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TobenONE UDS060: 30-second review
Most budget docking stations look and behave almost identically. A handful of USB ports, an HDMI output, and maybe Ethernet if you are lucky. The TobenONE UDS060 tries something different. Alongside the usual 11-in-1 connectivity, it adds four physical shortcut keys and a rotary volume knob, both of which can be reprogrammed through a companion app.
On paper, that combination of practical connectivity and genuine customisation is unusual at this price.
The ports on the dock include the usual USB suspects, an audio jack, a LAN port and dual HDMI outputs for connecting monitors. That’s the same as many inexpensive USB-C docks, but what makes this one different is the programmable button and dial technology.
Those might be justification to buy this, but there are at least two significant reasons not to purchase it. The first is that it doesn’t come with a PSU, forcing you to either use your laptop supply or purchase another to power the dock. And the second is that this is a USB-C dock that uses, at best, a 10Gbps connection to the computer, and then shares that across all the ports on the dock. That limits all the USB ports to 5Gbps, or less if you use more than two of them. While it will work with USB4 and Thunderbolt, those connections don’t increase the bandwidth available to the dock ports.
While it might not be the best docking station I’ve tested, it’s certainly one of the most unusual. And if TobenOne ever made and uprated model, it could be a game-changer for some creative people.
TobenONE UDS060: Price & availability
- How much does it cost? $89/£69/€81
- When is it out? Available now
- Where can you get it? Direct from TobenONE
Docking stations can be expensive items, but the TobenONE UDS060 is relatively affordable at $89 for US customers, £69 for those in the UK, and €80.95 for those in the EU.
It’s also available Amazon.com, currently priced at $88.
For those outside the US, you’ll need to go direct to TobenOne. But since the company does sell products through Amazon, its appearance on other regional sites is probably only a matter of time.
With such an unusual form factor and features, there aren’t any docks that directly compete with this one. However, TobenOne also makes the UDS048, a simplified design with a single HDMI port, and that can be bought on Amazon.com for only $56.99.
If you are not interested in buttons and merely want a USB-C Dock, then the UGREEN Revodok Pro USB-C Hub is only $15.99 on Amazon, and its USB ports are at least Gen 2 (10Gbps) speed.
TobenONE UDS060: Specs
|
Model |
UDS060 |
|
Connection type |
11-in-1 USB-C, compatible with full-featured USB-C, USB4 and Thunderbolt 3/4 hosts. |
|
Video outputs |
2x HDMI, up to 4K at 60Hz each on Windows with DP1.4 MST. Mirrored only on macOS, single 4K maximum. |
|
Data ports |
USB-A and USB-C, both up to 5Gbps. |
|
Networking |
Gigabit Ethernet. |
|
Card reader |
SD and microSD. |
|
Audio |
3.5mm combo jack. |
|
Power delivery |
Up to 100W USB-C PD passthrough. Charger not included. |
|
Controls |
4 programmable shortcut keys plus a rotary volume knob with press function. TobenONE quotes 170 fixed combinations plus custom settings through its companion app. |
|
Software |
TobenONE app, required to unlock shortcut key and knob customisation. Basic docking is plug and play without it. |
|
Operating systems |
Windows 10/11, macOS on MacBooks 2016 or later, ChromeOS if the laptop has full USB-C port |
|
Warranty |
2 Years |
TobenONE UDS060: Design
- Unique design
- USB-C 5Gbps
- No PSU included
The UDS060 follows the compact rectangular design common to this class of dock, finished in a plain grey plastic shell. TobenONE positions the shortcut keys and knob prominently on the top surface, which is the dock’s obvious visual differentiator against more conventional rivals.
If we ignore that feature, what we have here is a basic USB-C 11-in-1 Dock (if you include the PD port as a port), that combines USB, LAN, Audio, SD Card readers and dual display HDMI in a remarkably compact form factor.
On the front are two USB-A and one USB-C, all 5Gbps spec, unfortunately. The right side has dual card readers, one for SD and the other for MicroSD. The left is unused, and the rear has the two HDMI ports, a 3.5mm audio jack, the USB-C that links it to the host, and another that is for the power supply and a single 1GbE LAN port.
Given that this dock might only be connected via 10Gbps USB-C, these ports seem adequate, though if you use USB4 or Thunderbolt, you might expect faster USB and a 2.5GbE LAN port. For them, it might be nice to see a Pro model in the future, with all the ports upsized and the construction moving from plastic to metal.
To my mind, the whole point of a docking station is that it’s a single cable connection and you are ready to rumble. But here, you need to remove the laptop PSU from the laptop bag and plug it in before connecting the dock. The issue here is that adding a 100W-capable PSU would have made this device more expensive, but without it, that cost transfers to the buyer, making the outlay more, but by stealth. People aren’t stupid and will realise that the additional cost was transferred intentionally.
On the host side, the UDS060 works over full-featured USB-C, USB4 and Thunderbolt 3/4/5 ports. A Thunderbolt 5 laptop will simply negotiate down to Thunderbolt 4 speeds when paired with a Thunderbolt 4 compatible device like this dock, so the mix of Thunderbolt generations quoted across TobenONE’s pages reflects backward compatibility rather than a specification conflict.
