Any experience with Lenovo OneLink, or dock alternatives?

[Krynn72]

I've got a 3rd Gen Thinkpad X1 Carbon, and looking for a docking station for when I get back home and need to do paperwork. I want to have a monitor (DVI-I Dual Link for now, but plan on getting a DisplayPort monitor eventually and might use both monitors if possible), wireless kb/mouse combo, barcode scanner, usb speakers and Ethernet plugged into it so I can just plop the laptop down, plug in just the dock and go.

The Lenovo OneLink devices look ideal on paper, but hot damn they've got some bad reviews. Even on Amazon, while the overall star rating is high they are basically thrashed in the negative reviews for display issues. It looks like I could get away with buying an additional device for display via the USB 3 port, but I'd rather have one thing that just works instead.

So I'm just wondering anyone here might have some experience with deploying these at a client and the results, or personal experiences with it. Or if you have any third party dock recommendations.

 

[Richard Chapman]

I have one and once set up, it works pretty well. I run two monitors off it as well as a keyboard as well as a few other devices. I like that I have 3 monitors when i'm home and the extra 6 usb ports are useful. It took a bit to get it to work with all the monitors, but as long as you don't try to exceed the resolutions, it's nice. It has it's own GPU. The display and OneLink driver have gotten a lot better since I put it together. I would not say it's perfect however.

 

[Krynn72]

I have one and once set up, it works pretty well. I run two monitors off it as well as a keyboard as well as a few other devices. I like that I have 3 monitors when i'm home and the extra 6 usb ports are useful. It took a bit to get it to work with all the monitors, but as long as you don't try to exceed the resolutions, it's nice. It has it's own GPU. The display and OneLink driver have gotten a lot better since I put it together. I would not say it's perfect however.

Both monitors I could use it with now are not standard 1080p resolutions, is that a problem do you think? One is 1920x1200, and the other is 2650x1440.

 

[nlinecomputers]

Don't mess with USB crap. Get a ultra dock pro. http://shop.lenovo.com/SEUILibrary/...de_menu_area=true&GroupID=460&Code=40A20090US

 

[fencepost]

I have a customer with an X220/X230 (don't recall which) that he brings room-to-room in his practice, with a docking station in each exam room and his office. I suspect it goes in and out of a dock at least 20x a day, and it's starting to have display issues at multiple ones. I think he's actually managed to wear out the connector on the underside.

I'm probably going to be trying to get him switched over to a T560 at 1366x769 so he can just use the built-in screen and keyboard, any other suggestions? I may also consider trying to steer him towards PCs in each room, but I'm always leery of patient-accessible equipment because it only takes one knowledgeable person to be a problem.

 

[MichaelEC]

You might want to ask this question at another location where I hang out: http://forum.thinkpads.com/index.php?sid=0edb4e584ca3fd0994d4e241bce24a00

There are a lot of Lenovo experts over there.

 

[Krynn72]

Don't mess with USB crap. Get a ultra dock pro. http://shop.lenovo.com/SEUILibrary/...de_menu_area=true&GroupID=460&Code=40A20090US

The X1 Carbon doesn't have that docking connector on the bottom unfortunately, but the OneLink has its own dedicated port on the laptop. Its basically the dc jack plus an extra piece, so its not USB.

Thanks for the link Michael, I'll ask over there also.

 

[Richard Chapman]

Both monitors I could use it with now are not standard 1080p resolutions, is that a problem do you think? One is 1920x1200, and the other is 2650x1440.

If you run 2 monitors off the onelink, they will not go above 1920 ( ithink thats it) together.