You've probably been there. Your desk is a disaster zone of tangled cables, your laptop only has two ports, and you’re trying to connect a monitor, a mouse, and a literal Ethernet cable because the Wi-Fi in your office is basically trash. It's a mess. Most people just grab the first cheap dongle they see on Amazon and call it a day. But if you've been looking at the Baseus 6-in-1 docking station, specifically the Metal Gleam or GamerX series, you’re likely wondering if it’s actually worth the $40 to $60 or if it's just more e-waste.
Honestly, the "6-in-1" label is a bit of a marketing trap. It sounds like a lot. In reality, it’s just enough to cover the basics without being a powerhouse.
The Reality of 4K at 60Hz
Let's get real about the video output. This is where most people get burned. If you buy the standard Baseus 6-in-1 docking station (the Metal Gleam Series), you are often limited to 4K at 30Hz.
30Hz is fine for spreadsheets. It is absolutely miserable for gaming or even smooth scrolling. Everything feels "heavy" and laggy. However, Baseus updated the lineup, and the newer GamerX and Star Joy models actually support 4K@60Hz. You have to check the SKU carefully. If you’re plugging this into a Steam Deck or an ASUS ROG Ally, you need that 60Hz support.
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I’ve seen dozens of forum threads where users complain their "high-end" monitor looks like it's stuttering. It’s almost always the hub.
Why the Ethernet Port is the Secret MVP
We live in a wireless world, sure. But if you’re downloading a 100GB game on your handheld or trying to join a Zoom call while your roommate is streaming 4K Netflix, Wi-Fi 6 still struggles. The Baseus 6-in-1 docking station usually packs a full 1000Mbps Gigabit Ethernet port.
- Real-world speeds usually hit around 900-940Mbps.
- It provides a massive latency drop for competitive gaming.
- No more "searching for signal" mid-match.
Power Delivery (PD) and the 100W Myth
Baseus loves to slap "100W PD" on the box. It’s technically true, but there's a catch you should know about. The hub itself needs power to "live."
Basically, the docking station consumes about 5W to 15W just to run the internal chips and power your USB peripherals. If you plug a 100W charger into the hub, your laptop is likely only seeing about 85W. This is standard across the industry, but it surprises people when their laptop says "slow charger connected" because they're using a measly 45W brick.
If you want to use this hub effectively, buy a 100W GaN charger. Anything less and you'll find the hub disconnects your hard drives the second you try to charge your phone through the side port.
The Overheating Elephant in the Room
Baseus uses aluminum alloy. It feels premium. It also gets hot. Like, "should I be worried?" hot.
Aluminum is a heat sink. It’s designed to pull warmth away from the internal chips and radiate it out. If your Baseus 6-in-1 docking station feels like a pocket warmer after two hours of use, that actually means it's doing its job. However, don't bury it under a pile of papers. Give it some air. If it gets so hot you can't touch it, you’ve likely got a short in a cable or you're pushing too much data through a cheap HDMI cord.
Comparing the Versions: Which One Should You Actually Buy?
Baseus is notorious for having twenty different versions of the "same" product.
For most people, the Metal Gleam Series II is the sweet spot. It fixed a lot of the flickering issues found in the original 2022 models. If you're a gamer, you want the GamerX series. It has a built-in stand for the Steam Deck or Legion Go. It’s clunkier, but it keeps the vents on your handheld clear, which is a big deal if you don't want your fans sounding like a jet engine.
There's also the AcmeJoy series. It's a bit more "lifestyle" with a glowy status light. It looks cool on a desk, but functionally, it’s the same silicon inside as the cheaper models. Don't pay extra for the aesthetics unless you really care about your setup's "vibe."
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Common Glitches and How to Fix Them
- The Disappearing Mouse: Sometimes the 2.4GHz wireless dongles for mice/keyboards act crazy when plugged into USB 3.0 ports because of radio frequency interference. Use a short USB extension cable if your mouse starts lagging.
- HDMI No Signal: If your TV won't see the laptop, unplug the power cable from the hub, then plug it back in. This "reboots" the hub's handshake protocol.
- Slow Ethernet: Check your cable. If you're using a Cat5 cable from 2008, you're capped at 100Mbps regardless of how fast the hub is.
Is it Better than Anker or UGREEN?
This is the big question. Honestly? Anker has better customer support. UGREEN has slightly better cable flexibility. But Baseus is almost always $10 to $15 cheaper for the exact same specs.
If you are a professional video editor, maybe spring for a $200 Thunderbolt dock. But for a student or someone working from a home office, the Baseus 6-in-1 docking station is the "good enough" king. It’s reliable enough that you won't think about it, and cheap enough that if you lose it in a coffee shop, you won't cry.
Actionable Next Steps for Your Setup
Before you hit "buy" on that Baseus 6-in-1 docking station, check your current charger's wattage. If you're using a standard 30W phone brick, this hub will barely function. Aim for a 65W or 100W PD charger to ensure all six ports have enough juice to run simultaneously. Also, verify your laptop's USB-C port actually supports "DisplayPort Alt Mode"—if it doesn't, that HDMI port on the hub won't do a single thing.
Once it arrives, test the Ethernet speed immediately to make sure you didn't get a dud. A quick run on Speedtest.net will tell you if you're getting that sweet Gigabit performance or if you need to swap it out.