A solid option for connecting to additional devices.
Finding premium accessories to match your premium devices can be difficult in this accessory-saturated market. ACCELL has some great options for all types of users. The ACCELL Air InstantView USB-C 4K Dock is a great option for data transfer and display extension from tablets and desktop computers alike.
DETAILS
The ACCELL Air InstantView USB-C 4K Dock is designed to be a pocket-sized dock that can provide up to 10Gbps data transfer rate as well as 4K monitor connectivity. The dock provides users the option to share screens and/or mirror your connected device’s screen. The USB-C PD port on the dock provides up to 87W of power. The dock is versatile and can be used with mobile devices as well as desktop and laptop computers. The dock is compatible with a variety of operating systems including Microsoft Windows, macOS, ChromeOS, Linux (RedHat and Ubuntu), and Android OS. To use the dock, you simply plug it into any compatible device. Android users can utilize the ACCELL Driver-Less app from the Google Play store to allow for screen sharing on bigger screens.
FEATURES
- USB 3.1 Gen 2 – Fast 10 Gbps data transfer rate, doubling the speed from USB 3.0
- 4K Ultra HD – More pixels for sharper and engaging pictures
- Ports include: Two HDMI, Three USB-A, and a USB-C 87W PD
- Dual Display Support – Increased productivity by extending displays for multitask-heavy roles
- Pocket-size docking station: 5.5 x 3 x 0.75″, 0.5 lb
USER EXPERIENCE
The dock is packaged in a white cardboard box. There is an image of the dock on the cover with the name of the product (ACCELL USB-C 4K DOCK) printed below the image. The actual ACCELL logo is stamped on the side of the box and information on the product on the back. When you open the box you will find the dock housed inside cardboard cut out which seems to be designed to keep the dock from sliding around in the box. The dock does come with a user guide that discusses the different ways the dock will connect with different operating systems. For my purposes, I will be connecting it with a MacBook Pro.
My first impressions of the dock are very strong. I love that the ACCELL logo is engraved on the top of the dock. It’s stylish and very exclusive looking. One thing that I noticed was physically missing was any sort of silicone feet to keep the dock sliding around when it’s on a desktop. The entire aluminum casing is smooth and complementary to most modern laptop and tablet designs – especially Apple products.
The USB-C cable extension is an adequate length and it’s flexible enough to use in a variety of ways. All the ports on the dock are spaced apart very well. One side of the dock has three USB-A ports and the other has two HDMI ports and a USB-C PD port. There is also an LED status light on the USB-A side of the dock that glows white when it’s connected to a device and provided bus power. I plugged it into my iPad and also saw a red LED light up. I couldn’t determine exactly what that red light indicates though since it’s not referred to on the ACCELL website or in the user manual.
To be fully transparent, I was able to use the dock with my MacBook Pro easily. I didn’t have any trouble connecting to my wide-screen monitor or any USB-A accessories through those ports. Since I didn’t test it with a Windows computer, I did a little research and some users reported having issues with dual-monitor connections. They stated that they felt as though the ‘driverless’ claim was false advertising, but the manual plainly states that users with Windows or macOS will end up having an app to open directly from the hub itself. Once the optional drivers are installed, then extended mode can be enabled. As I mentioned, with my single display, I had no issues. This was just a potential issue I wanted to call out.
CONCLUSION
There are a lot of options out there when it comes to docking stations. The ACCELL Air InstantView USB-C 4K Dock is a solid choice for a portable connection device. I like that it gives you the option to connect to two monitors and that is portable enough to carry in any laptop bag. The only suggestion I would have for the dock would be to have a small clip attached to it so that the USB-C extension cable doesn’t just dangle when in transit.
