ATEN USB-C Multiport Dock review: Plenty of ports and power pass-through for your laptop

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If you’ve been reading Techaeris for any amount of time, you’ve probably heard me say this before. Many newer laptops are opting out on usable ports for thinner form factors, making them more portable. We’ve reviewed a few USB-C multiport adapters and docks in the past and now our ATEN USB-C Multiport Dock review takes a look at a stylish, sturdy multiport dock with plenty of ports and 60W of power pass-through for your devices.

Specifications

The ATEN USB-C Multiport Dock has the following features and specifications:

  • Connects up to 10 devices instantly through a USB-C cable
  • Provides Power Delivery Pass-through up to 60W after deduction of 15W used by the dock
  • Supported power profiles include 20V/3A, 12V/3A, 9V/3A and 5V/3A power specification
  • Supports 4K resolution on a single HDMI or DisplayPort display, and Dual 1080p on a DisplayPort and an HDMI or VGA monitor
  • 1 x USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type A port supports Battery Charging Specification Revision 1.2 (BC 1.2) for Fast-Charging device
  • Built-in memory card readers (SD/MMC/Micro SD)
  • Audio line-in and line-out
  • Gigabit Ethernet
  • Stylish and ultra slim docking station
  • Enhanced EMI protection by increasing the cable braid density and adding conductive foam
  • Especially suitable for 13′ notebook computers having a USB-C port on the left side (e.g. a Macbook Air 13′)
  • Output port: USB-C
  • Input ports
    • USB 3.1 Gen1 Type A with BC1.2
    • 2x USB 3.1 Gen1 Type A
    • DisplayPort Female
    • HDMI Female
    • VGA Female
    • Gigabit Ethernet Female
    • SD/MMC/MicroSD
    • 3.5mm stereo 4-pole microphone and headphone jack
    • USB-C with Power Delivery Pass-Through up to 60W

What’s in the box

  • ATEN UH3234 USB-C Multiport Dock with Power Pass-Through
  • User instructions

One thing to note: the USB-C power adapter is NOT included with this dock.

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What’s in the box…

Design

USB-C hubs and docks usually come in two set shapes: square or rectangle. The ATEN UH3234 USB-C Multiport Dock is rectangular in shape and is 3-inches deep and about 11-inches wide. At the front edge, it’s about 1/4-inch thick and the dock has a 5° rise for a thickness of about 5/8-inch on the back edge.

ATEN-USB-C-Multiport-Dock-review-09
The ATEN USB-C Multiport Dock is definitely sleek looking.

The entire enclosure is crafted from aluminum, making it light, sturdy, and sleek looking. On the top of the dock, the ATEN logo is printed in white in the lower left corner whiled symbols and text for each port is printed in white along the back edge. In addition, there are two dimples on either side near the back in which the feet of compatible laptops will rest.

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Each port is labelled on the top back of the USB-C Multiport Dock.

On the left side of the dock, near the back, is a short, 6-inch USB-C cable which connects to your laptop’s USB-C power port. Across the back are your ports: USB-C power, VGA, HDMI, full-sized DisplayPort, RJ-45 Ethernet, SD/MMC/MicroSD, and three USB-A 3.1 ports (one with battery charging BC 1.2). On the right side is a 3.5mm audio port.

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Plenty of ports for all your connection needs.

On the underside are four rubber feet to prevent slippage and scratching your desk or other surface.

Overall, the ATEN USB-C Multiport Dock is sturdily constructed and sleek looking, especially if you have a laptop with a similar finish.

Ease of Use

As is the case with most USB-C docks, there are no drivers required and the ATEN USB-C Multiport Dock is simply plug and play for Windows and OS X. Plug the dock into your ultrabook’s USB-C power port then plug your USB-C power adapter into the dock and away you go.

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Simply plug the dock into your laptop then plug your USB-C power adapter into the dock and you’re good to go!

Performance

During our testing, all the ports worked as they should. Both HDMI and DisplayPort worked with a 4K monitor at 30 fps (separately), as did the VGA, Ethernet, MicroSD, SD, and USB-A ports. As for the Power-Delivery, we tested that with the Razer Blade Stealth which requires 45W of power. As expected, the ATEN USB-C Multiport Dock powered it just fine while other ports were in use.

There are some caveats to this dock. For starters, it will only output 4K@30 over HDMI or DisplayPort and doesn’t support dual monitors over these connections. It will, however, support dual 1080p@60 resolution when using the HDMI or DisplayPort in tandem with the VGA port. In addition, for Dual-View to work, a computer’s graphics card must support MST technology. Unfortunately, Mac computers only support a single-view output.

Likewise, only the MicroSD or MMC/SD port can be used one at a time. Whichever card you stick in first will take priority and will be the active port.

That being said, these limitations seem to be in line with other hubs/docks we’ve tested or seen floating around the internet.

Price/Value

The ATEN UH3234 has an MSRP of US$175. While it is currently listed on Amazon for $156.36, it is also listed as out of stock at the time of this review. However, you can also get a list of ATEN retailers from their website in the link below this review.

That being said, $175 is a pretty hefty price to pay for a USB-C dock. However, with multiple ports including a full-size DisplayPort and USB Power Delivery up to 60W, this USB-C Multiport Dock is definitely a good investment, albeit a tad on the pricey side, for expanding your portable ultrabook while at home or in the office.

Wrap-up

With its solid build quality and sleek look, the ATEN UH3234 USB-C Multiport Dock with Power Pass-Through is a great add-on for any ultrabook requiring less than 60W of power.

*We were sent a review unit of the ATEN UH3234 USB-C Multiport Dock with Power Pass-Through for the purposes of this review.

Last Updated on February 3, 2021.

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