Over the years, laptops have become sleeker and slimmer. This has the effect of them becoming more lightweight and just looking cooler thanks to a minimalist approach to their design. This does though come at the cost of being less versatile. Many modern laptops have limited the number of ports they house along the sides as well as limiting the types of connections their support. In order to use more USB accessories, load something from an SD card, or display on an extra monitor across HDMI, you might need to secure yourself a docking station that adds that functionality.
Anker is one of the biggest brand names now in computer accessories, and right now, Amazon has its Nano laptop docking station going for a steep 17% discount. The deal takes the price down from its usual of $36 to just $30. That’s an extra six bucks you get to keep in your wallet for a limited time.
8-in-1 Laptop Versatility
This Anker docking station for laptops provides you with eight separate connection ports to cover a variety of tasks. Among these ports, you get two separate USB-C inputs. The first is used exclusively for data transfer, being able to reach a maximum read and write speed of up to 10 Gbps. The second USB-C port is meant for charging. You can plug from this port into a USB-C wall adapter and achieve charging at speeds of up to 100W max. This allows you to charge your laptop while you work without having to use its dedicated charger. The only ting connected to your laptop itself will be the single near 10-inch USB-C cable attached to the Anker docking station.
The docking station is equipped with two more USB ports in the form of USB-A, each capable of data transfer at speeds of up to 10 Gbps. Additionally, you have both an SD card reader and TF 3.0 card reader which is great for photographers or videographers transferring photos and footage they shot during the day onto their laptops.
Lastly, the docking station houses two HDMI outputs. These are each capable of displaying on monitors in up to 4K resolution at a refresh rate of up to 60Hz. Neither of the USB-C ports support video output, but counting the two HDMI ports and your laptop’s own screen, you’ll be able to work across as many as three different monitors at once.
Anker built this docking station to last, utilizing a durable metal finish along its exterior that can protect against some light dings and scratches.
