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If you already have the older ThinkPad Advanced dock, the Series 3 adds 2 more USBs and loses most legacy ports. However, the older 'Advanced Mini-Dock' will support both the T60's and the T400 and, in my view, the Series 3 is not worth an upgrade unless you MUST have those 2 extra USBs or are totally annoyed by the presence on the back of a large parallel port for printers that no one is using any more.
If you are shopping for your first dock, by all means, get the Series 3.EXPANDED DISCUSSION AND RATING
I am still using the Lenovo ThinkPad Advanced Mini-Dock - port replicator ( 250410U ) at home with my T400 after it served me well for some 3 years with a T60 but my employer decided that the new T400 deserved a new docking station and, here it is, the Series 3 dock on my desk.
The Series 3, finally, breaks with the past to some extent and no longer provides the old school serial, parallel, round keyboard and round mouse ports that are taking up space on the old 'Advanced' and almost no one is using these days. Instead, the add a couple extra USB ports - and you just can't have too many USBs these days - and more video support.
To those unfamiliar with the ThinkPad style mini docks, this is as a minimalistic design as possible while adding to the 'port replicator' expectations by even adding a few extra ports - see below for features.
- Verified to be compatible with the T60/61 and T400.
- Small form factor.
- Easy docking with the left corner alignment design.
- Button for turning the laptop on/off or awaken it if it's plugged in while sleeping.
- Laptop eject button.
- Physical lock with physical keys (2 keys) to provide some security.
- Will dock the laptop even when it's using the larger 9-cell battery (standard on the T400).
- Built in opening allowing for the hot air to exit via laptop's lwft side back vent.
- 3 (THREE) video ports: VGA, SingleLink DVI-D and DisplayPort
- Microphone in and headphone out analog audio ports
- RJ-45 Ethernet port
- 6 (SIX) USB ports that should give you a total of 9 USBs if you count the ones on the laptop.
- 90W, 100-240V to 20V, 4.5A AC adapter
- 1 yr. limited warranty (be prepared to pay for shipping if it breaks)
I found this dock very easy to use and I found that it greatly simplifies my professional life. With 2 docks, one in my office and one in my home office I can take advantage of normal size keyboards and big screen monitors whenever I want them and it only takes 2 seconds to pop my laptop in an out of the dock. The dock will allow for any 2 of the 3 monitor ports to be used at any given time.
For a product that brings so much convenience I can only grant 5 stars.
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Thinkpad Mini Dock Series 3 (433710U)
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