SD1500 USB-C Mobile Dock – Review

SD1500 USB-C Mobile Dock
Kensington
$90 U.S.

Kensington’s new SD1500 USB-C Mobile Dock is compact, lightweight, and practical. It solves two problems that AC-powered USB-C docks have: portability and projection. It lacks two features that powered docks have: charging and connecting.

The included printed quick start guide has no instructions. Users are advise to download custom software for their platform: Mac, Chrome, or Windows. From there you are on your own as a mobile professional with the next generation of portable computer.

A very short built-in nested USB-C cable connects to the lone port on a new Apple MacBook. Then you can add devices via one or more of the ports on the rear: HDMI, VGA, USB-3, and Ethernet. VGA is a big deal here, because neither of the powered USB-C docks reviewed recently has it. VGA displays and projectors are still in service by the tens of millions. Screen resolution up to 4K is possible with attached compatible displays and televisions.

kensington-usb-c-portable-dock

No pass-through USB-C port for MacBook charging is on this dock. Neither is a second or third USB-3 port. There is nothing wrong with this dock that a powered dock won’t fix, so Kensington has a complete lineup of USB-C docks that we will review when they are available.

MyMac Review Rating is 8 out of 10.

Reference review

Kensington tells MyMac:

The target usage of the SD1500 dock is for mobile use. Particularly in an occasional presentation scenario. It is not intended to be used in place of a full size desktop docking station, for which SD4600P should be considered

There is minimal instructions because for the most part, the dock is plug and play. There is only one driver that needs to be downloaded and installed for Ethernet, for Mac. No driver is needed for Windows or Chrome.

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