After attempting out a number of workstation preparations, I recently settled on an ultrawide monitor as the centerpiece of my desk setup. Fairly than use twin screens, I switched to the curved ultrawide for final simplicity. The one I take advantage of particularly has an integrated Thunderbolt dock and KVM switch, and this makes it attainable to attach any system — whether or not or not it’s my M4 Mac Mini, Ayaneo Mini PC, or Lenovo Yoga E-book 9i laptop computer — to my complete workstation with a single cable. Months after making the swap, I spotted I did need twin screens, however not within the typical sense.
I do not wish to muddle my digital workspace with pointless apps that may trigger distractions. Music streaming apps, communication apps, and video gamers all want to remain off my primary ultrawide monitor to extend my focus and preserve me on job. I nonetheless wanted to maintain tabs on these apps, and invested in a tiny 5-inch LCD docking station to do exactly that. Now, it is the perfect factor about my workstation.
I’ve valued secondary shows for years
You may already be utilizing one with out realizing it
The concept of utilizing a small secondary monitor in your desk is not a brand new idea. In truth, I would not be shocked in the event you’re already utilizing one — albeit in a roundabout approach. For a decade, I’ve saved a small Google Nest Hub sensible show on my desk for holding monitor of the time and climate, checking my calendar, and streaming music and movies with Google Forged. I additionally use a wi-fi charging stand for my smartphone in an identical approach.
For those who’ve ever had a wise show in your desk or used your smartphone as a digital dashboard, you already know the advantages of a tiny monitor. Nonetheless, neither the Nest Hub nor the Qi2 wi-fi charging stand fairly fulfilled what I needed from the perfect secondary monitor.
Crucially, I wanted a tiny digital dashboard that leveraged the total energy of my PC workstation. It pained me to stream content material on the Nest Hub with a hi-fi audio system residing proper behind it. I would additionally reasonably use my laptop’s PC and mouse to regulate a secondary monitor than finicky voice controls or a touchscreen. After trying to find months, I lastly discovered an answer that checks all my bins after which some.
A tiny PC monitor elevated my desk setup
I can see laptop data or handle media at a look
The product that kicked off this concept within the first place was the Corsair Xenon Edge, which takes the idea of a secondary show to the following stage. It presents a 14.5-inch touchscreen show that is brief and lengthy — excellent for placement underneath a monitor. It might show media controls, system information, and different digital dashboard instruments. Nevertheless, it is also $250 with poor help for non-Home windows working techniques. I wanted one thing extra inexpensive and approach extra appropriate than the Xenon Edge, however I’ve to provide Corsair credit score for my inspiration.
Seeing the value of the Xenon Edge made the price of the show I ultimately settled on, the Wokyis M5 Retro Dock Station, look extraordinarily palatable. It is a $170 desktop accent that features a 5-inch LCD panel, a 13-in-1 USB-C hub, and an built-in M.2 NVMe SSD enclosure. Stunningly, it runs on a single USB-C cable with no exterior energy provide wanted. The show and every part linked to it might simply transfer between my varied computer systems utilizing one USB-C cable or my monitor’s built-in KVM swap.
For those who could not inform, it is formed like a retro Macintosh. That may look gimmicky to anybody who is not an Apple fanatic, however I believe it blends kind and performance effectively. The chassis gave Wokyis room to suit a bunch of {hardware} inside, and it additionally turns a boring 5-inch show right into a desktop assertion piece. The underside is detachable and may match a Mac Mini M4, choose mini PCs, and single-board computer systems (SBCs) beneath.
As for the utility, I could not be happier with this quirky secondary monitor. The show serves as a media controller more often than not, displaying album paintings, music lyrics, and playback controls whereas I work. If I am curious in regards to the identify of the now-playing music or wish to add it to my library, I can accomplish that with out touching my primary digital workspace. In contrast to utilizing my telephone or Nest Hub sensible show, this resolution defaults to hi-res lossless audio performed via a linked Fiio K11 desktop DAC and amplifier.
In different conditions, I’d preserve a widget dashboard on the tiny show. I’ve configured the monitor to show the present cost standing of my gadgets, the climate forecast, and controls for my automotive. Positive, it is an edge case, however with the ability to pre-condition the local weather controls of my Tesla from this small display on my desk with out breaking the stream of my work is unbelievable. The extra you employ a setup like this, the extra methods you uncover it might prevent time.
I turned my old Android tablet into a second monitor for free
I skipped shopping for a transportable monitor and reused an outdated pill as a substitute—and it labored much better than anticipated.
The Wokyis M5 Retro Dock Station is a steal
It is a small display, USB hub, and SSD enclosure multi functional
I paid $170 for this digital dashboard, and it rapidly proved its worth as far more than a novelty. Putting in a 1TB SSD into the docking station instantly gave me a correct dwelling for my digital music library. Earlier than, I used a clunky exterior SSD enclosure that wasted area on my desk. The built-in USB-C hub, which helps as much as 10Gbps switch speeds, allowed me to ditch the Thunderbolt hub I had sitting on my desk.
This one accent changed two others on my desk whereas serving because the tiny secondary monitor I at all times needed, and I will by no means return.
- Ports
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USB-A (10Gbps), 8K DisplayPort, HDMI-in, SD/microSD card readers, and audio jack.
- Max show res.
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1280×720 high-definition display built-in; as much as 8K screens supported
- Supported HDD sizes
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M.2 SSD NVMe enclosure helps 2230/2242/2260/2280 drives
- Interface
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USB-C
The Wokyis M5 Retro Dock Station expands your desk setup with a 5-inch show, an built-in USB hub, and a built-in M.2 SSD enclosure. The whole factor works over a single USB-C cable with out the necessity for an exterior energy provide. It is appropriate with macOS, Home windows, Raspberry Pi, Android, and another OS with USB-C DisplayPort Alt Mode help.
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