Hub or Docking station advice for OMEN Laptop

[Huffer]

OK done and I can report it drives a 4k monitor, gigabit ethernet and 3 x USB 3.0 devices BUT the 4K display is at 30hz not 60 hz. This is not something that affected our use of this hardware at our office and I frankly never noticed. I also knew I did not know if it would work at 60 hz so glad I did the test. 

[mackayadam79]

Appreciate it - thank you. The key thing I'm trying to check the box for is 4k 60hz. Once the 60hz is confirmed via DP, the USB 3.0 and Gig ethernet while DP is in use I'm good to go.

These are the hubs I ended up ordering (big discounts, have no idea what the difference is, if any). Thoughts? 

• Kensington SD4600P K33466WW USB-C Universal Docking Station
• Kensington USB-C Docking Station; Dual 4K Display and Power (K38299NA)
  • UGREEN USB C to USB C Cable 3.1 Type C PD Fast Charging Cord

[mackayadam79]

Thank you - which model did you test? Also, what's the difference (or big deal, if any) between 30hz vs. 60hz? I don't really game...mostly web, email and EXCEL.

[mackayadam79]

...lastly, what's the difference between the two USB-C hubs I got, if any? Does one jump out as being better than the other?  I've never powered my laptop using pass-thru and will likely keep the big 200w brick plugged in.

(last of my questions...really appreciate your follow-up_

[Huffer · Accepted solution]

Its the iogear GUD3C02 that I tested. I had used it in an office environment driving a 4K and a FHD monitor. Tested it this time with just a 4K. We had used it for spreadsheets, internet, a little streaming video maybe. No gaming. 30 hz vs. 60 hz is the refresh rate. You absolutely need 60 hz for gaming (120 hz is even better) in order to avoid streaking and smearing and just bad looking game play. 30 hz worked fine for our purposes at the office and, as I said, I never even noticed it was working at 30 hz. 

It is used with a 60 w USB-C generic type charger and powers and charges my Thinkpad X1 Carbon and also used it with an HP Spectre 13-v series. 

Seems the two USB hubs you got are very similar. I did note in the specs one of them at least said 4K would be at 30 hz. Since you have ordered them why don't you get them, try them out and report back here. I get a question or 2 a week pretty much just like this one but we have taken a much deeper than usual dive here and it would be good to get some detailed info on products that are out there. 

[mackayadam79]

Thanks again. You mentioned you’d used it to drive a 4K and a FHD and then mention “30hz vs 60 hz”. Just running the 4K (without the FHD) are you saying output was 30hz only or range between  30hz-60hz?

The two Kensington hubs arrived today - I thought the first one said 4k60hz was possible? Regardless, I will definitely check them out in the next day or two and happy to report back results after I’ve given both a thorough run-thru.  

[Huffer]

Output will always be 30 hz or 60 hz or very close to it like 59. In this case, with or without the 2d monitor, it drives the 4k display at 30 hz. The FHD is at 59 hz. An FHD monitor takes 25% the data (bandwidth) as a 4K.