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Transforming A Notebook With A Docking Station
Posted by marco chiappetta in Notebook PC | Aug. 10, 2009 1:00 PM
In my last post here on the WePC site, I talked about notebook docking stations and some of the potential new features they could offer in the future. Instead of simply being "dumb" port replicators, I had mentioned that notebook docking stations could incorporate things like NAS (network attached storage) functionality or wireless HDMI, or enable more powerful hybrid graphics solutions. But the possibility also exists for the docking station to almost completely transform the capabilities and performance of a notebook, if it's creatively designed.
The ultimate performance of today's notebooks is limited by form factor and power constraints. There's really no technical reason why a notebook couldn't be every bit as powerful and fast as a full-sized, fully-loaded desktop PC, but it would have to be thick, heavy, and loud, and it would offer minimal battery life. When you think about it, a docking station eliminates--or at least drastically minimizes--these constraints, well all of them except for battery life that is.
A docking station gives notebook manufacturers much more real estate to work with and could remove any form factor, cooling, and power restraints. For example, if a notebook's cooling system was designed in such a way that it could be augmented by additional hardware in a docking station, higher clock speeds for the notebook's CPU, GPU, and memory could be attained, while also lowering operating temperatures. That means, when docked, the notebook could offer vastly increased performance and because it could also potentially run cooler, its ultimate longevity could be increased as well.
Taking things a step further, enthusiast-targeted docking stations could even incorporate liquid-cooling, for vastly improved heat dissipation characteristics. Couple these features with some of those mentioned in my previous post, and the possibility exists for a thin-and-light notebook to be transformed into a monster gaming rig when attached to a docking station outfitted with a more powerful graphics chip and enhanced cooling that gives the notebook the ability to run at higher frequencies, without fear of instability.
With the right design and combination of features, a notebook and docking station combo could allow road warriors, gamers, and power users to have their virtual cake and eat it too. Don't you agree? If so, we'd love to hear from you. And if not, your opinions on why not would be welcome--join the conversation and less us know what you'd like to see from the notebook docking station of the future...
I have been wanting something similar to this for a while, but it doesn't seem to exist. Why can't the ubiquitous mobile device be transformed into a full power desktop by docking? But when it is mobile, I still have all my files, etc - I just run with a slower CPU and a smaller screen. What we need is an operating system that can handle having additional (non-symetrical) CPUs added on by docking, not just peripherals like disks and screens and networks.
Right on the money-- I agree wholeheartedly. You have a portable laptop or netbook for work or outdoor use. When you get home and dock -- it then becomes a robust graphics machine that connects easily to your large hdmi flatscreen and your home entertainment system. You didn't compromise the portability but you added function to the form. That's the reason why I also want multiple docks with possible emphasis on wireless ones for the roadwarrior and tech enthusiasts. I want wireless because any other laptop or computing device (e.g. PDA)with the software and bandwidth capability could be docked with it. That's what it would be for basically -- a dock to boost performance and communicate with other peripherals.
I remember reading this article when it 1st came out and thought it was a good idea because of the restraints on a laptop due to its size to be able to perform.The idea of a plug and play high performance graphics solution sounded good and probably would increase interest and sales to enthusiast and gamers. Im curious to how you would implement all of these additional functions into one docking station and what would it look like.Also how portable would it be and of course what kind of price range would it be.I,ve never been a real fan of laptops but the idea does get my interest and curiousity going.I,ll never get rid of my desktop but this would give me a toy to play with when I went out on the road!!
I'd love to see liquid cooling in a docking station so that you could get those CPUs, GPUs, and memory running at high speed. It could actually give some incentive to gaming laptops.
I don't think gaming and laptops mix at all because for the price of a gaming laptop you could build a gaming PC and buy a cheaper laptop that does Internet, Office, media, etc. But I suppose if you want minimalist clutter then a docking station is certainly smaller than a desktop - and all the better if it actually increased performance.