What do you get when you cross a monitor stand and a docking station? The most ridiculous USB hub ever designed
Sabrent has announced something unique: a combined Thunderbolt 4 docking station and desktop monitor arm.
The device is known by the rather bulky name DS-T4WA and is available for $350 on Amazonand while it’s not the first of its kind – the Philips SB4B1928UB is somewhat similar – Sabrent has packed a lot of advanced features into this device.
For starters, there’s Thunderbolt 4, one of the fastest connection standards available and a quick way to upgrade your home office setup. Sabrent says it can reach speeds of up to 40Gbps over a single cable, while also delivering up to 60W of power in the other direction.
If you have a MacBook Pro and an external monitor (or two external monitors), then this docking station is for you.
Ports in abundance
In addition to Thunderbolt 4, the company says the DS-T4WA also has three 10Gbps USB 3.2 Gen 2×1 ports, two USB-C and one USB-A, with up to 5V/3A charging for high-power devices. USB-A is included so that the hub can communicate with as many products and accessories as possible.
In terms of display, there is the option to output to a monitor via the DisplayPort 1.4 and HDMI 2.1 ports, which work at up to 8K@30Hz, or via the TB4 port at up to 8K@60Hz/4K@144Hz.
And if that wasn’t enough, Sabrent has thrown in some pretty high-end networking solutions, including a 1GbE RJ45 port with up to 1000Mbps. There are also all the usual audio input and output ports.
Finding the right monitor
So you’ve got your new Sabrent docking hub and you need a monitor. TechRadar has spent practically countless hours reviewing the best monitors on the market and our pick is the (perhaps surprisingly) BenQ PD2725U.
The 27-inch monitor boasts excellent color accuracy, a wide range of connectivity options and a sleek, slim-bezel design, plus 4K to boot. Best of all, the PD2725U doesn’t break the bank like some of its rivals.
The LG UltraGear 38GN950 is our pick for best ultrawide monitor, with a massive 38-inch screen, and the Dell UltraSharp U2518D monitor is our pick for best monitor for working from home.
The DS-T4WA supports VESA 75/100 mounting and can display screens up to 32 inches that weigh up to 10 kg.
