When the product is out of stock, it shows that there is a great demand from the consumers for it. No matter how many docking stations are on the market today with similar functionality, Plugable achieved gold with the USB-C Triple 4K Docking Station (UD-ULTC4K) in 2017. It’s hard to pick this model these days, so Plugable decided to bring it back. However, it’s not exactly the same spec, as the company decided to give it a proper “rebirth” of sorts.
Now with a host of upgrades to turn any USB-C-enabled laptop into a power hub, the new Plugable USB-C Triple 4K Docking Station is better than ever with additional HDMI and DisplayPort inputs, and enhanced 100W Power Delivery (PD) Basic SD card reader and additional USB-C port with 20W PD and transfer rates of up to 10Gbps. Oh, and four USB-A 3.0 ports for good measure.
Plugable listened to customer requests and greatly expanded the capabilities of the most popular docking station, and the result is the most well-rounded docking station I’ve reviewed. Check out why this docking station is important to sitting at your desk.
Pluggable 4K USB-C Triple Display Docking Station Price
at an official price $394.99 at PlugableTriple 4K USB-C Monitor Docking Station Will be It is an expensive investment. However, you will find that it is available for $279 ($264 with coupon) on Amazon (Opens in a new tab). You can expect to stay at this price, as the company has a habit of keeping discounts available for as long as they are available.
At this cost, you can have a pair of AirPods Pro Full retail price of $249. By this comparison, a docking station can seem pricey, but its array of connectivity options makes its $279 price tag worth it. You will find other docking stations, such as $299 Anker Apex Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station and a $289 Kensington SD5700T Thunderbolt 4 Dock, to be close to a similar price range. But Plugable outperforms its competition by being slightly less expensive and offering a large selection of ports.
$129 Pluggable Dual Screen Docking Station (2022) It might be about half the cost, but it’s not nearly as modern or adaptable as the company’s latest offering.
USB-C Triple 4K Plugable Display Docking Station Design
Plugable has gone through a number of different designs with its own docking stations, but it earned its reputation with its popular “USB-C Triple Display” models. With the revamped UD-ULTC4K, Plugable has kept the subtle style of the monolithic blackboard because it’s a design that works, even if it’s a bit chunkier than previous models.
If it ain’t broken, don’t fix it, right? Sure, it would be nice to see the dock only had the option of losing the vertical stand to allow more placement options on the desk, but that doesn’t mean the port placement and the sleek black plastic frame wasn’t as good I think. Its sturdy, large rubber base secures it firmly to a desk – ready to connect your laptop to plenty of monitors and peripherals. It fits nicely in any elegant office setting, thanks to the curved front and gill-like vents that provide a sleek look. To let you know that everything is connected, it also has power and a USB flashlight along the front.
Compared to the UD-3900’s 7.5-inch dual-monitor docking station, the UD-ULTC4K stands at 8 inches with a slightly wider base. With the vertical design, it saves you desk space and offers you a cleaner setup that isn’t cluttered with mixed cables. However, some users may prefer to lay the docking stations flat to hide behind monitors or laptops. There’s nothing stopping me from placing the dock horizontally, but it seems awkward because that’s not what it was designed for.
A great docking station obviously needs great port placement, and this USB-C Triple 4K Docking Station hits a tee. All the most active ports are on the front, including a headphone jack, microphone, SD card reader, and USB-C with 20W power delivery for charging and transferring files on your smartphone, tablet, or anything with a USB-C slot, really. The back is left to cable management, leaving more permanent connections like HDMI or DisplayPort outputs for connecting external displays, USB-A slots for memory sticks, a wireless mouse or keyboard dongle, and wired internet via the Gigabit Ethernet port.
The design of Plugables USB-C Triple 4K Docking Station is nothing new, but it doesn’t need to be if you’re looking for an improved working setup.
Pluggable Triple 4K USB-C Display Docking Station Ports
The USB-C Triple 4K Docking Station makes a huge leap in port selection over the 2017 model, adding more 4K video outputs, an SD card reader, and a handy USB-C slot for connecting and charging other devices. What could you have asked for more?
