Gadget Review: Mokin USB-C Docking Station (+ Linux information)
shkspr.mobi/blog/2023/08/gadge…

I've been looking for this rare beast for ages - a hub which has multiple USB-C outputs!

You see it is a truth, universally acknowledged, that computers don't have enough ports on them. And laptops? Pah! A couple of USB-C if you're lucky, and one of them has to be used for power. What a world!

This is the MOKiN USB-C Triple-Display Docking Station - MODK1402. It's a bit over £100 depending on the deal you get.

Shiny! This turns one USB port on your laptop to fourteen extra ports.

So, what's it packing?

On the back is:

• Ethernet.
• USB 2.0 - for your slow gadgets.
• HDMI.
• 2x DisplayPort.
• USB-C host. Take the included 1 metre long C-to-C cable and connect your laptop to the hub.
• USB-C power input. Shove a 100W adapter in there and it will power your laptop, gadgets, and toaster.
• There's also a Kensington Lock port on the side if you're worried about theft.

On the front is:

• 2x USB-C. Yes! This is what I'm here for! They won't do PD levels of charging, but you can happily plug in your phones to charge, transfer data, or anything else.
• USB 3.1. The highest speed USB-A port. Plug in a drive and watch the bits fly
• 3.5mm TRRS port. Stereo audio out, mono mic in.
• Bright white LED. Stick some tape on it and never have it bother you again.
• SD & MicroSD slots. A bit weird, but I guess useful to some.
• 2x USB 3. Another couple of USB slots.
• Power button. Hold to toggle.

Testing

On both Windows 11 and Linux, everything worked just fine. Sorry there isn't anything more interesting to report there! No drivers to install. No weird command-line incantations. The promise of Plug-And-Play is met.

Well... Mostly. See the niggles section.

I tried using a single 1080p external monitor over HDMI and that was picked up. I don't have any screens with DisplayPort, so I can't test them. I also don't have a Mac to test with, but it all should work1.

The Ethernet maxed out my 500Mbps Internet connection. I was able to quickly transfer files from between the SD card and the drives. All the USB gadgets I plugged in worked. Again, super boring - which is just what I wanted.

The volume from the audio output was loud and stereo separated.

I had a dozen things plugged in and it kept on chugging.

There's no fan, so there's no noise from it. Basically, it is a small and boring box which does its job extremely well.

Now, a quick disclaimer. I am not a particularly demanding user. I don't have 3x 4K displays which are streaming live video from a USB stick while I download all of Wikipedia via Ethernet onto an SD card at the same time as blasting 5.1 audio and charging a dozen laptops. There's always going to be a limit to how much data and power you can squeeze through a single cable.

Niggles

I found that after my laptop went to sleep it sometimes didn't detect the HDMI output. I pressed the power button on the hub to turn in off. Then - and this will shock you - turned it back on again. HDMI sprang to life without a complaint. Perhaps it's my laptop, or my monitor, or the HDMI? Either way, not a show stopper.

Windows complained that the cable wasn't providing enough power and I should use the original Dell®™ charger. But it charged up quickly. I don't have a PD cable tester to see how many Watts it is actually delivering.

It did get a little warm after a few hours use. Nothing to be concerned about, but don't cover it with a cloth.

The audio out is louder than I was getting via HDMI and there is a bit of cross-chatter. If your speakers' volume is up high, you'll hear a bit of an electronic squeal / hum when no sound is playing.

The white LED is - like all modern electronics - bright. I'd have preferred something a bit more subtle.

Personally, I'd rather have extra HDMI than DisplayPorts. But I get that it is more efficient and better future-proofed.

It takes up a small amount of desk-space. A tower-design might have been nice. But I suspect the heat dissipation might have been an issue.

These are weak complaints. In terms of price:port ratio, it is excellent.

Linux Info

For nerds like me, this is what lsusb spits out:

Bus 004 Device 014: ID 0b95:1790 ASIX Electronics Corp. AX88179 Gigabit EthernetBus 004 Device 013: ID 0bda:0326 Realtek Semiconductor Corp. Card readerBus 004 Device 012: ID 0bda:0411 Realtek Semiconductor Corp. HubBus 004 Device 011: ID 0bda:0420 Realtek Semiconductor Corp. 4-Port USB 3.0 HubBus 001 Device 042: ID 0bda:1100 Realtek Semiconductor Corp. HID DeviceBus 001 Device 041: ID 0d8c:0134 C-Media Electronics, Inc. USB PnP Audio DeviceBus 001 Device 039: ID 0bda:5411 Realtek Semiconductor Corp. RTS5411 HubBus 001 Device 037: ID 1b3f:2008 Generalplus Technology Inc. USB Audio DeviceBus 001 Device 035: ID 1a40:0101 Terminus Technology Inc. HubBus 001 Device 034: ID 0bda:5420 Realtek Semiconductor Corp. 4-Port USB 2.0 Hub

Lots of hubs just smushed together! I didn't bother cracking the case open. If you do, please leave a picture in the comments.

Triple monitors?

The MODK1402 can drive 3 external monitors. But, again, there's a limit to how much you can squirt down a single USB-C cable. They aren't magic!

Here are the configs that it lists. I don't have an 8K monitor to test(!) so please report back if you do have a suitable set of monitors.

In DP1.4	HDMI	DP 1	DP 2
Single display	8k@30Hz 4K@120Hz
	8k@30Hz 4K@120Hz
		8k@30Hz 4K@120Hz
Dual display	4K@60Hz	4K@60Hz
	4K@60Hz	4K@60Hz
4K@60Hz		4K@60Hz
Triple display	4K@60Hz	4K@30Hz	4K@30Hz

In DP1.2	HDMI	DP 1	DP 2
Single display	4K@30Hz
		4K@30Hz
			4K@30Hz
Dual display	2K@60Hz	1080P@60Hz
		2K@60Hz	1080P@60Hz
	1080P@60Hz		2K@60Hz
Triple display	Only can light up two displays

Verdict

If you need multiple USB-C ports out from your hub, this is one of the few devices which is capable of doing so. Having 4 extra USB-A ports is excellent. Three monitors is overkill for me - but it is good to be future-proof. The long cable makes it easy to swap between laptops which have their ports on different sides.

At the end of the day, one cable turns into 14 working ports. All for a bit over a hundred quid. Nice!

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1. Although MacOS is prevented from using more than one external monitor, as decreed by The Word of St Jobs. Anyone wanting to use more without buying an Apple-blessed device is a heretic and must be shunned. ↩

shkspr.mobi/blog/2023/08/gadge…

#gadget #linux #review #usbC