It will work with Thunderbolt 3/4, and even USB 3.2, but it was designed for USB 4.
Identified by the 155UE-USB4-DOCK product ID in Europe (155NA-USB4-DOCK in the USA).
There are also some ports that are common on other docks that are missing.
These include an audio jack for headphones or an SD/MicroSD card reader.
Those could be added using USB adapters, but that undermines the supposedly cheap nature of this product.
And it also has a USB-C port with 20W to deliver, making it ideal for charging phones.
It might not be thebest laptop docking stationavailable, but it’s also far from the worst.
The current price on Amazon.com is only $173.99, 13% less than the official $199.99 price.
OWC has a Thunderbolt 5 Hub for around the same price, with 140W of charging power.
StarTech USB4 Docking Station: Specs
Compatibility
USB.
But this dock converts a single USB 4 or Thunderbolt uplink into mostly USB 3.2.
It will work with a standard USB4 or TB3 cable, although these wont be as secure.
Overall, the layout of the ports with the uplink connected at the back is well-considered.
However, the lack of a card reader or an audio jack might be a dealbreaker for some.
StarTech has taken the alternative approach by documenting what silicon it used in its specifications.
To paraphrase, it does USB 4, and its cheap.
Its supported by a Genesys Logic GL9901NE, a popular USB 3.2 Gen 2 driver.
A Realtek RTD2188-VA-CG handles these video ports.
It is designed for either HDMI 2.1 or DisplayPort 1.4, which in this case are both HDMI options.
That explains, to a degree, why there are no 20Gbps USB 4.0 downlink ports.
Would there be sufficient bandwidth to give 20Gbps to a port if nothing else was connected?
That all depends on what you connected.
StarTech, regrettably, avoided potential customer complaints upstream by not avoiding downlinks in USB 4.0.
Based on the specifications, the fastest that any connected USB equipment can use works out at around 1,000MB/s.
Oddly, the USB 4.0 specification doesnt mention displays at all, other than it supports DP Alternative Mode.
kinda looks USB 4.0 v2 is effectively merged with Thunderbolt 5 and may never arrive as an independent thing.
That it is one you should buy, Im less certain.
Suppose you have Thunderbolt ports or USB 4.0 that is Thunderbolt compatible (and not all are).
OWC makes a simple Thunderbolt dock made of metal and retails for around $190.
It also has the two features missing from the StarTech - a card reader and an audio jack.
Overall
Given the high asking price, a 20Gbps downlink was expected.
Should you buy a StarTech USB4 Docking Station?
You like StarTechThis peripheral maker has a good reputation for the quality of its products and its customer service.
But, it is expensive.
