Monoprice USB-C Mobile Docking Stations Review: Mobile Docks that Offer Almost Every Port Needed for the Work From Anywhere Worker

Monoprice USB-C Mobile Docking Stations Review

We reviewed two new USB-C docs from Monoprice. Both offer machined aluminum enclosures that look more professional and are likely more robust than the earlier white plastic Monoprice USB-C hubs. Both are all chocked full of ports for legacy environments—meaning if you need VGA, Ethernet, SD cards, DisplayPort, 3.5mm audio or USB-A, one of the two will do the trick for you.

If, however, you run a completely modern, or as modern as current technology allows environment, these docks will not allow you to connect or daisy chain multiple USB-C-based Thunderbolt devices. They are, however, compatible with Thunderbolt ports on laptops, but they do not reflect the native speed or flexibility of those ports.

The $39.99 Monoprice 12-in-1 Dual-HDMI + VGA MST Dock offers VGA support, as the name implies. The $54.99 Monoprice 13-in-1 Dual-HDMI + DP MST Dock offers DisplayPort rather than VGA and includes a fourth USB-A port. Very good prices for docking stations of quality with this number of ports.

Although the review states that these are mobile docks, which they are, they work just as well as stationary docks to plug into on arrival and leave on the desk awaiting a return. They don’t, however, offer desktop dock features like security slots, so either take them with you or lock them in a drawer to make sure they don’t succumb to wandering dongle syndrome.

What we like

Both Monoprice docks feature good construction and a bevy of ports within their aluminum bodies. The 6-inch attached cable is long enough for most desktop applications, though a bit short for those looking to use either with an iPad Pro.

The devices differ externally with port selection, not just in count, but in kind.

The big difference, of course, is the inclusion of VGA on the 12-in-1, and its exclusion on the 13-in-1 in favor of a DisplayPort, while the 13-in-1 also includes an extra USB A port. iPad owners will appreciate the audio ports, as will those with laptops sans audio ports to simplify their motherboards in a world dominated by Bluetooth®. The docks are designed to use the USB-C charging cable from the laptop to power the dock and attached peripherals, storage, and other items and to pass the power back through to the laptop for charging.

Mac users need to know that the displays are replicative, meaning that the same image will be on all external displays. The docks only support SST Mirror and SST Extend mode for Macs. MST mode for Windows will support up to three simultaneous 1080p displays all with different content.

Monoprice offers a 1-year replacement warranty and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Both come in basic white boxes with recyclable bags, though Monoprice still likes a plastic wrap around the shiny bits, which they should move beyond.

What could be improved

Including the hardware for Thunderbolt compatibility increases the price of docking stations because Intel/Apple Thunderbolt technology requires a license and certification. 

With Apple’s shift to USB-C, the computer industry is going to move that direction even more than it already has. That means these docks will need more USB-C ports. These docks are made for legacy environments—and those will be around for a long time, especially in homes where the main computer may change, but there probably will not be a wholesale swap out of all the associated peripherals.

While not a necessity and probably not possible at these price points, more USB-C ports and Thunderbolt support will increase the longevity of the investment as well as the flexibility of its support for displays and new peripherals.

Monoprice USB-C Mobile Docking Stations: The bottom line

For anyone with the need to attach peripherals to a laptop, both of these are fine USB-C docks—more than fine, as they support display setups that lean more to professionals and gamers than they do home workers where 4K video for a computer display remains a relative rarity.

Monoprice provided the Monoprice 12-in-1 Dual-HDMI + VGA MST Dock and the Monoprice 13-in-1 USB-C to Dual HDMI + DP Triple Display Docking Station for review. Images courtesy of Monoprice unless otherwise noted.

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