6 Best USB-C Docking Stations With Power Delivery

Over the past couple of years, laptop docks have undergone tremendous changes. Gone are the days when a dock would let you connect your external monitor and a few peripherals to create a desktop-like experience. Now, laptop docks has advanced features such as dual HDMI ports and Thunderbolt 3 high-speed connections. And now, you can get USB-C docking stations with power delivery.

Docks with Power Delivery feature charges the host laptop using the same USB-C connector and doesn’t need an additional charger. Here, the USB-C cable is the bridge between the dock, peripherals, and the host laptop by transmitting power and signal. While most notebooks and compact laptops can do with a power output of 60W, some power-hungry laptops need a little more.

So, if you are looking for good docking stations for laptops with USB-C Power Delivery, here are the best ones. But before that,

• Connect your MacBook to a monitor using USB-C to HDMI Cables for Macs.
• Save space on your desk by using a vertical laptop stand.
• Want to connect multiple monitors to your M1 Mac? You’ll need a DisplayLink dock to do that.

1. Dell WD19 130W Docking Station

• Power Delivery: 90W
• Ports: 2x DisplayPort 1.4, 1x HDMI 2.0B, 1x USB-C Multifunction DisplayPort
• Gigabit Ethernet: Yes, 1
• SD Card Reader: No

It has a flat design and saves desk space. Besides that, the ports are cleverly arranged, and you’ll be able to use most of them simultaneously. Even if your monitors do not have HDMI ports, you can attach an adapter to complete the work.

However, check the compatibility of the laptop with the dock beforehand. Alternatively, you can also check out the Dell WD15 dock. This dock also supports 4K displays.

2. Plugable UD-CAM

• Power Delivery: 85W
• Ports: 4x USB 3.0 Ports, 1x HDMI 1.4, 1x 3.5mm Audio Jack
• Gigabit Ethernet: Yes, 1
• SD Card Reader: No

But, the UD-CAM docking station has more USB-A ports. While this may not be much of an issue if you have more USB-A compatible devices, you might want to consider this point if you have more USB-C devices.

Another issue is HDMI 1.4 ports, which will allow you to watch 4K on only one device. The mini size of the docking port also means fewer ports. You won’t find a dedicated SD card reader. And it comes with a dedicated power adapter that is almost as big as the dock.

However, if you want to extend the display to a single monitor and want to reap the maximum benefits of the USB-A peripherals, this is the one you should have.

3. Cable Matters USB C Dock for Windows

• Power Delivery: 80W
• Ports: 2x DisplayPort, 5x USB-A, 1x USB-C
• Gigabit Ethernet: Yes, 1
• SD Card Reader: Yes

Besides the above, the other USB-C PD port supplies power to up to 18W, which can be considered decent for charging smartphones and tablets while supporting 10Gbps of bandwidth. However, this docking station has no HDMI ports, and all the display connections are via the two 4K DisplayPort connectors. The only thing you have to keep in mind is to attach Active DisplayPort to HDMI cables.

If you must know, these active cable helps connect a DP output to a display with HDMI outputs. At the same time, do make sure to use USB 3.2 Gen 2 cables to get the most out of the USB-C PD port. This dock also bundles a Dynamic bandwidth switch, which lets you switch between HD and 4K. Switching to the HD setting will enable high speeds on the connected peripherals.

The vertical design of the laptop dock ensures that it doesn’t occupy much space on your desk. Alternatively, you can place it horizontally if you are unhappy with the vertical look. The belly has neat rubber paddings to keep the dock in position.

4. Plugable USB-C Triple Display Docking Station

• Power Delivery: 60W
• Ports: 2 X HDMI, 1 x DVI/VGA , 1 x USB-C PD, 1 x USB-C 3.0, 4 x USB 3.0 Type-A
• Gigabit Ethernet: Yes, 1
• SD Card Reader: No

This Plugable dock uses two display technology—Alt Mode and DisplayLink—to run three displays simultaneously, which is rare in this department.

The dock is cleverly designed and has a vertical design. Not only is it easy to configure all the wires, but the vertical design also occupies less space.

This dock is quite popular on Amazon and has over five hundred user reviews. However, note that you need to check your laptop’s compatibility with the dock. It should have an Intel SkyLake (6th generation) Core i3 processor and one of the following GPUs— AMD Radeon HD 8650, Intel HD Graphics 4000, or NVIDIA GeForce 7xxM.

5. Kensington SD4820P USB-C Docking Station

• Power Delivery: 60W
• Ports: 1 x HDMI v2.0, 2 x DisplayPort++, 1 x USB-C 3.1 Gen2, 1 x USB-A 3.1 Gen2, 4 x USB-A 3.1 Gen1
• Gigabit Ethernet: Yes, 1
• SD Card Reader: No

Like the Cable Matters laptop dock, this one also has a dynamic switch that lets you switch between 2-lane and 4-lane settings. When you switch to the 2-lane setting, the speeds of the connected peripherals will go up. However, the display of the monitors will switch to 1920 x 1080p.

The Kensington SD4820P has received its share of good reviews over the years. At present, it enjoys rave reviews on Amazon. Fakespot estimate that around 80% of the reviews are genuine and can be trusted.

6. UGREEN 12-in-1 MacBook Docking Station

• Power Delivery: 100W
• Ports: 1 x HDMI 8K, 1xHDMI 4K, 1x DP 4K, 1x USB-C (100W), 1x USB-A 3.2, 1 x USB-C 3.2, 2 x USB- A 3.0, 1 x Gigabit Ethernet, 1 x SD/Micro SD card reader, and 1x 3.5mm AUX port
• Gigabit Ethernet: Yes
• SD Card Reader: Yes (microSD and SD card)

UGREEN’s 12-in-1 dock is large both in terms of physical size and features. The construction is solid, and the design is such that it will fit into any setup. The rear has two USB-A 3.0 ports and a USB-A 3.1 port on the front. You also get SD card slots and a combo jack for audio. The wide array of ports makes the UGREEN dock a great fit for anyone.

Of the two USB-C ports on the rear, one is used to power the dock, and the other outputs at 100W with support for PD. So when you connect the dock to your Mac, it charges the Mac simultaneously. It is expensive but you get PD charging and support for multiple monitors even on an M1 Mac thanks to DisplayLink.

FAQs for USB-C Docking Station With Power Delivery

Get the Power

Which of these docking stations will you get for your laptop? If you have a Dell laptop, it’s safe to use the Dell Wd19 provided it suits your requirement. If not, the UGREEN USB-C docking station with power delivery is the best option if you want multiple displays and a high-power laptop.