Quick verdict: Buy the Plugable UD-ULTC4K if you use a Mac, or if you want three 4K monitors from one cable; its DisplayLink design works around the display limits of base MacBooks. Buy the Anker 575 if you use a Windows laptop with full-featured USB-C, are happy with 1080p across three screens or a single 4K screen, and want a dock that needs no driver. Both are 13-in-1 docks; the deciding factor is how they produce video.
- Type
- USB-C DisplayLink dock
- USB-C dock
- Displays
- Up to 3x 4K 60Hz (3x HDMI or 3x DP)
- 2x HDMI + 1x DP
- Laptop charging
- 100W
- 85W
- Ports
- 13
- —
- Driver
- DisplayLink required
- —
- Data
- —
- 10Gbps USB-C, 5Gbps USB-A
- Network
- —
- Gigabit Ethernet
- Three 4K 60Hz monitors via DisplayLink
- Works around single-display MacBook limits
- 100W charging plus 20W accessory port
- Requires DisplayLink drivers
- No HDCP — some streaming video won't play
- 13 ports including 2 HDMI + DisplayPort
- 85W laptop charging, 135W adapter included
- 10Gbps USB-C data
- Triple display is Windows only; Macs mirror
- Triple mode limited to 1080p
The Core Difference: DisplayLink vs Native Video Output#
The Anker 575 passes your laptop's own video signal through to its monitor ports using USB-C DisplayPort Alt Mode, and on Windows and ChromeOS it splits that signal across several screens with MST. Because the video comes straight from your laptop's graphics, there is no driver to install. The trade-off is that you are limited by what the laptop's port and operating system can do.
The Plugable UD-ULTC4K uses DisplayLink instead. The dock contains its own display hardware, and a driver on your computer sends compressed video to it over the USB connection. That means the dock can drive monitors even when the laptop's port or operating system would not allow it natively. The costs are a required driver and, because of how DisplayLink works, no HDCP support, so some protected streaming video may not play on the connected screens.
Mac Compatibility: The Biggest Difference#
This is where most buyers should decide. Anker states plainly that on a Mac, the 575's charging and data ports work, but macOS limits monitors to mirror mode, so you cannot extend your desktop across three separate screens.
Base MacBook models are also limited in how many external displays they can run natively. The UD-ULTC4K works around that limit: with the DisplayLink driver installed on macOS 11 or later, it can extend your desktop across multiple monitors. Plugable notes that the driver requires the macOS Screen Recording permission to enable the external displays and that no screen recording actually occurs. If you own a MacBook and want more than one external monitor, the Plugable is the practical choice of the two.
Resolution and Monitor Ports#
The UD-ULTC4K supports up to three 4K monitors at 60Hz. It has three HDMI and three DisplayPort outputs, so you can mix and match connection types without adapters.
The Anker 575 has two HDMI ports and one DisplayPort. It runs three external monitors at 1080p and 60Hz, or a single monitor at 4K and 60Hz. If you already own two or three 4K monitors and want them all at full resolution, the Anker will hold them back; if your monitors are 1080p, it is a perfectly good fit.
Charging, Data, and Everyday Ports#
The Plugable delivers up to 100W to your laptop (96W certified), and its front USB-C port provides up to 20W of charging and 10Gbps data for phones, tablets, and accessories. It connects to the laptop over a single 10Gbps USB-C link and adds wired Ethernet, audio, and an SD card reader.
The Anker charges your laptop at up to 85W and a phone at 18W at the same time, and it comes with a 135W power adapter. Its port list includes 10Gbps USB-C data, three 5Gbps USB-A ports, Gigabit Ethernet, SD and microSD readers, and a 3.5mm audio jack, all in a compact vertical body measuring 4.9 by 3.5 by 1.6 inches. For a power-hungry laptop, the Plugable's higher charging ceiling is an advantage; for most thin-and-light machines, 85W is enough.
Who Should Buy Which#
Choose the Plugable UD-ULTC4K if you:
- Use a MacBook and want to extend your desktop across more than one external monitor
- Want three monitors at 4K and 60Hz from a single cable
- Need up to 100W of laptop charging
Choose the Anker 575 if you:
- Use a Windows or ChromeOS laptop with full-featured USB-C, USB4, or Thunderbolt
- Run 1080p monitors, or a single 4K monitor
- Want a driver-free dock with no restrictions on protected streaming video
Frequently Asked Questions#
Does the Anker 575 dock work with a MacBook?#
Partly. Charging and data ports work on a Mac, but Anker states that macOS limits its monitors to mirror mode, so you cannot extend your desktop across separate screens. For multiple extended displays on a Mac, a DisplayLink dock such as the Plugable UD-ULTC4K is the better option.
Can the Plugable UD-ULTC4K run three monitors on a base MacBook?#
Plugable designed it to. The dock uses DisplayLink, which bypasses the native external-display limit of base MacBooks. You need macOS 11 or later, the DisplayLink driver, and the Screen Recording permission enabled for the driver.
Can I watch Netflix on monitors connected to a DisplayLink dock?#
Not always. The Plugable UD-ULTC4K does not support HDCP, so some protected streaming content may not play on its connected displays. The Anker 575 outputs native video and does not carry that restriction.
Which dock supports 4K on three monitors?#
The Plugable UD-ULTC4K, which drives up to three 4K monitors at 60Hz. The Anker 575 supports a single 4K monitor at 60Hz, or three monitors at 1080p and 60Hz.
The Verdict#
The Plugable UD-ULTC4K is the dock to buy if you use a Mac or want three full-resolution 4K screens: DisplayLink lets it extend displays where native video cannot, at the cost of a driver and no HDCP. The Anker 575 is the simpler, driver-free choice for Windows laptops with 1080p monitors, and its bundled power adapter and compact design make it an easy fit on most desks. Pick based on your laptop and your monitors, and see our full docking station reviews for more options.
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