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758 Review
66 Karma

Review on πŸ’» Zettaguard Dual Monitor USB 3.0 Docking Station with HDMI & DVI, Gigabit Ethernet, Audio, 6 USB Ports - Compatible with Laptop, Ultrabook, PC by Jeff Alradwan

Revainrating 3 out of 5

Dual 1080P, no charging, non native drivers

Firstly I am a business user using this laptop as my company laptop. I have previously used a Dell USB-C dock which lasted 3-4 years before the USB peripherals started to die. This dock does not work natively, you need to install drivers to see it. to connected monitors. That's the downside of Dell/HP docking stations, which work as soon as you plug them in. I had to spend time with tech support abroad and ask their permission to install drivers I downloaded from the internet. This was a big problem as they use Display Link drivers which have to be downloaded from a third party website. First the download popped up saying it was confirmed for Display Link (UK). I had to explain to my company why they should let me install these drivers. They agreed, but then a second security pop-up appeared after the files were unzipped and ready to install, this time about unverified and unknown signatures on drivers, and my IT team nearly aborted the install. If I ever need to format my PC or upgrade my laptops, I'll have to go through this again. Once installed, setting up monitors isn't much of a problem other than the fact that my default monitors are set to 2k and just stay that way. black screens. Of course, when viewing properties, docker went to dimmed monitors and I couldn't even see the settings to toggle them. It took a lot of tweaking to get the setup window to appear on my laptop screen. I had to systematically disconnect already connected monitors. Please note that this dock works with a maximum of two 1080P resolutions. Anything above that only results in black screens. It's in the description, so I'm not really deducting the stars, but you should note that this can result in black screens when connected to higher resolution monitors that require troubleshooting. The connection to your laptop is via a standard USB port. - Connection with an adapter that can convert it to a USB-C connection. I've added a picture of this connection. This doesn't charge your laptop while it's plugged in, and still requires a second cable going from the outlet to the laptop. The more I use it, the more I realize how much I miss the ease of plugging it into a single USB-C port and being able to charge and dock all in one without other cables. In my opinion, this is the upgrade you need for simplicity and organization when it comes to cable management. The device uses USB 3.0 instead of 3.1, which is half the bandwidth. Some devices require 3.1 to work, so be sure to check. Again, this is clearly advertised, but I'm just reporting it. The dock has a standing variant rather than a lying one, and the lights are pretty bright. This can be a little annoying when working at night. Overall, the device is not bad and fulfills its purpose, but in my opinion falls short in its price range. For a little more money you can get a 2k dual dock with native drivers that has USB-C charging and only needs one cable to connect to your laptop. The more I use this dock, the more I wish I'd spent the extra $20-$40 to get all the features that will make me want to use it. If your needs are very basic and you don't want to reconsider your purchase for the future, this might work for you. Keep in mind that if you can put in 10 hours a day at work and be able to use it for years, it's probably worth spending a little more for all the extra features.

Pros
  • Great price
Cons
  • Big and bulky