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I think there's a solid case for someone to make a monitor with a working, built-in dock. I mean, many monitors already have USB-outs for keyboards and 2nd displays and such.

I think monitors are a sweet spot - they tend to stick around longer than computers, and docks really don't need to change a lot over time, at least now with thunderbolt out there. Fewer cables, too.

I like the idea of standalone docks, and I purchased a few, but none reliably worked for me.



Some monitors kind of do this. They have usb-c connectors for laptop video and charing and can do kvm-ish stuff, having a usb hub for talking to a keyboard and mouse (switchable between inputs).

look for dell monitors with kvm


I have a ViewSonic ultrawide like this, picked it up as a factory refurb from their eBay account. Makes it incredibly easy to switch between work and personal laptops (Mac and pc), as well as a gaming tower.


I have a Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 monitor which basically does this. It basically has a simple KVM built into it. So my keyboard and mouse connect to the monitor, but then the monitor is connected to my desktop and a laptop. Using the monitor controls, I select which system I am using and get the display for that system as well as the keyboard/mouse activated for that system. There are different options for having them both on screen at once, but only one active for the controls, but I don't find that as useful as just having one system at a time being the sole focus.


Apple's monitors fill this gap, but they are obviously quite expensive


And they are not immune: a few years ago when I was using an Apple Studio Display, it had a similar issue where sometimes it would not wake from sleep, and the only workaround was to unplug it and wait NN seconds for cap discharge, and then plug it back in. (There's no power switch, so no other way to restart the CPU in it). After a number of updates, it no longer seems to do this, or at least the current user of it hasn't mentioned any such issue.


Dell has a few. I have the U2723QE. It reliably wakes up my Windows desktop but waking up my Macbook is a crapshoot. I'm pretty sure the issue is in Apple's software, not the docks.


I've been following this issue pretty closely, and it's not only Macs that have this problem with dell monitors, if you check out the dell support forum there are various PC users reporting the problem even dell precision users. Also there are various other problems with the monitor firmware like it crashing and needing to be restarted etc.

Additionally, if you look at the firmware updates they published for the successor U2725QE you'll see things[0] again not specific to Macs like

* resolves monitor wake-from-sleep issues; and * resolves daisy-chained monitors not waking from standby;

Which may not be exactly the same bug, but probably is & it shows the problems are getting addressed in Dell's own firmware

[0]https://www.dell.com/support/home/en-us/drivers/driversdetai...


Unplugging the monitor power for a second solves about half of the issue we're having with our Dell U22DEs, but the plugs are hard to reach so we've seriously considered tripping the relevant power breakers once a week before deciding it was too brutal.

While most users know the power trick by now, there are still those in the "not my job" and "any excuse is a good excuse" categories, and for those I might just spend a little on old fashioned power timers.


That has been a thing since a while, look for „Dell hub monitor“. I personally love the Ultrasharp series, with RJ45, usb C, USB A, audio, etc


Could not agree more it makes a ton of sense




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