Up front, there’s a 3.5mm headphone jack, a 3.5mm microphone jack, an SD card reader, and a USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 port with 20W power delivery and 10Gbps transfer speeds. This is ideal for professionals who want to quickly transfer files and data from their smartphone or tablet to their laptop, while content creators can easily transfer photos or videos using an easily accessible SD card reader.
Along the rear are four USB-A 3.0 slots with transfer speeds of 5Gbps, three HDMI 2.0 ports, three DisplayPort++1.4 supporting 4K (3840 x 2160) at 60Hz, a Gigabit Ethernet port, and a USB-C host port that provides Delivery power 100 watts (96 watts certified).
Not all of us have three 4K screens To take full advantage of the capabilities of the docking station, but having a variety to choose between an HDMI or DisplayPort connection is very welcome. The jump from 60W Power Deilvery to 100W won’t make much of a difference, seeing as many will want to keep their laptop plugged in to a full charge anyway, but those who are constantly on the go will appreciate the faster charging times.
USB-C Triple 4K Pluggable Display Docking Station Performance
While Thunderbolt 4 . port Ports are making their way into modern systems, and with the Anker Apex Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station and Kensington SD5700T Thunderbolt 4 Dock leading the charge to support these systems, it’s hard to beat the flexibility of a variety of outputs for multiple scenarios. This is where the Plugable USB-C Triple 4K Docking Station shines, offering a selection of 13 ports that can match any setup.
To see how each port works, I connected a file Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 And connect it to dual Asus VG278 displays via HDMI, along with other connections including a Corsair K65 RGB Mini Gaming KeyboardHyperX Wireless headphones Via a USB-A stick and Razr Naga Pro the mouse. Oh, and my iPad Air (2020) for good measure. Low and behold, everything was running smoothly, with my laptop and iPad charging while I was making full use of the external screens. I’ve even been able to connect my Meta Quest 2 to charge and transfer video files.
With 4K resolution supported, I tried using it on a 50″ Sharp 4K TV. While a screen of this size isn’t ideal for my general work day, it’s nice to know that a pluggable docking station can push 4K resolution at a constant 60Hz refresh rate. a lot of The best monitors In the market you may use DisplayPort or HDMI connections, so being able to choose between the two types of video output is a big win. Plus, unlike the previous model, you get the same number of ports for each type of output.
The Plugable is compatible with USB-C systems but is also compatible with USB4, Thunderbolt 3, and Thunderbolt 4. It works on Windows 10 and later, along with macOS 11 and later. M1 MacBooks will originally support a single screen, and similar results are expected with M2 MacBooks. During my conversation with Plugable founder and CTO Bernie Thompson, he stated that with DisplayLink support in the dock, it’s easy to download the software and add additional displays beyond what the user’s system natively supports. However, this should not be a problem with The best laptops in the market today.
Plugable does not mention that USB-A ports can charge devices. However, I connected a file iPhone SE (2020) And it can charge (albeit only at a slow pace).
Including an SD card reader and USB-C port on the front is very useful, as I often take pictures of products I review and need to transfer to my laptop. Simply plugging in my device or slotting it into the SD card makes file transfer a breeze, and content creators will surely find these ports handy. Plus, the addition of an audio jack on the front for quickly listening to YouTube videos or video calls using wired earbuds is welcome.
Pluggable Triple 4K USB-C Monitor Docking Station: The Bottom Line
Plugable’s latest Triple 4K USB-C Docking Station has been such a hit that it’s completely out of stock. With the latest UD-ULTC4K Docking Station, I can imagine it’s a hot commodity thanks to its fair price and great upgrades.
Of the assortment of 13 ports it offers to support a 4K display via multiple video outputs, Plugable’s latest docking station is the best. Four USB-A ports let you maximize the amount of peripherals you want to use with your laptop, while an SD card reader and USB-C port with 20W power delivery allow seamless charging and file transfer.
If you’re looking to get the most out of your laptop, or want to turn your work setup into a fully-fledged workstation, the Plugable USB-C Triple 4K Docking Station will do the trick. If you are looking to get all the features in Thunderbolt 4 connectivity, check out our list The best docking stations in the market today.