Kensington SD1600P USB-C Mobile Dock review | Laptop Mag

Our Verdict

The Kensington SD1600P USB-C Mobile Dock is a fantastic travel companion for professionals looking to expand their laptop setup, although it's lacking a port or two

For

• USB-C pass-through power
• Hands transportable
• 4K output
• Lightweight

Confronting

• Could use more ports
• Awkward port placement
• Flimsy pattern

Laptop Mag Verdict

The Kensington SD1600P USB-C Mobile Dock is a fantastic travel companion for professionals looking to aggrandize their laptop setup, although information technology'southward lacking a port or two

Pros

• +

  USB-C pass-through power

• +

  Hands transportable

• +

  4K output

• +

  Lightweight

Cons

• -

  Could use more ports

• -

  Awkward port placement

• -

  Flimsy pattern

Kensington SD1600P USB-C Mobile Dock Specs

Price: Effectually £71.99
Ports: 2 x USB-A iii.2 Gen1, 1 x USB-C 3.2 Gen, 1 x HDMI v1.4, 1 x Hard disk VGA, Gigabit Ethernet Port
Supports: USB-C laptops, Windows, macOS, and Chrome Os

Is it a

docking station

? Is it a

USB Type-C hub

? What exactly is Kensington'south SD1600P USB-C Mobile Dock? That question has been pointlessly rattling around in my head while writing this review. Put simply, it's a hybrid of the two, and Kensington pulls it off well.

The SD1600P is a special device capable of expanding the number of ports on your laptop while traveling, or providing laissez passer-through power via a USB-C power adapter to accuse your laptop and other accessories while stationary. Seeing as it boasts 4K HDMI output, the SD1600P can transform your laptop into a desktop setup, too.

While it could certainly practice with an extra port or two, Kensington'due south SD1600P mobile dock effectively turns a USB-C hub into an hands portable docking station, even though its execution may not exist on the stylish side. Either way, professionals constantly on the move will no doubt appreciate this device, especially at its reasonable cost point.

Kensington SD1600P USB-C Mobile Dock price and availability

 The SD1600P USB-C Mobile Dock is bachelor at multiple retailers. While it isn't sold on Kensington's website it does give you a listing of retailers where the dock is bachelor. You'll find that Amazon offers the lowest price, at $89/£71.

(Image credit: Future)

This is reasonably priced compared to other USB-C hubs, and compared to near other docking stations, information technology's a deal.

It's important to notation that your laptop will need to support DisplayPort Alt mode over USB-C in order for the mobile dock to connect to external monitors.

Kensington SD1600P USB-C Mobile Dock design

The SD1600P is as basic every bit information technology gets when it comes with USB-C hubs. It'southward small, black and has rounded edges. In that location is nothing glamorous here, which is perfectly suited for professional settings.

(Image credit: Futurity)

What it lacks in mode, it makes up for in size and weight. It comes in at a lightweight 110g, which might as well be a plumage when packing it away in your

haversack

. What'south more than, it has a size of sixteen x 77.5 x 135.v millimeters/ 0.62 10 3 x 5.3-inches, making it small enough to hands pick up, move effectually, and place anywhere you want on your desk-bound. Well, anywhere within its 8-inch USB-C cable.

Don't fret, the cablevision doesn't hang out of the device at all times, as information technology can conveniently exist stored within the dock. However, what I don't bask is the port placement. While USB-C hubs and docking stations expand your laptop setup, they are also fantastic for cable management for a clean desk setup. Just that isn't the example with the SD1600P.

(Image credit: Hereafter)

Yous'll have a USB-C cable coming out of one end, an HDMI and Ethernet cable on the other, along with a power adapter and two USB-A cables on some other side — all in close proximity to your laptop. It looks like a parcel of cables coming out of a difficult drive once everything is plugged in.

The mobile dock is made out of a black PC/ABS material, which feels cheap and flimsy. Of course, this is what keeps information technology lightweight, but I did feel the need to be delicate when placing it in a backpack.

