XtremeSystems Docking Station Comparison Guide
A practical table comparison of the refurbished docking stations listed on xtremesystems.co.nz, including USB-C, Thunderbolt, Surface, Dell, Lenovo, HP, Targus, Belkin, Toshiba, OWC, and Elgato options.
The docking station shelf can look simple until the laptop is on the bench. USB-C, Thunderbolt, Surface Connect, universal USB docks, power delivery, monitor limits, and brand-specific workstation docks all overlap.
This guide compares the docking stations currently visible on xtremesystems.co.nz. The main source list is the XtremeSystems Docking station collection, which showed 20 products at the time of checking, plus the Dell TB16 product page that is also listed on the store under Dell/all products.
Stock changes quickly, so use this as a buying guide first and a price snapshot second.
Quick picks
- Best general USB-C office dock: Dell WD19S or Lenovo ThinkPad USB-C Dock LDA-KP/LDC-G2.
- Best low-cost USB-C option: HP USB-C Dock G4 or Dell WD15, if the laptop supports the display mode you need.
- Best mixed USB-C and USB-A fleet option: Lenovo ThinkPad Hybrid Dock or Targus Dock 190.
- Best Thunderbolt workstation option: Lenovo Thunderbolt 3 Workstation Dock Gen 2 or Dell TB16, matched to the right laptop model.
- Best Surface option: Surface Dock V2 for newer Surface systems; Surface Dock 1661/1664 only for older compatible Surface devices.
- Best Mac-friendly Thunderbolt desk dock: OWC, Belkin, Elgato, Toshiba, or HP Thunderbolt Dock G2, depending on stock and port needs.
Full comparison
| Dock | Host type | Display notes | Power / adapter | Store price snapshot | Best fit | Check before buying |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lenovo ThinkPad USB-C Dock Gen 2 LDC-G2 | USB-C with DisplayPort Alt Mode | Listed as triple 4K support; similar ThinkPad USB-C listing notes up to 3 external monitors. | Variant pricing starts from 90W/135W adapter options. | From $129 | ThinkPad and business USB-C laptop desks. | Choose the correct adapter option if laptop charging matters. |
| Dell WD19 K20A | USB-C | 2x DisplayPort 1.4, HDMI 2.0, USB-C display output. | 180W power adapter listed. | $129, sold out | Dell Latitude/Precision office setups where WD19 compatibility is known. | Currently sold out; WD19 has an audio jack while WD19S does not. |
| Microsoft Surface Dock V2 1917 | Surface Connect | Dual 4K at 30Hz is listed for several compatible Surface models. | Dock and charger included. | $199 sale | Newer Surface Pro, Surface Laptop, Surface Book, and Surface Laptop Studio users. | Not a normal USB-C dock; confirm Surface model compatibility. |
| Dell WD19S K20A | USB-C | 2x DisplayPort 1.4, HDMI 2.0, USB-C display output. | 180W power adapter listed. | $149 sale | Dell business laptops needing a current USB-C desk dock. | No audio jack on WD19S. |
| OWC Thunderbolt 3 Dock | Thunderbolt 3 | Thunderbolt dock for higher-bandwidth desks and media workflows. | External power supply. | $279, sold out | Mac and Thunderbolt laptop desks with heavier I/O needs. | Currently sold out; host must support Thunderbolt for full benefit. |
| HP Thunderbolt Dock G2 120W | Thunderbolt 3 / HP business systems | Thunderbolt dock; title lists Mac compatibility. | 120W adapter listed. | $179 sale | HP EliteBook/ZBook and Thunderbolt laptop users. | Confirm laptop Thunderbolt support and power requirements. |
| Targus Dock 190 | USB-C universal | 2x HDMI, 2x DisplayPort, 4x USB-A, USB-C, Ethernet, audio. | Up to 100W host power listed. | $199 | Mixed Windows/Mac/Chrome/Linux desks needing flexible monitor outputs. | Universal docks can depend on driver/platform support; test if possible. |
| Lenovo ThinkPad Hybrid USB-C with USB-A Dock DUD9011D1 | USB-C or USB-A | Up to 2 external monitors; 2x DisplayPort 1.2 and 2x HDMI listed. | 135W input; 90W output power listed. | $179 | Offices with a mix of older USB-A laptops and newer USB-C laptops. | USB-A mode will not charge the laptop and may need drivers. |
| Microsoft Surface Dock 1664 | Older Surface dock | Surface-specific desk dock. | Surface dock power system. | $79, sold out | Older Surface replacement-dock needs. | Currently sold out; check exact Surface generation. |
| Microsoft Surface Dock 1661 | Surface Connect | 2 video ports, Gigabit Ethernet, 4x USB 3.0, audio output. | Surface dock power system. | $99, sold out | Surface Pro 4/5/6/7, Surface Book, Surface Laptop 1/2, and Surface Go era devices. | Currently sold out; not for standard USB-C laptops. |
| Targus DOCK 180 | USB-C and USB 3.0 | Dual 4K support listed in the product title. | 60W Power Delivery listed. | $149 | Lower-cost universal dual-monitor desks. | 60W may be light for larger workstations; check driver needs. |
