Targus DOCK520USZ vs DOCK310USZ - DisplayLink Dock Comparison 2026

Targus DOCK520USZ vs DOCK310USZ: the short version

The Targus DOCK520USZ and Targus DOCK310USZ share the same basic idea: they use DisplayLink to put more screens and peripherals on a desk without requiring Thunderbolt. Both connect at up to 5 Gbps, both include a USB-C-to-USB-A adapter for older USB 3.x hosts, and both use a DC power supply. Their displays depend on DisplayLink software, which makes them more flexible across host types but less suitable for fast-motion work than a native Thunderbolt or USB4 dock.

The difference is the era and the target desk. The DOCK520USZ is an older four-HDMI office dock. It can drive four 1920x1080 displays at 60Hz, or two 2560x1440 displays at 50Hz, but it does not charge the laptop. The DOCK310USZ is a newer dual-monitor dock. It has two HDMI 2.0 ports for dual 4K at 60Hz, delivers up to 65W through USB-C Power Delivery, and carries a longer warranty.

The short verdict: choose the DOCK310USZ for almost any modern two-monitor setup. Its 7.2 score beats the DOCK520USZ’s 6.3, its display modes are more useful for 4K monitors, and it can keep a compatible ultrabook or office notebook charged. The DOCK520USZ still has a narrow but real role: a fixed desk that needs four existing Full HD HDMI monitors, uses a USB-A or USB-C host, and already has separate laptop power.

If you are deciding whether the DisplayLink trade-off makes sense before choosing either dock, read our DisplayLink vs Thunderbolt docking station guide. For a wider look at current options, the docking station buying guide explains what host connection, charging level, and monitor setup to check first.

Quick specs comparison

Display support: monitor count versus resolution

The monitor requirement should decide this comparison before the port count or the MSRP does. The DOCK520USZ has four HDMI 1.4b outputs and can extend four 1920x1080 displays at 60Hz. That is meaningful in a workplace that has a wall of basic office monitors already on hand. It also supports two 2560x1440 displays, although its documented ceiling there is 50Hz. The configuration is built around dual DisplayLink DL-3950 chips, not native GPU video output.

The DOCK310USZ stops at two external displays, yet each HDMI 2.0 output can run 3840x2160 at 60Hz. Targus also specifies a single 5120x2880 display at 60Hz through its DisplayLink pipeline. For a typical desk with two 27-inch 4K monitors, that is a substantially better fit than the DOCK520USZ. You get sharper displays, a normal 60Hz refresh rate, and a less complicated physical setup.

Neither model turns DisplayLink into a gaming or color-critical video solution. Their product data describes a software-rendered display path and warns against high-refresh, fast-motion, or color-critical use. The DOCK520USZ is especially explicit about its office focus. The DOCK310USZ also identifies DisplayLink compression and latency as a reason to choose Thunderbolt or USB4 for performance-sensitive displays.

The DOCK310USZ has a useful advantage for base Apple Silicon MacBooks. Its DisplayLink setup can provide two external monitors even where the laptop’s native external-display allowance is lower. That still comes with a setup requirement: install DisplayLink Manager and grant its Screen Recording permission in macOS. The DOCK520USZ lists macOS support too, but its documentation reflects older macOS versions and advises checking current DisplayLink support for the macOS release in use.

Display winner: DOCK310USZ for two-monitor desks. Pick the DOCK520USZ only if four 1080p HDMI screens are a hard requirement. It is the only dock here that has four display outputs, but it gives up resolution and host charging to get there.

Ports and everyday peripherals

At a glance, the DOCK520USZ looks more generous because it has four USB-A ports and one USB-C data port, compared with three USB-A ports and one USB-C data port on the DOCK310USZ. Both also have Gigabit Ethernet and a 3.5mm combo audio jack. For a keyboard, mouse, webcam, headset, wired network connection, and a few USB accessories, either dock covers the basics.

The important distinction is not one extra USB-A port. It is the display connector generation. The older dock uses four HDMI 1.4b outputs. The newer dock has two HDMI 2.0 outputs. A desk with two 4K HDMI monitors benefits much more from the DOCK310USZ’s HDMI 2.0 support than it would from the DOCK520USZ’s fourth USB-A socket.

Both docks keep their peripheral bandwidth in the 5 Gbps class. Neither is a strong choice for a workflow built around fast external SSDs, 2.5GbE networking, or a large collection of high-bandwidth accessories. The DOCK520USZ’s product data calls out its older 5 Gbps USB design as less capable than modern USB4 and Thunderbolt docks. The same practical limit applies to the DOCK310USZ, whose host connection is also specified at 5 Gbps.

Neither dock includes SD or microSD card readers. Neither has DisplayPort. The DOCK310USZ’s HDMI-only layout may require an adapter if your monitor has only DisplayPort. The DOCK520USZ also has HDMI only, so it does not solve that problem. If DisplayPort cabling is central to your desk, look beyond this pair rather than adding adapters to a dock that does not otherwise fit.

Port winner: a practical tie. The DOCK520USZ has one more USB-A port. The DOCK310USZ has the more useful video outputs for current two-monitor 4K desks. Ethernet and audio are the same on both models.

