BenQ beCreatus DP1310 evaluation: A MacBook docking station for work and play

Worth When Reviewed

$299

Finest Costs At the moment: BenQ beCreatus DP1310 USB-C Hybrid Dock

$467

Screens have grow to be so good, so massive, and so reasonably priced that you simply not essentially want two of them, one to your work gear and one to your playthings. That is the place docks come into play. They’ve lengthy been an integral a part of artists’ workstations, however there at the moment are additionally fashions focussing on leisure, such because the BenQ beCreatus DP1310, which units the bar extraordinarily excessive, particularly with its output choices.

As with most stationary docks, the beCreatus DP1310 is usually a comparatively voluminous, anthracite-colored field. Aside from the back and front, the housing is fabricated from metallic, with the highest and backside being ribbed to extend the floor space, because the housing serves to dissipate warmth–the DP1310 will get fairly heat throughout operation.

Eugen Wegmann

Eugen Wegmann

Eugen Wegmann

The quick left facet is rubberized in order that the dock doesn’t slip simply whenever you stand it upright. There are additionally two rubber strips on the ribbed underside, which to my shock aren’t glued down and will also be positioned on the highest for those who actually need to stand the dock the wrong way up. Nonetheless, the principle objective might be to have the ability to put them nearer collectively if you need the dock to face on a smaller floor.

The entrance is fabricated from darkish grey plastic and homes two USB-A ports with as much as 10Gbps information throughput and seven.5 watts of energy, a USB-C port, additionally with 10Gbps throughput, however with 36 watts of energy, a 3.5 mm jack for a headset and a small standing LED that lights up blue or inexperienced relying on the supply.

Eugen Wegmann

Eugen Wegmann

Eugen Wegmann

The attention-catcher and one of many options that visually units the beCreatus DP1310 aside from comparable docks is a big inexperienced button that additionally features as an on/off change and permits you to change the linked sources on the contact of a button. Its form means that it may be rotated, however sadly, it is a false impression.

For those who keep in mind the wild Nineties and early 2000s, you should still be acquainted with the idea of the Boss Button, which allowed you to superimpose a pretend work display over video games corresponding to “Moorhuhn” on the contact of a button in order that your boss couldn’t see that you simply had been busy doing something apart from working. That is precisely how the DP1310’s inexperienced button works however as an precise {hardware} answer. You actually can change between work and pleasure on the contact of a button.

The rear is stuffed with a very powerful connections. There are two USB-A ports for a mouse and keyboard, one other USB-A port with 10Gbps throughput and seven.5 watts of energy, and a gigabit ethernet port.

The video connections are the place issues get fascinating: The BenQ beCreatus DP1310 has an HDMI 2.1 enter, a USB-C port with DisplayPort help and 100 watts of energy supply, two HDMI outputs (one HDMI 2.0, one HDMI 2.1), and a DisplayPort output.

Eugen Wegmann

Eugen Wegmann

Eugen Wegmann

There may be additionally a hole plug socket, because the dock, which may distribute round 160W to linked gadgets, is equipped with energy by a big, heavy 180W energy provide unit.

The dock doesn’t have a card reader, nor does it have any USB-C ports aside from the one on the entrance. The previous makes the DP1310 lower than splendid for the artistic business, which it isn’t geared toward anyway, whereas the latter is considerably extra critical, as many gadgets, particularly webcams, now depend on USB-C ports. Additionally noteworthy: no Thunderbolt help.

Search for our exams of the finest Thunderbolt docks for Mac for sooner data-transfer docking station options.

BenQ beCreatus DP1310: Vary of features

What do you do with so many ports? Principally, there are (at the least) two software examples, maybe you possibly can consider one or two extra.

Mac and recreation console with one show

The primary instance is the one BenQ primarily makes use of to advertise the beCreatus DP1310. You probably have restricted house, you need to use your workstation as a gaming nook comparatively simply, which is especially fascinating if you have already got quick, high-resolution displays. Because of the 2 HDMI 2.1 connections (enter and output), the DP1310 helps both 4K decision at 120Hz refresh price or 8K at 60Hz, each with Dolby Atmos HDR know-how.

