USB-C / Thunderbolt Dock for Work at Home

• 

  Elegant Giant on 30/03/2022 - 21:06

  +5

  There's a few ways you can tackle this, and depends on your preferred solution and outcome:

  1. Use a KVM switch. This is similar to a reverse splitter; you plug the monitors (plus mouse and keyboard, anything else preferred) into the KVM switch, plug cables into the KVM switch from both desktop and laptop, and you can toggle between the two devices using the monitors / keyboard / mouse.
     Sample: https://www.amazon.com.au/Switch-Dual-Monitor-Extended-Displ…
     Pros: easy to use, no software required, monitors run at native resolution and refresh rate (as long as the KVM switch supports it)
     Cons: must have 2 HDMI cables per device, laptop may not have this
  2. Use a dock. This will be a one-cable solution to each device, plug all your shared resources into the dock
     Sample: https://www.amazon.com.au/DELL-D3100-USB-UHD-DOCKINGSTATION/…
     Pros: Simple, one cable solution to the dock
     Cons: Potential resolution / framerate issues. Externally-powered solutions usually like to limit to 30hz refresh rate (especially at bigger resolutions), 60hz being for smaller resolutions like 1080p. Sometimes, software is required as well
  3. Alternate monitor inputs for each device. From personal experience, I have my personal desktop and my work PC cabled up both to the monitors at the same time, using different inputs (the desktop is plugged into HDMI on monitor 1 and DisplayPort on monitor 2, whereas the work PC is plugged into DisplayPort on monitor 1 and HDMI on monitor 2). This is convenient, but requires your laptops to support multiple inputs that your devices use as well. When you want to switch between devices, just switch the monitor inputs. (You can always buy adapters to fit as needed).
     Pros: Small cost
     Cons: requires the monitor and laptop connections to pair up.
  • 

    Gnostikos on 30/03/2022 - 21:34

    +1

    Cons: Potential resolution / framerate issues. Externally-powered solutions usually like to limit to 30hz refresh rate (especially at bigger resolutions), 60hz being for smaller resolutions like 1080p. Sometimes, software is required as well

    In my experience, that's not really an issue with enterprise-grade docks from OEMs like HP or Dell, like the ones I've listed below.

    Cheap, generic, 3rd-party ones can have those problems however (the ones from Kensington, Satechi, Comsol and so forth).

    If you want 4K @ 60Hz support or higher, you also need to make sure you have appropriately certified video cables as well.

• 

  Gnostikos on 30/03/2022 - 21:25

  +2

  Honestly, whatever is in stock at the moment and close enough to your requirements.

  The lead times on USB-C/Thunderbolt docking stations are absolutely ridiculous right now.
  Popular HP and Dell models have a lead time of around 6 months or so at the moment and it's been that way since about mid-last year.

  The best models I can personally vouch for, which are strictly plug-and-play with no drivers required, stable and not-to-prone to random disconnects/firmware issues would be the Dell WD19TBS and the HP Thunderbolt Dock G2 (in whatever wattage is appropriate for your laptop; they come in 120W or 230W models).

  I've had less than stellar experiences with Kensington's USB-C/Thunderbolt docks (mainly due to them requiring drivers to be installed on connected devices for full functionality), though I will say the Kensington SD5700T isn't bad and is on par with the Dell and HP docks I've mentioned; it just may not be truly plug-and-play depending on your laptop.

  Some of the Comsol mobile/portable docks you can get at Officeworks aren't that bad either (like this, this, this or this), though I'm not sure as to their long-term reliability as I haven't seen them in-use for too long.

  I can't really link to any good deals on the Dell or HP docks as it's a complete crapshoot as to which vendors have stock, so you'll have to hunt around for them (and stock tends to go fast).

  I will also add that USB-C/Thunderbolt docks in general (regardless of brand or cost), can have a huge variety of incompatibility, stability and performance issues due to the myriad of potential combinations of devices that could be connected to them (which they haven't been certified/tested for) and the fact that everything on them is software-defined and based (as opposed to older physical connector docks where everything was done through the connector interface pinout in the hardware) and the firmware needs to be regularly updated (which can be prone to difficulty itself).

