Beelink EX Mate Pro dock & DAS review: An entirely different approach to docking stations

by · TechRadar

TechRadar Verdict

At last, Beelink is doing something different with a USB Dock. While it might not have the most ports, the four internal M.2 slots are incredibly useful. And its ability to charge a 96W laptop without an external PSU is impressive as well.

Pros

  • +Four M.2 slots inside
  • +96W laptop charging
  • +No external PSU
  • +Soft carry case
  • +Highly affordable

Cons

  • -Not many 80Gbps USB4 systems
  • -Small speaker
  • -Only Gen 3 two lane M.2

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Beelink EX Mate Pro: 30-second review

While I’ve covered many Beelink mini PCs, this is the first dock I’ve encountered from this brand. And, unsurprisingly, it's constructed in what appears to be a typical small NUC case.

The small white cube connects to a desktop or laptop via USB4 with the provided cable, and once connected, you can use the USB, HDMI, LAN ports, and built-in speaker on the Beelink EX Mate Pro.

Most docks are rated for connection speed and the number of downstream ports, and while USB4 is a fast technology, the Beelink EX Mate Pro doesn’t offer many additional connections beyond the uplink. There are just three USB, one HDMI and one 2.5GbE LAN port. However, if you are comfortable with disassembly, there are also four M.2 slots inside that support 2280 NVMe modules up to 8 TB. Therefore, connecting provides not only access to the downstream devices but also inserted storage.

Almost as an aside, the top of the dock has touch controls for audio sent through the internal speaker, and the dock can connect to phones via Bluetooth and stream music from them.

At around $200, the Beelink EX Mate Pro All-In-One Docking Station, to use its full title, seems inexpensive for the functionality it offers, and many laptop owners would find it incredibly useful.

Probably not enough features to make it to the best laptop docking stations but still an interesting option.

Beelink EX Mate Pro: Price & availability

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)
  • How much does it cost? $199
  • When is it out? On ‘Pre-Sale’, orders to ship within 35 days
  • Where can you get it? Direct from Beelink

Those looking for USB docking stations that support 80Gbps have a remarkably small selection currently.

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