Does a docking station work without problems with a Mini PC -- something like Intel Skull Canyon?
The reason I ask is because usually docks are associated with laptops only.
42 Answers
Yes, you can use any “docking station” with any computer, provided it has the required connector.
IMHO, there are two types of docking stations: “True” docking stations where you actually physically dock the device (mostly with a proprietary connector carrying USB, Ethernet, DisplayPort/DVI and whatnot) and “external” docking stations which are connected via USB/Thunderbolt. Obviously, only the latter is usable with any PC. The former is really only available for laptops. A Convertible’s keyboard base also sort-of qualifies as a docking station.
Then there’s another two types, concerning graphics: Those that use the PC’s graphics unit – only possible via Thunderbolt – and those that don’t. This means that a USB-connected docking station will have severely diminished graphics performance, because it has a built-in USB graphics solution (like DisplayLink). It will not utilize any graphics unit built into the PC.
Beware though: It is in no way guaranteed that a Thunderbolt port multiplier will pass the DisplayPort connection through. It might well have a built-in graphics solution connected either via its own USB controller or PCI Express.
tl;dr: If you’re okay with your GPU doing nothing, use a docking station. Otherwise, don’t.
If you won’t connect displays to the docking station, all this won’t apply, of course.
1A docking station will work for a mini-PC but remember the point of a docking station on when to use on. We use docking stations on laptops to simplify the connection and disconnection of multiple devices easily, taking would could be a dozen different cables that need to connect and reduce that down to one or two.
The ability to dock a laptop was considered a high end feature for a laptop until Thunderbolt and USC-C came along to provide a standard means to consolidated many of these connections into one. On a laptop the use of a dock gains capability for the user as the dock will have ports the laptop lacks. Few desktops need a dock for this as they will have enough ports for most anyone to connect all they desire. A dock is often to provide power to the desktop, a desktop will often need more power than a dock can provide and so will use a mains utility plug for power. Higher end docks will provide a GPU, PCIe slots, or both. This is where a dock might actually be useful for a desktop since this kind of addition of features to a desktop might not have any other way to be done. But then these are not called docks when used this way, they are an expansion chassis or something.
Docking station will work fine on a desktop PC but most of the reasons for wanting one do not apply like with a laptop. That is unless you intend to travel with your desktop computer often. And if you do travel with a computer often then why not get a laptop?
