IOGEAR Dock Pro Review: Maximize Your Setup Anywhere

Estimated read time 6 min read


Rating:
7/10
?

  • 1 – Absolute Hot Garbage
  • 2 – Sorta Lukewarm Garbage
  • 3 – Strongly Flawed Design
  • 4 – Some Pros, Lots Of Cons
  • 5 – Acceptably Imperfect
  • 6 – Good Enough to Buy On Sale
  • 7 – Great, But Not Best-In-Class
  • 8 – Fantastic, with Some Footnotes
  • 9 – Shut Up And Take My Money
  • 10 – Absolute Design Nirvana

Price: $70

IOGEAR 6-in-1 USB-C Dock Stand Set Up On Table
Megan Glosson

One of the most annoying parts about working from a laptop computer is the limitations that occur due to its size. External accessories help, but what do you do with all of the peripherals you need to hook up? You can turn to a docking station such as the IOGEAR Dock Pro USB-C 6 in 1 Dock Stand!

Here’s What We Like

  • Lightweight and compact
  • Sturdy design
  • Power Delivery port

And What We Don’t

  • Does not support dual monitors
  • All ports on one side of stand
  • Short USB-C cable

My “day job” involves graphic design and digital product creation, while my “side hustle” involves research and writing. This means I frequently have multiple Chrome windows open at once while I simultaneously use graphic design software, communicate with co-workers on Slack, and shuffle files in and out of Dropbox.

Doing all of this on a small, 14-inch laptop is impossible. So, I dock my computer up to an external monitor, keyboard, and mouse. For the past week, I decided to toss my usual setup (an inexpensive USB-C hub and a cheap, plastic laptop stand) and test drive this dock stand from IOGEAR.

Compact, Sturdy Design

IOGEAR Dock Pro 6-in-1 Dock Stand Folded Up
Megan Glosson
  • Dimensions: 0.82 x 10 x 2.36in (2.1 x 25.6 x 6cm)
  • Weight: 0.65lbs (0.3kg)
  • Included Ports: 1x HDMI (Up to 4K@30hz), 1x gigabit RJ45 Ethernet port,  2x USB-A 3.2 ports up to 5Gbps, 1x USB-C 3.2 port up to 5Gbps, PD 3.0 100W (up to 88W charging)
  • Supported Operating Systems: macOS 10.13+, Windows 10 and 11

When I pulled the IOGEAR Dock Pro USB-C 6 in 1 Dock Stand out of the box, I was surprised by how small and lightweight it was. At just 10-inches long and less than 1-inch tall, it maintains a fairly low profile and fits into virtually any laptop bag. Even when unfolded, the footprint is just 10 x 7in, which is smaller than most laptops. The lightweight metal design also makes it incredibly easy to carry.

Note: IOGEAR states, “The docking station supports all standard laptop sizes and up to 11 lbs (5kg).”

The IOGEAR Dock Pro stand includes a single HDMI port, 1 gigabit RJ45 Ethernet port, 2 USB-A 3.2 ports, and 1 USB-C 3.2 port (all of which support up to 5Gbps).  Underneath the dock stand, there’s a PD (Power Delivery) 3.0 port. It provides 100W of power, but only a total of 88W can be used to charge your laptop since the dock itself uses 12W.

In order to use any of these ports, make sure to connect your laptop using the provided USB-C cord that’s wired into the stand. Additionally, your laptop must support Power Delivery pass-through for the PD port to work. Unfortunately, my Lenovo doesn’t support this feature, but if your device does, you could easily pair the dock stand with IOGEAR’s 100W charger or another charging block like the UGREEN Nexode 65W.

IOGEAR Dock Pro Dock Stand USB Ports Included
Megan Glosson

The stand also offers a total of 5 tilt levels, starting at a slight 15-degree bump and moving up incrementally to 35 degrees at the highest setting. The arms lock in well once you select the desired height, and the laptop seems to sit without much movement. However, I didn’t feel like the rubber feet at the end did much to secure the device, and my laptop seemed a bit too slanted for my liking.

IOGEAR Dock Stand Adjustment Arms Close Up
Megan Glosson

When you plug everything in, keep in mind that all of the ports are on the left side of the dock stand. I typically put my laptop to the left of my monitor, and I didn’t have any issues with my cables reaching.

However, if you have short cables or a long distance between the dock stand and other items on your desk, it may be worth considering a placement that shortens the gap between the ports and peripherals. Also, some may have issues with the length of the included USB-C cable, as it’s only about 2-feet-long and located on the underside of the stand.

Not a Perfect Solution for Dual Monitors

IOGEAR Dock Stand With Computer Hooked Up
Megan Glosson

When I received the IOGEAR Dock Pro, I thought it would be the perfect solution for my desk. I currently use a USB-C hub with my Lenovo Yoga laptop and have a separate plastic laptop stand. I hook up an external keyboard and wireless mouse, then I use the external monitor alongside the laptop monitor to give me a second screen. As someone who often needs to reference materials while working, having two displays is a necessity.

Unfortunately, I learned after hooking everything up to the dock stand that it doesn’t support dual monitors. Instead, it either mirrors the laptop screen or gives you the option to close your laptop and use solely the external monitor.

However, several other IOGEAR products do support dual displays, so maybe there’s hope for a future update to this dock stand to include such a feature.

Should You Buy the IOGEAR Dock Pro USB-C 6 in 1 Dock Stand?

Overall, the IOGEAR Dock Pro USB-C 6 in 1 Dock Stand is a great choice for anyone who wants a simple way to hook several external items up to a single laptop (as long as it supports USB-C).

I felt like the number of ports was plenty for most home or office setups, and the lightweight design makes it portable for those who work in a hybrid setting. If you rely on dual monitors or need something with more features, though, you may want to look into other options that will better support your needs.

Here’s What We Like

  • Lightweight and compact
  • Sturdy design
  • Power Delivery port

And What We Don’t

  • Does not support dual monitors
  • All ports on one side of stand
  • Short USB-C cable





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