Which docking stations are recommended for XMG laptops? Overview table with recommended docking stations for various XMG and SCHENKER laptop modelsThe following table provides a comprehensive list of which docking stations are supported and recommended with which laptop:XMG & SCHENKER Docking Station Recommendation MatrixThe left part of the table first lists all current laptop models from XMG and SCHENKER. The middle part shows which USB-C features the laptops support in each case. For example, it is indicated whether a laptop offers only one or two DisplayPort streams via USB-C. The right-hand section then contains a long list of possible docking stations. These are grouped and sorted according to their platform properties. At the top of the table, there is a link to the shop for each dock, behind which you can study the complete spec sheet of the docks.The decision as to which docking station we recommend for which laptop is derived from the capabilities of the laptop and the hardware requirements of the docking station. Combinations marked with a single tick are recommended purely on the basis of their combined spec sheets. Combinations with a double tick have actually been tested in this combination by us or a community member, which reinforces the recommendation.The list is constantly being updated. The date of the last update is found at the bottom left, after the footnotes and FAQ references.The table does not aim to be a general overview of the I/O port distribution and misc features of different docks. Instead, the table focuses on the "platform" of the respective docking station - i.e. what system capabilities does the dock require in the host laptop and how does it process the incoming screen signals. This is relevant for estimating which laptop is compatible and recommended with which docking station.The table is therefore only intended as a rough filter function to narrow down the docking stations available on the market to a handful of recommended combinations. The viewer is encouraged to then look at the datasheets and prices of the remaining docking stations themselves before making a final decision.For laptops with AMD Ryzen CPU and USB-C 3.2, which in contrast to Intel Core with Thunderbolt only provide a single DisplayPort signal, the viewer must also decide for themselves whether a dock with or without MST is desired. Both variants can be found in the table. The following paragraph explains this circumstance in more detail and offers a clear decision guideline.Important key technology: MST | multi-stream transportAs mentioned at the beginning: Some laptops offer two simultaneous, parallel DisplayPort signals via USB-C. Some laptops, on the other hand, only offer a single DisplayPort signal via USB-C. If a laptop only offers a single DisplayPort signal in the direction of the dock, only a single monitor can be connected to the dock natively. Unless the dock or the adapter has an MST chipset.An MST chipset is capable of splitting a single DisplayPort signal to multiple, independently controlled monitor outputs. The outputs behind the MST splitter can be any type of output, including DisplayPort and HDMI.1. Advantages of MST:MST enables the use of multiple external monitors on a USB-C host, even if that host only sends a single DP signal via USB-C.2. Disadvantages of MST: However, MST also splits the bandwidth of this DP signal, thereby limiting the maximum resolution of these external monitors (typically to 4K/30Hz). In addition, MST is usually not compatible with advanced technologies such as AMD FreeSync and NVIDIA G-SYNC. MST could (depending on the chipset used) generally limit the refresh rate of monitors to 60Hz even at lower resolutions. Especially in the case of docking stations with an MST chipset, you should study the docking station's spec sheet carefully to find out what maximum refresh rates and resolutions the dock can guarantee. Whether or not a docking station has an MST splitter is not always clear from its data sheet. Rule of thumb: if MST (Multi-Stream Transport) is not explicitly advertised in the docking station's extended data sheet, you can assume that the docking station does not have an MST splitter.3. Decision guideline on MST:Based on these explanations, we recommend buying MST only when you really need it. Otherwise, we recommend avoiding MST. So this means: If your laptop supports Thunderbolt with 2 DisplayPort signals, choose a dock without MST. If your laptop only has 1 DP signal, but you also only want to use a single external monitor on the dock, then, again, choose a dock without MST. If your laptop has only 1 DP signal but you want to use multiple monitors behind the dock, choose a dock with MST. Additional terms and acronymsThe following terms and acronyms are used in the overview table where the system requirements and platform specifications of the respective docking stations are listed. It is worthwhile to internalise these terms and include them in your decision making. TBT = Thunderbolt 3 (TBT3) and Thunderbolt 4 (TBT4): These two technologies are generally compatible with each other. USB-C = USB Type-C: USB-C is the lowest common denominator for most modern docking stations. A dock with USB-C platform support indicates that the dock does not necessarily need Thunderbolt. Instead, it can also work with a host that simply supports USB-C. Some docking stations only support TBT. Other docks prefer TBT but also have a USB-C fallback mode. DP = DisplayPort: This indicates that the docking station requires a DisplayPort signal from the laptop. This automatically applies to all TBT3/TBT4 docks. For USB-C docking stations, the requirement of DP is very common, but there are a few exceptions. At the right edge of the table you will find docking stations without DP requirement. These are only recommended for the few laptops that do not themselves output a DP signal via USB-C. DL = DisplayLink: This technology is a low-fidelity alternative to DisplayPort. It uses the simple USB data protocol to emulate an external monitor. Docks with DisplayLink are only recommended as a "last resortu201d for those hosts that do not support DP over USB-C. USB-A: USB-A cannot host a native DisplayPort signal. At the very end of our list you will find some docks that offer DisplayLink via USB-A. These are technically identical to DisplayLink over USB-C, but may have an even lower USB data rate. We would only recommend such docks as a very last resort, e.g. if the USB-C port on the laptop is already occupied elsewhere. Notice on docking stations from Dell, HP and LenovoSome docking stations from manufacturers who also sell their own laptops sometimes implement proprietary functions that only work with specific laptops from these brands. These functions include: MAC address pass-through Wake on LAN from S4/S5 The ability to turn on the laptop with a power button on the docking station from S4/S5. These functions are not provided for in the USB-C or Thunderbolt standards, so the manufacturersu2019 implementations are neither compatible with each other nor with third-party laptops.Furthermore, the Power Delivery functions of those manufacturers, i.e. the possibility to supply the laptop with power via the docking station, are often based on proprietary deviations from the standard. Example: a docking station from a major manufacturer is advertised with 100 watts of power delivery, but only supports 75 watts in operation with third-party laptops. In such a case, it is neccessary to also connect the laptop's original charger to the laptop to achieve reasonable performance when docked. We provide more details on this topic in this forum thread:[Survey] Popular Docking Stations from Dell, HP and Lenovo and other Big Name brandsFor these reasons, we recommend buying docking stations from independent manufacturers that exclusively implement the public standards USB-C or Thunderbolt - see the link to the recommendation table at the top of this FAQ article.When in doubt, just askWe hope that our recommendation matrix and the explanations in this article help to shed some light on the sometimes complicated world of laptop docking stations. If you are still unsure which dock is right for you, or if you want to report a problem with one of our recommended laptop-dock combinations, please contact us or post in this community thread:[PSA] Overview table with recommended docking stations for various XMG and SCHENKER laptop modelsThank you for your support!