Kensington sd400v Universal Notebook Docking Station [VGA/DVI, Ethernet, Compatible With All Brands of Notebooks, Auto-Install, Hot-Pluggable]

It wasn’t that long ago that the only option a notebook user had for docking stations were the proprietary (and hugely expensive) docking stations and port replicators that were made by the PC companies themselves. We all know the pain of being forced into buying peripherals specific to a single device and when you have no choice you’re at the mercy of the manufacturers when it comes to pricing. The days of the proprietary docking station are all but numbered with devices like Kensington’s new SD400V Universal Notebook Docking Station giving you complete freedom when it comes to PC compatibility.

Say you want to connect your laptop to an external monitor, some speakers, the Internet, and your printer. Not a problem. With the new USB SD400V Universal Notebook Docking Station all you have to do is connect it to your laptop with a single USB cable and you’re good to go. The SD400V is really a much-needed upgrade to the Kensington SD200V with new features like HD video output and auto install. The new dock also includes DisplayLink’s DL-195 which enables users to enjoy display resolutions of up to 2048×1152. You can also get full HD with an additional DVI-to-HDMI adapter.

The SD400V Universal Notebook Docking Station also has an auto-install feature that claims a “no CD needed” installation process. If this really is true they’ve hit the full PnP holy grail on this one. Along with DVI-I video out you also get 4 USB ports, a stereo sound jack, DVI and an 10/100 Ethernet so you can jack right into your home network. There are also headphone and microphone ports and a single always-on USB port located conveniently on the front of the unit.

The PC compatible SD400V Universal Notebook Docking Station is available for sale now with an MSRP of $149.99 at most online electronics retailers. There’s also a version without Ethernet and auto-install functionality that lists for $129.99. For more information on this and other Kensington products you can visit www.kensington.com.