Plugable's new docking stations bring three displays to M1 Macs
Amber Neely
Plugable's newly launched MacBook docking stations not only provide port expansion, but they also bring multiple external monitor support to M1 Macs.
If you find yourself wishing you had more screen real estate for work or play, don't fret — Plugable's two new docking stations allow you to add up to three screens to your setup.
UD-3900PDH - Plugable 14-in-1 USB-C Triple Monitor Docking Station
The UD-3900PDH utilizes the DisplayLink DL-3900 chipset and boasts impressive compatibility. Users can connect up to three screens on their Windows, ChromeOS, and Mac machines — even M1 and M2 Macs.
This dock has 100W of USB-C Power Delivery, allowing you to keep your MacBook Pro charged and ready to go.
It also features plenty of ports to ensure you never have to hunt for adapters.
Ports include:
- Gigabit Ethernet port
- 2 x Displaylink HDMI ports that support 1920x200 at 60Hz
- 1 x DisplayPort HDMI port that supports 4K up to 60Hz
- 5 x USB 5Gbps ports
- 1 x 3.5mm analog audio input jack
- 1 x 3.5mm analog audio output jack
- 1 x microSD card reader
- 1 x SD card reader
- 1 x 100W USB-C Power Delivery port
The UD-3900PDH is available on Amazon for $169.99. Those who buy soon can take advantage of a $20 off coupon that can be applied when checking out from Amazon.
UD-768PDZ - Plugable 13-in-1 USB-C Triple Monitor Docking Station
Plugable's second dock, the UD-768PDZ, also offers 100W USB-C Power Delivery charging.
Users can add up to three screens using the three HDMI ports — one through USB-C Alt mode and two controlled through the SMI driver — and all three at 1080P at 60Hz.
Like Plugable's other docking station, the UD-768PDZ boasts nearly every port needed for a smooth workflow.
Ports include:
- Gigabit Ethernet port
- 2 x Silicon Motion (SMI) HDMI ports
- 1 x Alt Mode HDMI port
- 4 x USB 5Gbps ports
- 1 x USB 10Gbps port
- 1 x 3.5mm analog audio input jack
- 1 x 3.5mm analog audio output jack
- 1 x microSD card reader
- 1 x SD card reader
- 1 x USB-C 20W Power Delivery port
- 1 x 100W USB-C Power Delivery port
The UD-768PDZ is available at Amazon with a retail price of $179.99. Those who act quickly can take advantage of a $20 coupon applied at checkout.
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10 Comments
Man, they really need to hire a product designer. I would pay extra to not have those boxes on my desk. Eyesore.
Did anyone else notice where the description said that the resolution was 1920x200? I miss the old days when sites like AppleInsider hired copy editors to edit copy rather than over relying on the spellcheck built into whatever word processor is being used.
All for $169?
That's a bargain!
FYI: There are many drawbacks to DisplayLink Ports. They rely on a soft GPU running on the main CPU that compresses the framebuffer. This compressed buffer then pushed to USB hub embeded in the dock and switched to the a Hardware GPU that decompresses the Buffer and displays it to attached the display. This creates much more latency than PCIe attached hardware GPU. Never mind the DMA based GPU of the M1. DisplayLink is useful for static displays. But video, gaming etc will be noticeably latent.