Docking stations for notebook computers can be an expensive accessory and may add little more than a keyboard, mouse, monitor and power connection! For those looking to save a few bucks, gain some features and have a docking station that works universally, there may be no better choice than StarTech.com's USB Docking Station with VGA.

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With a list price of $129.99, StarTech.com's product offers what most notebook computer users need. The small device includes a four-port USB 2.0 Hub, 10/1000 RJ45 Ethernet connector, audio outport, microphone inport and a VGA connector. The unit is powered by an AC adapter and comes with a driver CD.

To use the device, one just simply connects it to an available USB 2.0 port and installs the associated drivers. The advantage here is that only one connection is needed to the notebook computer, and users have ready access to any devices that can be connected via USB. For example, users may want to plug a mouse, keyboard, network cable, monitor, scanner (or any other device) into the unit and leave those connected on the desktop.

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That way, when users return to their desks, they just connect a single USB cable to their notebook computer and voila--they now have a desktop system!

The integrated VGA controller offers resolution as high as 1680x1050 and provides decent image quality. Although the USB 2.0-based VGA adapter doesn't offer the performance one may find with a discrete graphics adapter, it does do a decent job of keeping up with the typical on-board graphics controller. The integrated audio subsystem offers acceptable sound quality.

StarTech.com's USB Docking Station with VGA proves to be a nifty device that can transform any notebook into a desktop computer and would be a great companion product to the slew of mininotebook PCs coming on the market today.

The product works as advertised, yet there is room for some improvement. StarTech.com could make the product a little more versatile by incorporating built-in storage, in the form of an integrated key drive. That solid-state storage unit could have a read-only section that would store the product drivers and also offer the capability to support Microsoft's SpeedBoost technology, which helps Vista to cache hard-drive operations to improve performance.

Even so, the unit does prove to be a bargain when compared with the proprietary docking stations on the market today and is well worth the $129.99 investment for those notebook users who frequent their desks more often than not.