The eraser dock also gives you a single-bay dock for your SATA drive with fast USB 3.0 performance, also known as USB 3.1 Gen 1 (5 Gbps). Industry-recognized erase modes Using industry-recognized erase modes, you can rest assured that the standalone eraser securely cleans, erases or sanitizes the data from your 2.5” or 3.5” SSD or HDD. The CalDigit Thunderbolt 3 Mini Dock is a bus-powered dock that lets you connect your Thunderbolt 3 equipped Mac to two HDMI-enabled TVs or displays up to 4K at 60Hz. It also provides connection to a Gigabit Ethernet network, a USB-A 3.0. device—such as your flash drive, camera, or SD card reader—and a USB 2.0. keyboard/mouse.
How To: Setting up a New Hard Drive or SSD in Your Plugable Docking Station How To: Recovering Existing Hard Drive or SSD Data in Your Plugable Docking Station
Features
Docking station supports all 2.5 and 3.5 inch SATA I, II, and III hard drives, solid state drives, and hybrid drives up to any capacity (6TB+)
Slide bare SATA drives into the docking station bay with no wires to connect
UASP (USB Attached SCSI Protocol) support for even faster drive data transfer performance (UASP functionality requires UASP capable host controller and operating system)
Flashed with the latest firmware to support GPT (GUID Partition Table) format for larger than 3TB drives
Docking station connects via USB 3.0 SuperSpeed 5Gbps (640MBps), up to 10x as fast as USB 2.0 480Mbps (60MBps)
Backward compatible with USB 2.0/1.1 (optional USB 2.0 cable also included in package)
Power button for powering off drive when not in use. Drive sleeps automatically on OS power events or 10 minutes of idle
Robust 24W power supply
Product Description
Learn more
The Plugable USB3-SATA-U3 is a standard single bay hard drive docking solution that features a convenient toolless design as well as hot-swap support and driver-less, plug and play installation. The open vertical docking bay was designed for easy dock/undock of bare/internal SATA disk drives. Constructed of heavy duty ABS plastic, using the ASMedia 1051E SATA to USB 3.0 bridge chipset and firmware with UASP support for maximum features and performance.
Connect a single 3.5″ or 2.5″ SATA hard disk drive or solid state drive (SATA I, II, & III supported) at USB 3.0 SuperSpeed 5Gbps/640MBps, up to 10 times as fast as USB 2.0. For USB 3.0 speeds, dock must be connected to a USB 3.0 port. Fully backwards compatible with USB 2.0 and 1.1 at their native speeds. Real world transfer rate performance over USB 3.0 will vary by computer host controller and disk drive specifications. Latest USB 3.0 XHCI host controller drivers highly recommended for best performance and stability.
The docking station requires no driver installation as it uses the standard USB mass storage class driver support already provided in Windows XP and later, Mac, and Linux. Dual color LED reports drive activity (blue for power, red for drive activity). Supports 6TB+ drives on 64-bit operating systems (use drives less than 2TB for 32-bit Windows).
FAQ
Q: Is this dock compatible with the Samsung 840 & 850 EVO series of SSDs? A: No, the Samsung 840 & 850 EVO SSDs do not work with the ASM1051E chipset in this docking station. If you have a Samsung 840 or 850 EVO SSD, consider our newer USB3-SATA-UASP1 docking station instead.
Q: What size SATA drives are supported? A: The latest firmware adds support for GPT (GUID Partition Table) format for compatibility with larger storage devices. We have tested with drives up to 6TB. Note that particular operating systems may have their own lower limits. For example, Windows XP limits drive size to 2TB.
Q: How should I insert drives? A: Slide drives gently into the top of docking station bay, with SATA connectors aligned. Do not exert force. Drives will attach and rest on the SATA connector with the drive centered in the dock, cradled with space for airflow on all sides, so no fan is required. Drives are easily removed and reinserted with no cables or connectors to attach.
Q: What does the LED mean? A: There is a single green LED on the front of the dock which will stay green as long as the device is powered and in active standby. During data transfer, the LED will blink rapidly. The green LED should turn off to indicate that the dock has powered down after a drive is ejected by the OS, however some USB hubs may cause the drive to stay in powered mode and the light to remain green with the drive powered even though the OS has safely disconnected the volume. A slightly slower blink indicates a sleeping drive. The same slower blink may indicate a faulty power supply. If your dock continues to blink green after waking the PC, turning the power switch on the back off and then back on again should resolve the issue.
