Plugable UD-MSTH2 review: A sleek, capable dock for those without a huge budget

I've had plenty of experience with Plugable over the past couple of years, and I know I can usually expect some great USB-C docking stations from the company. The Plugable UD-MSTH2 is one of the more recent additions to the lineup, and it's also one of the more affordable ones, at least compared to options like the 16-in-1 Thunderbolt 4 Dock (TBT4-UDZ1) I reviewed a few months ago.

It's obviously not as fully featured as those more expensive options, but the UD-MSTH2 does a great job catering to its market. For $150, you get a very solid supply of ports, including support for two 4K displays, and its subdued design makes it a good fit for almost any office.

About this review: Plugable sent me the UD-MSTH2 docking station for the purposes of this review. The company had no input into its content.

Pricing and availability

Plugable launched the UD-MSTH2 docking station on Nov. 14, and it's very widely available, as is typically the case for Plugable docks. You can get it at Amazon, Newegg, Walmart, and more. The Plugable UD-MSTH2 costs $150, which is in the midrange territory for docking stations, though it's creeping closer to the higher end.

What I like

Great supply of ports

Plugable's docking stations rarely let me down regarding connectivity, and this one is no different. The UD-MSTH2 comes with a healthy supply of ports that will satisfy the needs of most users. Aside from the host connection and the power supply input, the rear of the dock includes two USB Type-A ports (one with USB 2.0 speeds, one with USB 3.2 Gen 1), along with two HDMI ports supporting 4K 60Hz, and a Gigabit Ethernet port. The front adds one more USB Type-A port, this one with a slightly increased wattage of 7.5W, so you can keep a phone or accessory charged while you're at your desk. There's also a USB Type-C (5Gbps) port and a headphone jack.

The Plugable UD-MSTH2 comes with a healthy supply of ports that will satisfy the needs of most users.

This port selection was just right for my use. As I was recently reviewing the Lenovo ThinkVision P32p-30 monitor, I only had two monitors on my desk anyway, and this served me perfectly fine. The USB ports are just enough for all my peripherals, with a spare port for when I want to connect some external storage, like my camera. The inclusion of Gigabit Ethernet is certainly welcome, too, but I personally don't use wired internet connections.

One thing that needs to be mentioned here is that this isn't a Thunderbolt 4 dock. The total bandwidth for the dock is 10Gbps, so if you try to use high-speed data across all the USB ports at once, along with Ethernet, you might run into limitations. I don't think that's a use case most people will have, though you probably want the extra ports for peripherals like a keyboard, mouse, or webcam, which don't need much bandwidth.

It has a power button

I understand how minor this sounds, but the inclusion of a power button in a docking station is honestly great. It's nice to be able to power down the dock without having to unplug a cable. For me, it's more of a convenience bonus since I can unplug things from the outlet fairly easily. However, in many setups, reaching for the outlet can be a hassle, and having this button at the ready makes it that much easier to save power when you're not using it.

Speaking of power, the dock provides 65W of power to the host computer, which is enough for most ultrabooks on the market. If this is a mainstream dock, it serves its purpose fine, but it will naturally fall short with more power-hungry laptops with discrete GPUs. For that, you need a more expensive option.

The design is simple, as it should be

Finally, I'll say that I quite like how the dock looks. The basic all-black design isn't flashy, but this isn't the kind of device that really needs to stand out, and I think this subdued look works perfectly for what it is. It's a pure black color, and the discrete ventilation means there are no big visual interruptions in the design aside from the ports.

What I don't like

It doesn't feel very premium for the price

At first glance, I'd say the value of the Plugable UD-MSTH2 is pretty great. For $150, you're spending a lot less than some of the fancier options the company offers, and while the feature set is more limited, it's probably enough for most people. However, I do think the build quality could be a bit better. There's nothing wrong with the assembly here, and everything feels as solid as you might expect for a plastic dock — but it is still plastic.

While the feature set is more limited, it's probably enough for most people.

Looking at something like the Anker PowerExpand 9-in-1, which is slightly cheaper, that model comes in a sleek case that's at least partly made of metal, which helps the product feel that much more substantial. Of course, that dock has more significant downsides, like the lack of support for dual 4K monitors at 60Hz, but considering the price difference, I would have liked a metal case here, too.

USB charging is still pretty slow

It's fairly typical for Plugable's docks to have one USB port that's more dedicated to charging smaller electronics, and while we have one here, I think it doesn't necessarily suit the modern era. This amped-up port offers 7.5W of output compared to 4.5W on the standard ports, but most phones these days come with at least 15W or 18W chargers, and even that is increasingly uncommon. 7.5W charging speeds feel sluggish nowadays.

I do understand why it's like this, though. The dock is meant to be in the same place as you for a long time, so there's a chance you don't need a fast charger, just something to juice up the phone during the workday. Slower charging can help prevent wearing down the battery, so that can be seen as a plus, but only if you're being very generous about it. I'd say at least 10W from this port would have been ideal.

Should you buy the Plugable UD-MSTH2?

You should buy the Plugable UD-MSTH2 if:

• You want more ports for your laptop without breaking the bank
• You have a dual-monitor setup, including two 4K displays
• You need wired internet

You shouldn't buy the Plugable UD-MSTH2 if:

• You want a more premium-feeling device
• You don't need dual 4K display support
• Your laptop needs more than 65W of power delivery

Despite my minor criticisms, the Plugable UD-MSTH2 is a great docking station for the price. The connectivity it offers is right in line with what the target audience would be looking for. It can fit all the basic peripherals with space for one or two extras, and it supports dual 4K monitors, which already makes it suitable for power users. It's not made for the high-end, but it's priced accordingly, so most people will come away satisfied with this one.