Docking Station

You are probably right.

In this regard, I find HP's consumer laptop well equipped.

I have a HP "entertainment" laptop DV2500t, it is definitely a consumer model, but it comes with an expansion slot and is docking station capable.

 

HP's expansion port based docks are definetly a step up from USB based solutions, but they still fall short compared when compared to the docks for Latitude series.

 

Docks from the Latitude series are much more capable than the docks you find on the HP laptops. Come to think of it I am not sure you can get a docking capable consumer HP notebook anymore. At least when I looked at a notebook or two over at their website they did not have docking connectors.

In any event, Latitudes are definitely higher quality than most if not all consumer notebooks. Not to mention their docks are more capable too. Dell has had docks out for over a year now that support two DVI monitors out, for instance. Not sure where HP competes with that, but quite frankly I have little interest in HP computers anymore.

 

How come? What is the difference?

I am using an HP dock with my DV2500t, it connects everything, including power, to the laptop. Quite convenient.

The dock was an impulse buy 2 years ago, I never used it until recently. I almost put it on craigslist last year, now I am happy that I didn't.

 

Wow, 2 DVI connectors? That would be very useful!

HP has more innovative ideas and designs, but their execution are pretty bad, quality control and customer services are not that good either. I can understand why you don't want to buy HP computers. Unfortunately, Dell is quite boring and its quality control is not that consistent either.

 

With my precision m6500, I'm going to run an external monitor just via displayport and if I need more ports, and small usb hub....the usb one will work though if you need that. I don't really like docking stations...just my opinion.

PS: if I go with two flanked monitors, then well, it all changes lol

 

I didn't feel like I need a docking station either, that is why I had a brand new HP docking station lying in my closet for almost two years. But after my desktop died recently, I found out that it really is a pain to connect and disconnect your network cable, your scanner, you printer, you speaker, your mouse and your external monitor to your laptop one by one every time. Suddenly my idle HP docking station seems like a god-send, it connects everything all at once via an expansion port and it even charges my battery!

I wish my vostro1220, which is smaller and faster, could have a proper docking station like that.

 

yeah...my mouse and network are wireless.....I use headphones and scanner and printer are connected via one usb cable (small portable hub) so I don't connect much....well, I do plug in the vga cable for the external....so I only plug in 3 cables....for that 1220 I'd prolly just get a usb one. I can see why you'd want a quick solution to that.

 

I find that for transferring files, a wired connection is still much faster. Theoretically it shouldn't matter, I have a N router and N capable laptop, but the file transferring speed is just so much slower through the air. So I usually plug in if I am at my desk.

Don't you need to plug in a dongle for your wireless mouse? Unless it is a bluetooth one.

 

It's bluetooth....I connect at 5ghz N .... 300 Mbps internally ..I get some pretty amazing download speeds really off the 'net these days. Bunch of laptops in this house....all wireless.