Product ID: USB3SMDOCK4K
This compact dual-monitor docking station for laptops is uniquely designed with an innovative, stacked-port layout and a small foot-print housing. Because it occupies less surface area than traditional laptop docks, you can easily integrate this sleek docking station into an area with limited desk space, making it perfect for hoteling or hot desk environments.
Using just a single cable you can create a full-size dual-display workstation without sacrificing functionality due to space constraints. Now you can increase your productivity by accessing more displays at once. It's an ideal solution for a wide range of conventional and specialized environments.
The docking station makes it easy to turn your laptop into a highly productive dual-display workstation, by expanding your screen space onto an HDMI® display and a DVI display. The additional screen space lets you work more efficiently, because you won’t have to flip back and forth between pages or windows. Plus, when combined with your laptop display, you can create a triple-monitor workstation.
Maximum Supported Resolutions*
Video Output Configuration | Max HDMI Resolution | Max DVI Resolution |
---|---|---|
HDMI and DVI (Two Displays) |
2048 x 1152p | 2048 x 1152p |
HDMI (Single Display) |
3840 x 2160p (4K) | N/A |
DVI (Single Display) |
N/A | 2048 x 1152p |
*Lower resolutions are also supported. For example, if the max is 3840 x 2160p (4K), it also supports 2560 x 1600p and 2560 x 1440p.
This docking station can also bolster your external display image quality and increase your overall viewing area, making it ideal for video editors, animators, designers, and more. It supports 4K x 2K (3840 x 2160p - 30Hz) resolution on a single HDMI display, even if your laptop doesn’t natively support 4K output, so you can avoid costly hardware upgrades or laptop replacements.
With two possibilities for video output, this docking station is a handy accessory for users in business and home office settings, and BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) applications.
This small form-factor docking station lets you save desk space without compromising the ports you expect from a typical laptop dock. Unlike some compact laptop docks that only offer basic connectivity, this dock occupies minimal space while delivering all the functionality of a full-size docking station. Because of its compact size, the dock is ideal for office hoteling, or hot desks.
You can start work faster and reduce cable clutter in tight spaces by leaving your peripherals connected to the dock at all times. Plus, setup is fast and hassle-free, so there’s little disruption to your productivity, making it perfect for single users, or multiple people who use the same workstation at different times.
The USB 3.0 (also known as USB 3.1 Gen 1 - 5Gbps) docking station for laptops offers a variety of other connections that are often missing from port-limited laptops. To make work easier, the versatile dock offers four USB 3.0 ports, giving you plenty of ports to connect even more USB devices.
You can keep your mobile devices fully charged and ready to go using the dock’s convenient, front-panel USB fast-charge and sync ports. You can also keep your smartphone and tablet within arm’s reach, and the always-on ports will be available even when your laptop is disconnected from the docking station.
Unlike some proprietary docking stations designed only to work with specific laptop models, this universal laptop dock works with multiple brands. All you need is your laptop’s USB 3.0 port and you can be up and running quickly. With universal support, you can use this dock with different laptops now, or in the future.
The USB3SMDOCK4K is backed by a StarTech.com 3-year warranty and free lifetime technical support.
Warranty Information | Warranty | 3 Years |
---|---|---|
Connector(s) | 1 - Connector Type(s) | HDMI (19 pin) |
DVI-I (29 pin) | ||
2 - Connector Type(s) | USB 3.0 A (Fast-Charge, 9 pin) | |
USB Type-A (9 pin) USB 3.0 (5 Gbps) | ||
1 - Connector Type(s) | RJ-45 | |
3.5 mm Mini-Jack (4 Position) | ||
USB Type-B (9 pin) USB 3.0 | ||
Environmental | Operating Temperature | 10°C to 40°C (50°F to 104°F) |
Storage Temperature | -20°C to 70°C (-4°F to 158°F) | |
Humidity | 0%~90% RH (Non-condensing) | |
Hardware | 4K Support | Yes |
Fast-Charge Port(s) | Yes | |
Displays Supported | 2 | |
Bus Type | USB 3.0 | |
Industry Standards | USB Battery Charging Specification Rev. 1.2 IEEE 802.3, IEEE 802.3u, IEEE 802.3ab USB 3.0 - Backward compatible with USB 2.0/1.1 |
|
Chipset ID | DisplayLink - DL-5900 VIA/VLI - VL812 Genesys Logic - GL3521 |
|
Indicators | 1 - LED Indicators | Power (Blue) |
Link (Green) | ||
Activity (Yellow) | ||
