Hub 7-in-1
For those looking to maximize the potential of a USB Type-C port, the Dockcase Smart Hub offers an excellent solution. This device transforms a single USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 or higher port into three 5Gbps USB-A 3.0 ports, a USB-C charging port, an HDMI 2.0 port capable of driving a 4K monitor at 60Hz, and SD and microSD card slots that can operate simultaneously.
It also features a 1.3-inch color LCD display that can be rotated 90 degrees, providing information on port status, device types, and real-time chip temperature.
7. J5Create M.2 NVMe USB-C Gen 2 Docking Station
It utilizes a 10Gbps USB-C interface. While it might not match a laptop’s internal PCI Express connection in speed, it offers a unique way to expand your notebook’s storage.
This gray and black aluminum dock, measuring 1 by 12.5 by 3.1 inches, features a compartment for an NVMe or SATA M.2 solid-state drive (up to size 2280, drive not included). It connects to your laptop using two USB-C cables and provides 100 watts of Power Delivery pass-through.
The docking station is equipped with 4K DisplayPort and HDMI video outputs, a gigabit Ethernet port, SD and microSD card slots, and three USB Type-A ports (one at 5Gbps and two at 10Gbps), in addition to the M.2 SSD slot. To prevent it from being removed from your desk, it includes a security cable lock slot.
8. Monoprice 7-in-1 USB-C Multiport 4K HDMI Adapter
For laptops featuring USB-C ports compatible with DisplayPort 1.4 Alt Mode, the Monoprice 7-in-1 USB-C Multiport 4K HDMI Adapter offers an array of connectivity options.
This pocket-sized adapter measures 0.6 by 5.4 by 1.3 inches and delivers an HDMI video output that supports resolutions up to 4K at 60Hz (or 30Hz with DisplayPort 1.2). It also provides one USB-C and two USB-A ports with data transfer rates up to 5Gbps, an additional USB-A port with 7.5-watt charging power, SD and microSD card slots, and a gigabit Ethernet port.
The Monoprice 7-in-1 adapter supports up to 100 watts of USB-C Power Delivery pass-through and is compatible with Thunderbolt 3 as well as USB-C ports. Both flash card slots can be used simultaneously, and the attached USB-C cable is 6.7 inches long.
9. Plugable USB-C Quad HDMI Docking Station
The Plugable USB-C Quad HDMI Docking Station is designed for those connecting their laptop to multiple monitors. This compact tower features four HDMI ports, utilizing DisplayLink technology for the first two displays and DisplayPort Alt Mode Multi-Stream Transport for the other two.
It can drive all four screens at resolutions of up to 1,920 by 1,080 pixels at 60Hz. The docking station also includes four 5Gbps USB 3.0 ports, a gigabit Ethernet port, and a USB-C 3.2 connection to your PC with 96-watt charging capability.
On the front, you’ll find audio-in and audio-out jacks, an SD card reader, and a 5Gbps USB-C port with 20-watt charging for smartphones or other handheld devices.
10. StarTech.com USB-C Multiport Adapter
StarTech.com USB-C Multiport Adapter is equipped with an integrated DisplayLink controller supporting dual 4K 60Hz monitors through its two HDMI ports. This inch-high, 4.7-inches-square device also features two 10Gbps USB 3.2 ports (one Type-A and one Type-C), an Ethernet port, and an SD/MMC flash card slot.
The Multiport Adapter comes with a three-year warranty and includes a 22-inch USB-C cable. It provides up to 100 watts of power, with a substantial 82 watts allocated for charging your laptop. This ensures a reliable and steady connection for both video and peripheral devices.
11. VisionTek VT7100 Triple Display 4K Docking Station with 100W Power Delivery
The VisionTek VT7100 Triple Display 4K Docking Station might seem like a Thunderbolt 4 device, but it’s designed for USB-C ports (with 100 watts of power delivery for laptop charging). It can drive up to three monitors using one DisplayPort, one HDMI (DisplayLink) port, and one HDMI (DisplayPort Alt Mode) port. The first two support 4K resolution at 60Hz, while the third supports 4K at 30Hz.
This docking station also provides four 5Gbps USB 3.1 Type-A ports, a front USB-C 3.1 port, an audio jack, a gigabit Ethernet jack, and a USB 2.0 quick-charge port. It stands 8.7 inches tall and has a footprint of 6.3 by 3.7 inches, all encased in a sleek silver aluminum design.
12. Wavlink USB-C Dual 4K Docking Station
For those who need more than one 4K monitor, the Wavlink UG69PD2 USB-C Dual 4K Docking Station is a suitable choice. It supports up to 5K resolution on a single DisplayPort monitor (5,120 by 2,880 pixels at 60Hz) and can drive two 4K external displays (4,096 by 2,160 pixels at 60Hz) using both HDMI and DisplayPort. The dock also offers up to 60 watts of upstream charging if your laptop supports USB-C host charging.
The Dual 4K Docking Station provides two USB-C ports, four USB-A 3.0 ports, two HDMI ports, two DisplayPorts, gigabit Ethernet, and front-mounted 3.5mm jacks for audio output and microphone input.