Q: The green LED is not turning on when I have a drive inserted and AC power connected, but it does come on when I connect a USB cable. Is something wrong with my dock or power adapter? A: The green power LED will only come on when all three of the following conditions are met:
AC power is connected
A drive is present
There is a USB cable connecting the dock to a host PC
Q: My drive isn’t spinning up, even though the green power LED is on and I can see the docking station in Device Manager/System Information. A: The SATA connector at the bottom of the dock likely isn’t lined up for the pins to connect: since the dock has a little “breathing room” it is possible to insert a drive where it seems to be fully seated but is in fact only sitting in the dock, and not really plugged in. Taking special care to line up the SATA connectors when inserting the disk can help avoid this.
Q: My drive is spinning, and detected in Disk Management/Disk Utility, however I get an error about needing to initialize the volume even though there is already data on my drive. A: See this blog post on how to recover existing data.
Q: Do I need to update my firmware? A: If you find that your drives are dismounting or disconnecting during use, or are not seeing drives sleep when your system sleeps, a firmware update should help. See here for firmware updates.
Q: How do I power the drive down when my computer is turned off or sleeping? A: The Plugable USB3-SATA-U3 has a power switch that is used to power down the drive when not in use.
Q: My drive gets very hot to the touch during use. A: Normally hard drives are typically inaccessible and inside of a PC or laptop’s fan-cooled environment. Many customers are not aware that hard drives will run very warm during use and that having a drive feel hot to the touch is normal, especially during heavy use such as during initial system backups or when cloning a disk. Typically hard drives will operate around 35-50C under load but should not exceed 60C or the internal SMART diagnostics may trip an over temperature alert. For further technical details, Google has published a detailed white paper that concludes “Failures do not increase when the average temperature increases. In fact, there is a clear trend showing that lower temperatures are associated with higher failure rates. Only at very high temperatures is there a slight reversal of this trend…”
Support
Feel free to contact us directly at [email protected] if you have any questions. Whether you’ve purchased the USB3-SATA-U3 and need support or you’re considering a purchase and would like help understanding this docking station’s features, we’re here to help.
In The Box
Docking Station
USB 3.0 Cable
USB 2.0 Cable
12V/2A AC Power Adapter
Where to Buy
MSRP $29.99
Although the latest MacBook Pros are powerhouse devices that are perfect for all kinds of work on-the-go, one drawback is that they lack legacy ports. This brings about the need for USB-C hubs and docking stations for those times when you’re at home or work and need to connect multiple peripherals to your device such as monitors, keyboards, etc. Do more with your machine with these best docking stations for MacBook Pro.
1. Belkin Thunderbolt 3 Mini Dock Station – Editor’s Choice
Create a powerful workstation with this compact dock that connects to your laptop through a single tethered cable. You can connect two 4K monitors using the dual HDMI ports at 60Hz.
It’s perfect for enjoying fast, HD visuals across multiple screens. Use peripherals like a keyboard, mouse, etc., via the USB-A 3.0 and USB-A 2.0 ports. And enjoy a reliable and secure network connection through the gigabit ethernet port.
Pros
40 Gbps data transfer speed
Dual 4K video support
Compact size
Cons
No memory card reader
Price: $127.16
2. Kensington Docking Station
You can quickly convert your MacBook into a powerful desktop computer by using this Thunderbolt 3 docking station from Kensington. The powerful Thunderbolt 3 technology helps you transfer your data at speed up to 40Gbps. You can easily download a 4K movie in just 30 seconds.
With multiple ports, an SD card reader, and single 5K/4K video output, you can connect monitors, hard drives, mouse, keyboard, and other USB peripherals. Moreover, you can charge your laptop with up to 60W power delivery.
Pros
Thunderbolt 3 (2.3 foot) cable included.
Perfect for photo transfers
SD card reader
Cons
HDMI does not work without an adapter
Price: $248.63
3. LINEDOCK USB-C Docking station
Here’s a sleek charging dock that features nine ports for your MacBook Pro/Air or iPad Pro. Moreover, it doubles up as a massive portable battery: hard-drive and 100W charger.
It offers up to 8 hours of extra battery life, 60W Power Delivery, 100W Pass-Through Charging, and up to 1TB onboard SSD storage. This makes it an ultra-convenient all-in-one choice.
