Insider Tip: Screens with Integrated USB-C Dock 

Today, we are going to discuss the insider tip for everyone who is setting up their home office. If you also need a screen anyway, the two can be connected very easily. There are more and more screens that already have a USB C Docking Station Mac integrated. 

These screens can also be connected directly with a USB-C cable, usually have an integrated USB hub, and can also charge the notebook. The power comes from the screen’s internal power supply, so you can use the notebook’s original power supply on the go and don’t need an additional one. Some of these screens also have a DisplayPort output. A second screen can be connected, which is also supplied with image data via this USB-C cable. 

USB-C docks make working with notebooks easier: 

Anyone who often changes their job will appreciate a notebook. You always have a compact tool with you and can work from practically anywhere. In the office or in the home office, however, external screens, a full keyboard, and an ergonomic mouse are great advantages. The otherwise portable notebook can be easily transformed into a complete workstation using docks. Nowadays a single connection is sufficient: the all-rounder USB-C. The notebook can output USB and image signals via this port, but can also be charged at the same time. The port is therefore ideal for use with USB C Multiport Hub. 

And you don’t even have to spend a lot of money. Adequate docks are available for as little as $20. The higher your own requirements, the more closely you should look – and the more money you have to invest in your hand. 

MacBook owners, in particular, should be on their guard, however, as configurations with multiple external screens or 4K displays can be a problem. So, if you want to be sure that everything works, you should use a dock, which is only available for $200. If you also need a screen for your home office, you should make sure that a USB-C hub is integrated, which saves a device and unsightly cables. 

The alternate mode: picture is also available via USB: 

Now we come to a specialty that has found its way into USB-C: the alternate mode. To make the USB-C interface as universal as possible, the USB-IF has created the possibility of using the data lines for other things. 

This is exactly what the Video Electronics Standards Association, or VESA for short, is now doing. The VESA specifies the DisplayPort standard and has made this possible without further ado via USB-C and the alternate mode. 

DisplayPort can use different numbers of data lines. A combination of USB 3.1 and DisplayPort signals is therefore also possible via a cable. DisplayPort can also use the four data lines completely to control very high-resolution displays. Then only USB 2.0 is possible in parallel over the same cable, as this is routed via its own wires. Power delivery is also always possible. 

Notebook charging via USB-C: Power Delivery (USB-PD): 

There has always been electricity via USB cable, but never before as much and, above all, as versatile as via USB-C, if Power Delivery is also supported. The Power Delivery standard, or USB-PD for short, enables up to 100 watts of power. 

While a standard USB port can only handle 5 volts and up to 3 amps, USB-PDs can handle up to 20 volts and 5 amps that can be chased through the line. 

In addition to the well-known 5 volts, 12 volts as an intermediate level and 20 volts as the maximum level are also possible. The downward compatibility is retained – with USB-PD power supplies, you can easily charge smartphones that can only handle 5 volts. The devices initially negotiate the voltage automatically so that no damage can occur. 

Thanks to the high voltage, Power Delivery also enables power transmission of up to 100 watts via the USB C to HDMI Hub. This can be used for screens or external devices, for example, but the most common application is to charge notebooks. 

Many manufacturers only add USB-PD power supplies to their notebooks. And docks can also charge notebooks while they simultaneously supply a screen with video signals and communicate with USB devices such as keyboards – all via a single cable. 

Special case: USB 4 can do a lot and nothing: 

The much-hoped-for alleviation for this whole naming confusion was ultimately to be USB 4. The new standard is based on dock, which Lention released specifically for this purpose. 

USB 4 can therefore achieve speeds of up to 40 GBit/s. Unfortunately, the emphasis here is on “up to”. Because contrary to what was expected, the USB-IF has massively softened the standard and made many things optional. 

USB 4 offers speeds of up to 20 GBit / s are mandatory. However, this applies in combination with the display output. The pure USB data speed can therefore only be 10 GB / s and thus USB 3.1.