Diamond BVUMD3 Mini-USB Docking Station Review: Small & Convenient

The Diamond BVUMD3 USB docking station is a great notebook accessory for anyone who needs a convenient way to connect USB devices and a monitor to their notebook without taking up a lot of space or emptying their wallet.

The BVUMD3 is a USB docking station like the other DisplayLink powered docks we have looked at before, but this one is built with size in mind. It’s so small and convenient that we have had it hooked up since right after we returned from our Summer Road Trip and almost forgot that it was there.

The Diamond BVUMD3 packs 3 USB 2.0 ports and a DVI connection for hooking up a monitor (it also comes with a VGA adapter so you should be good to hook up any monitor you have on hand). The dock works with Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7 as well as Mac OS X with up to 1080P support.

The Diamond dock connects to your system with a USB to Mini USB cable and is great for moving all your peripherals to one connection that can be easily removed for travel. You can use the monitor connection on the dock to add a second or a third monitor to your notebook for added productivity as well. The Diamond BVUMD3 retails for $99, but we have seen it for as low as $63.

Performance:

As far as performance goes, we were able to use the Diamond dock without any issue for standard computing tasks such as comparing two Word documents side by side, working in multiple Excel workbooks and browsing the web in multiple windows.

The Dock also handled entertainment easily allowing us to watch Big Buck Bunny streamed in HD without any issues and also gave us flawless playback of the 1080P trailer. If you prefer to watch something while you work, this adapter will help you do that.

The Adapter supports many resolutions up to 1920 x 1080. Our monitor runs at 1440 x 900 and it worked great. You control the resolution, sizing and whether you want to extend or duplicate your display right from within Windows which sees the dock’s monitor as if it were connected directly.

One Cord Connection

Convenience:

In addition to making it easy to add another monitor and keep your cords hidden, the Diamond dock shines when you want to disconnect and take your notebook with you. Since all of your cords, except power, are connected to the dock you only need to remove one USB cable from your computer and you are good to go.

If you have windows open on the other monitor they will automatically switch back to your main notebook display so you don’t need to hunt for a hidden window when you try to get back to work on the couch or at the coffee shop.

Value:

At $60 the Diamond BVUMD3 is a great value for users who constantly find themselves plugging and unplugging USB devices from their notebook. We do wish that the dock included audio so that it was easier to connect an external set of speakers, but at this price we can forgive the lack of a line out.

Conclusion:

Given the overall ease of use, ability to keep your cables out of sight and the convenience of having everything connected to your notebook with one USB cable it’s hard not to like the Diamond USB BVUMD3 dock. We definitely recommended this affordable option for anyone who wants to be able to disconnect and Go.

We tested the dock out on Windows 7 where the drivers where automatically found, if you want to use the BVUMD3 on Mac you’ll need to visit DislayLink for the MAC drivers.

Pros:

  • Easy to use
  • Works with HD video
  • One cord for USB accessories and monitor

Cons:

  • No audio

You can find the Diamond BVUMD3 Mini USB Dock starting at $63.

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