BenQ beCreatus DP1310 assessment: A MacBook docking station for work and play – Uplaza

Worth When Reviewed

$299

Greatest Costs Right now: BenQ beCreatus DP1310 USB-C Hybrid Dock

Displays have turn into so good, so large, and so reasonably priced that you just now not essentially want two of them, one on your work gear and one on your playthings. That is the place docks come into play. They’ve lengthy been an integral a part of artists’ workstations, however there at the moment are additionally fashions focussing on leisure, such because the BenQ beCreatus DP1310, which units the bar extraordinarily excessive, particularly with its output choices.

As with most stationary docks, the beCreatus DP1310 is usually a comparatively voluminous, anthracite-colored field. Other than the back and front, the housing is fabricated from steel, with the highest and backside being ribbed to extend the floor space, because the housing serves to dissipate warmth–the DP1310 will get fairly heat throughout operation.

The quick left aspect is rubberized in order that the dock doesn’t slip simply once you stand it upright. There are additionally two rubber strips on the ribbed underside, which to my shock are usually not glued down and may also be positioned on the highest in the event you actually need to stand the dock the wrong way up. Nonetheless, the primary goal might be to have the ability to put them nearer collectively if you need the dock to face on a smaller floor.

The entrance is fabricated from darkish grey plastic and homes two USB-A ports with as much as 10Gbps knowledge throughput and seven.5 watts of energy, a USB-C port, additionally with 10Gbps throughput, however with 36 watts of energy, a 3.5 mm jack for a headset and a small standing LED that lights up blue or inexperienced relying on the supply.

The attention-catcher and one of many options that visually units the beCreatus DP1310 other than comparable docks is a big inexperienced button that additionally features as an on/off swap and lets you change the related sources on the contact of a button. Its form means that it may be rotated, however sadly, it is a false impression.

When you keep in mind the wild Nineteen Nineties and early 2000s, you should still be accustomed to the idea of the Boss Button, which allowed you to superimpose a pretend work display screen over video games reminiscent of “Moorhuhn” on the contact of a button in order that your boss couldn’t see that you just had been busy doing something apart from working. That is precisely how the DP1310’s inexperienced button works however as an precise {hardware} answer. You actually can swap between work and pleasure on the contact of a button.

The rear is filled with a very powerful connections. There are two USB-A ports for a mouse and keyboard, one other USB-A port with 10Gbps throughput and seven.5 watts of energy, and a gigabit ethernet port.

The video connections are the place issues get fascinating: The BenQ beCreatus DP1310 has an HDMI 2.1 enter, a USB-C port with DisplayPort assist and 100 watts of energy supply, two HDMI outputs (one HDMI 2.0, one HDMI 2.1), and a DisplayPort output.

There may be additionally a hole plug socket, because the dock, which might distribute round 160W to related units, is provided with energy by a big, heavy 180W energy provide unit.

The dock doesn’t have a card reader, nor does it have any USB-C ports other than the one on the entrance. The previous makes the DP1310 lower than ideally suited for the inventive business, which it’s not geared toward anyway, whereas the latter is considerably extra severe, as many units, particularly webcams, now depend on USB-C ports. Additionally noteworthy: no Thunderbolt assist.

Search for our checks of the perfect Thunderbolt docks for Mac for quicker data-transfer docking station options.

BenQ beCreatus DP1310: Vary of features

What do you do with so many ports? Mainly, there are (at the very least) two software examples, maybe you possibly can consider one or two extra.

Mac and recreation console with one show

The primary instance is the one BenQ primarily makes use of to advertise the beCreatus DP1310. When you’ve got restricted house, you need to use your workstation as a gaming nook comparatively simply, which is especially fascinating if you have already got quick, high-resolution displays. Due to the 2 HDMI 2.1 connections (enter and output), the DP1310 helps both 4K decision at 120Hz refresh charge or 8K at 60Hz, each with Dolby Atmos HDR know-how.

Whereas 8K/60Hz nonetheless largely falls into the class of goals of the long run, 4K/120Hz has lengthy been a actuality, as each the Xbox Collection X and the Sony Ps 5 assist this mode on the supply aspect and it has additionally lengthy since arrived on output units. LG’s fashionable OLED TVs have been capable of output 120Hz natively since 2019, and laptop displays with comparable specs at the moment are obtainable from all well-known producers, particularly within the gaming sector.

The one Macs that assist 8K are the MacBook Professional with M2 Professional, M3 Professional, M2 Max or M3 Max.

The dock comes into play in the event you don’t have house for a TV or don’t need to purchase one (or use one of many small fashions of LG OLEDs as a monitor on your Mac) and need to place your Xbox Collection X or Ps 5 at your workstation. Join your high-performance monitor to the DP1310’S green-blue HDMI 2.1 output, your console to the inexperienced HDMI 2.1 enter, and your Mac to the blue USB-C port on the again. You possibly can swap between Mac and console utilizing the massive inexperienced button on the entrance.

When you’ve got as much as three displays, you possibly can increase the Mac output accordingly. Whereas I’ve no use for it myself, I can think about that streamers and builders will recognize with the ability to rapidly swap forwards and backwards between a console and a big workspace.

The particular factor is that just one display screen can swap between the console and Mac; the opposite two are at all times reserved for the laptop computer and might proceed for use even if you’re enjoying in your console.

Prolong Mac output to a few displays

The second instance is expounded to the truth that for the reason that introduction of the M-chips, the state of affairs with Macs supporting a number of exterior displays appears somewhat bleak and relies upon closely on the chip. While the state of affairs has improved considerably with the introduction of the M3 chip earlier this 12 months, it’s nonetheless so difficult. To summarize briefly: One of the best ways to do it’s with a DisplayLink dock.

