With the recently unveiled Anker Prime Docking Station 14-in-1, the manufacturer is primarily targeting power users who expect as many connections and high performance as possible from a docking station or USB hub. We took a closer look at the dock in our test.
Technical data
| Model designation | Docking station 14-in-1 |
| Main interface | USB Type-C |
| USB Type-C ports | 2x USB 3.2 upstream (10 Gbit/s) 1x USB-C 3.2 (15 Gbit/s) |
| USB-A ports | 2x USB-A 3.2 (5 Gbit/s) 2x USB 2.0 type A (up to 480 Mbps) |
| Video interfaces | 2x HDMI 2.0 (maximum (8K@30 Hz) 1x DisplayPort 1.4 (maximum 8K@60 Hz) |
| Further interfaces | RJ45 (2.5 Gigabit Ethernet); 3.5 mm jack |
| Card reader | 1x SD card reader 1x microSD card reader |
| Power supply unit | 140 watts |
| Laptop power supply | Up to 100 watts via USB-C |
| Material | Aluminum |
| Operating system compatibility | Microsoft Windows; macOS |
| price | € 279.99 * |
Anker Prime Docking Station 14-in-1 Test: Elegant companion on the desk
The Anker Prime Docking Station 14-in-1 clearly stands out from many of its competitors with its high-quality and functional design and builds on the design language of the model series. The housing is predominantly made of anodized aluminium, which not only ensures durability, but also provides an elegant look that looks just as good in modern working environments as it does at home. The matt surface coating effectively prevents fingerprints and ensures a clean appearance, even after prolonged use.
With dimensions compact enough to fit on any desk, the dock offers a perfect balance of stability and mobility. Thanks to its low height, laptops can also be placed directly in front of it without visually cluttering the workstation. A clear plus point is the integrated OLED display on the front, which shows the current power consumption or the connected charging status in real time. It can also be used as a screen saver if required and can display the time.
The dock’s connections are located on the front and back. On the right-hand side, the docking station has a clickable and rotatable wheel that makes it easy to navigate through the menu. The concept is already familiar from other Anker Prime models and works excellently in practice.
Speaking of excellent: the build quality is impeccable all round. All connections are firmly and precisely fitted so that there are no loose contacts or excessive gaps. The integrated fan is also a particularly positive feature: It works pleasantly quietly during operation and only starts up under high load without causing a disturbance.
The power supply unit is installed internally, making the Anker Prime Docking Station 14-in-1 very compact. A suitable power cable is included in the scope of delivery, just like the USB-C to USB-C cable for connecting to a laptop or desktop PC.
The connections of the Anker Prime Docking Station 14-in-1
The selection of ports on the Anker Prime 14-in-1 is a real highlight and a key strength of the device. A total of 14 interfaces offer comprehensive connectivity that covers virtually all user needs. From an extensive multi-display setup to a charging center for all connected devices.
In detail, there are three USB-C ports on the front (2x 100 watts with 10 Gbps, 1x 100 watts with 5 Gbps). These not only charge connected devices with up to 140 watts but also transfer data. There is also an SD and a microSD card reader, which is of course particularly interesting for creators. A combined 3.5 mm jack connection rounds off the selection at the front.
At the rear, there are of course significantly more ports. Specifically (from left to right):
- 2.5 GBit Ethernet LAN
- 1x USB-A (480 MBit/s)
- 2x USB-A (5 GBit/s)
- 1x DisplayPort (8K @ 60 Hz)
- 2x HDMI (8K @ 30 Hz)
- Power connection
- 1x USB-C upstream (140 watts, 10 Gbps)
However, it is a shame that Anker has not included an additional USB-C port on the back. This would have been practical so that not all cables are routed from the front.
Overall, the dock allows a charging power of 160 watts at the same time. The more of the ports are connected, the more the maximum charging power is divided between the ports. A maximum of 100 watts is possible when only one device is connected.
Particularly impressive is the support of up to three external monitors via the three video outputs (2x HDMI 2.0 and 1x DisplayPort 1.4). The docking station can supply displays with resolutions of up to 8K at 30 Hz or two displays with 4K at 60 Hz simultaneously. The MST technology enables the cascading connection of monitors, which makes multi-monitor workstations extremely flexible.
Unfortunately, the Anker Prime Docking Station 14-in-1 does not have a faster Thunderbolt connection. This would not only significantly improve the speed, but also the versatility when connecting multiple monitors. However, if this is important to you, you will also find suitable solutions in the manufacturer’s portfolio. But then, of course, at a noticeably higher price.
Practical test and impressions
In everyday use, the Anker Prime Docking Station proves to be an extremely reliable and powerful companion for professional users who are looking for a central solution for charging, connecting and working. Installation is almost plug-and-play. After a short installation of the necessary drivers, in particular DisplayLink for the multi-display function, the system ran stably and without crashes.
The dock easily supported simultaneous output to three screens with different resolutions and refresh rates. The display on a single 8K display was particularly impressive, which is rare among the competition and very valuable for demanding graphical tasks. The picture quality was consistently clear with no noticeable lag or flickering.
The charging functionality of the USB-C ports was completely convincing in the test. Notebooks are charged constantly and safely with up to 100 watts. Connected tablets and smartphones also charged quickly and stably thanks to Quick Charge. The USB-A ports also delivered reliable data rates that are more than sufficient for normal office and multimedia devices.
However, the SD and microSD card reader only achieves solid transfer rates. The maximum data rate of the connected cards could not be realized via the dock at any time. Nevertheless, the performance offered is absolutely sufficient for most users.
The Ethernet interface provided a stable and fast connection, even during data-intensive streaming and online gaming there were no significant dropouts or delays. The case remained pleasantly cool even under continuous load and the built-in fan was almost inaudible, which is very pleasant in everyday office use.
Anker Prime Docking Station 14-in-1 Review: Conclusion
The Anker Prime Docking Station 14-in-1 is a high-quality, versatile and practical docking station for anyone who doesn’t need the higher speeds of a Thunderbolt dock or wants to save some money.
With a total of 14 ports, two card readers and support for up to three additional displays, the hub is extremely versatile and impresses with its space-saving design, integrated power supply, well thought-out power distribution and quiet fan.
What is missing are one (or more) USB-C ports at the rear, as well as faster standards such as USB-4. Otherwise, however, there is not much to complain about. The Anker Prime Docking Station 14-in-1 is also attractively priced, especially with the Black Friday offer.
- Good selection of connections
- Two card readers
- Excellent workmanship
- Three displays
- Integrated power supply
- No USB4/Thunderbolt
- Card reader quite slow
- No USB-C on the back
Anker Prime Docking Station 14-in-1
Design & Workmanship
Compatibility & connections
Performance & stability
Value For Money
90/100
Versatile docking station with a convincing selection of connections and good speeds.