Whereas 8K/60Hz nonetheless largely falls into the class of goals of the long run, 4K/120Hz has lengthy been a actuality, as each the Xbox Collection X and the Sony Ps 5 help this mode on the supply facet and it has additionally lengthy since arrived on output gadgets. LG’s standard OLED TVs have been in a position to output 120Hz natively since 2019, and pc displays with related specs at the moment are out there from all well-known producers, particularly within the gaming sector.

The one Macs that help 8K are the MacBook Professional with M2 Professional, M3 Professional, M2 Max or M3 Max.

The dock comes into play for those who don’t have house for a TV or don’t need to purchase one (or use one of many small fashions of LG OLEDs as a monitor to your Mac) and need to place your Xbox Collection X or Ps 5 at your workstation. Join your high-performance monitor to the DP1310’S green-blue HDMI 2.1 output, your console to the inexperienced HDMI 2.1 enter, and your Mac to the blue USB-C port on the again. You’ll be able to change between Mac and console utilizing the massive inexperienced button on the entrance.

You probably have as much as three displays, you possibly can develop the Mac output accordingly. Whereas I’ve no use for it myself, I can think about that streamers and builders will recognize with the ability to rapidly change forwards and backwards between a console and a big workspace.

The particular factor is that just one display can change between the console and Mac; the opposite two are at all times reserved for the laptop computer and might proceed for use even in case you are enjoying in your console.

Eugen Wegmann

Eugen Wegmann

Eugen Wegmann

Prolong Mac output to 3 displays

The second instance is said to the truth that because the introduction of the M-chips, the state of affairs with Macs supporting a number of exterior displays appears a little bit bleak and relies upon closely on the chip. While the state of affairs has improved considerably with the introduction of the M3 chip earlier this yr, it’s nonetheless so difficult. To summarize briefly: The easiest way to do it’s with a DisplayLink dock.

As talked about above, you possibly can join three displays to the BenQ beCreatus DP1310: two by way of HDMI and one by way of DisplayPort. Your MacBook, alternatively, may be linked as common by way of USB-C, which additionally provides it with energy. As with many comparable docks, you want the DisplayLink driver for to help so many shows, however it’s out there freed from cost.

Whereas the beCreatus DP1310 is actually appropriate for this software, there are additionally smaller and cheaper options. For those who solely want to attach extra screens to your Mac, you need to due to this fact check out different docks. Nonetheless, there are additionally different docks in the identical dimension and worth class, which is why the BenQ mannequin suits in fairly effectively.

Take a look at our advisable finest DisplayLink docks for Mac.

BenQ beCreatus DP1310: No KVM change

Essentially the most annoying factor in regards to the beCreatus DP1310 is that it’s explicitly designed to be used with a console. As such, it additionally doesn’t act as a KVM change, which is why you possibly can’t merely use it to arrange a hybrid Home windows PC and Mac workstation with only one set of peripherals. A KVM change permits you to use the identical peripherals (mouse and keyboard in addition to displays) with two totally different gadgets, on this case, a Mac and a Home windows PC.

I understand it is a barely totally different area of interest, however I can’t think about it could have been that rather more cumbersome or costly to implement this function as effectively. And the icing on the cake could be if I may additionally join my Xbox or Ps inside this hybrid set-up.

Eugen Wegmann

Eugen Wegmann

Eugen Wegmann

BenQ beCreatus DP1310: Efficiency

Video

There may be little to say in regards to the video connections. Right here, the beCreatus DP1310 delivers what it guarantees: 4K/120Hz (examined with an Xbox Collection X and an LG OLED B1 from 2021) is output by the beCreatus with none issues. I used to be unable to check 8K/60 Hz on account of a scarcity of {hardware}. However as I mentioned, 8K is just not very widespread anyway and received’t catch on any time quickly.

