Vobot Mini Dock aims to be the docking station for geeks

“Crafted with the spirit of the geek in mind.” At least that’s what the Vobot Mini Dock says on the box, and that’s what drew me to take a look at it in the first place. It’s a modern take on a computer docking station for your notebook PC. A good docking station allows you to connect your PC with one cable to your desk setup, including power, monitor, keyboard, mouse, camera, Ethernet, phone charger, and more.

The advantage of a one-cable connection is that if you take your notebook PC to a meeting, you remove one cable and you’re on your way. When you return, you connect one cable and you are back on your monitor and charging.

The Vobot requires a USB-C charger capable of charging your PC (100W is ideal), which powers it, and a supplied USB-C cable that plugs into one of your computer’s USB-C ports. In addition, it includes an Ethernet port, one HDMI (4K), one USB-A, and two USB-C ports. Depending on the number of wired peripherals you have, this may not be enough ports.

A diagram of how the Vobot Mini Dock works. Image: Vobot.

Here is the geeky bit: the Vobot has LED lights which can be set to different colours and rhythms. It also has a dot matrix clock and a 2-inch LCD screen.

The LCD is controlled by a small wheel and button on the side, allowing you to change what is shown on the screen. Built-in choices include weather, break timer, real-time stock and crypto prices, real-time PC temp monitoring, game emulator and a photo album.

If you want to further geek out, not only is there an app store, but also the ability to write your own apps. Want an app for news, sports, or social apps? It’s all possible.

What I don’t like about the Vobot Mini Dock relates to its small size. With all the cables plugged in, it does not sit flat because of how light it is.

For roughly AU$80 via Vobot’s online store, this is a bit of fun and cheaper than many traditional docking stations on the market. It will certainly draw attention to your desk and show you off as a geek to your workmates.

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