  Also make sure whichever dock you get will deliver the appropriate wattage/amperage for your laptop and that your particular model of laptop doesn't have issues with using non-genuine AC adaptors if you're buying a 3rd-party dock, as some laptops may refuse to charge with non-genuine AC adaptors.

• 

  p1 ama on 30/03/2022 - 22:28

  1 x 1080p@60Hz, 1 x 1440p@144Hz

  USB-C won't work for you - the maximum you can do over one USB-C cable is 2 x 1080p60 signals.

  Think about it this way, there are 4 "lanes" on a USB-C 3.1 interface, each "lane" is cable of carrying a 1080p60 signal or a data signal. Most USB-C docks will need 2 "lanes" for communication and the USB devices you plug into the dock, so will only be able to do 2 x 1080p60. You could potentially do 1 x 1440p60, or 1 x 2160p30 (4K has to be at 30 Hz since at 60 Hz, it would be 4 x lanes, so at 30 Hz, it's 2 x lanes).

  You basically have two options: run USB-C dock with an additional USB-C to DP/HDMI cable, or HDMI-HDMI cable, or thunderbolt dock, which of course would address all above concerns since you have 4x the bandwidth of USB-C on thunderbolt.

  For good docking solutions, I would suggest the Lenovo Thunderbolt or USB-C docks, all of which I use regularly and work flawlessly with my different laptops (Thinkpad, Macbook…etc.). Pretty cheap on eBay, e.g.: https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/144268438551?hash=item219711ac17…

  • 

    Haydos90 on 31/03/2022 - 10:20

    Not sure that all of this is correct, I use a Lenovo USB-C dock for my work laptop and I have a 1440*3440 monitor plugged in and running at 100Hz, which is the equivalent of 2 x 1080p120 monitors in terms of bandwidth.

• 

  jaffar on 31/03/2022 - 01:18

  If you don't mind buying refurbs on eBay: https://www.ebay.com.au/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=dell+dock&…

• 

  djkelly69 on 31/03/2022 - 09:33

  I have a similar setup.

  I use DP and HDMI from my PC to my 2 monitors, and HDMI and HDMI->DVI-D from this USB-C hub/dock to the same monitors for my work laptop. I am running 2 x 1080p, but agree with above that running higher resolution/frame rate could be an issue.

  For keyboard/mouse I use a Logitech MK850 with a unifying receiver in both the hub and the PC, so you just hit a button on the mouse and keyboard to change which one you are controlling.

• 

  djsweet on 31/03/2022 - 10:49

  I had the same issue. To reduce clutter I bit the bullet and got two of these: https://www.dell.com/en-au/shop/dell-ultrasharp-27-usb-c-hub… Daisy chain together, single usb-c cable to the laptop with 90W PD. Built in usb dock that auto shares keyboard, mouse and webcam between my laptop and desktop.

  • 

    andresampras on 31/03/2022 - 11:23

    how exactly do you choose to view one machine or the other? is it a quick and seamless switchover?

    • 

      djsweet on 31/03/2022 - 11:25

      I only ever have one on at a time. In which case it is automatic. If you have both on you have to use a button.joystick on the back of the monitor to toggle inputs. USB hub is routed depending on the selected input.

      • 

        andresampras on 31/03/2022 - 11:37

        sounds pretty good. are both computers Dell?

        • 

          djsweet on 31/03/2022 - 11:40

          @andresampras: Nope. Lenovo laptop, and a Dell desktop. The desktop is connected using a HDMI to each monitor anyway, so I doubt the brand would make a difference.

          • 

            andresampras on 31/03/2022 - 11:45

            @djsweet: Interesting.
            My lenovo laptop with Lenovo thunderbolt dock has an issue where on average maybe once a day, one of the Dell monitors connected to the dock randomly switches to a full-screen bright purple or lime green. After which I have to disconnect the DP or HDMI cable and re-insert.

            • 

              djsweet on 31/03/2022 - 11:47

              @andresampras: I use a Lenovo thunderbolt dock at work all the time. No such issues. Monitors are different brands depending on the desk too… Maybe a faulty dock or cable.

              • 

                andresampras on 31/03/2022 - 12:52

                @djsweet: just updated the dock firmware, let's see if the issues go away