This Docking Station Handled My Three-monitor Setup Like A Beast - And It's Got A Bold Look

Anker Prime DL7400 docking station

ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• The Anker Prime DL7400 is disposable now for $299 connected Amazon.
• It's a desktop hub for Windows aliases Macs that tin grip 3 displays (one astatine 8K) and 140W upstream power.
• It doesn't support Linux aliases ChromeOS, is expensive, and very bulky.

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As nan number of ports manufacturers want to put connected devices decreases, docking stations person stepped successful to capable nan gap. They travel successful each sizes, from mini to big.

But there's besides a 3rd category: nan monster docking stations that outcry "there's nary termination for illustration overkill". These setups typically characteristic cutting separator hardware aliases are built pinch a precocious level of redundancy and future-proofing. 

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That's precisely what nan Anker Prime DL7400 docking station is designed for: nan highest of high-end setups, and folks who positively ne'er want to beryllium lacking successful larboard connections.

Note that my reappraisal portion present is simply a special-edition Black Myth: Wukong branded portion (an action role-playing game) that is different functionally identical to nan modular DL7400. 

First things first: this point is huge. It's sewage a size (7.68 × 3.62 × 1.85 in/195 × 92 × 47 mm) and weight (1.84 lbs/834 g) that gives it immoderate definite presence. This docking position doesn't conscionable request a desk, it demands one!

It besides needs an AC powerfulness source, because it's a powerhouse of performance. On nan inside, it has its ain high-efficiency GaN powerfulness supply, doing distant pinch nan request for a bulky, outer one, helping to support your table tidy. This allows it to tally and maximum powerfulness without compromise, and without turning into a desktop heater -- acknowledgment to nan progressive cooling. 

The docking position itself is positively bursting pinch ports. On nan beforehand present are 2 USB-C ports tin of 100W maximum output and 10Gbps transportation speeds, a 3rd USB-C larboard offering nan aforesaid 100W output and 5Gbps information bandwidth, SD and TF (microSD) paper slots, and a 3.5mm audio jack. 

On nan backmost of nan portion are much ports. There's a 140W/10Gbps upstream USB-C port, 2 8K/30Hz HDMI ports, an 8K/60Hz DisplayPort port, 2 USB-A ports bully for 5Gbps and different constricted to 480Mbps, a 2.5G Ethernet port, and an AC input.

Lots much ports connected nan backmost of nan unit. 

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

Note that nan USB-C ports stock a maximum powerfulness output of 160W.

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This larboard layout allows nan DL7400 to support triple monitors connected some Windows and macOS (no Linux aliases ChromeOS support), and allows 1 to person up to 8K solution and nan others being up to 4K each (if you person problems pinch this, you request to make judge your systems are moving nan latest and top DisplayLink drivers). 

The on-screen show is simply a beautiful neat touch. 

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

On nan beforehand is simply a difficult to miss show that's keeps you successful nan loop arsenic to what nan docking position is doing, and you tin activity your measurement done nan interface utilizing nan knob connected nan side. 

There's a adjacent spot of accusation to delve done successful each nan on-screen menus, from larboard powerfulness output to what capacity mode nan docking position is in, but it's logically laid retired to support it arsenic easy to navigate arsenic possible. If that gets excessively much, nan docking position tin beryllium controlled utilizing an app installed connected nan big system.

The power knob makes navigating nan on-screen menus a batch easier than utilizing a touch screen.

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

This is astir arsenic high-end arsenic docking stations get, and it's aimed astatine pros pinch a batch of displays and devices to power, aliases gamers who want to maximize surface existent estate. 

ZDNET's buying advice

I'll beryllium honorable pinch you, nan Anker Prime DL7400 is simply a behemoth of a docking station. More and much group want docking stations these days, but marketplace for a 14-port, triple display, 8K supporting, fan-cooled docking position that weighs successful astatine adjacent to 2 pounds and costs $300 is simply a niche product.

And yes, this docking position is $300.

But it's besides a really tin docking position that tin grip beautiful overmuch thing you tin propulsion astatine it (except Thunderbolt connectivity -- if you request that, you're looking astatine thing for illustration nan OWC 11-port Thunderbolt 5 unit, nan iVANKY 23-in-1 FusionDock Max 2, aliases nan Plugable Thunderbolt 5 docks. When you look astatine it that way, it's a very reasonably-priced unit.