Packaging Information | Shipping (Package) Weight | 748.0 g [26.4 oz] |
Package Length | 22.5 cm [8.9 in] | |
Package Width | 14.5 cm [5.7 in] | |
Package Height | 56.0 mm [2.2 in] | |
Performance | Maximum Data Transfer Rate | 5 Gbps (USB 3.0) 2 Gbps (Ethernet; Full-Duplex) |
Maximum Digital Resolutions | 3840 x 2160 @ 30Hz (HDMI - Single Display) 2048 x 1152 (DVI - Single Display) 2048 x 1152 and 2048 x 1152 (HDMI and DVI - Two Displays) Lower resolutions are also supported. For example, if the max is 3840 x 2160p (4K), it also supports 2560 x 1600p and 2560 x 1440p. |
|
Type and Rate | USB 3.0 - 5 Gbit/s | |
UASP Support | Yes | |
Compatible Networks | 10/100/1000 Mbps | |
Auto MDIX | Yes | |
Full Duplex Support | Yes | |
Physical Characteristics | Color | Silver & Black |
Material | Aluminum and Plastic | |
Product Length | 94.0 mm [3.7 in] | |
Product Width | 95.0 mm [3.7 in] | |
Product Height | 45.0 mm [1.8 in] | |
Weight of Product | 283.0 g [10.0 oz] | |
Power | Power Source | AC Adapter Included |
Input Voltage | 100 - 240 AC | |
Input Current | 0.9 A | |
Output Voltage | 5 DC | |
Output Current | 4 A | |
Center Tip Polarity | Positive | |
Plug Type | C | |
Power Consumption (In Watts) | 20 | |
Software | OS Compatibility | Windows® 7, 8, 8.1, 10 macOS 10.8 to 10.12, 10.14 - 10.15, 11.0 Chrome OS v55+ |
Special Notes / Requirements | System and Cable Requirements | USB-enabled computer with an available USB 3.0 port |
Note | A 4K-capable HDMI display is required to achieve 4K x 2K resolution (4K is also known as 4K x 2K) | |
If connected to a USB 2.0 host port, or if using a USB 2.0 host connection cable, performance may be limited (USB 3.0 host cable included) | ||
USB 3.0 is also known as USB 3.1 Gen 1; this connectivity standard offers speeds up to 5Gbps | ||
Extended displays are currently only supported with DisplayLink-based products on macOS 10.11 to 10.13.3. This may change in future versions. | ||
The DVI-I connector supports DVI-I signaling (digital and analog) | ||
What's in the Box | 1 - Included in Package | USB 3.0 laptop docking station |
3.3 ft [1016 mm] USB 3.0 host cable | ||
universal power adapter (NA/EU/UK/AU) | ||
quick start guide |
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We are always ready to assist you with any questions you may have.
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Live Chat (opens in new window)Starting in High Sierra 10.13, macOS enforces stricter security policies than previous revisions. As a result of these changes, software packages, like those used in this installation, will need to be allowed within the macOS Security and Privacy settings, immediately after the software has been installed, in order for the device to operate.
To allow the software, follow these steps after you've completed installation on your Mac:
Note: The option to allow the software will be available within the Security & Privacy settings for 30 minutes. If the software is not allowed within that time frame, the software must be reinstalled in order for macOS to grant the opportunity to allow it again.
Note: Do not physically connect the USB laptop docking station to your computer until you are instructed to (Step 6).
Note: Installation may take several seconds to complete. During the installation your display might flicker. This is normal. Once the installation is complete you will see your Windows desktop extended to the additional monitor(s).
Note: Do not physically connect the laptop docking station to your computer until instructed to (Step 7).
Note: Mac OS X will typically save the files to the Downloads folder that is associated with your user account (for example, hard_drive_name\Users\your_name\Downloads).
Note: Installation might take several seconds to complete. During the installation your display might flicker; this is normal. Once the installation has completed you will see your Macintosh desktop extended to any connected monitors.
To install the DisplayLink Manager app, please follow these steps:
If the displays still do not work, please review these points:
Computers running macOS Catalina (10.15) may experience compatibility issues with products that use DisplayLink technology, such as USB Docking Stations and Video Adapters. Connecting to a DisplayLink-powered Product may cause the Display(s) to output a blank screen. If you experience this problem, follow these steps:
If the display connected through your USB display adapter does not wake up after your computer has been in extended hibernation, it is likely that Windows has automatically turned off the USB Root hub to save power.
The steps below outline how to configure the USB root hub to stay on during hibernation, to prevent this from happening.
