Here’s What You Can Use Instead of a Docking Station

If you’re looking to get the most out of your laptop, chances are the number of ports included won’t be enough to get the job done. One of the easiest ways to remedy this problem is to get a docking station. However, many of the best docking stations can be prohibitively expensive and might not meet your specific setup needs.

Fortunately, docking stations are no longer the only port solutions available on the market. Now there’s a new contender: USB-C hubs, which cover many of the same bases as a docking station. Either can be a good way to organize your desk setup, but docks and USB-C hubs have fundamental differences. Deciding which technology is right for you will depend on a variety of factors, including what you plug in and where you plug it in.

As colloquial terms, the definitions of “hub” and “dock” have become quite fuzzy over the years, but when talking about USB-C hubs and docking stations, there remain a few key differences. One differentiator is size: docks are generally larger, and often come with a large number of ports, while a USB-C hub is smaller and lighter with fewer ports. The first is more focused on permanently transforming an office setup, while the second is designed for more portable use.

The other big differentiator is the power supply. Docks can plug directly into the wall, allowing the dock to power external devices, while hubs tend to draw power from the device they’re plugged into. While externally powered hubs aren’t uncommon, they’re also not the norm. Some USB-C hubs support power passthrough, allowing them to charge accessories, but this can be quite slow unless you have a specialized hub.

One of the most common problems with USB-C hubs is that many of them use your computer’s power instead of using a direct line to an outlet. Similarly, a USB-C hub divides its bandwidth from the port on the laptop it’s plugged into, while a dock has its own dedicated bandwidth. These two limitations combined mean that not all technologies will work well on a USB-C hub. External hard drives, especially SSDs, can struggle to get enough power and bandwidth to function properly, and the high-speed data needed to run devices like HD webcams and external GPUs makes them a non-starter with a hub. This is also why most USB-C hubs can only support one external monitor: there’s simply not enough bandwidth to store more.

Because they’re designed to be more portable, USB-C hubs are also subject to the pitfalls of typical wear and tear. Compared to a stationary dock, a hub is much more susceptible to things like debris buildup and internal damage from drops. Depending on how many trips you take with it and how it is treated, its lifespan may be shorter than a dock. Despite their limitations, USB-C hubs can be a great option for users looking for more ports at their disposal, and their portability gives them a distinct advantage over docks if you’re not looking to plug in a huge amount of demanding peripherals.