Best Docking Stations for Chromebooks Android Central 2020

A docking station for your Chromebook can turn a portable device into a genuine desktop replacement. Usually, you'll find plenty of ports used to handle exchanging data between devices of some sort or another, as well as a display connection so you can plug standard peripherals in and a way to power the other devices being connected. If you need to get your Chromebook connected, these are the best docking stations.

A bit of everything: WAVLINK Universal Laptop Dock

Staff pick

Dual HD video, six USB ports, Ethernet, and even a dedicated EGPU port make this docking station from WAVLINK a jack of all trades. Designed for use with Chromebooks in mind, this dock should serve the needs of almost everyone who needs one.

$83 at Amazon

The stylish choice: WAVLINK Aluminum Docking Station

Sticking with WAVLINK for this next pick, this is another docking station from the company that we really like. It gives you six full-sized USB ports, with four on the front and two on the back. The HDMI port supports resolutions up to 2560x1440, there's a wired Ethernet port, and the aluminum design looks stunning.

$80 at Amazon

Small footprint: Pluggable UD-Pro8

Initially designed for Windows tablets, this small docking station from Pluggable supports everything you need to turn your Chromebook into a desktop while still having ports leftover for you to attach other essentials like SD Card readers. It's also nice and small, so it doesn't need much real estate on your desk!

$79 at Amazon

Carry along: EUASOO USB-C Hub

Don't let the name fool you — this USB C "hub" from EUASOO has all the features of a much larger (and less portable) dock from other companies. And it all works great with your Chromebook!

$66 at Amazon

Hi-speed charging: Pluggable USB Mini Docking Station

This small dock includes the basics like USB and video connections and also sports an 85-watt charging circuit through the USB C port to satisfy all the power needs you'll have with one port and one cable.

$129 at Amazon

The big dog: HP USB-C G4 Docking Station

Designed for HP's line of business Chromebooks, this docking station has the ports and video connections you expect as well as advanced network functions like Wake on LAN and Mac Address Through support. For the Enterprise or serious user, this is a perfect tool.

$145 at Amazon

Do you need a docking station?

Docking stations are usually associated with a desktop environment, as they are one of those things that generally stays put when you're on the move. They do a great job at it, too — our staff choice, the WAVLINK Universal Laptop Dock, provides you with a full desktop experience by simply connecting a single USB cable. The most significant difference between a dock and a hub, outside of devices like the EUASOO USB C Hub, is how power is handled; hubs tend not to power your Chromebook while a docking station will.

All of the products on this list work great to enhance or expand your Chromebook, but you might be better served with a more portable hub if you don't spend much time in one place. Chromebooks were designed to be mobile, after all!

Don't want to spend a lot on a dock? There are also USB-C hubs for Chromebooks, so you can see which style serves you better before you spend any money.

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