I reviewed StarTech’s nice laptop computer dock, and now it is 40% off

One of the crucial vital components in my laptop computer docking station critiques is worth: How a lot are you able to get in your cash. A stable sale on StarTech’s quad-display Thunderbolt 4 dock was adequate to raise it to the highest of my most well-liked checklist.

I’ve reviewed dozens of Thunderbolt laptop computer docking stations over the previous 5 years in forming PCWorld’s suggestions for the perfect laptop computer docking stations. Expertise has taught me that $250 is concerning the candy spot value for a great Thunderbolt 4 dock — and that was earlier than tariffs and inflation snarled pricing additional.

Think about my shock once I noticed StarTech’s Thunderbolt 4/USB4 Quad Show Docking Station for $204.99 on Amazon. No, it’s not what you suppose: StarTech priced this dock at $330.99, however Amazon reduce the MSRP to a “checklist value” of $272.99 after which took 25 p.c off that. In all, that’s near 40 p.c off proper there.

And it simply left my desk. About three weeks in the past I accomplished my overview of StarTech’s Thunderbolt 4/USB4 Quad Show Docking Station: 4 out of 5 stars, barely lacking an Editor’s Selection award.

StarTech’s dock falls into the class of a “Cadillac dock” just like the Plugable TBT4-UDZ, which boasts two DisplayPort and HDMI ports apiece. Some docks make you pay for adapter cables that run from the dock to your show. As a substitute, this dock can just about deal with any port your show has — as lengthy it’s not purely an exterior USB-C show. That’s a pleasant characteristic proper there, however this dock permits you to join as much as 4 shows, which is fairly uncommon. That’s three 4K shows operating a typical 60Hz, and a fourth operating at a slower 30Hz as an alternative.

This dock is a barely older mannequin — outdated within the sense that it helps gobs of USB-A legacy ports, whereas increasingly more gadgets are shifting to USB-C as an alternative. This dock does have a devoted USB-C port — although only one. Nonetheless, when you have a mouse, keyboard, and printer, chances are high they’ll be capable to neatly plug into this dock with extra ports for USB keys, storage and extra.

Whereas this dock will push about 100 watts to your laptop computer — most likely greater than obligatory — it doesn’t present as a lot energy to the opposite ports as a few of its opponents. This gained’t be an issue for any of your typical PC peripherals; it simply implies that you gained’t be capable to fast-charge a smartphone through this dock. You’ll have to make use of your telephone’s customary charger for that. In any other case, this was a terrific dock to make use of, and the low cost makes it a killer deal in an age the place nice offers aren’t as widespread as they as soon as had been. I’d suggest it.

Purchase StarTech’s Quad-Show Dock for $204.99 at Amazon