Pros
Also, a hard drive, charger, and portable battery
Sleek and lightweight
99 percent plastic-free
One year warranty
Cons
Expensive
Price: $349.00
4. LandingZone Docking Station
This dock is only compatible with the 15-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar. It connects to the USB Type-C and Audio port on your laptop. The included 96W LandingZone US Power Adapter powers the docking station and can also charge your MacBook under most conditions.
You can connect multiple monitors to the HDMI 1, HDMI 2, Mini DisplayPort, or USB Type-C Passthrough port. A total of 3 external monitors can be connected to this charging dock.
Pros
Elegant design
Range of ports
Comes with power adaptor
Cons
Build not sturdy
Price: $237.15
5. WAVLINK Thunderbolt 3 Dock
This charging dock provides 180 Watt DC Power Supply and delivers 85W power to charge your laptop and USB peripherals. The secondary Thunderbolt 3 port provides 15W of power for downstream devices.
It boasts 4x USB 3.0 ports for a super transfer speed of up to 5Gbps and 900mA of power. At the same time, it’s got an integrated SD/Micro SD card reader that makes it easy to copy photos and videos from your camera to your laptop.
Pros
12 ports
Integrated SD Card reader
Compact size
Cons
Slows down with multiple devices consented
Price: $195.86
6. Elgato Thunderbolt 3 Pro Dock
Connect everything to your MacBook Pro at once with this handy docking station. It has two Thunderbolt 3 ports for extended Thunderbolt versatility, including a 5K display.
It supports dual displays of up to 4K at a smooth frame rate of 60Hz. There are also two dedicated USB-C ports and two front USB 3.0 ports. Further, it has a Dock utility app that eliminates the need to keep ejecting devices one by one.
Pros
One cable
Dual display
Has a Dock utility app
Cons
Expensive
Price: $339.99
7. Cable Matters Aluminum Thunderbolt 3 Dock
Check out this 60W single-cable docking solution that supports dual 4K displays at 60Hz displays. It is compatible with an HDMI port and a Thunderbolt 3 port using an active USB-C to video adapter.
It’s an essential companion for professionals and lets you maximize the utility of a single Thunderbolt 3 port to add dual [email protected] displays, 5 USB 3.0 ports, a memory card slot, Gigabit Ethernet network connectivity, and a combo audio port.
Connect everything to your MacBook Pro with this handy dock that’s got all the ports you need. Elgato dock boasts extended versatility, including 5K display support, dual display support, and up to 2x 4K resolution.
It has high-power device support for iPad, SuperDrive, and more. It extends connectivity, audio, video, and networking. Further, it has an easy ejection software button to ensure data safety.
Pros
Dock 3 0 9 Inches =
Versatility
Easy ejection button
Compact size
Cons
Dock 3 0 9 Inches Mm
Slows down with multiple devices connected
Price: $249.99
9. StarTech Thunderbolt 3 Docking Station
Deponia doomsday 1 2 0267 download free. This charging station is great for video editing and other Ultra HD tasks. This dual-4K monitor docking station supports 40Gbps speeds and 4K resolution on two monitors.
It’s easy to set up and deploy with universal Thunderbolt 3 Dock with automatic driver setup & MAC address changer utility, including Thunderbolt 3 host cable and USB-C to DisplayPort cable to connect a second DP monitor.
Pros
Dock 3 0 9 Inches Cm
Easy installation and deployment
85W power delivery
Variety of ports
Dock 3 0 9 Inches Equals
Cons
Slows down with too many devices connected
Price: $249.97
10. CalDigit TS3 Plus Thunderbolt 3 Dock
As a pro user, you need a dock that helps you connect multiple devices and peripherals. CalDigit successfully fulfills your requirements as this docking station has ten ports of connectivity.
A striking feature is 85W powerful laptop charging. Moreover, you can also charge other USB peripherals. Even if you are not connected to a Thunderbolt 3 or USB-C laptop, the pro dock charges a computer to 85W.
Pros
Stand-alone charging
85W laptop charging
Ethernet connection
Cons
Internet speed issues
Price: $249.99
Summing Up
So, did this help you pick out the best docking station for your MacBook Pro? Let us know your choice in the comments below.
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I have been writing about tech for over 10 years now. I am passionate about helping people solve their tech problems with easy and practical solutions. At iGeeksBlog, I write and edit how-to guides and accessory reviews for all things Apple. My work has previously appeared in Live IT and Woman’s Era magazines. When not working, I love reading and traveling.
https://www.igeeksblog.com/author/mehak/
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