There are some pieces of technology that are at their best when they stand out.If they're doing the job you need them to do, you'll forget they're even there.The Baseus Spacemate RD1 Plus 14-in-1 (WIN) Docking Station is exactly that type of device.
Add How-To Geek on Google Add as Preferred Source Follow on Google Discover In the two weeks I've spent with this compact little powerhouse, I've barely noticed it was there unless I had to plug something in or recharge another device with an empty battery.This is exactly what it was designed to do, but I'm confident that I notice if someone were to take it away again.Baseus Spacemate RD1 Plus 14-in-1 (WIN) Docking Station A fire-and-forget solution 8.5 Ports HDMI 1 / HDMI 2, 2 × USB-C (PD), 4x USB-A, SD/TF Card Reader/ Gigabit Ethernet USB Power Delivery PD 100W x 1 + PD45W x2: 120W total max Power supply included Yes The Baseus Spacemate RD1 Plus 14-in-1 (WIN) Docking Station is a feature-packed, compact, and powerful docking system perfect for anyone who has a powerful laptop that supports DisplayPort over USB-C.
Pros & Cons Compact and versatile Info screen is truly useful My new favorite charging station Reliable single-cable docking Couldn't get 4K 120Hz to work with my MacBook Some issues waking from sleep The price is borderline for the value on offer See at Amazon Expand Collapse See Our Process How We Test and Review Products at How-To Geek We go hands-on with every product to ensure it's worth your time and money.Posts By Justin Duino Price and availability The Baseus Spacemate RD1 Plus 14-in-1 (WIN) Docking Station is available right now via Amazon and retails for $259.99.However, it is on sale as an introductory offer until December 31, 2026, for $179.99.
In the box you'll find a USB-C PD host cable rated for 100W, a figure-eight power cable, and the docking station itself.Also, a friendly card telling you it's perfectly normal for the RD1 Plus to get hot — so don't worry about it.Specifications Brand Baseus Ports HDMI 1 / HDMI 2, 2 × USB-C (PD), 4x USB-A, SD/TF Card Reader/ Gigabit Ethernet USB Power Delivery PD 100W x 1 + PD45W x2: 120W total max Power supply included Yes Max display res.
4K at 120Hz x1 or Dual 4K at 60Hz Color Black Expand Collapse This unassuming box simplified my whole setup to one cable I was living in the dark ages Close The RD1 Plus is a robust little thing, and heavy in the hand.Its glossy black exterior makes it fade into the background in my setup, but its impact on my workflow was far more than I expected after unboxing it and setting it up.To understand why the RD1 Plus made such a dramatic change to my setup, I need to sketch out a few details.
I use a MacBook Pro with an M4 Pro processor as my main work machine.It's hooked up to a 4K 144Hz television, and before, I used one of those dual-USB port expansion devices that attach to the side of the laptop, allowing you to connect to more peripherals than just two Thunderbolt ports will allow.So every time I had to dock my laptop, it meant plugging in the MagSafe cable, attaching the port expander, and connecting the TV to the HDMI port on the other side of the laptop.
Those are three things to connect.With the RD1 Plus, that's now a single USB-C cable, and all the attached devices spring into life.It could not be simpler.
As for the performance of the device, the results are unexciting.Everything I plugged in worked, and in almost all cases it worked at the correct speed.There are two 45W USB-C charge-only ports on the front, which turned out to be perfect for my iPad and smartphone.
Neither of which I want to transfer data to most of the time.The little info screen is a definite highlight, especially as it shows you exactly how much power is being sent to each of the three charging ports, as well as what's plugged in and if data connections have been made.The little button on the top of the RD1 Plus turns the screen on and off, and if you long-press it, your attached computer will lock itself.
Incidentally, the RD1 can be used vertically or horizontally, with the screen adjusting by itself.There are some minor bugs Nothing too serious I ran into only two significant issues while using the RD1 Plus.First, I could not get anything above 4K 60Hz on my MacBook using the 120Hz port.
I used the same cable I was getting 4K 120Hz with before directly from the MacBook's native HDMI port.While I have no reason to doubt that the RD1 can run a single monitor at that refresh rate while outputting 4K, I could not confirm this for myself, and since I don't have two 4K monitors, I couldn't test the dual 4K feature either.The other small issue was that if I left the laptop docked overnight, I would have to unplug and replug the host cable before it would work again.
If you're undocking your laptop at the end of the day, this is a non-issue.Should you buy the Baseus Spacemate RD1 Plus 14-in-1 (WIN) Docking Station? If you're a professional with a high-end laptop (such as a MacBook Pro or similar Windows machine), I have no trouble recommending the Baseus Spacemate RD1 Plus 14-in-1 (WIN) Docking Station as a slick solution for your daily docking needs at a price commensurate with the rest of your equipment.However, at $259.99, it's a harder sell for those who aren't editing videos or compiling code on a multi-monitor system hooked up to external storage.
However, at $179.99 during the introductory promotion, that hesitation goes away.A 140W GaN charger with no docking-station functionality can easily cost $100 by itself, so the special discounted price makes this a no-brainer.Baseus Spacemate RD1 Plus 14-in-1 (WIN) Docking Station 8.5 Brand Baseus Ports HDMI 1 / HDMI 2, 2 × USB-C (PD), 4x USB-A, SD/TF Card Reader/ Gigabit Ethernet USB Power Delivery PD 100W x 1 + PD45W x2: 120W total max Power supply included Yes The Baseus Spacemate RD1 Plus 14-in-1 (WIN) Docking Station is a feature-packed, compact, and powerful docking system perfect for anyone who has a powerful laptop that supports DisplayPort over USB-C.
Max display res.4K at 120Hz x1 or Dual 4K at 60Hz Color Black See at Amazon Expand Collapse
Read More