The largest shortcoming of the output issues switching between the 2 sources. This isn’t instantaneous, as you’ll count on, however takes slightly below 8 seconds on common. That will not sound like a lot, however have you ever ever pressed a button after which needed to watch for one thing to occur? It looks like an eternity.

Of specific curiosity to plain M1/M2 MacBook customers is the power to attach as much as three exterior shows with the dock with out having to pay the additional worth for a mannequin with an M2 or M3 Max chip. This manner, you possibly can even develop a M1 MacBook Professional with three screens, every with 4K decision and 60Hz refresh price. This not solely works in clamshell mode, the place you’re employed together with your MacBook closed and use it with an exterior mouse and keyboard, but in addition unfolded. This lets you develop your MacBook setup to a full 4 screens for those who want that a lot house.

For those who then change to your console, you’ll lose one display on the MacBook, however you possibly can nonetheless use it with the remaining two screens. In fact, it’s as much as you what you do on it: handle the chat of your Twitch stream, show the walkthrough for the sport within the browser, watch a TV present on the facet.

Whereas the perform itself labored easily throughout testing (even with an older MacBook) I had a number of hindrances when setting it up. After putting in the DisplayLink driver, one display wouldn’t work in any respect, after restarting the dock it did work however displayed psychedelic colours on one half and after one other restart (and after each restart) all the things lastly ran easily. So it’s good to know that “have you ever tried turning it off an on once more?” remains to be legitimate.

USB speeds

So far as the pace of the USB ports is worried, there are hardly any surprises with the DP1310. Total, the pace examined with the Blackmagic Disk Velocity Check is in actuality considerably decrease than the USB commonplace really used. Nonetheless, it isn’t solely depending on the know-how used, but in addition on the gadget with which it’s examined and even the cable with which it’s linked.

For my exams, I used a 1TB Samsung T7 USB-C SSD, which isn’t the quickest SSD in the marketplace. Related on to a M3 MacBook Professional M3 Professional, it achieves common learn speeds of 720MBps and write speeds of 835MBps, which is already effectively under the USB specification. In distinction, the identical SSD on the identical MacBook looped by way of the beCreatus DP1310 achieves common learn speeds of 680MBps and write speeds of 820MBps.

This corresponds to a distinction of 6 p.c in learn pace and solely 2 p.c in write pace, which is totally negligible. It may due to this fact be assumed that higher-performance storage gadgets than the Samsung T7 deviate simply as little from what the connection really delivers.

Eugen Wegmann

Eugen Wegmann

Eugen Wegmann

BenQ beCreatus DP1310: Worth and availability

Like most high-performance or extremely specialised docks, the beCreatus DP1310 is just not precisely low-cost. The producer’s worth is $299/£309 and it is usually uncommon to seek out it for much less on third-party retailers, though it needs to be talked about that the worth isn’t out of the vary for such a specialised dock.

For this worth, you get the dock with the aforementioned specs, a big and heavy 180-watt energy provide with an influence cable, a totally specified USB-C cable and a totally specified HDMI 2.1 cable. The truth that BenQ consists of the final two alone have to be credited to the corporate, as there’s an unimaginable quantity of snake oil on Amazon, particularly in the case of USB-C cables. So having the suitable cables proper within the field is one much less downside it’s important to cope with.

Must you purchase the BenQ beCreatus DP1310?

The BenQ beCreatus DP1310 is the proper dock if you wish to add a recreation console to your workstation setup. To get the absolute best setup, your setup ought to encompass at the least a 4K display with 60Hz and a MacBook. You probably have a desktop Mac, you often have sufficient connections anyway and might do with out docks.

It’s additionally nice for including as much as three exterior shows to your current MacBook workstation, even when your mannequin doesn’t really help it. For those who merely need to develop your vary of connections, there are additionally extra appropriate (and extra reasonably priced) docks.

This text initially appeared on Macwelt and was translated by Roman Loyola.