Ugreen, a brand known for its quality and design, has recently launched its 9-in-1 USB-C docking station. While the product offers a terrific value, there’s a notable caveat: users need to provide their own power supply.
Key Highlights:
- Terrific price and value proposition.
- Excellent stability with great display port flexibility.
- Supports two 4K60 displays.
- Requires users to provide their own power supply.
- Can warm up to concerning temperatures.
- Mandatory software driver installation.
- Varied naming across different platforms, leading to potential confusion.
The Ugreen 9-in-1 USB-C docking station stands out in the market due to its quality design and manufacturing. However, there’s an inconsistency in its naming across different platforms. For instance, while Ugreen’s official site refers to it as the “Ugreen 9-in-1 4K HDMI Fast Charge Universal Docking Station,” the product box labels it as the “9-in-1 USB-C Docking Station CM615.” This inconsistency might lead to some confusion among potential buyers.
This dock is a DisplayLink product, bridging the gap between the high power of a Thunderbolt dock and the affordability of a USB-C dongle. Essentially, it offers the capabilities of a Thunderbolt dock, such as support for two displays at 4K resolutions, but at a more budget-friendly price point. However, Ugreen doesn’t explicitly mention on the packaging that it’s a DisplayLink dock. As a result, users need to install a mandatory software driver for the product to function optimally.
One of the standout features of this dock is its flexibility in display connections. Users can connect two displays to the dock, and for each display, they have the choice of using either a DisplayPort or HDMI connection. This flexibility eliminates the need for additional display cables, making the setup process smoother.
However, there are some areas where the dock could improve. For starters, it doesn’t come with a power brick, meaning users have to provide their own USB-C charger. While the dock can accept up to 100W from the charger, it uses some of this power for its operations. In tests, the dock passed about 76 watts to a laptop from a 100W charger. Additionally, the dock might not be the best choice for powering phones. The front USB-A port doesn’t deliver power, and the front USB-C port provides a modest 2.5W, which would charge a phone but at a slower pace.
Performance and Stability:
When it comes to performance, DisplayLink docks are known for their stability, with minimal flickering or unexpected detachments from connected displays. The Ugreen dock lives up to this reputation. However, it’s worth noting that the dock can get quite warm, even hot, under load. Despite this, it maintained a stable connection throughout testing.
Conclusion:
The Ugreen 9-in-1 USB-C dock offers a blend of performance, flexibility, and value. Its ability to support two 4K60 displays and its display connection flexibility make it a compelling choice for users. However, the need to provide one’s own power supply and the mandatory software driver installation might be deterrents for some. Overall, for those who can overlook these minor inconveniences, the Ugreen dock is a product worth considering.
