This Compact Laptop Dock Streamlined My Workspace - And It's Buy One Get One

6 days ago

ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

The Baseus Nomos NU1 Air Spacemate is connected waste for $79.
It's a compact docking position that's perfect for some Windows aliases macOS users connected nan go.
Unlike its predecessor, however, it only supports 2 monitors astatine 4K solution alternatively of three.

Sometimes nan champion updates are incremental, and not a complete top-to-bottom overhaul. That's really I consciousness astir nan Baseus Nomos NU1 Air Spacemate 12-in-1 Docking Station. It's a follow-up to nan Baseus 11-in-1 Spacemate, but it's not a nonstop upgrade to nan older device. If anything, it's an alternate version. It performs similarly, though nan Nomo NU1 carves retired its ain niche.

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One point you'll announcement is that it is importantly smaller than nan older model, measuring 115.5 x 65.5 x 65.5 mm (4.54 x 2.57 x 2.57 inches). Port action is mostly nan same, isolated from it now has an SD paper slot and replaced nan headphone jack pinch a microSD paper slot.

Another awesome quality is that it only supports 2 4K outer displays moving astatine 60Hz connected Windows alternatively of three. It does support 2 screens connected Mac, but according to Baseus, "macOS doesn't support Multi-Stream Transport (MST)". This intends nan 2 monitors will show nan aforesaid contented for macOS.

Another awesome quality of nan Nomos Spacemate is that it only supports 2 4K outer displays moving astatine 60Hz connected Windows alternatively of three. It does support 2 screens connected Mac, but according to Baseus, since macOS doesn't support Multi-Stream Transport (MST), nan 2 monitors will show nan aforesaid contented arsenic each other.

Key compatibility

With this dock, usage requirements aren't ace strict arsenic agelong arsenic your laptop supports screencasting done a afloat functioning Thunderbolt port. You'll spot a database of "compatible devices" connected nan device's charismatic Amazon listing. Don't publication excessively overmuch into that.

A Baseus typical told maine that it only highlights "common devices users could beryllium using," but it is not definitive. I tested nan instrumentality pinch an HP OmniBook X Flip 16, and everything went smoothly (more connected this later). That said, if you stay unsure whether aliases not your laptop will activity pinch nan Baseus Nomos NU1 Spacemate, cheque nan sticker astir nan dock's side. It spells retired nan requirements.

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Around nan backmost is nan permanently affixed, tethered cable. This goes straight into nan root computer. At first, I didn't really for illustration nan cable. It sewage successful nan way, but aft a while, I sewage utilized to it. The in-package velcro strap helps pinch storage.

Port selection

I would urge nan Baseus Nomos NU1 Air complete nan 11-1 Spacemate for 3 reasons: one, it's cheaper; two, it's smaller truthful it fits my cluttered table better; and three, it performs astatine nan aforesaid level.

The pursuing are nan ports connected nan beforehand of nan Baseus Nomos NU Air:

10Gbps USB-C
SD Card slot
microSD paper slot
5 Gbps USB-A port

Around nan backmost are nan following:

10Gbps USB-C
4K@60Hz HDMI ports (2)
480Mbps USB-A larboard (2)
5 Gbps USB-A port
1Gbps Ethernet
100W Power Input port
Plus, nan tethered cable.

My favourite feature, however, is nan fastener connected top. Pressing it erstwhile locks nan instrumentality screen, while holding it down for a mates of seconds puts nan instrumentality into Smart Power Saving Mode. Doing truthful disconnects each ports isolated from nan PD input connected nan back. It's a neat measurement to put your machine to slumber pinch a literal push of a button.

Easy to usage crossed devices

Using nan Nomo NU1 is incredibly easy since each you person to do is link nan backmost cablegram to nan laptop. This does mean that nan dock will person to drain your computer's battery, but it doesn't bargain excessively overmuch energy. For testing, I hooked nan Spacemate up to an HP OmniBook X Flip 16 and an Asus ROG Ally to spot really it improves nan personification experience. Things went awesome overall.

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Through nan dock, I was capable to link a wide assortment of accessories to nan OmniBook, which it usually wouldn't beryllium capable to support pinch nan banal ports. I moreover paired nan machine up to my 2 high-resolution monitors. Image value was mostly good. I noticed a fewer dormant pixels connected my 2nd monitor; however, I judge this rumor was nan consequence of a faulty HDMI cablegram because my main show was wholly fine.

I had a likewise coagulated acquisition pinch nan Asus ROG Ally. Video games ran awesome while connected done nan docking station. There wasn't a modicum lag, input delay, aliases thing that hampered gameplay. It was wholly smooth. Plus, nan 12 ports alteration lets you link each sorts of accessories to nan Ally that it wouldn't usually beryllium capable to support for illustration a rodent and keyboard.

ZDNET's buying proposal

Normally, nan Baseus Nomos NU1 Air Spacemate retails for $100, but it's connected waste for $80 connected nan company's website and Amazon. If you bargain it from Amazon during Prime Day, you get different portion wholly for free. I highly urge nan Nomos Spacemate to casual and master users who want to grow their larboard options without being forced to transportation a large ceramic around. Some stations tin get beautiful big.

If you want an alternative, nan Belkin Connect Universal Pro Dock is simply a coagulated prime pinch a sleek design.

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