There are many docking stations on the market today, and while they come in many different shapes and sizes, they all have one thing in common: they are Thunderbolt based. It’s a popular interface these days, and with speeds up to 40Gbps, it’s easy to see why. But Thunderbolt isn’t supported on AMD laptops, and on Apple Silicon Macs, the processor limits external displays. This is where docks like the VisionTek VT7400 come in.
With DisplayLink technology, the VisionTek VT7400 offers support for up to three 4K displays and works on almost any laptop, regardless of whether it has an AMD, Intel or Apple Silicon processor. It’s nothing new, but this technology has great value if you don’t have a Thunderbolt-capable laptop. I wish there was an SD card reader, and I’d also like to have more USB Type-A ports on the same side of the dock. This design doesn’t lend itself to every current setup, as accessories have to be plugged in on the front and back, and there’s room on both sides for many USB peripherals. But it still has a couple of USB Type-A ports, USB Type-C, Ethernet, and a headphone jack for more expansion, along with appreciated touches like a power button.
About this review: VisionTek sent us the VT7400 for this review and didn’t see its contents prior to publication.
Visiontek VT7400
Recommended
The VisionTek VT7400 uses DisplayLink technology to enable support for up to three 4K displays on almost any PC or laptop, including Macs. It also has a range of USB ports, Ethernet and a headphone jack.
- ports
- 3 x HDMI 2.0, 2 x DisplayPort 1.2, 4 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, 1 x RJ45 Ethernet (1Gbps), 1 x 3.5mm combo -Audio jack, 1 x USB Type-C connection to host
- USB power supply
- Up to 100W
- Including power supply
- 180W DC Power Adapter
- Max display resolution
- Up to 3 x 4K (3840 x 2160) at 60Hz
- Price
- $349 (MSRP)
- Triple 4K display support, even without Thunderbolt
- Solid supply of USB ports, including USB Type-C
- Power switch makes it easier to save energy
- More USB ports on one side would have been desirable
- A little too expensive
- No SD card reader
VisionTek VT7400 Pricing and Availability
- The VisionTek VT7400 is available from various retailers including Amazon
- It starts at $349 MSRP, but you can find it cheaper
VisionTek released the VT7400 docking station in mid-February, and it’s available through the company’s website and various third-party providers such as Amazon and Newegg.
The VT7400 starts at $349 MSRP, which is definitely steep for a docking station without Thunderbolt support. That puts it well above the $279 price tag of Plugable’s Triple 4K Display Docking Station, which has similar features. Luckily, you can find it for around $300 at the time of writing, which makes it a lot more reasonable.
VisionTek VT7400: design and build quality
- The VisionTek VT7400 has an all-black body with plenty of ventilation
- It’s plastic, but it’s solidly built
Design is probably not the top priority for many of these docking stations, but it’s worth dwelling on, especially given the premium you’re paying for it. However, the VisionTek VT7400 doesn’t do much to stand out. It’s got an all-black body that’s sleek and subdued, with a sort of brushed finish on the top that keeps it from looking glamorous to unadorned.
Unlike other similarly priced docks, the VisionTek VT7400 doesn’t use a metal body, but mostly plastic. Although you can tell it’s plastic, I wouldn’t call it cheap. It still feels solid, although we’re not sure it will be enough to survive a fall. The dock has large rubber feet, but it doesn’t feel like they’re doing much to keep it from sliding around. You’re unlikely to accidentally knock it over, but it’s something to keep in mind.
One thing I like about this dock is that it has a power button, which is definitely appreciated.
It’s hard to imagine a docking station overheating, but the VT7400 appears to have a solid thermal design. There are large ventilation areas on both sides, and the bottom is filled with holes to facilitate airflow. Many docking stations use a metal case that acts as a kind of heat sink, so this extra ventilation should compensate for the plastic construction.
One thing I like about this dock is that it has a power button, something I really missed using my previous docking station. I work in the same room that I sleep in and at night the small lights on a dock can be an issue, but I don’t want to unplug it every time. A power button for quick on/off simplifies things, so it’s definitely appreciated. Even if you have your own office, it can help you save energy.
