USB C Dock or monitor with built in hub?

[Phunk]

Setting up a small home office for the wife, looking to add a second screen to her laptop, only other peripherals are a USB mouse and keyboard.

She has two laptops, one M1 MacBook Air and a HP laptop. Would we be better going for a monitor with built in hub, or a separate hub? Looking to keep the cost down as much as possible.

Many thanks!

[flight147z]

I've got a monitor that's connected to all peripherals (speakers, mouse, keyboard). Single cable (USB C) plugs into laptop and everything works including charging. Perfect for me

[Harpoon]

Cheapest option would be a monitor (24") with a USB-C hub - easily done for sub £100. Monitors are £58 upwards and an Anker USB-C hub with PD and HDMI is £12. A quick Google suggests the cheapest monitor with USB-C hub starts at £150.

[danb79]

Personally I'd have a monitor and a separate USB hub - that's the set up I have for my M4 Macbook Air and M4 Mac Mini

Both into my Dell 4k monitor with their own UGREEN USB C hubs etc

Zero issues and all works as it should

[psi310398]

^This.

[bobthemonkey]

Just check the power output of the USB-C PD connection on the monitor. Quite often a stand alone dock will have a higher max wattage than an in-built monitor.

If looking for a all in one solution however, I’ve found Dell to be pretty decent (as are their higher end TB19 docks)