This pandemic had some of us working from home for almost 2 years now. If you find that using a laptop for days on end is cumbersome, you might want to convert it to a desktop setup. Sure, you can just plug a USB keyboard/mouse and an external monitor into your laptop. But over time, you’ll find it a hassle to connect/disconnect the peripherals every time you need to move. Laptop docks spiked in popularity recently due to work-from-home setups. It gives users the comfort of a desktop setup and giving back the portability of laptops as you’ll only need 1 cable to connect all your peripherals from your desk. Going from laptop to desktop mode can be as easy as plugging in 1 USB-C cable. I’m personally using a Lenovo ThinkPad Universal USB-C Dock issued by my company. It’s very convenient as both my wife and I use it and can easily switch between devices for work. Meanwhile, our friends at Laptop Sensei sent us the Orico ANS6 for review and here’s what we have to say about it.
Design
The Orico ANS6 is made of aluminum alloy and has more of a Macbook aesthetic. It serves as a vertical laptop stand with all the ports on the backside for a clutter-free desk. The dock is solidly built and is pretty hefty for its size. You are assured that it’ll secure your laptop vertically. It secured a thick ROG Strix laptop in my case.
It has a rubber base spanning the entire bottom of the dock so it doesn’t slide on your desk. The docking station is adjustable and also has rubber linings to prevent accidental scratches on your laptop. The Orico ANS6 supports laptops up to 28mm thick.
Looking at the ports, from left to right, you have your DC 12V port, a gigabit LAN port, 3 USB 3.0 Type-As, headset in, mic in, an HDMI port capable of up to 4K resolution, a Type-C in and a Type-C PD port. In the box, you’ll get a USB Type-C cord and a manual and warranty card. I really wish Orico included an HDMI cable with it.
Usage
It’s a very straightforward accessory. Just plug your peripherals on the dock and use the included USB Type-C cable to connect your laptop to the dock. It’s important that you take good care of the included USB Type-C cable because when dealing with products using USB Type-C, you can’t just buy any Type-C cable available in the market. One issue I heard from a friend with the same dock was the monitor output wasn’t working until he used the included USB Type-C from Orico. Something to keep in mind.
The dock can also work without an outlet as it has a USB Type-C PD port. You can use a powerbank to power the dock, but the manufacturer recommends using the DC 12V adapter to ensure all ports are working properly and at full functionality.
Another thing to keep in mind is that this port only supports 1 display output. If you’re rocking a dual monitor setup, you might have to connect the other display directly to the laptop. Not a big deal, but breaks the aesthetic with a cord not connected at the back of the dock. Also, if you have a laptop with the USB-C at the back portion, like an ASUS ROG Strix, make sure that the dock is not impeding any air vents.
Verdict
If you’re looking for an easy solution to convert your laptop to a desktop with only 1 cable, the Orico ANS6 is definitely a good buy. It’s got all the ports you need to connect important peripherals like your keyboard and mouse, monitor and your headset.
The manufacturer says that the HDMI port in the Orico ANS6 supports 4K display output, but I don’t have a 4K monitor available at the time of review, so I’m not sure if it really supports 4K resolution.
All the more if you’re rocking an Apple ecosystem as the anodized aluminum case is a perfect match to a Macbook and blends seamlessly at your desk. Check your laptop’s thickness first as this can only fit up to 28mm at the thickest part.
The Orico ANS6 is available at Laptop Sensei’s official stores for ₱3,000. You can check out the link below.