Ports and connectivity: Three 4K displays and plenty of USB
- You can use up to three 4K displays with the five display output ports
- There’s a fair supply of USB ports, but the way they’re divided can be impractical
Of course you buy a docking station for the connections, so what does the VisionTek VT7400 offer? The main appeal here is the support for triple 4K displays thanks to the five display outputs on the back. You get three HDMI 2.0 ports and two DisplayPort 1.2 ports, all of which support 4K resolution up to 60Hz. The two DisplayPort connectors are each paired to an HDMI connector, meaning a video signal can only be sent through one of them at a time, allowing only three displays to be supported at a time. These four ports use the DisplayLink interface, while the third HDMI port is DP alt mode, which supports three 4K displays on almost any laptop, including the latest Macs with Apple M1 and M2 series processors.
DisplayLink is a special driver that can take a regular USB signal and use it to display video even if the laptop doesn’t support it natively, so these ports shouldn’t be impacted by display limitations. The DP Alt Mode port uses the graphics driver on your laptop, so this third display may not work on USB-C ports that don’t support DP Alt Mode. That shouldn’t be a problem for most modern laptops, though.
While reviewing this dock, I noticed that there can sometimes be a slight lag when large objects are moving when using both monitors via the DisplayLink connectors (these are Full HD monitors with a 75Hz refresh rate and 75Hz, respectively). .165Hz). It’s a split second, but it’s enough for me to notice. Docking stations aren’t typically designed for refresh rates higher than 60Hz, which could be part of the problem. However, it didn’t happen that often, and when it did, it wasn’t a big deal.
All USB ports have a bandwidth of 10Gbps, which many similar docks can’t say.
As for the rest of the ports, there are two USB Type-A ports on the back, along with RJ45 Ethernet. On the front are two more USB Type-A ports, two USB Type-C ports, and a headphone jack. All USB ports have a bandwidth of 10Gbps, which many similar docks can’t say. However, keep in mind that the host connection itself is only 10 Gbps of bandwidth to begin with. So if you use a lot of high-speed peripherals, you will quickly exhaust that bandwidth. However, you can use different devices at different times and still have those high speeds.
While the sheer number of USB ports is great to see, I did run into a problem. It’s much easier for me to have all ports on one side since the dock is on the edge of my desk and I prefer to route cables directly to each peripheral. Unfortunately, this isn’t possible as I always have at least three USB peripherals plugged in and have to bend back some cables behind the dock. I suspect this is a unique problem, but if you’re trying to make the most of a small desk, you might run into something similar. Just pay attention to how your desk is set up before you buy it.
Should you buy the VisionTek VT7400?
You should buy the VisionTek VT7400 docking station if you:
- Have an AMD laptop or Apple M1/M2 Mac and multiple external monitors
- You want a dock that works the same on almost every laptop
- Need more USB ports or Ethernet
- You just want to turn off the dock when you’re not using it
You should not buy the VisionTek VT7400 if you:
- Can get a cheaper alternative (like the Plugable UD-ULTC4K)
- Want a premium build?
- Prefer all connections on one side
- Need an SD card reader
The VisionTek VT7400 is a perfect docking station and offers a number of good features. Triple 4K display support on just about any laptop is certainly nice to have, and there’s a decent range of ports overall. However, it’s hard not to point out the lack of an SD card reader, which many laptops don’t have these days. I’d say the USB port placement isn’t ideal either, but probably not a deal breaker. What stings it a bit is the pricing, especially considering you can get the Plugable Triple 4K Display Docking Station with a similar number of ports for a lot less. But if you have a non-Thunderbolt laptop, this should be on your list.
Visiontek VT7400
Recommended
The VisionTek VT7400 uses DisplayLink technology to enable support for up to three 4K displays on almost any PC or laptop, including Macs. It also has a range of USB ports, Ethernet and a headphone jack.
