USB-A is the most common interface shape in the USB family, and most peripherals use USB-A. Common wired keyboards, wired mice, U disks, etc. are all connected to the notebook through USB-A, so USB-A can be said to be an essential interface in the docking station. As for the specific number of USB-A, it can be determined according to the actual situation of the individual Make a selection.
2. USB Type-C
The USB-C on the docking station generally only supports the PD protocol, that is, it can only be charged, but cannot transmit data or display expansion. Therefore, when purchasing a docking station, be sure to check the product specifications or ask customer service whether the USB-C support supports data transmission. In addition, many problems with laptops connected to the docking station on the Internet are caused by the power supply connecting the docking station instead of the computer, so it is best to connect the power supply directly to the computer if conditions permit.
3. RJ45 network port
I believe that everyone is familiar with the Internet port, so I won’t go into details. There are 100M and 1000M network ports. In this era of hundreds of Mbps of optical fiber, 100M network ports are obviously not enough, so if you need a wired connection to the Internet, you can choose a docking station with a Gigabit network port.
4. HDMI port
At present, the video access of most monitors is through the HDMI port, so if you need to connect an external monitor, the HDMI port on the docking station is essential. In fact, HDMI and DP are both display communication protocols, but at present, everyone directly refers to this interface as HDMI port.
The common HDMI versions are HDMI1.4 and HDMI2.0. The maximum resolution supported by the HDMI port on the non-Thunderbolt docking station is as follows:
Protocol/Maximum Resolution
HDMI1.4
1080P120Hz
2K60Hz
4K30Hz
HDMI2.0
1080P240Hz
2K144Hz
4K60Hz
5. DP port
The DP port is a relatively rare interface in the docking station, and because USB3.x will occupy the pins of the DP protocol, the DP port on the non-Thunderbolt docking station is in a half-blood state, that is, the ordinary Type-C expansion The maximum resolution supported by the DP port of the dock is as follows:
Protocol maximum resolution
DP1.2
1080P144Hz
2K60Hz
4K30Hz
DP1.4
1080P240Hz
2K144Hz
4K60Hz
Only the DP port on the Thunderbolt docking station can run the full bandwidth.
6. VGA port
The VGA port is also a relatively rare interface in the docking station. Since it only supports 1080P60Hz output, it is suitable for connecting some external projectors and old-fashioned monitors. If there is a higher demand for display expansion, it is recommended to use the HDMI protocol or DP protocol.
7. SD card slot
The card slot for reading and writing memory cards on the docking station usually has two specifications: SD card and Micro SD card (ie TF card), and the supported reading and writing protocols are UHS-II and UHS-I. Currently, the card slot on the docking station As long as there is no special mark, it basically only supports the UHS-I protocol.