5 Best Laptop Docking Stations to Use with Linux (2024 Edition)

In need of a docking station for your laptop that will work with Linux? Unable to find a good one that has compatibility with Linux? We can help! Follow along with this list as we go over the best laptop docking stations to use on Linux!

Docking Stations on Linux

Docking stations are hit-or-miss on Linux. Keep in mind that while all devices on this list support Linux, you may need to download drivers beforehand to get the full experience.

To get your hands on the drivers for any of these devices, refer to the product’s website linked in each item. Additionally, keep your Linux OS up to date. Newer Linux kernels often include drivers that make these docking stations work better.

5 Best laptop docking stations to use with Linux: our picks

There are a lot of great docking stations out there for laptop users. But how many of these docks actually support Linux? We’ve answered that question with this list. So, here are our picks for the 5 best laptop docking stations to use with Linux.

1. Anker Docking Station

The Anker Docking Station is fully loaded with excellent features that Linux users are sure to love, including USB-C charging, USB-C data, 4K display support, and even integrated MicroSD and SD card support. It also has some excellent networking connectivity by way of a dedicated gigabit ethernet port.

Pros

• It comes with a laptop-charging 85-watt USB-C port, as well as an 18-watt power delivery USB-C port, as well as a USB-C data port.
• It includes tons of helpful USB ports in addition to all of the USB-C ports included.
• It supports 4k DisplayPort connectivity, as well as 2 4K HDMI ports.
• It has excellent SDcard and MicroSD card connectivity support.
• Supports audio in/out.
• Built-in gigabit ethernet.

Cons

• The charging feature may not work on all laptops.

2. Plugable USB C Docking Station

Number 2 on our list is the Plugable USB C docking station. It has a lot of great stuff for Linux laptop fans, from its 3 USB 3.0 front panel ports to its easily accessible front audio ports to its rear Rear 60-watt USB-C port that can be used to charge your device and fast ethernet connectivity.

Pros

• Sports 3 USB 3.0 ports on the front panel for easy storage access.
• Front audio out and in ports for easy headphone and microphone connectivity.
• Rear 60-watt USB-C port that can be used to charge your device while connected to the docking station.
• It comes with two rear USB 2.0 ports for connecting devices that do not need high-speed data transfer.
• Single HDMI port gives users up to 4k resolution at 30Hz and 2560×1600 and below at 60Hz.
• It has a fast ethernet port on the back to give your laptop a wired connection.

Cons

• The USB-C port may not support charging on all laptop models.

3. Dell Display Docking Station

If your Linux laptop is a Dell, you’ll want to take a look at the Dell Display docking station. It has a lot to offer, including three displays at 4k resolution (2 via 4K HDMI and one via Display port) support for USB-A (9-pin), gigabit ethernet, etc. You can even play video games with it if your Dell laptop has a good enough GPU!

Pros

• It supports three displays at 4k resolution (2 via 4K HDMI and one via Display port.)
• Front combo audio-in/out port for combo-port headsets as well as headphones.
• Three fast USB 3.0 slots on the front and a quick 9-pin USB-A port on the back for printers and other devices that support USB-A.
• It works especially great with Dell laptops such as Inspiron 15 7567 Gaming, 5459; Latitude 13 7350. XPS 13, etc.
• It has a gigabit ethernet port on the rear for LAN connectivity.

Cons

• It may not work with non-Dell laptops.
• The device comes with zero USB-C ports or USB-C charging capabilities.

4. ASUS Docking Station

Many laptop docking stations on the market, though good, are small rectangular boxes that sit on a desk, and users plug in various cords to use the dock. The Asus docking station is different. It’s a laptop stand that also functions as a dock. It also has excellent Linux support and some great features such as dedicated DVI and HDMI, gigabit ethernet, USB 3.0 ports, etc.

Pros

• The slim, laptop-friendly design allows users to rest their computers directly on the dock, rather than a square box on your desk, like many other docking stations.
• The device has a dedicated rear audio-in and audio-out ports for microphone and headphones/speaker connectivity.
• Dedicated DVI and HDMI ports allow for a dual-screen setup (up to 4K).
• It has two fast USB 3.0 ports on the side for fast USB data transfers.
• The device supports USB-C connectivity.
• It has support for Gigabit ethernet.

Cons

• No DisplayPort support.
• It only has two USB ports.
• USB-C port doesn’t support charging.

5. StarTech Docking Station

The StarTech docking station is another excellent dock for Linux users to check out. It has a lot to offer, despite being a bit pricy. For starters, it comes with a 60 Wat USB-C charging port and supports two DisplayPort inputs for high-quality 4K 60 FPS screen performance. It also has a front-panel audio-in/audio-out combo port and support for fast, Gigabit ethernet connectivity. If you’ve looked at 1-4 and still haven’t decided, number 5 could worth considering!

Pros

• It comes with a 60 Wat USB-C charging port.
• The device supports two DisplayPort inputs for high-quality 4K 60 FPS screen performance.
• The docking station has two rear USB 3.0 10 Gbps ports and two rear USB-C data ports.
• It has a front-panel audio-in/audio-out combo port.
• Support for fast, Gigabit ethernet connectivity.

Cons

• USB-C charging capability not compatible with every laptop.
• No HDMI ports mean users will need to convert DisplayPort to HDMI if they do not have DisplayPort monitors.

Conclusion

In this list, we went over the 5 best docking stations to use with laptops on Linux. That said, there are more than just 5 docking stations out there. So tell us in the comments: what is your favorite Linux laptop docking station to use?

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