Dell USB 3.0 Ultra HD/4K Triple Display Docking Station (D3100), Black

As an accountant, I work with multiple excel documents, and I used multiple displays connected to laptop via HDMI and USB-c ports until very recently our company replaced HP laptops with Microsoft Surface laptops. Unlike my previous HP laptop, new surface laptop came with one usb-c port and one usb-a port, which was quite frustrating as I could connect only one external displays. Microsoft offers docking stations for surface laptops with the price starting at $200 which is quite expensive for my budget. After several days of searching for the right device, I decided to try Dell docking station, and I wasn't disappointed. It works perfectly for me, I can connect 3 external displays (1 in laptop's usb-c port, and 2 displays in the docking station, 1 port remains available) which is crucial for my work. The docking station also comes with multiple usb-a ports and 3.5mm audio port which is very convenient. As a warning, the device is not plug & play and not identified by windows on my laptop, I had to download a driver from Dell website. Also I am not sure if this docking station can be used for gaming, sometimes there are lagging issues with the image. Otherwise, I am very happy with this docking station.

Have this paired with a Latitude 3500 and it works flawlessly. Installed the drivers before connecting (as per instructions) and it recognized everything as soon as I plugged the laptop in. I'm only using one external monitor at the moment, but I have no reason to think there would be any issues with two displays. The only downside is this WILL NOT CHARGE YOUR LAPTOP. It probably said that somewhere in the description and it's not a huge deal to have to plug the laptop in, just keep in mind you will need a spots in your power strip for 2 dell 55 watt power supplies - one for the laptop and one for the dock (the dock comes with its own). It's also USB A connection to the laptop. I haven't tried with with a A-to-C adapter, so not sure if it would work that way or not.

I am so glad I got this!I have a Dell laptop for work that clicks into a (Dell PR03X) docking station. I hate the docking station. It's just difficult to get the laptop connected to it and the docking station only allows for 2 extra monitors, not 3. So I had to buy an external USB video card for my 3rd monitor.I purchased this as a replacement for my PR03X dock and it's an EXCELLENT replacement. For one thing, I can use it with all my laptops, not just my Dell. I have a Lenovo Yoga (my wife's), a Macbook Air (2011 with OS 10.9 - which required the software from http://www.displaylink.com/support/mac_downloads.php), and my work Dell laptop. All 3 work great with this little hub. And it is pretty small and lightweight.Note: I wasn't really sure how this was going to connect to my laptop(s). It turns out it connects via a typical USB (2 or 3) port. My Macbook Air has USB 2, while my Lenovo Yoga has USB 3.0. Both work flawlessly. However, obviously the extra USB ports the device provides won't operate at USB 3 speeds if you're connected to your laptop via a USB 2 port.Anyway, once you've connected the doc to your laptop (or desktop) via a USB 2 or 3 port, its ready for up to 3 monitors to be connected to it. Two via HDMI and a third via Dell's DisplayPort (which you can get a DisplayPort-to-HDMI adapter if needed). So with the laptop screen this gives you a total of up to 4 displays!The One Con:It seems like video playback might be a little choppy when watching a 1080p video clip on YouTube while connected to a USB 2 port. I'm not sure if this was the internet or a FPS limitation of the USB video throughput. However, it seems to playback video flawlessly using a USB 3 port.So if you're considering this for video work or for gaming and you don't have a USB 3 port to plug it onto, you may find it slightly laggy and you may want to do a little more research. But again, I see no lag using USB 3.But if you want to use typical applications like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, ect. - or in my case a text editor like Sublime Text, this little dock will work great, even when using the slower USB 2.

I'm submitting a review because I think this is a decent product. I did end up returning it because I discovered it didn't suit my needs. Main problem I had is I discovered the DisplayLink technology the docking station uses caps out at 60Hz for all displays, regardless of resolution. I have two 144Hz displays, so that was a deal-breaker. The dock worked just fine with my setup but didn't let me take full advantage of my monitors' refresh rates.That being said, for those who don't need more than 60Hz, this is a pretty good product. It runs over a B->A USB 3 superspeed cable (included), meaning it doesn't need to occupy a USB-C port. If you have an older laptop that doesn't have USB-C then this may just be the perfect dock for you. You do need a USB 3 port on your laptop (it won't run over 2.0), but if your laptop is 5 years old or less, chances are you have one of those. The dock comes with its own cable, so no need to purchase one yourself.I tested it on a Lenovo Legion 5, an HP Elite Book, and my Android phone. Android use required downloading the DisplayLink app as well as an A->C USB converter, but it did work (after needing to agree to a million permissions prompts on my phone).So, in conclusion:Pros: very compatible. Will likely work with any Laptop that's USB-C. Even technically worked on my Android phone (note: you will probably need a C->A usb converter for this use case, product does not come with this).Cons: DisplayLink caps at 60Hz. If you have monitors that run faster than that and you want to take advantage of it, this Dock's not for you.All-in-all, a pretty good business dock.