The Best Docking Stations for Dell Latitude Series Laptops

May 3, 2022

Dell Latitudes are renowned in the business world for their powerful processing, durable systems, flexible configurability and professional focus. Designed with workers and corporations in mind, these laptops are widely regarded as the best business machines around. Although, like most business laptops, Dell Latitudes have a solid supply of ports, you might find yourself needing space for more peripherals. With the right docking station, you can expand the number of ports to allow for multiple displays, as well as fitting in with the new world of flexible working; you can connect all your peripherals to one port, so all you have to do is unplug the laptop and take it home. However, with so many different compatible docking stations on the market, it can be hard to know which one is right for you. That’s why we’ve reviewed hundreds of products to find you the best docking station for Dell Latitude Series laptops, whatever your business needs. 

Product Comparison Table: Best Dell Latitude Docking Station

TitlePriceRating (Amazon)Best in classBuy
Plugable UD-3900 USB 3.0 Universal Docking Station$$$4.5 starsBest desktop Amazon
Belkin USB-C Multiport Hub$4.5 starsMost Portable Amazon
Totu USB-C Hub$4 starsBest Value Amazon
Anker 777 Thunderbolt 4 Dock$$$$$4.5 starsBest Premium Amazon
Amazon Basics Thunderbolt Dock$$$4 starsBest Overall  Amazon

Plugable UD-3900 USB 3.0 Universal Docking Station

The Plugable USB 3.0 Universal Docking Station features a hybrid 2-in-1 USB 3.0 cable and USB-C cable, dual video outputs, wired Gigabit Ethernet, 3.5mm headphone and microphone jacks, two USB 2.0 ports and four USB 2.0 ports. There are two built-in HDMI and DVI outputs too, each supporting 1920×1200 resolution at a 60Hz refresh rate. If you’re using a single display, this is slightly altered; a single HDMI port will support resolutions up to 2560×1440 at 50Hz. It doesn’t, however, feature a Thunderbolt port. Lastly, the UD-3900 is compatible with Windows 11, 19, 8 and 7, has Plug and Play driver installation, and a 2-year limited parts and labor warranty. Although, it can’t output power for charging. 

Pros 

  • VGA, Ethernet, HDMI, USB 3.0, and USB 2.0 hardware interface
  • Desktop mounted, fits into setup
  • Large amount of USB ports

Cons

  • Doesn’t support Thunderbolt
  • Dock doesn’t charge host PC

Verdict

If you need a lot of USB ports to plug in your peripherals, the Plugable USB 3.0 Universal Docking Station is perfect for you. Considering that the majority of non-tech-based business offices still rely on USB connection for their hardware, the multiplicity of USB options on the Plugable dock will be a huge help – especially when repeatedly transitioning between office and home working. It doesn’t support Thunderbolt, though, and won’t provide any charge. 

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Belkin USB-C Multiport Hub

As a desktop mounted dock, the Plugable UD-3900 won’t be much use for workers who want to take their dock around with them. That’s where the Belkin USB-C Multiport Hub comes in; this handy little machine fits in the palm of your hand, with a compact and slim design and durable aluminium casing. It can connect a laptop to an HDMI port for external screens, and also boasts MicroSD slots, 2 USB-A ports and a USB-C port. With these, it can achieve high definition resolutions up to 4K at 30 HZ, alongside up to 5Gbps data transfer speeds. Connection is simple, too, as a Plug and Play system. However, it doesn’t have as many ports as others on this list, doesn’t support Thunderbolt, and can’t supply charge to the connected PC. 

Pros

  • Slim, compact and portable design
  • MicroSD, USB, USB Type C, HDMI hardware interface
  • Great value low price

Cons

  • Only 5 connection ports
  • Can’t support Thunderbolt

Verdict

The Belkin USB-C Multiport Hub is the cheapest on this list, and you’ll be hard-pressed to find another Dell Latitude docking station for such a low price. However, it is not best in class for its value, but for its portability; being slim and compact in design makes it perfect for workers who want to take their dock home, as well as their laptop. It might not have the best stats and capabilities, but it really outperforms in the portable category.