| Dell WD15 K17A | USB-C | Older Dell USB-C dock for office monitor/USB/Ethernet setups. | 130W adapter listed. | $79 sale | Budget Dell USB-C laptop desks. | Older dock generation; confirm monitor resolution before pairing. |
| Lenovo ThinkPad USB-C Dock LDA-KP | USB-C with DisplayPort Alt Mode | Up to 3 monitors: 2x 3840x2160 at 60Hz plus 1x 3840x2160 at 30Hz. | 65W output with 90W adapter, 100W output with 135W adapter. | From $129 | ThinkPad desks needing multiple monitors and Gigabit Ethernet. | Pick the right adapter if the laptop needs higher charging power. |
| HP USB-C Dock G4 HSTNH-U601 | USB-C | Single up to 3840x1440 at 60Hz; dual up to 1920x1200 at 60Hz; triple up to 1680x1050 at 60Hz. | 90W power adapter listed. | $79 sale | Budget HP USB-C setups and basic office desks. | Multi-monitor resolution is lower than newer high-end docks. |
| HP Elite USB-C Dock TPA-B01 | USB-C | HDMI and DisplayPort; listing notes two displays simultaneously. | 65W AC charger included. | $139 | Compact HP USB-C desks with Ethernet and standard displays. | 65W charging limit is not ideal for higher-power laptops. |
| Lenovo ThinkPad Thunderbolt 3 Workstation Dock Gen 2 DK1841 | Thunderbolt 3 / USB-C | 2x HDMI, 2x DisplayPort, Thunderbolt 3, USB-C, 5x USB, Ethernet, audio. | 230W adapter listed in product title. | $279 sale | Lenovo mobile workstations and heavier ThinkPad desks. | Check supported ThinkPad model list and Thunderbolt compatibility. |
| Belkin Thunderbolt 3 Express Dock HD | Thunderbolt 3 | Thunderbolt desktop dock for display and high-speed peripheral expansion. | External power supply. | $199 sale | MacBook and Thunderbolt laptop desks needing a clean one-cable setup. | Thunderbolt support is required for the full experience. |
| Toshiba Thunderbolt 3 Dock PA5281A-1PRP | Thunderbolt 3 | Thunderbolt dock with 100W adapter listed. | 100W adapter listed. | $179 | Toshiba and other Thunderbolt laptop desks. | Check host Thunderbolt support and cable condition. |
| HP HSTNN-CX01 Thunderbolt 3 ZBook/Elite Dock | Thunderbolt 3 / HP ZBook and Elite systems | Workstation-class HP Thunderbolt dock. | Variant pricing starts from $129. | From $129 | HP ZBook and EliteBook users who need the correct HP dock family. | Match to the exact HP laptop generation and power cable requirement. |
| Elgato Thunderbolt 3 Dock | Thunderbolt 3 | Thunderbolt desktop dock for Mac/Thunderbolt workstations. | External power supply. | $199, sold out | MacBook or Thunderbolt desks where Elgato I/O layout is preferred. | Currently sold out. |
| Dell TB16 K16A | Thunderbolt 3 | Up to 3 monitors; HDMI, DisplayPort, Mini DisplayPort, VGA, Thunderbolt 3, USB, Ethernet, audio. | 240W adapter listed. | $279 | Dell Precision and Thunderbolt laptops that need a heavier Dell dock. | TB16 can be model/firmware sensitive; choose the right cable option. |
How to choose
Start with the laptop, not the dock. A USB-C port does not automatically mean Thunderbolt, charging, or monitor output. Some laptops have USB-C for data only. Some support DisplayPort Alt Mode but not charging. Some workstation docks need a specific Thunderbolt cable and BIOS/firmware setup.
For normal office use, the Dell WD19S, Lenovo ThinkPad USB-C Dock, HP USB-C Dock G4, and Targus Dock 190 are the easiest starting points. For higher-power workstations, start with the laptop brand first: Dell Precision users should look at WD19/TB16-style Dell docks, Lenovo workstation users should look at the DK1841, and HP ZBook users should look at HP Thunderbolt docks.
For Surface devices, use Surface docks. They are clean and reliable when matched correctly, but they are not universal laptop docks.
XtremeSystem take
The best value depends on the machine already on the desk:
- Buy Dell WD19S if you want a simple Dell-friendly USB-C dock with modern display outputs.
- Buy Lenovo ThinkPad USB-C LDA-KP/LDC-G2 if you need a solid general business dock and the laptop supports USB-C display output.
- Buy HP USB-C Dock G4 if the budget is tight and the monitor requirements are modest.
- Buy Targus Dock 190 or Lenovo Hybrid if you support mixed-brand or older USB-A laptops.
- Buy Thunderbolt docks only when the laptop actually supports Thunderbolt and you need the extra bandwidth.
For refurbished setups, the practical winner is not always the most expensive dock. It is the dock that matches the laptop port, charges the machine correctly, drives the monitors at the required resolution, and leaves enough USB/Ethernet ports for the desk.
Sources
- XtremeSystems Docking station collection
- XtremeSystems Docking station page 2
- Dell WD19 product page
- Dell WD19S product page
- Microsoft Surface Dock V2 product page
- Targus Dock 190 product page
- Lenovo Hybrid USB-C with USB-A Dock product page
- Lenovo ThinkPad USB-C Dock LDA-KP product page
- HP USB-C Dock G4 product page
- HP Elite USB-C Dock product page
- Lenovo Thunderbolt 3 Workstation Dock Gen 2 product page
- Dell TB16 product page