Windows 8 / 10
Note: You may need to disconnect and re-connect your USB display adapter after applying these settings to re-establish the connection.
Windows 7 / Vista
Note: You may need to disconnect and re-connect your USB display adapter after applying these settings to re-establish the connection.
Windows XP
Note: You may need to disconnect and re-connect your USB display adapter after applying these settings to re-establish the connection.
Sometimes an on-board network interface card (NIC) conflicts with a new NIC. In these cases it is best to disable the on-board NIC.
The best way to disable your on-board NIC is to go into your BIOS and disable it there if possible. To do this, consult your motherboard manual.
You can also disable any NIC in Windows. Here is how you do this:
First click Start, or, in Windows 10 and 8, hold down the Windows key and press X. Then click Control Panel.
Windows 10
Windows 8
Windows 7
Windows Vista
Windows XP
When you troubleshoot issues with a laptop docking station, there are some quick tests that you can complete to rule out potential problems. You can test to make sure that the following components are working correctly and are not the source of the issue:
Video cables
Video source
Video destination
Laptop docking station
USB peripherals
Ethernet connection
To test your setup components, try the following:
Use the video cables, video source, video destination, laptop docking station, USB peripherals, and Ethernet connection in another setup to see if the problem is with the components or the setup.
Use a different video cable, video source, video destination, laptop docking station, USB peripherals, and Ethernet connection setup to see if the problem persists. Ideally, you should test a component that you know works in another setup.
When you test your cables, it is recommended that you do the following:
Test each cable individually.
Use short cables when you are testing.
When you test the video cables, video source, video destination, and laptop docking station it is recommended that you do the following:
Press the Windows key + R, type devmgmt.msc, and press Enter to open Device Manager.
If you do not see the USB video adapter in Device Manager, refer to the following FAQ: https://www.startech.com/support/faqs/technical-support?topic=expansion-cards#usb-cannot-detect-windows.
If the device is listed with an error, reinstall the drivers following the instructions on the website.
Check to see if your video card drivers are current. You can check what video card you have in Device Manager under Display adapters. It is recommended that you go directly to the video card manufacturer's website to check for the latest drivers.
Check to see if the monitor is being detected by Windows.
For more information about testing the USB peripherals and the laptop docking station, visit www.startech.com/faq/usb_hubs_general_troubleshooting.
When you test Ethernet and the laptop docking station, refer to the following FAQ: http://www.startech.com/faq/network_adapters_general_troubleshooting.
When you test sound and the laptop docking station, refer to the following FAQ: http://www.startech.com/faq/sound_cards_general_troubleshooting.
If hardware acceleration is enabled on any of your software applications, it can result in poor resource management and limit the performance of your video device. If you experience this problem, you should disable hardware acceleration in the program(s) that were impacted.
To disable hardware acceleration in common applications and operating systems, complete one of the following series of steps, depending on what software application(s) or operating system that you are running.
Internet Explorer 9 and later
Note: Earlier versions of Internet Explorer do not use hardware acceleration.
Mozilla Firefox
Google Chrome
Microsoft Office 2013 / 2010
Windows 10 / 8
Windows 7 / Vista
Windows XP
To confirm that Windows detects your USB device, complete the following:
Your USB device is listed according to the name of the chipset. To determine the name of the chipset of your USB device, navigate to www.StarTech.com and look on the Technical Specifications tab for your product.
To confirm that the Mac OS detects your USB device, complete the following:
You may need to refresh the System Information page after you plug in your device. To do so, press Command + R with the System Information page open.
Your USB device is listed according to the name of the chipset. To determine the name of the chipset of your USB device, navigate to www.StarTech.com and look on the Technical Specifications tab for your product.
Whether this device works with the Chrome OS™ operating system or not depends on the version of the Chrome OS operating system that you’re running and the model of the Chromebook™ notebook computer that you’re using.
Existing DisplayLink® enabled USB 3.0 products natively support Chrome OS build version R55 and later, but not all Chromebook notebook computers running build version R55 and later natively support DisplayLink. Support for DisplayLink is being rolled out to Chromebook notebook computers in a series of releases. To see the build version of the Chrome OS operating system that supports DisplayLink and corresponds to the model of the Chromebook notebook that you’re using, view the following knowledge base article on the DisplayLink website: http://support.displaylink.com/knowledgebase/articles/891030.
No, you cannot use this docking station to charge a connected laptop computer.
To see a list of laptop docking stations that can charge a connected laptop, refer to the following FAQ: https://www.startech.com/faq/laptop-docking-stations-will-charge-laptop.
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