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Anybody who’s used a MacBook or any USB-C-only laptop computer is more likely to be acquainted with “dongle life.” Whereas we await the remainder of the world to USB-C-ify every part, we regularly should resort to a collection of adapters to assist alongside our older or much less suitable peripherals and shows.
Many M1 Mac customers have run additionally into the unlucky headache of realizing their multimonitor ambitions have been foiled by Apple limiting the M1 chip to only a single monitor (within the case of MacBook) or two shows (if they’ve an M1 Mac Mini).
Whereas I lately featured a Thunderbolt 4 dock from Accell (Thunderbolt being a really quick and versatile sort of USB-C) that may remedy all of those issues for Home windows PC customers, that wonderful unit nonetheless lacked the one function that would have made it as versatile for M1 Mac customers.
This feature from Ugreen treatments that deficiency by including DisplayLink help, making it attainable on your M1 to do issues even Apple by no means meant. Let’s check out why this mixture of options makes the Ugreen USB-C Multifunction Docking Station a great companion on your Mac or Home windows PC.
The Ugreen Multifunction Docking Station Professional gives a complete of 12 ports between its array of entrance and rear connections. Like most USB-C docking stations, it offers a fast method so that you can flip your laptop computer right into a full-fledged desktop workstation by plugging in only one cable.
Additionally: Gradual web at dwelling? This adapter permits you to repurpose cable for higher connectivity
The front-facing ports (proven above) embrace the one 10Gbps USB-C port you are probably to make use of as a connection level on your laptop computer. Nevertheless, you even have fast entry to a headphone/mic combo port, an SD/TF card reader, and an additional USB-A port for these pesky mice, keyboards, or different peripherals that persist with the older commonplace.
Round again, the docking station consists of the next ports:
- Two 5Gbps USB-A ports for peripherals like mice, keyboards, webcams, and printers
- One USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 10Gbps port for connecting a laptop computer or different machine within the rear
- One PD 3.0 20V/5A backward-compatible energy supply port the place you’ll be able to join your laptop computer’s included USB-C energy adapter or different energy supply
- One Gigabit Ethernet port
- Three video output ports: one HDMI 8K @ 30Hz (backward-compatible to 4K @60Hz), one HDMI 4K @60Hz, and one DisplayPort (DP) 4K @60Hz
All of this interprets into the flexibility to run a triple show setup with a hard-wired LAN connection, a bevy of USB-C and USB-A peripherals, and energy, all by way of a single, included Thunderbolt 4 cable. You’ll have to present your personal energy adapter, which is not preferrred in the event you do not have already got a USB-C-based one out of your laptop computer. MagSafe-based MacBook house owners and Mac Mini customers, as an illustration, will possible have to buy a third-party USB-C charger that claims it is suitable with their mannequin of laptop computer.
At this level, you could be saying, “Waitaminute… my M1 MacBook/Mini cannot help a triple-monitor setup, so what is the level?” Usually, that might be true. Nevertheless, that is the place DisplayLink is available in. This expertise lets you run further displays on nearly any Home windows or MacOS system by creating what are basically digital GPU (video card) outputs.
Within the case of the M1 MacBook Air and M1 Mac Mini I examined this dock with, the set up course of consisted of putting in a driver from the Synaptics (makers of DisplayLink) web site. As soon as the short set up was accomplished, I examined each HDMI and DP shows in quite a lot of resolutions. All of them appeared, with out hassle, in the usual Show part of the MacOS Settings app, with no discernable distinction between them and the displays linked natively by way of both Mac’s singular Thunderbolt video output, or the Mac Mini’s lone HDMI output. It actually was surprisingly easy.
In fact, the Ugreen Multifunction Docking Station Professional is certainly not the most cost effective resolution. You might accomplish many of the identical issues by spending significantly much less on a mix of a number of particular person adapters, dongles, and cables. However, a big a part of what you are paying for right here is the intense comfort this singular, monolithic unit offers. It is meant to be a single dwelling for your entire connection and adaptation wants, and it did the job very nicely in my testing.
Whenever you hit your desk after a protracted, tiring day and also you solely have to plug in that lone cable to hook up with a dozen or so peripherals, that cash you spent on it will begin to really feel nicely value it. That is much more true for the M1 Mac customers who would possibly in any other case battle to achieve their full setup objectives and not using a DisplayLink-enabled adapter like this one.
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