Docking Your Laptop Can Make it Feel More Like a Desktop

Do you prefer to get your work done on a desktop? If so, you’re not alone; laptops are great for mobility, but they do have certain limitations placed on them that you might find difficult to work with. Thankfully, you can make most modern laptops work and feel like a desktop with a couple of modifications and components.

Try Docking Your Laptop

There are several benefits to gain from docking your laptop; here are just a few of them.

The Keyboard and Mouse You’re Used To

A laptop with USB ports gives you the power to choose which devices you want to plug into it to get your work done. For example, you can choose your preferred keyboard and mouse that are hopefully going to feel more comfortable and natural than using the trackpad or keyboard on your laptop. Your wrists will thank you for sure.

Better Screens and Displays

Laptops have really nice displays capable of outputting 4k, but how much does that matter when you’re forced to hunch over just to appreciate and use them? Plus, laptops only have one screen, unless you’re carrying around a portable monitor. If you already have a couple of monitors that work well for you, then you can use them alongside your laptop to get more work done. It makes performing tasks easier when you have more than one screen to work with.

It’s More Ergonomic

Hunching over your laptop is going to do a real number on your body, and the laptop keyboard is certainly not doing any favors for your wrists and joints, either. If you’re going to spend several hours in front of your laptop, then it might as well be while it’s docked to ensure that you’re not putting unnecessary strain on your body.

There’s More Flexibility

If you upgrade to a new laptop, it should be just as compatible with your docking station as your old one, meaning there is less hassle when it comes to making sure that all of your technology works well with it. If you have a home office with a dock, then you can just as easily drop your laptop into that as you would at your actual office. It cuts down on reconnecting peripherals and plugs you into productivity immediately.

How to Transform Your Laptop Into a Desktop

The trick to turning your laptop into a desktop is a USB-C Hub. If you know where to look, you can get them for as cheap as $15, but they of course vary in size and capability, running as costly as several hundred dollars. Obviously, your preferences and needs will vary, so consider your needs before investing in anything too costly.

Ultimately, how much you choose to plug into the hub will determine its cost. For example, if you have two monitors, you’ll want to ensure that your hub can at least support them and outputs a resolution that your monitors are native to and that your laptop can handle. Most monitors are natively 1080px, also known as full HD. If you aim for this goal, then you should be set. That said, if you want to handle 2k (QHD) or 4k resolution (UHD), you should make sure that your laptop and the USB-C Hub can output that resolution. The option to downscale is there as well, and most 2k monitors can display a Full HD signal without issue, but there’s no reason to invest in expensive 4k monitors if you’re not going to use technology that can leverage that tech.

Once you have your displays handled, then you just need to plug in your other peripherals, including your keyboard, mouse, webcam, microphone or headset, and anything else that you might need. Depending on the USB-C Hub you purchase and your laptop, the device might even slowly charge your laptop battery. There are also hubs that can connect more than one computer or laptop, but it’s usually more convenient to just swap the single cable out.

If any of this sounds difficult, rest assured that Horne & Benik can help you out.

Docking Stations Are Helpful for the Hybrid Office

Remote and hybrid work can both be augmented through the use of laptops and docking stations. You retain control over devices and data while also providing employees with the tools they need to fulfill their tasks without sacrificing mobility. You also gain the ability to experiment with desk reservation systems where you have shared workstation environments for employees to come to the office to get their work done—all they have to do is plug in their laptops and get to work.

Let Horne & Benik help you make the process of acquiring these solutions easier. Learn more by contacting us at (603) 499-4400 today.