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Totu 13-in-1 USB-C Hub

The Totu 13-in-1 USB-C Hub has the most ports out of any docking station in this article, with a huge thirteen in total: an Ethernet/RJ-45 Port, a Type C PD3.0 charging port, 2 USB 3.0 Ports, 2 USB 2.0 Ports, 2 HDMI video outputs with 4K resolution, VGA, and SD & TF card readers, plus a mic/audio port. The HDMI can output either 4K UHD or 1080P video,  4K at 30Hz for a single HDMI, or 1920×1080 at 60Hz for a dual on Windows. It can even support triple displays on Windows machines, and is compatible with Linux too. Lastly, the USB-C hub supports PD charging up to 100 Watts, and achieves transmission speeds between 5Gbps (for USB 3.0 only), and 480 Mbps.

Pros

  • 13 separate connection ports
  • Supports Linux operating systems
  • Can charge up to 100W

Cons

  • No Thunderbolt support
  • Can only clone/mirror on other displays

Verdict

The Totu 13-in-1 USB-C Hub is the most versatile Dell Latitude docking station we surveyed, providing the largest number of ports. You probably won’t find more than 13 ports, and definitely not at such a low price. However, there is no Thunderbolt connection, and it is not capable of supporting multiple independent displays; the HDMI and VGA connections only allow you to clone or mirror the image on your laptop screen. However, if your priority is versatility, this is the station for you. 

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Anker 777 Thunderbolt 4 Dock

Priced for the premium market, the Anker 777 Thunderbolt 4 Dock is equipped with a Thunderbolt 4 upstream port, a Thunderbolt 4 downstream port, a USB-C Power Delivery port, 2 HDMI ports, an Ethernet port, an SD card slot, a 3.5 mm AUX port, and 4 USB-A ports. Both charging and data transfer are incredibly speedy; it has 90V max Thunderbolt 4 ports plus 20W USB-C Power Delivery ports, and the Thunderbolt port takes just 14 seconds to transfer a 20G file, too. Even USB-C is fast, taking only 26 seconds. Lastly, the Thunderbolt port supports resolutions up to 8K at 30HZ, while the HDMIs support up to 4K at 60Hz. You can also either stream or mirror over up to three screens. However, the station is incompatible with Linux operating systems. 

Pros

  • Portable and desktop-mounted options
  • Contains two Thunderbolt ports
  • USB, Ethernet, HDMI, and 3.5mm Audio hardware interface

Cons

  • Very expensive
  • Not compatible with Linux

Verdict

The Anker 777 Thunderbolt 4 Dock takes full advantage of the Dell Latitude Series’ technical power, by supporting cutting-edge Thunderbolt 4 technology. This allows you to transmit information and stream imagery at much higher than usual quality and speed. It also doesn’t support Linux, which could be difficult for some businesses. However, if you’re looking to spend more to get more, this is the premium docking station for you.

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Amazon Basics Thunderbolt Dock

The Amazon Basics Thunderbolt Dock has eleven ports, the second highest amount on this list: one RJ45 Ethernet, one USB-A 3.2 Gen1, two USB-A 3.2 Gen2, one USB-C 3.2 Gen2, one 3.5 mm audio port, one SD 4.0 socket, one mSD 4.0 socket, and one DC 120-watt power jack. Best of all it has two DisplayPort 1.4 ports, which no other station in this article has. These DP ports provide dual high definition output at 4K/60Hz, over two monitors. On top of this, it has Intel Titan Ridge technology, allowing it to connect via Thunderbolt 3 – although this is not included on all Latitude machines. If your machine is compatible, you can use the included cable to achieve up to 40Gps speed. Lastly, the station is fully Plug and Play, and can charge computers up to 60W. 

Pros

  • 12 connection ports including Thunderbolt and DisplayPort
  • Charges laptops when plugged in
  • Plug and Play, no drivers required

Cons

  • Thunderbolt 3 optional on many systems

Verdict

The Amazon Basics Thunderbolt Dock covers all the bases; it has Thunderbolt technology like the Anker, almost as many ports as the Totu, and is great value for its capabilities. Although not all Latitudes are compatible with Thunderbolt 3 as standard, this is the best all-rounder out of all the docking stations we’ve reviewed. It is this all-round excellence – combined with the great value price point for a Thunderbolt device – that make this our best overall best docking station for Dell Latitude laptops. 

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