Kensington SD1600P USB-C Mobile Dock ports

If you're constantly hopping from one workstation setup to another — something nosotros're seeing more of now that working from home and at an office is normal —  the SD1600P has all the essential ports you demand.

(Image credit: Future)

On its front, you'll find ane Hard disk VGA port capable of 2048 x 1152-pixel resolution at 60Hz, 1 HDMI v1.iv that tin evangelize 3840 ten 2160-pixel output at 60Hz, and a Gigabit Ethernet jack.

(Paradigm credit: Future)

On the rear, there are ii USB-A 3.ii Gen 1 ports with 5V/two.4A (the fastest standard charging speed) and one USB-C three.2 Gen1 port. The real kicker? That USB-C port can be used equally a pass-through power supply for your laptop, supporting upward to 60W of laptop charging.

Kensington SD1600P USB-C Mobile Dock functioning

In practice, the SD1600P Mobile Dock works effortlessly, which is impressive for a modest, portable piece of equipment. Working from my Dell Latitude 5410, I loved the ability to only plug in the mobile dock into my laptop'southward USB-C ability output and see charging while only using the power adapter for the dock.

(Prototype credit: Future)

Having enough ports to plug it into an external

4K monitor

, as well equally connect my

Razer Naga Pro

mouse and

Corsair K65 RGB Mini keyboard

meant I was free to use all of my laptop's ports for other things.

The SD1600P also has a built-in charging hub that allows information technology to power devices when non being used as a docking station. Plug information technology into a power adapter or pull power from the laptop and accuse away. I did find that the mobile dock gets hot when everything is used at in one case, but it was never concerningly toasty.

(Epitome credit: Future)

Since

Apple MackBooks

lack ports, USB-C hubs make for the perfect laptop accessory. With this in mind, it's unfortunate that the mobile dock's power pass-through functionality doesn't work on the sixteen-inch

MacBook Pro (2020)

. It works with Apple'due south recent line of

M1 Macbook

models, merely only supports a single video output.

Information technology does, withal, have

Samsung DeX

support, which is a bang-up feature. It means you tin plug in your Samsung smartphone and turn it into a desktop-like feel, which is a dainty added feature for the mobile dock fifty-fifty though it can only extend to one monitor.

While I wish information technology had a DisplayPort ++ instead of the HD VGA port (it fifty-fifty looks similar there is enough room for one more port), the hub effectively extended the port options on my laptop. Improve yet, I can easily take it along with me wherever I go.

Lesser line

The Kensington SD1600P USB-C Mobile Dock is unique as it acts as a viable docking station and an first-class USB-C hub for laptop users on the move. Its USB-C passthrough power supply and additional ports volition complimentary up all your other laptop inputs while charging your laptop and any other devices connected to it. Don't need a power supply? That'south fine, as information technology tin besides be powered past your laptop.

While Kensington labels the SD1600P USB-C Mobile Dock every bit a docking station on the device'south listing

page

, it too claims it can utilise a laptop's battery when traveling — which is, by the company'due south

definition

, a USB-C hub. In truth, it merely brings the best of both worlds. If you can excuse the awkward port placement and don't have a 16-inch MacBook Pro (2020), this mobile dock is a solid buy for traveling professionals.

Darragh Murphy is fascinated by all things bizarre, which usually leads to assorted coverage varying from washing machines designed for AirPods to the mischievous world of cyberattacks. Whether it's connecting Scar from The King of beasts King to ii-factor authentication or turning his love for gadgets into a fabricated rap boxing from viii Mile, he believes there's always a quirky spin to be fabricated. With a Master's degree in Magazine Journalism from The University of Sheffield, forth with brusque stints at Kerrang! and Exposed Magazine, Darragh started his career writing most the tech industry at Time Out Dubai and ShortList Dubai, covering everything from the latest iPhone models and Huawei laptops to massive Esports events in the Center East. Now, he tin can exist found proudly diving into gaming, gadgets, and letting readers know the joys of docking stations for Laptop Mag.

Source: https://www.laptopmag.com/reviews/kensington-sd1600p-usb-c-mobile-dock

Posted by: campbellshotere.blogspot.com

Share this post