Review: Belkin 11-in-1 Pro Dock

It is a well-known fact than any given empty space will always fill up and there will be a need for more empty space.

You can say the same thing about USB ports on a computer, especially the newer USB-C Thunderbolt type. I have a reasonably new Dell tower machine – well its 18 months old – but it only has 2 of these USB-C ports, but has 8 of the larger type.

Just about all new add on devices these days require the smaller USB-C or Thunderbolt ports, especially high-speed ones, and so this becomes a little problematic. In my case for example, all of the standard USB ports in the PC are used up as well as another 8 in an external powered hub.

Lots of Devices

When you run a video editing suite, that is not too difficult to do, what with audio mixing consoles, vision mixers, editing consoles, mice, keyboards, web cams, headset mics, speaker systems, printers, various dongles and so forth and so on.

Even then, I am continually swapping cables in and out as some new device needs to be connected (or tested) for a short period.

I checked around to see if there was a solution to my dilemma and came up trumps – and then some – in the form of a whizzo Belkin 11-in-1 dock.

Not only does it give me another pair of the scarce USB-C ports but also allowed me to free up one on the PC itself by giving me an SD card slot. I also got another 2 USB-A high speed 10Gbps ports to boot.

But wait there’s more as they say!

I can now add (if I wish) another pair of HDMI monitors and a VGA monitor, have access to a second Ethernet port, a further 3.5mm audio port and an extra micro-SD card slot.

And can secure the whole thing if I want via a K-Lock. Excellent!

Not Inexpensive. But…

It’s not inexpensive at AUD$279.95, but for the sheer convenience, it is bloody marvellous, and I highly recommend it for that alone.

If I have one criticism, it is that its own USB-C cable to connect it to the PC which is hardwired into the unit, is too short. If your PC is on the floor like mine, it would be nice to have immediate access to the hub on your desk and it just won’t reach. I’d try an extender cable, but I suspected this might lose some of the speed and defeat the purpose.

A quick online chat with Belkin confirmed that using an extender with a USB-C to USB-A converter would be problematic, but that a dedicated USB-C male to female extender should do the trick. $15 from the Cable Guy online and ordered!

More info from the Belkin website here.