Docking Stations

[darbius]

Hey all, one of my buddies has a laptop (Alienware) and he wants to get a docking station of some kind because he's tired of plugging all the various crap in all the time. So I was looking into docking stations for him and he has expressed that he is wary of USB 2.0 docking stations, especially ones that take care of video and ethernet.

So I was looking at the old-fashioned Dell one in this set and these USB 2.0 ones, a Belkin and a Targus.

I'm conviced that the 480 Mbps data transfer rate of USB 2.0 has to be faster than the old dell connector (they've been using that same connector for ages), but I don't actually know anything about the connector that the Dell stations use. Am I wrong? Is USB 2.0 actually slower?

Also, he's worried that getting a USB 2.0 dock station with video and ethernet will slow down his ethernet connection and possibly not be able to handle his video. Can you guys give me any info that either disputes this or defends it? Thanks a bunch.

 

[trikster2]

Hey Darbius

I just gave up on the laptop of my dreams, the XPS-2 because for some reason Dell does not think their highest end DTR needs a docking station.

Instead I went with the Precision M70 (very nice) and the port replicator in your link above.

It sounds like a little thing but I really like docking stations, one button to disconnect vs plugging everything in. Plus the top of the line dell docking station has a media bay, and PCI card slot, pretty slick.

"I'm conviced that the 480 Mbps data transfer rate of USB 2.0 has to be faster than the old dell connector (they've been using that same connector for ages), but I don't actually know anything about the connector that the Dell stations use. Am I wrong? Is USB 2.0 actually slower? "

Well yeah you are wrong. First it's not the same connector they've been using for ages, it uses the newer D/Port used in the "D" series (introduced 2003?), not the C/Port used in the past.

2nd the dell you linked to supports TWO external monitors, one DVI and one VGA and digital audio, modem, and gigabit ethernet.

The first USB port your linked to only supports a VGA (not DVI) pass through. That means you need to hook up a VGA cable, not sure what the point is. The second does run VGA over the USB BUT BUT BUT the VGA is limited to 1024x768 16 bit. One needs to wonder what the point is?

If I was stuck with the dockless alienware I would probably just get a USB hub or a bluetooth mouse/keyboard. With the bluetooth you would be down to just network and monitor with the USB hub network/monitor/USB.