Tag: Ugreen

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Ugreen’s Triple Display Docking Station is a pricey but helpful addition to my desk

Last year I reviewed some Ugreen charging accessories, but one Ugreen product I tested but didn’t have time to write about was the USB-C Triple Display Docking Station.

The docking station has become one of my most-used Ugreen accessories while also being tough to recommend. The biggest issue is the price — at $329.99 USD (about $442.10 CAD), it’s a tough sell.

It also might be hard to get in Canada. The device isn’t listed on Ugreen’s Amazon store in Canada, making Ugreen’s website the only place to get it. Ugreen’s shipping information notes that it delivers to “most areas of the United States,” with no mention of shipping to Canada. However, when I punched in my shipping information, it estimated delivery would take three-to-five business days and would be free of charge.

Cost and shipping aside, if you’re in the market for a dock that does it all, then Ugreen may have what you need here. This docking station sports the following:

  • SD and microSD card reader (104MB/s)
  • USB-C 3.1 (10Gbps)
  • USB-A 3.1 (10Gbps)
  • 3.5mm audio jack
  • 2x USB-A (5Gbps)
  • DisplayPort (4K@60Hz)
  • 2x HDMI (1x 4K@60Hz, 1x 8K@30Hz)
  • USB-C Power Delivery: 100W
  • ‘Host’ port – USB-C
  • RJ45 Gigabit (1000Mbps)

In other words, this docking station is absolutely loaded with ports, enabling a ton of functionality — assuming you’ve got a PC capable of taking advantage of all those features over USB-C. Over the last few months of 2022, I tested out several Windows laptops, most of which worked well with the Ugreen dock. I, unfortunately, can’t speak to how well MacBooks play with the docking station since I don’t have a MacBook, but Ugreen’s website suggests it should work fine.

In fact, the Ugreen docking station actually made my job reviewing laptops a fair bit easier since almost every major Windows laptop offers USB-C charging and display output over the same port. Thanks to that, I was able to quickly cycle new laptops into my workflow by just plugging them into the dock — with one plug, I had access to a whole second monitor, charging, my camera, and anything else I needed to plug in (such as my security key that, unfortunately, uses USB-A still).

A small gripe I have with the dock is that it requires a power source for charging and doesn’t come with an adapter in the box. It wasn’t a major issue for me since I already had other Ugreen adapters — I grabbed the 140W Nexode charger I had from a previous review, and that worked just fine. However, for anyone looking to buy one of these docking stations, it stings a little that the $330 USD price doesn’t include a power adapter (although you do get a USB-C cable). Granted, you don’t need a power adapter to use the dock, but if you want to charge your laptop, you’ll need to deliver power somehow.

Another note is the Ugreen website lists that you need to install ‘Displaylink’ software, but I didn’t install anything and had few issues with the docking station. The one problem I ran into was getting video output from the 8K HDMI port, which I think ultimately came down to a cable issue — not that it mattered much since I only had two monitors to connect to the dock at any given time.

You can learn more about the Ugreen USB-C Triple Display Docking Station here.

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Ugreen’s Nexode chargers pack plenty of power in petite packages

Accessory maker Ugreen is back again with two new ‘Nexode’ Gallium Nitride (GaN) chargers that want to give you more charging, faster, in a smaller package.

First up, there’s the Nexode Mini 45W Dual USB-C charger, which is about the size of your average power brick but sports two USB-C chargers. This wonderfully compact charger boasts 45W charging output from either port or a 20W and 25W split when using both ports simultaneously.

Per the company’s website, it seems like either of the USB-C ports can output 25W, so the higher power device should pull 25W regardless of which of the two ports you plug it into. For example, if you charge your phone and laptop at the same time, the laptop should get 25W while the phone gets 20W.

Given the small size of the Nexode Mini, it quickly won a spot in my backpack and replaced the slightly smaller Aukey USB-C charger I’ve carried for years — the Nexode Mini has two USB-C ports to the Aukey’s one, plus up to 45W charging.

