Lemorele TC94L USB-C Docking Station review

The TC94L is a single-cable USB-C dock for adding screens and a handful of basic ports. It connects through one USB-C port with USB-C 3.0 data. The host device must support DisplayPort Alt Mode. Video is native over that connection, using an LT8712EXI chipset. It is a simple dock, and its specifications show where the limits are.

The dock has two HDMI 2.0 ports and one VGA port. Listed modes are 4K@30Hz on HDMI, dual HDMI at 1080p@60Hz, and VGA up to 1080p@60Hz. Two 1080p screens at 60Hz is the practical sweet spot. That suits documents, email and browser windows, and owners are positive about it for dual-monitor home working.

The 4K figure is a ceiling at 30Hz. With a 4K display, the spec sheet says macOS tops out at 4K@30Hz and Windows at 1080p@60Hz. With that cap, it is a poor match for anyone who wants a high-resolution main screen.

Mac owners need extra care. A listing for a sibling model says macOS supports only mirror mode because of a macOS limitation. That note comes from the sibling listing, but it is a reason to check before buying if you want two separate desktops on a Mac.

The USB-C PD input accepts up to 85W and is for charging only. Lemorele's list of outputs says up to 100W. The dock does not come with a power adapter. Your laptop charger plugs into the dock's PD pass-through port, so the dock relies on that charger rather than having its own supply.

Compare your laptop charger's rating with the 85W figure before you rely on it. Owner reports on charging are mixed, and some say the dock does not charge their laptop sufficiently. If your laptop draws a lot under load, that is the area to look at first.

The port list is short:

One USB-A 3.0 port runs at 5Gbps. Two USB-A 2.0 ports run at 480Mbps. There is a combined TF/SD slot pair, which cannot be used at the same time and is listed at 20MB/s. A 3.5mm audio output sits alongside them. The only USB-C port listed is the PD input.

With one 5Gbps port and two USB 2.0 ports, it fits a keyboard, mouse and a single faster device such as a flash drive. It is not built for several fast drives at once. The 20MB/s card reader is slow for moving large photo or video files.

The TC94L has no Ethernet port. If your laptop lacks a wired connection and you want one from the dock, this model does not provide it. That matters for sysadmins and homelabbers who want a stable wired link from a single cable.

Value for money has 31 mentions: 24 positive and 7 negative. Durability is the weak spot. There are 14 mentions, only 2 positive and 12 negative, though they come from a single source. Charging reports are mixed.

Lemorele lists a 1-year warranty and a driver download page for the TC94L. The warranty offers some cover given the durability reports.

It suits someone with a USB-C laptop that supports DisplayPort Alt Mode, a charger rated within the 85W limit, and a plan for two 1080p monitors. It is a weaker fit for Mac users who want extended desktops, for people who need fast data or Ethernet, and for anyone who wants 4K at a smooth refresh rate.