Ever since I moved to a MacBook a couple of years ago, one of the problems I encountered is the lack of ports. All I have to work with is a couple of USB-C ports and a 3.5mm headphone jack, which means I have to spend extra for a USB-C hub, so I can connect more peripherals like a monitor, keyboard, mouse, and others. However, budget USB-C hubs, although useful, are limited. So, just recently, we decided to pull the trigger on a Ugreen 12-in-1 Docking Station.
I’ve been eyeing these docking stations for a while now but not from Ugreen. I’ve owned a few Ugreen products in the past so I’m already familiar with its quality. So, when I saw on their Instagram page that they’re offering it in the Philippines soon, I kept tabs on it until it went live. I’ll talk about the price later on.
The device came in a simple package and just included the device and a premium USB-C cable. It would have been nicer, though, if Ugreen also included a carrying case as it is portable enough to be placed inside a backpack.
The dock is smaller than I expected and has a decent heft. It has a metal enclosure with a plastic top and bottom.
The top has the power button. It’s plastic and has a shallow click. At the bottom are four foam feet.
On the front is the LED indicator for power, SD and microSD card slot, USB-A 3.1 10 Gbps port, 3.5mm audio jack, and USB-C 3.1 10 Gbps port.
The back part is where it gets busy. Here we can find the following:
• 2x USB-A: 5Gbps
• DP: 4K@60Hz
• HDMI: 4K@60Hz
• HDMI: 8K@30Hz
• USB-C PD: 100W
• RJ45L 1000Mbps
• USB-C Host (where you need to plug your laptop)
One of the main features of this dock is the ability to support up to three monitors through the two HDMI ports and DP. But this depends on the laptop.
On a Windows laptop
At first, I thought that I have to have the dock plugged in via a USB-C PD port to make sure that everything can be powered. I even bought a Ugreen 100W charger for this. But to my surprise, my Ryzen 9 5900HX-powered laptop can power the dock on its own. So, all I have to do is plug the laptop into a power source, then connect the laptop to the dock via USB-C host. Then everything else can be connected to the dock like the monitor via HDMI (4K), wired keyboard, and mouse. What’s weird, though, is that my laptop doesn’t extend the display to the monitor when the HDMI cable is connected to the HDMI 8K port, so I have to transfer it back to the 4K port.
Our laptop doesn’t have an ethernet port, so I really appreciate that the dock has it. So, all I have to do is get an ethernet cable and plug it into the router and the dock and, voila, I finally have a wired connection.
On a MacBook
When switching to my MacBook, all I have to do is reconnect the USB-C cable to the dock’s host port. It is also able to power the dock, so everything’s good. However, we also experienced something weird with extending the display to the monitor via HDMI as the reverse happened. My MacBook only works via HDMI 8K and not the 4K. On the bright side, I was able to fix this by installing the DisplayLink Manager app for macOS.
Also, just like on my Windows laptop, the Ethernet wired internet connection also works, something we’ve been wanting to have on our Mac.
Performance-wise, so far I’m liking it. It can get warm while being used but not to an alarming point. The problem with my Windows laptop using the HDMI 8K port is probably a compatibility issue which I haven’t figured out yet. It’s not really a big downer for me since I’m not projecting 8K content.
The price, though, might make some people think twice before getting this device. It’s currently priced at PHP 14,999, which is a serious amount for a USB-C dock. However, if you’re looking into streamlining your desk setup and want to add more function to your laptop, this device can do it. Just make sure that your laptop has a USB-C port with a data function. We were able to free our Windows laptops from messy cables, gave our MacBook more ports to work with, and didn’t have to remove and reattach plenty of cables whenever we switch machines. Just one USB-C cable, that’s all we need.
The Ugreen 12-in-1 Docking Station is available at Lazada 14 and Shopee. For more information, visit Ugreen’s website here.
