Baseus SpaceMate RD1 Plus Docking Station Review: Solid 14-in-1 Build, but HDMI-Only Video and Slow Card Reads Hold It Back

Baseus SpaceMate RD1 Plus docking station, Digi Mart USA News: Baseus has begun shipping the SpaceMate RD1 Plus, a powered 14-in-1 docking station, on Amazon for $180. The dock was announced in October, according to Notebookcheck, which published a review of the device.

The dock includes a 1.5-inch display that shows power output in real time. Notebookcheck says the unit weighs 902 g, which it describes as heavy for its size, and attributes much of that weight to the integrated power supply.

The dock uses a standard universal AC power cord rather than a specialized adapter.

The reviewer praised the compact design and rubberized base, which allows vertical or horizontal placement without a separate stand. The screen rotates automatically with the orientation of the unit, although Notebookcheck reports that this rotation sometimes fails.

Power output reaches a nominal maximum of 190 W when the 100 W USB-C host port and the two front USB-C charging ports at 45 W each are added together. However, the dock itself can deliver only up to 120 W across its three USB-C ports, with priority given to the host PC when total demand exceeds that limit.

Notebookcheck says this limit is unlikely to matter for most USB-C laptops, which generally draw 65 W to 80 W, but could become a bottleneck with some high-performance laptops.

The reviewer found the color screen clear, but said it is passive, with no controls or touchscreen features. It displays power readings and port status lights, though it shows no information for the HDMI or rear USB 2.0 ports, which Notebookcheck says could have benefited from a larger display.

Notebookcheck also reported slow card-reader performance. Although the manual cites UHS-I speeds of up to 104 MB/s, the reviewer’s UHS-II cards read at up to about 33 MB/s.

The USB-C cable included in the box supports only data and power, not video, so users wanting video output will need a separate Thunderbolt or DisplayPort-capable cable.

According to the review, video output is available only through HDMI, since none of the USB-C ports support DisplayPort or USB-C video output. Notebookcheck described this as the biggest setback for the dock, given the growing number of newer monitors that use DisplayPort and USB-C video.