Instantly turn your Windows or Mac laptop into a multi-monitor desktop—by connecting a single cable—with the Plugable Triple Display USB-C Docking Station (UD-ULTCDL)
Plugable is well known for Docking Station products. Utilizing innovations introduced with USB 3.1, this dock is one of the first to use "Alternate Mode" from the USB-C specifications for one of the display outputs.
This dock is also one of the first to support USB Power Delivery, enabling the dock to charge a laptop, 2-in-1, or Windows tablet connected to it (up to 60W).
Note: New and innovative products aren't without compatibility concerns, it is important to read the information below for details regarding display output types and system requirements. USB-C is required for this docking station, it will not work properly when adapted to USB 3.0.
When attached to a fully compatible USB-C or Thunderbolt 3 Windows or Mac system, the UD-ULTCDL supports Windows 10, 8.x, and 7 and macOS 10.14+. Chrome OS, Linux, and some older macOS versions are not supported.3
Charge
- Up to 60W of USB Power Delivery
If your device supports USB Power Delivery (USB PD), this docking station supports up to 60 watts (60W) of charging to your host device.
This means you won't need to take out the charger that came with your laptop when you're at your desk, on supported hosts.
The one USB-C cable from the dock is all you'll need to stay charged and connect all your devices.
Some laptops may require more power than this dock provides (60W). The Dell XPS 15 9550/9560 and Precision 5510/7510, for example, will display a warning during boot if connected to a 60W power adapter, rather than a Dell 130W power adapter. These systems may still charge, but at a slower rate.
Display
- 1x HDMI 1.4
- 1x HDMI 1.3
- 1x DVI
With one USB-C (USB Type-C) cable connected to the dock, overcome the limited number of display outputs and ports on your device. This dock connects up to three displays on supported devices.
For USB-C ports that do not support Alternate Mode video output will be limited to displaying through the DisplayLink HDMI and DVI ports.
Note: HDMI and DVI require different connections and cables. DVI can be adapted to HDMI with separately-purchased HDMI adapters.
Connect
- 4x USB 3.0 Ports
- 1x USB-C Port
- 1x Gigabit Ethernet
- 1x 3.5mm Headphone Jack
- 1x 3.5mm Microphone Jack
Many laptops are removing or drastically reducing the number of ports available.
Get back your USB, audio, and network connections, or just make it easier to leave things plugged in at your main work area, and reconnect them, with one cable from the dock.
Hardware Compatibility Notes
USB-C is a new standard with much versatility. As a result, compatibility information is complex. Some USB-C systems support Alt Mode video output, while others do not. Some can be powered and charged through USB PD, while others do not. It is very important to check the compatibility of your device before purchase.
Port Features, Limitations, Notes, and Terminology
Alternate Mode (Alt Mode) is a new feature introduced with USB 3.1, allowing USB cables to carry video signals directly from a device over a USB cable. Alt Mode video comes directly from the graphics card or integrated graphics processor on a device, meaning outputs from an Alt Mode video port have the full graphics acceleration of your system. Not all systems with USB-C support this functionality.
HDMI 1.4 allows for a maximum output resolution of 4K 30Hz (3840x2160 @ 30Hz). Lower resolutions such as 1920x1200, and 1920x1080 (1080p) are supported at 60Hz. The HDMI 1.4 connection on this dock is provided by converting DisplayPort Alt Mode to HDMI 1.4.
HDMI 1.3 allows for a maximum output resolution of 2K 60Hz (1920x1200 @ 60Hz). The HDMI 1.3 connection on this dock is provided by the DisplayLink DL-3900 USB graphics chipset.
DVI Single-Link (DVI-SL) allows for a maximum output of 2K 60Hz (1920x1200 @ 60Hz). The DVI connection on this dock is provided by the DisplayLink DL-3900 USB graphics chipset. Conversion to Dual-Link DVI (DL-DVI) is not supported.
DisplayLink is a technology that allows compressed data of various types to be sent over USB data connections. The DisplayLink DL-3900 chipset in this docking station connects all the data and video connections, other than the "4K" HDMI 1.4 connection, on this dock.
There are a few important limitations of DisplayLink technology. DisplayLink uses a proprietary compressed video stream that is partially generated by both your computer's CPU and GPU, and is a "virtual" video adapter. Because the video is compressed and packetized as data, then reassembled by the DisplayLink chip, the pacing of new frames of video can be inconsistent, particularly if large portions of the content being sent through DisplayLink is changing (such as with video playback).
Because of how DisplayLink provides video, video outputs provided by DisplayLink technology should only be used to display content like office applications and web browser windows, not games or video content.
HDCP is not supported, this means protected content such as Netflix, Amazon Video, YouTube Premium, Hulu, Blu-ray videos, and other protected content, either may not work or will play at a lower resolution, depending on the content provider.
Some USB-C ports on PCs and Macs are labelled as Thunderbolt 3 ports. Thunderbolt 3 ports are USB-C ports with additional functionality that are also compatible with this docking station.
USB Power Delivery (USB PD) is a standard introduced with USB-C that provides enough power for many mobile devices and laptops. This dock is able to supply up to 60W of power to a host. Some laptops may require more power than this. The Dell XPS 15 9550/9560 and Precision 5510/7510, for example, will display a warning during boot if connected to a 60W power adapter, rather than a Dell 130W power adapter. These systems may still charge, but at a slower rate.
