Ugreen USB-C Triple Display Dock review

Ugreen is a revered maker of premium equipment, particularly chargers and hubs, and its newest USB-C docking station gives the identical high quality, precision and velocity.

A completely featured docking station is at coronary heart a charger that additionally gives a number of port extensions, so Ugreen is anticipated to ship the products, and it does with its 12-port USB-C Docking Station.

It stands other than many USB-C docks with its three show ports, all of which can be utilized with Home windows laptops and MacBooks—even with the M1 and M2 fashions which can be in any other case restricted to at least one exterior show.

Specs and options

Ugreen labels its USB-C Tripe Show Docking Station as having 13 ports, however a type of is a back-mounted USB-C port that’s required for connection to a charger, so it’s actually a 12-port dock.

It doesn’t include a charger itself, which is kind of uncommon for a docking station—most of which include a separate energy provide, with whole energy potential from 120-230W.

You’ll want so as to add your individual, and if you wish to attain the potential 85W laptop computer charging Energy Ship (PD) on provide right here, then your charger ought to have at the very least one 100W PD port. Sadly, a 140W PD received’t provide any extra because the dock’s enter PD is proscribed to 100W.

The dock itself requires 15W of energy itself, therefore the necessity for a 100W PD to succeed in the 85W. In case your laptop computer can survive on 45W, purpose for a 65W charger. If it requires 65W, then a 100W charger is smart.

You can additionally use a desktop charger. There are many these with 100W PD ports, and the additional charging USB ports wil make up for the truth that this dock’s USB ports are for knowledge switch solely.

We’ve rounded up the perfect USB-C chargers and best USB-C chargers for Mac if you wish to add a brand new one aside from the charger your laptop computer shipped with.

Listed below are the 12 ports on the Ugreen USB-C dock:

• 85W PD charging (USB-C)
• HDMI 2.0 (4K at 60Hz) port
• HDMI 2.1 (8K at 30Hz) port
• DisplayPort 1.2 (4K at 60Hz) port
• One USB-C (10Gbps) port
• Two USB-A (5Gbps) ports
• One b (10Gbps) port
• SD Card Reader (UHS-I)
• MicroSD Card Reader (UHS-I)
• Gigabit Ethernet port
• Hybrid 3.5mm audio port

Shows

One of many HDMI ports and the DisplayPort help 4K at 60Hz (Mac and Home windows) and the second HDMI can push as much as 8K at 30Hz in Home windows and as much as 4K at 60Hz with a Mac. The HDMI 2.1 port can hit 60Hz at below 8K, for instance 4k, 5K or 6K.

Utilizing the HDMI ports and the DisplayPort you’ll be able to join three shows concurrently.

Aside from the M1 Max MacBook Professional, Macs don’t natively help three exterior shows as they don’t help MST (Multi-Stream). Even worse, the plain (non-Professional or Max) M1 and M2 MacBooks are restricted to only one exterior show.

As I’ve mentioned in my Tips on how to join a couple of show to an M1/M2 Mac tutorial, there’s a software program workaround, which entails putting in DisplayLink software program. This easy repair permits all Macs to help as much as three exterior shows, so the complete performance of the Ugreen USB-C Triple Show Dock is open to all.

Like different triple-display dock producers, Ugreen may make issues simpler for Mac customers by together with the hyperlink to the DisplayLink software program.

IDG/Foundry

USB ports

Other than the back-mounted USB-C port that prices the dock, there’s one other upstream USB-C port that connects to the pc (and might cost that in flip).

There’s additionally front-mounted USB-C and USB-A ports that may switch knowledge at 10Gbps, which is speedier than on provide on many USB-C docks.

On the again there are two slower however nonetheless cheap 5Gbps USB-A ports.

It’s price noting that none of those USB ports—besides the upstream USB-C to laptop computer—can cost linked units, which is a notable limitation given that the majority docks provide some gadget charging from its USB ports.

Different ports

Alongside these is a Gigabit Ethernet port for quick and secure wired-Web entry.

Again to the entrance of the dock, are two card-reader slots: one full SD and the opposite TF (often known as microSD). These are UHS-I, providing 104MBps knowledge switch. Many docks provide sooner 312MBps UHS-II card readers, so if that is essential to you, think about another dock; see our roundup at Greatest USB-C docking stations.

Lastly, there’s 3.5mm audio jack for audio system or microphone.

IDG/Foundry

Design

The Ugreen USB-C Triple Show Dock is a vertical docking station in a really compact kind for its 13 ports (11 downstream, 1 upstream and 1 to cost the dock).

Its House Grey color will match darker laptops, and ity received’t stand out in your desk, hidden within the shadows.

We admire the facility and upstream ports being positioned on the rear, with the entrance ports all sensibly chosen.

We additionally like the facility button on the highest of the dock—permitting the consumer to modify off the facility to the linked laptop computer when not in use in a single day, serving to preserve laptop computer battery well being.

A refined mild below the black prime of the dock shows when the dock is powered and linked to a laptop computer.

Worth

The Ugreen USB-C Triple Show Dock prices $329.99 within the US, £369.99 within the UK and CA$349.99 in Canada.

That is comparable with comparable premium USB-C docks, though the UK worth is excessive. Learn our roundup of the perfect USB-C laptop computer docks. in case your laptop computer boasts a 40Gbps connection, you may think about probably the greatest Thunderbolt 4 laptop computer docks.

Until you employ your laptop computer’s USB-C charger to energy the dock, you will have to put money into a brand new one as this dock doesn’t ship with its personal energy provide.

If it’s worthwhile to cost a big laptop computer, you’ll want a charger with a person PD port rated at 100W or over in order that the dock itself doesn’t drain energy from the pc connection. This might add between $50-80 to the general price except you employ your laptop computer’s unique charger.

The Ugreen dock is on the market within the US now and can launch within the UK mid October.

Verdict

With its three video ports, the Ugreen USB-C Triple Show Dock is a superb alternative in the event you want a number of displays.

We’d have most popular an unbiased energy provide or a PD 3.1 USB-C enter that may permit as much as 240W to the dock, plus gadget charging from the USB ports.

This dock is compact and well-designed, and is priced across the identical as comparable docking stations—however word that it requires a USB-C charger for energy because it doesn’t ship with an influence provide.