Best Laptop Docking Stations to Enhance Your Digital World in the UK

Docking stations should be able to widely expand the connectivity options for your laptop computer, but it would also be nice if they have a capable and stylish design as well. Such a device should be able to expand your computer's connectivity while retaining a small footprint, yet not look completely out of place on your desk. For a docking station that fully meets these criteria, then you should take a good look at the Cable Matters 201053-SIL-E USB-C Dock Station.

This device is a stylish docking station that fits on the included stand, which mounts the docking station in a vertical manner in order to save you the most amount of desk space possible. The model offers a wide range of connectors, and it can be used for charging, connecting displays, a mouse and keyboard, or any other accessories. If you are worried about whether this model is compatible with your particular laptop, there is no need to do so, as it is compatible with all popular laptop models and operating systems. Users who are still running WIndows 7 should take note, though - you will need to download and install separate drivers in order for the docking station to work. Those with newer operating systems can expect total plug-and-play compatibility.

Looking at the Kensington laptop docking station the first thing you will like about it is its compact size and multiple connectivity options. However, when you look at it a bit closer, you'll see one more feature that distinguishes it from many other models - an option to mount it on the rear of a monitor with a special VESA mounting plate. So if you'd like to save some usable space on your desktop, make sure to purchase it separately since it's not included in the base package. The arrangement of USB ports is also rather convenient; all video ports are located on the rear while audio ports are on the front. This provides users with open access to most frequently used ports in a much more convenient way. What else about the Kensington laptop docking station that shouldn't go amiss is a high-powered USB port for ultra-fast data transfer to external sources.

Power users whose main computers are laptops are the ones most in need of a good docking station. This is especially true for those who may need to use as many displays as possible on their system. Most docking stations out there will only support a maximum of 2 separate displays, but what about for those who may need to add a third display? In cases such as this, the Selore&S-Global SEUC3306-UK USB-C Docking Station is your best choice.

This docking station allows you to share the display on three separate monitors, HDTVs, or projectors with a refresh rate of 60 Hz. The high-speed Ethernet RJ45 port allows you to speed up the loading of movies and reduce the latency in games, even if the wireless connection fails. This comes thanks to the dual HDMI connectors on the unit, which can each support up to 4K monitors, as well as the standard VGA port for legacy monitors.

Another great addition to this unit is the high-speed Ethernet RJ45 port, which allows you to speed up the loading of movies and reduce the latency in games, even if the wireless connection fails. This ensures that you have the fastest networking available when you need to stream or download large files, or for other use cases where ultra-fast networking is essential to whatever you are doing.

While this isn't the only vertically-mounted docking station on our list, the Plugable Technologies UD-3900 Universal Docking Station certainly has this benefit going for it. The vertical orientation provides several important benefits for those who often use a laptop in multiple locations at once. For one, it provides an extremely small footprint that can help save a lot of valuable real estate on one's desk. For another, it provides pretty easy access to the ports on it, meaning that you can easily plug and unplug the various devices that you want to use with it as you wish.

The fact that this docking station is in a vertical orientation is far from the only benefit that it provides to users. Just as with most of the other docking stations on this list, this model is able to provide dual display output for your laptop thanks to two digital video ports, the HDMI port, and the DVI port. There are also six USB ports: 2x USB 3.0, and 4x USB 2.0 ports. If you want to connect your headphones and/or a headset, you will find two standard 3.5 mm audio ports here. There is even an Ethernet port for those who prefer to use a hardwired connection for their Internet. Essentially, this docking station provides all of the ports that you will need, and then some.

A distinct advantage of laptops over desktop computers is portability. Laptops can be taken away and used on the go. The only problem you can face when using a laptop is lack of additional ports. Yet, if you get the Wavlink docking station, this won't be an issue anymore. Considering the number of ports, it's possible to connect up to 6 additional devices and 2 external monitors for gaming or comfortable work. Two USB 3.0 ports have the maximum transmission speed of 5 Gbit/s that is good for transferring data from and to external storage devices. The USB indicator contributes to usability of the station telling you when it's powered on. All external connectors are located on the rear of the unit, except for the two audio outputs which are placed on the front.