-Price and availability-What I like-What I don’t like-Competition-Should you buy it?
Is it just another product with dodgy AI to cash in on trends?
Or is it actually useful for professionals?
The wireless earpiece pairs quickly with the dedicated button.(Image credit: Future | Cale Hunt)
HiDock supplied Windows Central with a review unit of its H1 docking station.
It had no input on the content of this article and did not see the review before publishing.
HiDock also has an H1E version in a Black color thatstarts at $229.
The wireless earpiece pairs quickly with the dedicated button.(Image credit: Future | Cale Hunt)
It has fewer ports and lesser charging capabilities, but it might work for your setup.
It had no problem handling my daily driver with an RTX 4050 laptop card inside.
I love the retro-futuristic look on my desk.
Ports on the left side and a Bluetooth button to connect your phone(Image credit: Future | Cale Hunt)
That’s nine ports not counting the host upstream USB-C output, so you’re covered for most situations.
I used it mainly with my 3440x1440 ultrawide monitor at a 100Hz refresh rate with no issues.
Testing the SD card readers, the full-size option hit 259.7MB/s read and 158.5MB/s write.
The full range of ports on the back of the H1(Image credit: Future | Cale Hunt)
The smaller microSD card reader managed the same read speed but dropped to 145.6MB/s write.
With most laptops shedding an RJ45 Ethernet port, I appreciate the inclusion on the dock.
Audio quality is akin to a budget monitor’s built-in speakers.
The dock and earpiece cradle join with magnets
That’s a definite boon for anyone wary of handing out transcripts on sensitive topics.
It took a system restart to regain functionality and going forward; the dock worked perfectly.
A hiccup or two when testing new docks isn’t uncommon.
The dock’s earpiece is uncomfortable to wear
The HiDock H1 worked flawlessly from the start with Acer and Lenovo laptops.
Transcription is free, but the AI-generated summary is abbreviated.
You don’t even need the H1 dock to use the service.
It also expands the AI summary; in my experience, it’s quite good.
The raw transcription is fairly accurate, with each meeting only needing a couple of minutes of cleanup.
That’s with us offering very different accents and timbres.
A look at the H1’s app interface with transcript on the left and summary notes on the right.
However, there are plenty ofgreat Thunderbolt docksand separate AI transcription services on the market.
If you’d like a Thunderbolt dock, the CalDigit TS4 remains the hardware to beat.
It’s pricey atabout $380, but it’s the ultimate dock for TB4 and USB4 laptops.
CalDigit’s TS4 remains the best Thunderbolt 4 dock on the market.
It’s the dock I use every day.
There’s also the Kensington SD5750T Thunderbolt 4 dock that’s now usually found forabout $149.
It’s the next best thing to the CalDigit TS4, and the price is hard to beat.
The HiDock H1’s dedicated call buttons, noise cancelling slider, and volume dial.
A few of my colleagues useOtterfor AI transcription in meetings, and it seems to generally work quite well.
Spending about $8.33 per month gets you 1,200 minutes per month with a 90-minute cap on individual meetings.
Revis another AI transcription service that’s more pay-as-you-go.
HiDock H1: Should you buy it?
You should buy this if…
You should not buy this if…
The HiDock H1 is an interesting concept, but I don’t think it’s advertised properly.
The USB-C dock’s performance is solid, and the selection of nine downstream ports should handle most workflows.
The built-in speaker sounds good when listening to music or voice, and the retro aesthetic is pleasant.