Laptop charging: the difference you will notice every day

The DOCK520USZ does not provide host USB-C Power Delivery. Its included 65W power adapter runs the dock and the connected peripherals, not the laptop. You need to leave the laptop’s own charger connected. That is workable at a permanent workstation, but it defeats the one-cable desk setup that many people expect from a USB-C dock.

The DOCK310USZ can deliver up to 65W USB-C Power Delivery to a compatible host laptop. That is enough for many ultrabooks and office notebooks. It is not enough for every larger laptop, and the product data warns that some 15-inch and 16-inch systems may charge slowly or lose battery under load. The limitation is clear, but 65W is still a major usability improvement over no host charging at all.

USB-A use changes the picture. Both docks can work with a USB-A host through their included adapters, but USB-A cannot pass USB-C Power Delivery back to the laptop. A user who connects the DOCK310USZ through USB-A still needs separate laptop power. The power advantage applies when the DOCK310USZ is connected through USB-C to a compatible laptop.

Charging winner: DOCK310USZ. It creates a one-cable desk for compatible lower-power laptops. The DOCK520USZ always needs a second charger connection.

Compatibility and driver setup

DisplayLink is why either dock can support broad host compatibility. The DOCK520USZ lists Windows, macOS, ChromeOS, Android, and Linux support. The DOCK310USZ lists the same operating-system families, including Ubuntu Linux. Both can operate through USB-C and through USB-A 3.0 or faster with their included adapters.

That flexibility has a cost. External video depends on DisplayLink software. A laptop where the driver cannot be installed is not a good candidate for either dock’s multi-monitor use. The DOCK520USZ specifically warns that its four HDMI outputs depend on the DisplayLink chips. The DOCK310USZ says USB devices, Ethernet, and charging may still work without the driver, but its HDMI outputs will not provide the intended display capability.

Mac users should factor in the extra permission step. The DOCK310USZ requires Screen Recording permission for DisplayLink Manager on current macOS versions. The DOCK520USZ may require current DisplayLink software even though its original Targus compatibility list reaches back to older versions of macOS. In either case, connect the dock, install the software before depending on monitors, and test wake and sleep behavior before rolling the setup out to a shared workspace.

Neither dock is a good choice for a locked-down laptop where IT will not approve DisplayLink software. In that case, a native USB-C, USB4, or Thunderbolt dock is a better direction, provided the host itself has the display support you need.

Compatibility winner: tie. Both are designed for broad OS and host support, and both depend on DisplayLink. The DOCK310USZ has clearer current macOS setup guidance.

Value and warranty

The DOCK310USZ has the better starting position on the facts in the product files. Its MSRP is $199.99, compared with $274.99 for the DOCK520USZ. It also has the higher 7.2 score, compared with 6.3, and its five-year limited warranty outlasts the DOCK520USZ’s three-year limited warranty.

The DOCK520USZ does offer something the DOCK310USZ cannot: four monitor outputs. That may justify a different decision in an office that already owns four 1080p HDMI panels. Replacing those monitors just to use a dual-4K dock can cost more than the dock itself. The DOCK520USZ also includes four USB-A ports, Gigabit Ethernet, combo audio, and the USB-A host adapter needed for older systems.

For a new setup, though, the DOCK310USZ is more forward-looking within this pair. It has dual 4K at 60Hz, 65W USB-C charging, HDMI 2.0, a lower MSRP, and the longer warranty. The DOCK520USZ makes sense as a special-purpose four-screen office dock, not as the default recommendation for someone starting from scratch.

Value winner: DOCK310USZ. Its score, MSRP, charging support, display resolution, and warranty make the broader case. The DOCK520USZ earns its place only when four Full HD displays are more valuable than two 4K screens and USB-C charging.

Verdict: choose the desk, then choose the dock

The Targus DOCK310USZ is the better buy for most readers. It supports dual 4K at 60Hz through HDMI 2.0, can deliver 65W to a compatible USB-C laptop, costs less at MSRP, and has a five-year limited warranty. Its 7.2 score reflects that more balanced fit for a current home office or hot desk.

The Targus DOCK520USZ is not obsolete in every scenario. Its four HDMI ports can run four 1080p office displays at 60Hz, and it works with USB-C or USB-A 3.x hosts. But it does not charge the laptop, its higher-resolution two-monitor mode reaches only 1440p at 50Hz, and its 6.3 score reflects those limits.

Choose the Targus DOCK310USZ if:

• You use one or two 4K HDMI monitors.
• You want up to 65W USB-C charging for an ultrabook or office laptop.
• You value the lower $199.99 MSRP and five-year limited warranty.
• You need a DisplayLink dock that can also support a USB-A 3.x host.
• You are comfortable installing DisplayLink software and granting its macOS permission when needed.

Choose the Targus DOCK520USZ if:

• You need four 1080p HDMI monitors at one desk.
• You already have separate laptop power connected.
• Your existing monitor fleet makes four Full HD outputs more useful than two 4K outputs.
• You want four USB-A ports alongside Ethernet, audio, and a USB-C data port.
• You can install and maintain the DisplayLink software required for the display setup.

For other DisplayLink choices, see the best docking stations for dual monitors and compare the newer Targus DOCK310USZ with the DOCK570USZ if you are considering a quad-4K DisplayLink desk.