December 8, 2022
Docking Stations for Work
Getting a docking station is an excellent idea. It cuts down on the clutter of exposed cables on your desk. On top of giving you a tidy desk that helps with focus, you no longer need to plug in 4, 5, or 6 cables and dismantle your setup every day just to work efficiently with one or two external monitors, a mouse, a keyboard, and so on.
Getting a docking station is an excellent idea.
- It cuts down on the clutter of exposed cables on your desk.
- On top of giving you a tidy desk that helps with focus, you no longer need to plug in 4, 5, or 6 cables and dismantle your setup every day just to work efficiently with one or two external monitors, a mouse, a keyboard, and so on.
And just like that, in and out of the office in no time with a permanent workstation and a laptop, effortlessly.
So you start your research and realize it's not as simple as it seems. It all depends on your computer's specifications and your needs. So we built a flowchart to simplify the information and guide you in buying a docking station.A bit of vocabulary:Power Delivery: Allows the computer to be powered through the docking stationWithout Power Delivery: 2 cables will be required between the computer and the docking station. One for power and one for data.Thunderbolt and USB-C:It's important to understand that even though Thunderbolt technology uses a USB-C type connector, it's not at all the same technology as a USB-C port. Without getting into the technical details, the key takeaway is that, depending on the computer's specifications, it will require a docking station that supports either Thunderbolt or USB-C technology.You can find this information by doing a Google search for your computer model's specifications and checking the types of connections available.If you have a Lenovo, lucky you, they have a tool specially designed to find accessories compatible with your computer.
Here are the choices recommended by MMO Techno:
$$$ Option A: You have a PC that requires Thunderbolt technology[](https://www.lenovo.com/ca/en/p/accessories-and-software/docking/docking_thunderbolt-docks-(universal-cable-docks)/40b00135us)
ThinkPad Universal Thunderbolt /40b00135us)
[](https://www.startech.com/en-us/cards-adapters/dk30chddppd)
[Startech DK30CHDDPPD](https://www.startech.com/en-us/cards-adapters/dk30chddppd)
$$ Option B: You have a PC that requires USB-C and you want power delivery support
[](https://www.lenovo.com/ca/en/p/accessories-and-software/docking/docking_usb-docks-(universal-cable-docks)/40ay0090us)
ThinkPad Universal USB-C Dock /40ay0090us)
$ Option C: You have a PC that requires USB-C and power delivery isn't a requirement[](https://www.amazon.ca/-/fr/Adaptateur-adaptateur-alimentation-donn%C3%A9es-Pixelbook/dp/B07HMLTCPL/ref=sr_1_8?crid=1RM2IN0FDWRS6&keywords=usb+c+hub+mac&qid=1662644503&sprefix=usb+c+hub+ac%2Caps%2C548&sr=8-8)
$$$ Option D: You have a Mac with the M1 or M2 chipWhat to look for:Must have a DisplayLink chipModels:MacBook Pro 2020 and up 13in, MacBook Air 2020 and up, Mac Mini 2020 and up, iMac 24in. 2020 and up[](https://www.startech.com/en-us/universal-laptop-docking-stations/dk30c2dpep)
[](https://www.startech.com/en-ca/universal-laptop-docking-stations/dk30chddppd)
$$$ Option E: You have a Mac with an Intel, M1 Pro, or M1 Max chipModels:MacBook Pro 14 2021 and up*The ones in option D are also compatible, but more expensive
StarTech tb3cdk2dhue ](https://www.elgato.com/en/dock/thunderbolt-3)[Elgato Thunderbolt 3 ](https://www.anker.com/products/a8397?ref=naviMenu)[Anker 777 Bonus option:A more affordable alternative:[](https://www.amazon.ca/-/fr/Adaptateur-adaptateur-alimentation-donn%C3%A9es-Pixelbook/dp/B07HMLTCPL/ref=sr_1_8?crid=1RM2IN0FDWRS6&keywords=usb+c+hub+mac&qid=1662644503&sprefix=usb+c+hub+ac%2Caps%2C548&sr=8-8)[Anker Adapter](https://www.amazon.ca/-/fr/Adaptateur-adaptateur-alimentation-donn%C3%A9es-Pixelbook/dp/B07HMLTCPL/ref=sr_1_8?crid=1RM2IN0FDWRS6&keywords=usb+c+hub+mac&qid=1662644503&sprefix=usb+c+hub+ac%2Caps%2C548&sr=8-8)MMO's choice: [](https://ca.targus.com/products/usb-c-universal-dv4k-docking-station-with-100w-power-dock190usz)[Targus DOCK190](https://ca.targus.com/products/usb-c-universal-dv4k-docking-station-with-100w-power-dock190usz)
As always, don't hesitate to contact us if you have any comments or questions.The MMO Techno team