As talked about above, you possibly can join three displays to the BenQ beCreatus DP1310: two by way of HDMI and one by way of DisplayPort. Your MacBook, alternatively, may be related as typical by way of USB-C, which additionally provides it with energy. As with many comparable docks, you want the DisplayLink driver for to assist so many shows, however it’s obtainable freed from cost.

Whereas the beCreatus DP1310 is actually appropriate for this software, there are additionally smaller and cheaper options. When you solely want to attach extra screens to your Mac, it’s best to due to this fact check out different docks. Nonetheless, there are additionally different docks in the identical dimension and value class, which is why the BenQ mannequin matches in fairly effectively.

Take a look at our advisable finest DisplayLink docks for Mac.

BenQ beCreatus DP1310: No KVM swap

Probably the most annoying factor in regards to the beCreatus DP1310 is that it’s explicitly designed to be used with a console. As such, it additionally doesn’t act as a KVM swap, which is why you possibly can’t merely use it to arrange a hybrid Home windows PC and Mac workstation with only one set of peripherals. A KVM swap lets you use the identical peripherals (mouse and keyboard in addition to displays) with two completely different units, on this case, a Mac and a Home windows PC.

I notice it is a barely completely different area of interest, however I can’t think about it will have been that rather more cumbersome or costly to implement this function as effectively. And the icing on the cake could be if I might additionally join my Xbox or Ps inside this hybrid set-up.

BenQ beCreatus DP1310: Efficiency

Video

There may be little to say in regards to the video connections. Right here, the beCreatus DP1310 delivers what it guarantees: 4K/120Hz (examined with an Xbox Collection X and an LG OLED B1 from 2021) is output by the beCreatus with none issues. I used to be unable to check 8K/60 Hz because of an absence of {hardware}. However as I stated, 8K isn’t very widespread anyway and received’t catch on any time quickly.

The largest shortcoming of the output issues switching between the 2 sources. This isn’t instantaneous, as you’d anticipate, however takes just below 8 seconds on common. That will not sound like a lot, however have you ever ever pressed a button after which needed to look ahead to one thing to occur? It looks like an eternity.

Of specific curiosity to plain M1/M2 MacBook customers is the flexibility to attach as much as three exterior shows with the dock with out having to pay the additional value for a mannequin with an M2 or M3 Max chip. This fashion, you possibly can even increase a M1 MacBook Professional with three screens, every with 4K decision and 60Hz refresh charge. This not solely works in clamshell mode, the place you’re employed together with your MacBook closed and use it with an exterior mouse and keyboard, but additionally unfolded. This lets you increase your MacBook setup to a full 4 screens in the event you want that a lot house.

When you then swap to your console, you’ll lose one display screen on the MacBook, however you possibly can nonetheless use it with the remaining two screens. In fact, it’s as much as you what you do on it: handle the chat of your Twitch stream, show the walkthrough for the sport within the browser, watch a TV present on the aspect.

Whereas the perform itself labored easily throughout testing (even with an older MacBook) I had a number of hindrances when setting it up. After putting in the DisplayLink driver, one display screen wouldn’t work in any respect, after restarting the dock it did work however displayed psychedelic colours on one half and after one other restart (and after each restart) all the things lastly ran easily. So it’s good to know that “have you tried turning it off an on again?” continues to be legitimate.

USB speeds

So far as the velocity of the USB ports is worried, there are hardly any surprises with the DP1310. Total, the velocity examined with the Blackmagic Disk Pace Take a look at is in actuality considerably decrease than the USB commonplace really used. Nonetheless, it’s not solely depending on the know-how used, but additionally on the machine with which it’s examined and even the cable with which it’s related.

For my checks, I used a 1TB Samsung T7 USB-C SSD, which isn’t the quickest SSD in the marketplace. Linked on to a M3 MacBook Professional M3 Professional, it achieves common learn speeds of 720MBps and write speeds of 835MBps, which is already effectively beneath the USB specification. In distinction, the identical SSD on the identical MacBook looped by the beCreatus DP1310 achieves common learn speeds of 680MBps and write speeds of 820MBps.

This corresponds to a distinction of 6 p.c in learn velocity and solely 2 p.c in write velocity, which is totally negligible. It could due to this fact be assumed that higher-performance storage units than the Samsung T7 deviate simply as little from what the connection really delivers.

BenQ beCreatus DP1310: Worth and availability

Like most high-performance or extremely specialised docks, the beCreatus DP1310 isn’t precisely low cost. The producer’s value is $299/£309 and it is usually uncommon to seek out it for much less on third-party retailers, though it needs to be talked about that the value isn’t out of the vary for such a specialised dock.

For this value, you get the dock with the aforementioned specs, a big and heavy 180-watt energy provide with an influence cable, a completely specified USB-C cable and a completely specified HDMI 2.1 cable. The truth that BenQ contains the final two alone should be credited to the corporate, as there’s an unbelievable quantity of snake oil on Amazon, particularly with regards to USB-C cables. So having the correct cables proper within the field is one much less downside you must cope with.

Must you purchase the BenQ beCreatus DP1310?

The BenQ beCreatus DP1310 is the right dock if you wish to add a recreation console to your workstation setup. To get the absolute best setup, your setup ought to include at the very least a 4K display screen with 60Hz and a MacBook. When you’ve got a desktop Mac, you often have sufficient connections anyway and might do with out docks.

It’s additionally nice for including as much as three exterior shows to your current MacBook workstation, even when your mannequin doesn’t really assist it. When you merely need to increase your vary of connections, there are additionally extra appropriate (and extra reasonably priced) docks.

This text initially appeared on Macwelt and was translated by Roman Loyola.