Due to the need to expand the laptop interface, many notebook users will choose to start a docking station. In the e-commerce platform to type the keyword "docking", the price range of the product presented ranges from tens of yuan to hundreds of yuan, and the price of some high-performance lightning docking stations may reach 1,000 yuan.
From the perspective of consumers, the core consideration for purchasing a docking station is nothing more than the number of interfaces and interface specifications in addition to price. The number of interfaces should be enough, and the interface specifications should meet the needs of use, which is the priority of most users who choose a docking station. In addition, aspects such as heat dissipation capacity, workmanship texture, and after-sales service are also places that need attention.
In addition to the above mentioned aspects, the docking station has another inconspicuous but important design, that is, the signal shield design. This design will be directly related to whether the external device connected to the docking station can be used normally. However, whether it is the publicity on the manufacturer side or the experience on the user side, there is almost no mention of the signal shielding design of the product. The main reason is that not all docking products adopt a perfect signal shielding design; For users, the signal shielding design of the docking station is also a place where the perception is not obvious.
Why is the signal shielding design of the docking station important? Here we briefly popularize an important product indicator of the docking station - EMC (electromagnetic compatibility), which refers to the ability of electronic products or electrical equipment to work normally according to the design requirements in the specified electromagnetic environment. Simply put, if the EMC capability of the docking station is not good, then there may be devices connected to the docking station that cannot be used normally, which is manifested as slow drag of the wireless mouse cursor, Bluetooth device disconnection, and sometimes affects the laptop's Wi-Fi network, resulting in network disconnection.
The reason is mainly that multiple devices in the 2.4G frequency band have signals interfering with each other during use. Like the wireless keyboard, wireless mouse, Bluetooth headset, and Bluetooth handle we usually use, we basically use the 2.4G signal band. Similar devices also include laptop network cards, Wi-Fi routers, and so on. Therefore, signal interference is almost unavoidable, and purchasing equipment with good shielding can significantly improve this problem.
For the case of external signal interference in the docking station, the common practice of the docking station product is to add a shielding case. Here we take the Greenlink 5-in-1 docking station as an example, which adopts a design called "all-round shielding" to improve the signal shielding capability of the docking station.
By disassembling the docking station, it can be found that the all-round shielding case inside it is made of metal. This shielding cover wraps the internal PCB board, so as to achieve a good signal shielding effect and reduce the interference of external signals. The addition of an all-round shield can significantly improve the stability of peripheral connections on the docking station.
Obviously, for mass consumers, there is little attention to the signal blocking effect of the docking station. Even if peripherals cannot be connected normally, it is difficult to find out the core cause in the first place. All in all, when choosing a docking station, it is best to pay more attention to the detailed description of the product and choose a product with good signal shielding ability to obtain a more comfortable experience.