In times of New Normal, home office and hybrid work, mobile devices are trump cards. However, small laptop screens often get in the way of really efficient work and are not exactly ergonomic. The solution: The Laptop Docking Station provides an easy way to connect ergonomic peripherals.
The new normal: Technology must match
Laptops were a popular commodity in 2020. Because of the pandemic situation, many companies decided to buy new laptops for their employees so they could work from home and not expose themselves to infection in the office or on the way there. As a consequence, there were massive supply bottlenecks, partly because manufacturers couldn’t keep up with production and some computer parts were unavailable, and partly because they themselves suffered from lockdowns.
The situation looks a little different now. Many employees have long been equipped with laptops, others are (partially) back in the office, and the demand for laptops is no longer as great. In addition, some lessons have now been learned from working with a laptop .
For example: for some activities the laptop screen is too small, so at least one additional screen is needed. And another thing: the right technology is needed to switch between home office and office as conveniently as possible. Already found a particularly useful little helper: a laptop docking station .
What is a docking station?
With a docking station (you can quickly and easily create a connection between your laptop and the so-called peripherals . Peripherals include external monitors, external mouse, external keyboard or headset. A port for a network cable is also important.
Since all of this additional computer equipment connects to the docking station through multiple interfaces, eventually it is only necessary to establish a connection between the laptop and the docking station, and a light hand movement is often sufficient for this.
Docking stations for laptops: different types
There are different types of docking stations . Docking stations, which can be snapped on top of the laptop, are considered classic. The connection is made through a docking connector on the underside of the laptop, the so-called docking port. This mechanical connection provides high transfer speeds. A small drawback: these docking stations are often made specifically for certain laptops, so not every laptop can be connected.
Another type of docking station is the so-called USB -docking stations. USB docking stations connect to a laptop’s USB or USB-C port with a cable. The advantage is that most laptops have this interface, so USB docking stations can be used everywhere . But they also have a downside: they are often a bit slower and sometimes offer fewer connection options than classic docking stations. However, many USB docking stations now have a charging function, and some have additional features such as built-in speakers .
Meanwhile, USB docking stations are gradually being replaced by Thunderbolt docking stations . The advantage: Thunderbolt 3 interfaces allow you to use multiple peripherals simultaneously without losing performance.
Advantage: Laptop docking station.
And what exactly are the benefits of a laptop docking station ? First of all: there are many, and they should not be underestimated. We have prepared a selection for you:
Laptop, of course, is necessary for mobile work . But: you also make compromises with it . Because: Instead of being able to work on one or more large desktop screens, laptop users have to settle for its rather small display . Unless they have a docking station. With it, this significant disadvantage compared to desktop PCs is easily made up for.
A laptop is useful, but not necessarily conducive to ergonomic work . A docking station also compensates for this disadvantage. By connecting to it one or more external monitors, an (ergonomic) keyboard and (ergonomic) mouse the prerequisites for a healthy posture while working.
The lighter and narrower modern business laptops are, the less space they have for various connectivity options. This is why many devices have only a few slots . The Docking Station creates many opportunities to expand with a variety of peripherals with just One connection via a USB (C) port or Thunderbolt connection .