HP Has Too Many "UltraSlim Docking Stations"

[jjoe14]

I have an EliteBook Folio 1040 G1 on order.
I want to buy an HP docking station.

A. Under "Supplies & Accessories"

1. HP UltraSlim Docking Station
B9C87UT, $149

Specs: 4 usb 3.0, 1 RJ-45, 1 VGA, 1 line in, 1 line out, 1 displayport

Comptibility:
EliteBook Folio 9470m

2. HP UltraSlim Docking Station
B9C87AA, $199

Specs: the same

Compatibility:
EliteBook Folio 9470m
EliteBook Folio 1040 G1

3. HP UltraSlim Dock 2013
D9Y32UT, $159

Specs: the same, except _two_ displayports

Compatibility:
ZBook 14
EliteBook 820, 840, 850
EliteBook Folio 9470m

4. HP UltraSlim Dock 2013
D9Y32AA, $209

Specs:  same as D9Y32UT (two displayports)

Compatibility: same as D9Y32UT


Summary:  of the four products above, only one (B9C87AA) is said to be compatible with the EliteBook Folio 1040 G1.

-----

B. Under "HP EliteBook Folio G1 Notebook PC (F2R72UT)" webpage

Click on "Accessories, Supplies & Services" tab.
Click on "Docking and Port Replicators".

It's important to realize that the EliteBook Folio 1040 G1 webpage points to ALL of the following as "approved" accessories for that computer.

1. HP UltraSlim Docking Station
B9C87AA, $199

Specs: does NOT say how many displayports it has.

Compatibility:
The E.B. Folio 1040 G1 webpage says it's compatible.
The listing under "Supplies and Accessories" says it's compatible.

2. HP 2013 UltraSlim Docking Station
D9Y32UT, $159

Specs: does NOT say how many displayports it has.

Compatibility:
The E.B. Folio 1040 G1 webpage says it's compatible.
But the listing under "Supplies and Accessories" does NOT say it's compatible.

3. HP UltraSlim Docking Station
B9C87UT, $149

Specs: does NOT say how many displayports it has.

Compatibility:
The E.B. Folio 1040 G1 webpage says it's compatible.
But the listing under "Supplies and Accessories" does NOT say it's compatible.

-----

Looking under Supplies & Accessories, it shows four products and says one is compatible.

Looking at the E.B. Folio 1040 G1's list of approved accessories, it shows only three products but says that all are compatible.

Then there's the important issue that the products listed as "approved" do not show how many displayports they have.

You could take the conservative approach and say you'll buy the product that's on BOTH lists -- B9C87AA -- even though 1) it apparently has only one displayport and 2) it's the highest price of the four products.  Isn't that a great combination, less for more!

But if you really, really want to be absolutely sure that you're getting the right dock for your two thousand dollar laptop, maybe you'll bite the bullet and do it anyway.

When you go to the B9C87AA webpage
<http://h30094.www3.hp.com/product/sku/10459812/mfg_partno/B9C87AA#ABA>
there appears to be some good news.  It's on sale!

There's a link, "SmartBuy is Available!"

Click on that link and

...  WAIT FOR IT!  ...

it takes you to _a DIFFERENT product_, the B9C87UT!

What a mess HP has made of this!

Long ago the military had an acronym which precisely described situations like this: *UBAR.

So what would you do for a docking station for your EliteBook Folio 1040 G1?

[IN4MER]

Here's the long story short.

There are two version of the same product, normal (AA) and smart buy (UT). Smart buy is cheaper than normal even though it's the same thing.

For this particular docking station, there's the first generation one (which I have) and the 2013 version.

The older laptops cannot use the 2 DP at the same time when using the 2013 docking station because of "architectural" designs.

/hpeb/attachments/hpeb/bsc-274/176966/1/dual%20display%20alert_D9Y32AA_Page_1.jpg

/hpeb/attachments/hpeb/bsc-274/176966/2/dual%20display%20alert_D9Y32AA_Page_2.jpg

They are essentially all the same except the different amounts of DP port so purchase the one that is the cheapest and what you need and works!

[jjoe14]

Thank you for your response.

> there's the first generation one (which I have) and the 2013 version.

There are four products shown on the HP webpages.
And, as you say, each pair is the same product.

Two have a year in their product names:
  HP UltraSlim Dock 2013, D9Y32UT
  HP UltraSlim Dock 2013, D9Y32AA

Two do _not_ have a year in their product names.
  HP UltraSlim Docking Station, B9C87UT
  HP UltraSlim Docking Station, B9C87AA

Are the B9C87 products older or newer than the D9Y32 products?

[Toffy]

jjoe14

Your Docking station 732252-001

Page 21 http://h20628.www2.hp.com/km-ext/kmcsdirect/emr_na-c04035571-1.pdf

http://www.partschase.com/HP-UltraSlim-Dock-2013-732252-001

[IN4MER]

Sorry I wasn't clear.

The 2013 versions are the NEWER ones.

[jjoe14 · Accepted solution]

toffy, thanks for the link to the maintenance manual.  I downloaded it.

ssjdeng, thanks for the info.  I ordered the D9Y32UT.

[a2cservices]

D9Y32AA

is called "HP Ultra slim Docking Station 2013 Model"

= Latest Model, USB 3.0 & 2 x Display Port Adapters

B9C87AA

is called "HP Ultra slim Docking Station"

= older generation, exactly the same as the D9Y32AA except it only has 1 x Display Port Adapter

Quickspecs for both

http://h20195.www2.hp.com/v2/getpdf.aspx/c04168358.pdf?ver=11