Extra monitor, do I need a docking station?

[Guv10]

I'm looking at getting a monitor. I WFH 90% of the time and working on the laptop all the time is doing my neck no favours (i do raise it up) I fancy habing another screen which would help with my neck and also be good for work.

I'm thinking a 24 inch, nothing too big. Eventually I'd like to get back into gaming also so will probably want a 4k screen to future proof.

My question is do I need a docking station, or can I go straight from laptop to monitor? What are the advantages and disadvantages of having one?

Anyone got any recommendations?

Thanks

[Mr Pointy]

What laptop have you got & what monitor connections does it have on it? VGA/DVI/DP/HDMI?

[paulrockliffe]

You don't need a dock usually, just plug in and go. If you have enough USB ports to connect mouse keyboard and headset etc, then you can just plug those in too.

The advantage of a dock is that you can just plug the dock in, one cable, plus if you don't have enough ports, or you want to run more monitors, it fixes that for you.

Do newer laptops support power over USB-C now, so you don't need to plug a power brick in and you don't need to have a second power brick for easy portability?

[Mr E]

Almost certainly fine, and I’d not use a laptop for long without a screen/mouse/keyboard

[Guv10]

Mr Pointy said:

What laptop have you got & what monitor connections does it have on it? VGA/DVI/DP/HDMI?

Work laptop is a dell latitude 5490. Personal on is a dell inspiron 15 3000.

Both have HDMI connection

[Ransoman]

A dock is only really usefull to save you having to plug and unplug loads of connections all the time.

24" is surprisingly small these days. My WFH monitor is a 27" 1440p curved screen and it is brilliant.

[mmm-five]

Guv10 said:

Work laptop is a dell latitude 5490. Personal on is a dell inspiron 15 3000.

Both have HDMI connection

Depending of the HDMI connection, you may be limited to 30hz at 4k (i.e. for HDMI 1.4) - your laptop would need HDMI 2.0 and above to support above 60hz @4k.

• The Latitude 5490 only has HDMI 1.4
• The Inspiron 3000 only has HDMI 1.4

[anonymous-user]

4K 24 inch screens are rare. I could only find 1 made by LG. Will pixel double to 1080p equivalent though. Nearest thing to a non apple retina screen there is, although its ‘only’ about 180ppi.

I agree with the others, first you need to verify the HDMI version and make sure your connector is upto the task.

What year were your laptops manufactured?

Also what do you mean when you say you want 4k for future proofing?

What software do you use?

[anonymous-user]

mmm-five said:

Depending of the HDMI connection, you may be limited to 30hz at 4k (i.e. for HDMI 1.4) - your laptop would need HDMI 2.0 and above to support above 60hz @4k.

• The Latitude 5490 only has HDMI 1.4
• The Inspiron 3000 only has HDMI 1.4

The HDMI version depends on the model year.

[rodericb]

Guv10 said:

Mr Pointy said:

What laptop have you got & what monitor connections does it have on it? VGA/DVI/DP/HDMI?

Work laptop is a dell latitude 5490. Personal on is a dell inspiron 15 3000.

Both have HDMI connection

Do they have USB-C ports? If your planets align - both laptops have USB-C and you get a monitor which also acts as a dock/KVM switch - you just plug each in to their respective USB-C to the monitor, plug your keyboard and mouse into the monitor and you can switch between the computers and even have both laptops on the one monitor if it's big enough. The USB-C connections handle the video, keyboard, mouse and also the charging of the laptops. I have a Dell u3818dw and my work laptop is connected up with just the USB-C and my keyboard, mouse, webcam and speakers are plugged into the monitor. I have plugged a second laptop in and toggled between them - the second laptop connected HDMI to the USB-C on second laptop but it needs separate power. The new version of my monitor, the u3821dw, looks to have more ports which might mean you just need to plug into each laptops USB-C ports and that's it - you can have both displayed on the monitor (side by side or PIP) or toggle between them in full-screen view.

[Guv10]

wyson said:

mmm-five said:

Depending of the HDMI connection, you may be limited to 30hz at 4k (i.e. for HDMI 1.4) - your laptop would need HDMI 2.0 and above to support above 60hz @4k.

• The Latitude 5490 only has HDMI 1.4
• The Inspiron 3000 only has HDMI 1.4

The HDMI version depends on the model year.

I've no idea on the model year of each, How would I find that out?

Is there a way of finding out what HDMI port I have from the the laptop itself?

[Guv10]

wyson said:

4K 24 inch screens are rare. I could only find 1 made by LG. Will pixel double to 1080p equivalent though. Nearest thing to a non apple retina screen there is, although its ‘only’ about 180ppi.

I agree with the others, first you need to verify the HDMI version and make sure your connector is upto the task.

What year were your laptops manufactured?

Also what do you mean when you say you want 4k for future proofing?

What software do you use?

Ah ok, maybe I have to go bigger then.

One is for work, the other is for personal laptop. I'm looking to upgrade my desktop PC in the coming year so that's why I was thinking 4k monitor. Maybe it's not worth it then.

Is 30hz no good then? If not I don't need to get 4k I'll just get a standard HD one

[frisbee]

I have a Dell 7390 with two monitors plugged directly into the laptop, 1 into the HDMI port and 1 into the USB C port (USB C to HDMI cable which was about a tenner). 24" 1920x1080 monitors on a stand, bought while working at home during the middle of lockdown, saved my neck.

The docking station at work is more convenient but not essential.

[Ouroboros]

frisbee said:

I have a Dell 7390 with two monitors plugged directly into the laptop, 1 into the HDMI port and 1 into the USB C port (USB C to HDMI cable which was about a tenner). 24" 1920x1080 monitors on a stand, bought while working at home during the middle of lockdown, saved my neck.

The docking station at work is more convenient but not essential.

Yes same set up.

[Guv10]

my mrs has acquired a docking station from her work for me.

Just need to decide on a monitor but no idea what to go for?!

Criteria has to be one with a HDMI port and I guess one that is full HD. But no idea if I should go curved or not.

Any recommendations?

[xeny]

Curved isn't worth it for 24" full HD, which is only 1920 x 1080. It is more attractive as you go to big 34" or similar 3440 x 1440 screens.

[RizzoTheRat]

24" is a really common size for business machines, so you can often find refurbished ones at a decent price, I'm currently on a 24" Dell monitor at 1920x1200, with my laptop open underneath it as a second screen (1920x1080).

Edited by RizzoTheRat on Thursday 7th April 14:32

[S17Thumper]

xeny said:

Curved isn't worth it for 24" full HD, which is only 1920 x 1080. It is more attractive as you go to big 34" or similar 3440 x 1440 screens.

I have similar to this - 34” curved and a 24” (I think). I run the 24” vertically and find it all works really well.

[Ouroboros]

I just bought the cheapest 80 quid, 1080p, hdmi. Works fine. Not curved 24 inch. Use it to play games as well.

[FlossyThePig]

Interesting subject. After 2 years of WFH I've just retired.

My WFH gear consisted of a dell laptop hooked into a dell dock via USB C connector, both now returned to the company.
Connected to the dock were:
- 2 22" Dell Monitors via display port (effectively making a three screen system)
- Dell USB mouse and keyboard
- Headset (combined headphones and microphone) connected via USB for Teams meetings, etc.
- Ethernet cable (using my domestic Broadband connection).

All gear supplied by the company but they only wanted the laptop and dock back.

Unless the company is small or in financial straights my attitude is they should provide the gear for you to do the job when you WFH. Why should you subsidise the company?