Test: Deltaco USBC-1266 – docking station that measures up

Summary

Expert rating

Opinion

Here you get a good minimum set of everything you need, including network and card reader. However, you have to compromise good quality on the 4k screen, and a bit of ethernet speed. But these are things that many users still do not need. Then you can save a penny.

Tested product: Deltaco USBC-1266
Award: From SEK 599 at Prisjakt

Deltaco is a large distributor of various IT products, but they are also a supplier of things like cables and adapters under their own brand. Including docking stations like this one. It has the anonymous name USBC-1266, and is a compact one with a depressed price, but which still does not lack any important function.

Externally, it is, like so many other similar docking stations, a narrow and elongated box clad in aluminum with short sides and a long side in plastic. This is where the connections sit, a gigabit ethernet port on one end, the usb-c cable that connects to the computer on the other, and then a row of ports for external connectivity on the long side.

You get an HDMI port for an external display, two USB 3 ports of type A with a maximum speed of 5 gigabits, and an SD card reader. Then it has a separate type c port that can be connected to a power source so you can charge your computer’s battery. Here we see a reason for the lower price, it can only handle up to 60 Watt power, where many others are at 100 Watt. so if you have a more powerful charger for the computer, you won’t get the full effect out of it.

It’s fine to plug in a more powerful charger, but it just doesn’t get the full power out of the power adapter, A couple of laptops we plug in complain about it, but they’re fine to use anyway, the only difference is that it’s not as fast to charge the battery.

Slightly easier hdmi

The hdmi port is the only image output you get, there is no extra in the usb c port. It can display 4k resolution, but only at 30Hz, so it’s not very pleasant to use for anything other than possibly movie viewing. Therefore, we prefer a 1080p or 1440p screen, then we can run them at a more pleasant 60 Hz.

It’s a good basic set of features, and all seem to work smoothly when we connect. With screen, usb storage, computer mouse and network cable in, we get input all in five seconds, and the various ports seem to keep what they promise.

Almost anyway, the network port is a bit slower than its promised gigabit. Other gigabit ethernet docks we’ve tested log close to 900 Mbit/s throughput, here we get about 700. That’s still fast enough for most things you want to be able to do, most people don’t even have that fast broadband.

Requires a little hand laying

The SD card reader has a tendency to occasionally not recognize that there is media in it when we connect to the dock, so it does not come up as a volume. Then we have to pull it out and put it back in for it to react. It is difficult to say whether this is a general error, or something with our particular unit. In any case, it’s a detail we can indulge.

The box can also get relatively warm, especially during intense network traffic and while charging the computer’s battery. It’s not alarmingly hot, but can be a little uncomfortable to quickly pull off and carry in a trouser pocket.

Deltaco gets an extra plus on the edge because they provide a full five-year warranty on the USBC-1266. This is something that can vary widely between different brands, with warranties ranging from one to ten years, and Deltaco is among the best. Most provide a one to two year warranty.

Specifications

Product name: Deltaco USBC-1266
Tested: May 2022
Contact: Deltaco
Computer connection: Usb 3 type c gen 1
Video output: Hdmi
Usb portr: Usb 3 type c gen 1, 2 usb 3 gen 1 type a
Network: Gigabit ethernet
Power supply: 60 W usb pd (via usb c)
Miscellaneous: No
Size: 11.6 x 4.5 x 1.5 cm
Weight: 85 grams
System requirements for full functionality: Usb 3 type c with video output and usb power delivery
Guarantee : 5 years
Award: From SEK 599 at Prisjakt