TobenONE UDS060: Features
- Limited Bandwidth
- Programmable buttons
- 100W charging
The port count reads well for the price. Two HDMI outputs support dual independent 4K displays at 60Hz on a Windows laptop with DP1.4 MST support, which is a genuinely useful spec for anyone running a two-monitor desk setup for coding, design or trading. Add a USB-C data port, a USB-A port, both rated to 5Gbps, Gigabit Ethernet, an SD and microSD card reader, and a 3.5mm audio jack, and the UDS060 covers most of what a desk-based professional needs from a single cable.
It’s worth noting that some features of this dock will work without a PSU connected, drawing power from the laptop instead, but obviously, that does put an additional load on the laptop battery.
The macOS support is more limited. Dual HDMI drops to a mirrored output only, with a single 4K@60Hz display being the practical ceiling on some models, since macOS does not support the multi-stream transport needed for two independent extended displays over this kind of dock. I’ll be honest and say I can’t personally confirm the Mac information, because I don’t own anything with an Apple logo on it. But based on my experience with other docks and their documented limitations, that information tracks.
On the host side, the UDS060 works over full-featured USB-C, USB4 and Thunderbolt 3/4/5 ports. A Thunderbolt 5 laptop will simply negotiate down to Thunderbolt 4 speeds when paired with a Thunderbolt 4 compatible device like this dock, so the mix of Thunderbolt generations quoted across TobenONE’s pages reflects normal backward compatibility rather than a specification conflict.
Undoubtedly, the UDS060’s headline feature is the dial and buttons. Four physical shortcut keys and a rotary knob, which can be rotated or pressed, are fully customisable through the free TobenONE app. TobenONE quotes 170 fixed combinations alongside fully custom assignments, covering basic keys, media controls, mouse functions and expanded or combination keys. Typical uses include locking the screen, taking a screenshot, controlling media playback, muting audio or launching an application.
Basic docking functions work without installing anything, so the shortcut keys are an optional extra rather than a requirement to get the dock working. The catch is that this customisation requires software to be installed if you don’t want to use the default settings.
A nice aspect of the customisation is that when you modify the settings, the changes are stored on the device. So, if you set one of the buttons to perform a screen capture, that will remain the same on any PC that you then connect the dock to.
According to others who have Apple gear, the mapping will even work if you plug this into an Apple iPad that has USB-C, incredibly. You can’t change the mapping on an iPad, because the applications for this are specifically for Windows and macOS, but once it’s set from either of those, it will retain the keys the buttons generate across platforms, including iOS and Linux.
Up to 100W of USB-C Power Delivery passthrough is available, enough to charge most ultrabooks at or near their stock charger’s output. TobenONE does not include a compatible charger in the box.
TobenONE UDS060: Performance
The performance of this dock is heavily affected by the core USB-C functionality, and attaching it to laptops with USB4 or Thunderbolt doesn’t significantly affect the available bandwidth.
The company notes that “basic docking functions are also supported on compatible macOS devices,” but I didn’t test it with that.
What I tested it with was a USB4 connection on a laptop, and both USB4, USB-C, and USB-A external SSDs. The consensus was that these connected via USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5 Gbps) links, and the maximum performance I experienced was only 455 MB/s reads and 462 MB/s writes, even on drives rated for 1000 MB/s or better.
Copying from one drive to another halved that speed, depressingly.
From a technical standpoint, this is the biggest issue with this unit. For $16, UGREEN offers a USB-C hub that supports 10 Gbps, so why does this one only support 5 Gbps?
TobenONE UDS060: Final verdict
There are things about this dock I genuinely love, and others that make it less than ideal.
Looking at the good things, the concept of a dock that also provides a customisable button and dial cluster is inspired. I just wish the dock were metal, so that it felt nicer to use than the plastic used here.
The port selection is fine, although it avoids bandwidth over subscription by offering only 5Gbps USB, making it invariably better to plug external storage into the host laptop than to attach it to the UDS060. I don’t understand this choice; it seems silly.
Where this product isn’t good is that there is no PSU, forcing the purchaser to either use their laptop PSU or buy another one purely to use the dock. As the passthrough is 100W, that’s the maximum amount of power you can have recharging the laptop, even if it uses a 140W PSU. Most laptops will be fine, but it’s worth keeping in mind if you are considering this solution.
Overall, if you remove the customisable buttons, this is a low-end USB-C dock that costs more than it actually delivers. That’s a shame, because if it were USB 4, made of metal and could offer 10Gbps ports and a 2.5GbE LAN, then it would easily be worth twice what the asking price is currently.
TobenONE UDS060: Report card
|
Value |
Inexpensive, but then this is only a USB-C dock |
3.5 / 5 |
|
Design |
Unique design, but mostly plastic |
3.5 / 5 |
|
Features |
Custom buttons, 100W charging, but no PSU |
3 / 5 |
|
Performance |
Only 5Gbps makes for poor external SSD speeds |
2 / 5 |
|
Overall |
Interesting multi-function design but poor USB performance |
3.5 / 5 |
Should I buy a TobenONE UDS060?
