Plugable’s new dock supports five displays from one USB-C port

Plugable’s caller USB-C dock supports up to 5 screens, including a premix of 4K and 8K. | Image: Plugable

Plugable has announced a caller docking solution for Windows and Mac users that supports up to 5 simultaneous displays, including a premix of 4K and 8K. The caller $279.95 UD-7400PD dock really supports much displays than the pricier Thunderbolt 5 docks that person precocious launched which max retired astatine 3 4K screens. But Plugable’s latest comes with immoderate show limitations that could marque it amended suited for those wanting much surface existent property for spreadsheets and different productivity apps.

Unlike solutions specified arsenic CalDigit’s precocious announced $370 TS5 dock that lone supports a trio of 4K displays erstwhile connected to a machine that supports Thunderbolt 5, the Plugable UD-7400PD works with machines featuring astatine slightest a video-capable USB 3.2 Gen 2 port. That standard, supporting transportation rates of 10Gbps, debuted backmost successful 2017, meaning Plugable’s caller dock should enactment crossed a ample fig of existing PCs.

Using its 2 HDMI connections and 3 USB-C ports, the dock tin thrust up to 5 4K 60Hz displays, 3 8K 30Hz displays, oregon a operation of the 2 with 4 4K screens positive an further 8K one. It’s each made imaginable done Synaptics’ caller DisplayLink DL-7400 chipset and the DisplayLink exertion that compresses video feeds connected the big machine truthful they tin beryllium transmitted done slower USB-C ports which are past decompressed utilizing dedicated hardware successful the dock.

You’ll request to instal DisplayLink’s bundle connected your machine to marque it each work, and the attack could effect successful reduced show for applications similar games that nutrient a ample magnitude of data. Apps similar spreadsheets, by comparison, compress good due to the fact that they’re comparatively static. DisplayLink besides doesn’t enactment High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) which could forestall you from watching contented from streaming platforms similar Netflix connected the outer displays.

The UD-7400PD dock besides includes a front-facing 10Gbps USB-C larboard with 30W of powerfulness transportation and 2 10Gbps USB-A ports. There’s besides a 2.5Gbps ethernet port, a 3.5-millimeter headphone jack, and a big USB-C larboard that tin complaint laptops with up to 140W of powerfulness delivery. Given astir productivity apps don’t necessitate the latest and top processors and graphics cards, contempt the fewer downsides of the technology, Plugable’s caller dock provides an alternate way to an elaborate multi-screen setup without the added costs of upgrading each your cogwheel to beryllium Thunderbolt 5 compatible.