While the Nexode Mini certainly wins points for portability, the Nexode 140W wall charger dominates for sheer capability. It’s about the same size as the power adapter that comes with a MacBook but features two USB-C ports and a USB-A port.

The bottom USB-C port can output the maximum 140W, while the top USB-C port maxes out at 100W. The USB-A port can only do 22.5W, which is still plenty for most things that will charge off that port.

Unfortunately, the power distribution with the Nexode is a little more complex than the Mini. First, if you use the USB-A port, it caps both of the USB-C ports at 100W. If you don’t use the USB-A port, but use both USB-C ports, they both cap at 65W.

And if you use all three ports, then the bottom USB-C caps at 65W, the top USB-C caps at 45W, and the USB-A sticks to 22.5W. Confused? Thankfully, the charger comes with a little chart to highlight the different outputs, although I’d argue if you’re getting into chart territory, your charger might just be too complex.

Anyway, the Nexode all sports a high price tag at $169.99 in Canada. It’s a lot to spend on a charger, but then Apple’s single-port 140W adapter costs $119, so the Nexode isn’t too unreasonable. The Nexode Mini is more affordable at $42.99 in Canada and, in my opinion, is probably the best option for most people (unless you really need more than 45W charging, which you might if you’re rocking a new laptop or MacBook that charges over USB-C).

You can learn more about the Nexode and Nexode Mini on Ugreen’s website (it’s worth noting that prices are slightly lower on Ugreen, but it only ships to the U.S., so Canadians will need to stick with Amazon for now):

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Ugreen’s DigiNest is a compact way to handle all your charging needs

If you’re looking to up your charging game, Ugreen’s new 100W USB-C ‘DigiNest’ power strip could be the solution.

There’s been a DigiNest on my desk for a couple of weeks now, and it’s proven to be a helpful addition. Boasting seven total ports (three regular outlets plus three USB-C and one USB-A port), the DigiNest is a compact device capable of dishing out juice to all my tech.

Granted, I’m likely in the minority with a bunch of devices to charge – I’ve got a few phones and laptops on the go for testing and reviewing – so having a ton of options for charging is extra helpful. Still, if you’re looking for an easy way to minimize desk clutter at home or in the office, the DigiNest works well.

It’s fairly compact and looks nicer than your typical power strip, which helps with de-cluttering. Plus, offering USB-C and A ports means you can mostly do away with power bricks (or since many phones don’t include chargers in the box anymore, save yourself some money by just buying cables).

The downside to this, however, is that charging output can shift significantly depending on what’s plugged in. Ugreen has a whole chart on its website for the DigiNest charging outputs based on what’s plugged in and where. Frankly, it’s complicated, but I’d also argue it’s not really that important unless you really want to optimize your charging. I mostly went by the symbols on the DigiNest – it marks two of the USB-C ports as good for laptops, so I used those when I wanted to charge a laptop and didn’t have any problems.

DigiNest charging chart | Image credit: Ugreen

During my time with it, the DigiNest worked great charging laptops, phones, and even my Fitbit. I made use of both the regular outputs on the rear for laptops, as well as the dedicated USB-C ports to charge laptops I had with USB-C chargers. Unfortunately, I didn’t have a MacBook to test, but Ugreen does say it works with them.

Perhaps the biggest issue some will have with the DigiNest is the price. It’s $129.99 USD (about $168.93 CAD) on the company website, but Ugreen doesn’t appear to ship to Canada. The DigiNest is available on Amazon.ca for $139.99, which is better than the Ugreen price but still more than you’d pay for the average power strip.

In other words, if you don’t care about aesthetics, I don’t think there’s a lot going for the DigiNest over a typical power strip. Most of my home office setup runs off a power strip I keep tucked out of sight in the corner of my desk. If that’s how you’re operating, save yourself some money and get an ugly-but-functional power strip for less. But if you want a convenient charger that isn’t tucked away in some dark crevice, the DigiNest is a fantastic option.

You can purchase the Ugreen 100W USB-C DigiNest on Amazon for $139.99.

MobileSyrup utilizes affiliate partnerships. These partnerships do not influence our editorial content, though MobileSyrup may earn a commission on purchases made via these links.