A Note About CAD/CAM

In the past, Targus Universal Docking Stations weren’t recommended for use with Computer Aided Design and Manufacturing (CAD/CAM) applications requiring high-performance graphics on external display monitors.  Instead, using third-party graphics for a second, and even third monitors, especially of high-resolution monitors was recommended.  Previously, the compression algorithm used to enable USB graphics was a bit too taxing on the CPU.  Also, many CAD/CAM applications took advantage of hardware acceleration offered in the utilities of third-party graphics.  However, much has changed (as it does with any technology) favoring use cases that were here to fore not approachable with Targus Universal Docking Stations.

With many of the workstation-class PC designed to run CAD/CAM applications, it is now possible to use a Universal Docking Station, i.e. DOCK190, where a docking station with native graphics support used to be recommended, i.e. DOCK220.  Universal Docking performance has been improved by faster Intel CPU for running the compression algorithm enabling USB graphics, GPU off-load and pre-processing of the algorithm, optimization of the DisplayLink software, better Intel graphics, and of course faster processors with more memory (requiring less memory management).

I dare say that any laptop made for CAD/CAM applications, is probably adequate to pair with a Targus Universal Docking Station like the DOCK190.  The only issue being that the power requirements of many of these PC are above the 100Wdc supplied by the DOCK190 USB Type-C Power Delivery, but the “real work” of CAD/CAM can be completed on the PC and Universal Dock pair.