In a world where laptop manufacturers are hell-bent on removing every port that isn't a headphone jack, the humble dock has become the hero we deserve. But most docks come with a catch: a power brick the size of a small toaster. EZQuest's Pro Series USB 4 Dual Display 8-in-1 hub, however, is here to save your backpack from unnecessary weightlifting.

For the past couple of months, I've been using this 5.5 × 1.7 × 0.4-inch, 1.6-ounce marvel, and with one extra accessory, it has sent all my other docks into early retirement. The secret sauce is Intel's "Hoover Ridge" JHL8140 chipset, a cost-reduced version of the JHL8440 "Goshen Ridge" that powers those bulky Thunderbolt 4 docks with their own gravitational fields. The trade-off? No external power brick needed, making it perfect for travel - unless you enjoy lugging around 2-pound bricks.

Despite the cost-cutting, the chipset supports full DisplayPort 1.4a video over USB 4/Thunderbolt 4, and it's genuine Intel silicon, not some third-party knockoff that might spontaneously combust. The dock has nine USB-C ports in total: one connects to your host device, another is a 100W PD input for power, which can split up to 77W to charge your laptop and 23W to run the dock. And if the power fails, Fast Role Swap (FRS) keeps your peripherals from going down like a sinking ship.

The host input is a port, not a built-in cable, so if you abuse your cables, you can replace it. But lose the included 19.6-inch cable rated for 240W and 40Gbps, and your dock becomes a paperweight. The dock offers three USB 4 ports with 8K/30Hz video, 10Gbps data, and 15W output, plus four USB-C Gen 2 ports at 10Gbps and 7.5W. Dual displays work on Windows, Linux, Android, Chrome OS, and macOS with M1/M2/M3 Pro/Max or M4/M5 chips.

My one addition: a $25 USB-C to Ethernet adapter, because I need wired internet occasionally but not enough to justify a dock with a dedicated Ethernet port. For those who do, EZQuest has a 12-in-1 hub or Plugable's triple-display beast. At $120, this dock isn't cheap, but it's been flawless on my MacBook Pro and mini PCs, even passing the FRS test with flying colors. If you just need to plug in a USB stick, this is overkill. But for real work, it's a winner.