Skip to main content

Plugable’s new USB-C docking station delivers 100 watts of power

Plugable TBT3-UDZ Docking Station
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Plugable introduced three new devices during CES 2020 in Las Vegas. At the forefront is the company’s TBT3-UDZ docking station, supporting two additional displays and a 100-watt power delivery. Plugable also revealed a USB-C adapter packing two HDMI ports, and a USB-based Ethernet adapter supporting data speeds up to 2.5Gbps.

First, Plugable’s new TBT3-UDZ dock is based on Intel’s “Titan Ridge” Thunderbolt 3 controllers launched in 2018. Titan Ridge introduced support for two DisplayPort 1.4 streams across a single Thunderbolt 3 connection. It’s an upgrade from the two DisplayPort 1.2 streams provided through the older “Alpine Ridge” controllers.

Intel’s Titan Ridge platform is one of the big selling points with Plugable’s new dock. With a single Thunderbolt 3 connection to your laptop, you can add two external displays up to 4K at 60Hz each. If you’re connecting the dock to a USB-C port, you can attach two external displays up to 4K at 30Hz each. Either way, that’s good news for creatives and gamers wanting to expand their laptop’s virtual space.

Overall, Plugable’s new dock offers 16 physical connections. Two USB-A ports supporting 10Gbps reside on the front, one of which charges phones and similar devices. You’ll also find one MicroSD card slot, one standard SD card slot, and an audio combo jack.

The rear panel includes one Thunderbolt 3 port providing 100 watts of power. That means you can charge a laptop like the new 16-inch MacBook Pro which ships with a 96-watt power adapter. The rear panel also features two DisplayPort 1.4 ports, two HDMI 2.0 ports, an Ethernet port, and five USB-A ports supporting 5Gbps.

Plugable’s new TBT3-UDZ dock arrives this Spring for $300.

Plugable DisplayPort 1.4 Adapter
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Next, Plugable’s USB-C to HDMI adapter arrives in the second quarter for $40. It features a male USB-C connector on one end and two female HDMI 2.0 ports at the other end. It supports multi-stream transport (MST) via DisplayPort 1.4 to transmit data up to 25.9Gbps. That means you can connect two displays running 4K resolutions at 60Hz.

“Thanks to this specific combination of DisplayPort and HDMI technologies, users can extend their laptops or phones to two 4K displays at resolution and refresh rates that were previously unattainable thanks to its DisplayPort 1.4 capabilities,” the company said in a press release.

Plugable 2.5 Gigabit USB Ethernet Adapter
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Finally, the company’s USB-based Ethernet adapter relies on Realtek’s RTL8156 chipset to deliver data transfers up to 2.5Gbps. It sports a native USB-C connection and an attached USB-A adapter. This adapter arrives in the second quarter for $50.

Follow our live blog for more CES news and announcements.

Editors' Recommendations

Kevin Parrish
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Kevin started taking PCs apart in the 90s when Quake was on the way and his PC lacked the required components. Since then…
iPad Pro vs. MacBook Air: It’s closer than you’d think
Two iPad Pro tablets next to each other against a black background. Both have Apple's Magic Keyboard case.

You might assume that the iPad Pro and the MacBook Air are worlds apart, but they’re actually pretty similar devices when you think about it. Both are built for portability, come in two display sizes, and cost roughly the same. Picking between them is trickier than it first looks.

We’ve put together this guide to help you choose the right device, no matter your budget or use case. Whether you prioritize performance, portability, display, software, or something else, you should feel much more confident in your decision by the end of this article.
Price

Read more
Common keyboard problems and how to fix them
logiech ergo k860 review logitech keyboard 4

Few things are more frustrating than when your keyboard stops working. From keys not responding correctly to power issues and backlighting problems, a lot can go wrong with keyboards, even if you have one of the best keyboards. Let’s take a look at common problems users experience and which solutions can get you back to typing ASAP.

The keyboard becomes unresponsive
If the keyboard was working fine before but suddenly stops working altogether, it's probably a power or software issue. If you have a wired keyboard, check that your connection to the computer is stable and in place. Unplug it and plug it back in again if necessary. For wireless keyboards, check that they still have battery life and plug them into a source of power, or replace the power if they've run out.

Read more
Save $200 on the one-month-old 14-inch MacBook Pro with M3
The MacBook Pro open on a table in front of a couch.

MacBook deals rarely involve discounts on the latest MacBooks, but Best Buy is breaking the mold by slashing $150 off the Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch with M3 chip that only launched last month. The discount goes even bigger for My Best Buy members with a further $50 taken off. For regular Best Buy users, it brings the price down to $1,449, but that could be as low as $1,399 if you’re signed up to My Best Buy. Reduced from $1,599, that’s quite the impressive discount for such a new laptop. Keen to know more? Let’s take a look.

Why you should buy the Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch M3
Sure to be one of the best MacBooks for those who like to have the latest technology, the Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch M3 has a lot of power within its sleek exterior. Packing the latest M3 chip, it has an 8-core CPU and 10-core GPU so it’s pretty speedy. It’s worth taking a look at our MacBook Pro M3 buying guide to see the difference between the three M3 chips but you’re unlikely to be disappointed with performance here. There’s also 8GB of memory and 512GB of SSD storage to keep you happy. Alongside that is its 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display that offers Extreme Dynamic Range, 1,000 nits of sustained brightness for HDR content, and up to 600 nits for SDR content.

Read more