At a look
Knowledgeable’s Score
Execs
- Nice worth and worth, even at MSRP
- 4K120 show capabilities open up gaming potentialities
- Steady efficiency
- Wonderful charging capabilities
Cons
- Surprisingly heat underneath load
- Storage assessments throughout the dock had been decrease than common
Our Verdict
Some minor efficiency issues don’t mar what’s in any other case a really attractively priced USB4 docking station that’s designed for the longer term.
Greatest Costs Immediately: Plugable USB4 Twin HDMI Docking Station (UD-4VPD)
$199.95
$199.95
Plugable’s UD-4VPD, formally often called the USB4 Twin HDMI Docking Station, guarantees two doubtlessly welcome tendencies: a push into 120Hz 4K show capabilities, and a startling discount in worth.
Why take into account the Plugable UD-4VPD?
Most Thunderbolt docks supply the choice of connecting to 2 4K shows at 60Hz. That’s completely effective for workplace use. Increased-rate 120Hz shows, although, are the minimal threshold that players favor, opening a possible new world of potentialities for these docks. And this dock drives a pair of 4K shows at 120Hz, in accordance with Plugable! Alternatively, the identical dock ought to drive a single 8K show.
As we level out in our roundup of one of the best Thunderbolt docks, USB4 and Thunderbolt 4 are functionally equal. Due to what we suspect are licensing points, Thunderbolt docks appear to be frequent on Intel laptops, whereas AMD Ryzen laptops use USB4. A Thunderbolt laptop computer ought to work simply as nicely with a USB4 dock. Remember, although, that in accordance with Plugable founder and CTO Bernie Thompson, a laptop computer with a Thunderbolt 3 connection most likely gained’t work with this dock.
The Plugable UD-4VPD continues to be dramatically cheaper than most Thunderbolt or USB4 docks, with out attempting to chop corners, and shakes up what a “finances” dock actually is.
The Plugable UD-4VPD specs
Sadly, we lack the sources to check the dock with a pair of 120Hz 4K displays in the mean time. (Most 4K displays at 120Hz or above value about $600 or so.) We do have a 1440p widescreen monitor to check, which might run at as much as 144Hz, plus two 4K shows, which is as shut as we are able to get.
Plugable’s UD-4VPD is an 11-in 1 dock, with the 2 HDMI ports, two 10Gbps USB-A (10Gbps) ports, a legacy 5Gbps USB-A port, and a single 10Gbps USB-C port which might provide as much as a rated 20W of charging energy for a telephone. There’s additionally a microSD and SD slot rated at UHS-II (312MB/s) speeds, plus an audio/mic jack.
Mark Hachman / IDG
The 2 HDMI 2.1 show ports replicate HDMI’s reputation, however their efficiency will range. Right here’s the issue: Not solely do that dock’s ports require your laptop computer to help an HDMI 2.1 output, however the chipset inside it’s required to help each HBR3 (Excessive Bitrate 3) and DSC (Show Stream Compression). The latter know-how is sort of a DisplayLink dock: It makes use of some compression to allow the upper show capabilities. In case your laptop computer lacks each of those latter options, you’ll get a extra customary 4K60 expertise as an alternative. You don’t have the choice of plugging in an HDMI-to-DisplayPort cable into this dock, both.
How have you learnt your laptop computer contains HBR3 and DSC? Chances are high you don’t, and your laptop computer maker might not even let you know. In line with Thompson, one clue could also be whether or not it’s Intel Evo licensed, as Thompson claims that these all meet the HBR3/DSC necessities.
In any other case, the shortage of accessible info makes buying this dock a little bit of a crapshoot, sadly. Alternatively, you can also make the argument that investing on this dock is an funding sooner or later, when 4K120 shows change into cheaper and extra commonplace.
Mark Hachman / IDG
How did the Plugable UD-4VPD carry out?
We weren’t capable of take a look at all the dock’s show options, however a number of the points that we had been capable of take a look at had been a bit disappointing. The primary is a nitpick: Whereas Thunderbolt cables are clearly labeled with the lightning-bolt brand and both a “3” or “4” to tell apart them, Plugable’s 3.3-foot cable was jet black, and related to the rear of the dock, not the entrance. It might be useful if the cable group or Plugable may higher label these cables.
Second, the dock warmed surprisingly underneath load, to the purpose that it grew somewhat alarming. However it didn’t constantly attain these temperatures, both. (In the event you’re involved, Plugable’s dock ships with a two-year restricted elements and labor guarantee.)
Lastly, the dock’s efficiency was a bit blended. When writing to an exterior take a look at SSD, the drive’s bandwidth clocked in at about 122MB/s, about 11 % lower than the 137.51MB/s that rival-dock Anker 568 generated. Alternatively, working the identical take a look at whereas streaming a 4K video — a process we carry out to see if there’s any knowledge congestion — handed with flying colours. Anker’s dock additionally confirmed occasional instability; the Plugable UD-4VPD was rock-solid in our assessments.
Plugable principally lived as much as its charging claims, too. Whereas the dock’s brand claims that the entrance 10Gbps charging port can ship 20W of energy to cost a smartphone, our assessments confirmed that it delivered about 18.7W underneath load. That’s sufficient to fast-charge a smartphone.
Do you have to purchase the Plugable UD-4VPD?
Plugable, although, presents an enormous benefit: It’s basically $100 lower than the competitors, and that’s earlier than any reductions. Plugable’s Thompson says that the prices of necessary Thunderbolt testing increase the costs of Thunderbolt docks, and right here the lowered prices are handed alongside to the patron. The Plugable UD-4VPD continues to be dramatically cheaper than most Thunderbolt or USB4 docks, with out attempting to chop corners, and shakes up what a “finances” dock actually is. That’s a key promoting level, even earlier than you begin speaking about its superior show capabilities.
