Expert rating
Benefits
- Elegant and discreet design
- Dual hdmi 2.0 ports
- Connects without problems
Disadvantages
- Crazy for being stingy with usb ports
- No extra features
- Works halfway as a laptop support
- Short warranty
Opinion
It’s a clear missed open goal by Brydge not to make the stylish Stone Lite just a bit wider and give it a couple of usb 3 ports as well. Then it would have been a real highlight. Now it hardly works as a universal docking solution, but you will need to supplement with another USB hub.
Award: SEK 1,299 at CDON
Most usb c docks we have seen have a very similar design, an oblong box in gray aluminum with a fixed usb c cable on one short side and ports all around. Brydge Stone Lite stands out with its own design that can appeal to those who want something extra elegant on their desk. It’s a matte black wedge-shaped box with soft shapes and connections only on the back.
It does not have a fixed USB cable, but you get a USB C to USB C cable that you connect to the computer. It is one meter long, which allows you to place the box more discreetly in the background than you can with most docking stations, for example at the foot of a monitor. The chassis is in matte black plastic that looks nice from a distance, but feels less solid to pick up and carry around than the more common small metal boxes from the competition.
The idea is that you should also be able to have the Brydge Stone Lite as a computer support to lift up the computer at the back. But given that it is not at all as wide as, for example, Belkin’s 11-port Connect unit, it doesn’t really work. It is too easy for a computer you place on it to be unstable.
It is one of the slightly more expensive cans we tested with a price of just under SEK 1,400. For that, you don’t seem to get much. Usb c gen 1 connection to the computer, and only a slow usb 2.0 port on the back of the docking station. It’s fine for connecting a mouse or keyboard, but too slow for most other things.
Few features, but good screen ports
In addition to that, it has two type c ports, one that you connect to the computer and one that you connect the power supply to for forwarding to battery charging. Brydge doesn’t specify how much power is supported via the charging port, but our computer has a 65 watt charger, and it does a great job of getting full power out of the docking box. You don’t get functions such as a card reader, audio or ethernet.
In addition to the design, it is precisely the image outputs that you pay extra for. Brydge Stone Lite supports dual hdmi 2.0 connections, so you can connect dual 4k monitors and run 60Hz on them without any problems.
Monitors and the only USB device we can plug in connect quickly and without problems, and we don’t have to fiddle with screen settings for the computer to detect the right resolution and frequency on our test screen. It is not always a matter of course with docking stations. So it is appreciated.
But overall, this is too cramped and restrictive. If you only want to expand screens and nothing else, this could be a nice option. But if you want any extra functionality besides the ability to charge the battery, there are much smarter choices. Although perhaps not as pretty. Only one year’s warranty also gives a minus point.
Specifications
Product name: Brydge Stone Lite
Tested: May 2022
Manufacturer: Brewery
Computer connection: Usb 3 type c gen 1
Video output: 2 hdmi
Usb ports: Usb 2.0
Network: No
Power supply: Usb pd (via separate type c), max power not specified
Miscellaneous: No
Size: 13.5 x 8.2 x 2 cm
Weight: 171 grams
System requirements for full functionality: Usb 3 type c with display port alt mode and usb power delivery
Guarantee : 1 year
Award: SEK 1,299 at CDON