Dockcase 10-in-1 Hub Explorer Edition hands-on: Perfect balance between aesthetics and functionality for MacBook Air users

Onto the actual performance, the included HDMI port could output 4K 60 FPS video from my MacBook Air to the 4K 120 Hz Hisense TV with HDR enabled. Higher refresh rates are not possible due to limitations with macOS. The included DP port could easily output 1440p 144 Hz video by itself, though. Thankfully, the included Ethernet jack effortlessly hit the rated speed of 1 Gbps without any hiccups, even with a 4K 120 Hz display connected.

However, connecting a 4K 60 Hz smart TV and the aforementioned monitor sends the dock into a tizzy. The monitor (connected via DP port) flickered ceaselessly. Operating the 144 Hz monitor at 60 Hz resolved the situation. The M1 MacBook Air can support only one external monitor at a time, so there was no possibility of using both separately. Unfortunately, my Dell Inspiron’s USB-C port is rated at USB 3.1, meaning there was no way I could drive two displays with it.

The lack of bandwidth could be problematic when testing multiple peripherals simultaneously. USB ports’ performance could degrade with simultaneous activity, although they seemed to work fine when connected to an external display (resolution/framerate notwithstanding). Refer to the attached images to get an idea of how different storage media (USB Pendrive, micro SD card, external hard disk) operate with the dock. 

The Dockcase Smart USB-C Hub 10-in-1 could charge my MacBook Air at 39 Watts when connected to the two USB-C ports on my PC (one on the Lian-Li O11 Dynamic case, the other on an Asrock X570 Taichi motherboard). This appears to be more of a USB limitation than a fault with the actual dock. 

Its 100-watt charging port has some interesting interactions with the other connectors. In one instance, my MacBook Air refused to output display on one monitor with the charger connected. Dockcase says the dock subtracts 20 Watts from a 60-watt PD charger, while a 100-watt PD charger should work at top speed. A generic USB power meter connected to the circuit confirmed said findings.