VLI Demos USB Type-C and HDMI 2.1 Portable Gaming Dock Concept at Computex 2025

[TheLostSwede]

As we walked around the show floor earlier today, we walked past the USB-IF booth and spotted VLI showing off their new portable gaming dock concept. What the company has done, is to take its new VL605 USB-C DP to HDMI 2.1 PCON and combined it with the VL832 USB4 endpoint device, which under normal circumstances operate as a USB4 to USB 3.2 and DP 1.4 adapter and the VL109 which is a docking controller that also supports USB PD for up to three ports. The overall design supports up to 140 W USB PD 3.1 power passthrough as well.

The end result is a fairly small PCB that delivers an HDMI 2.1 port with VRR support, a first for a docking station solution as far as we're aware, as well as a USB Type-C with DP Alt-mode output, two USB Type-C ports with USB PD support and two USB Type-A ports. In itself it's not a unique product, but from our understanding, there aren't many docking stations out there that support VRR combined with USB ports that offer more than USB 2.0 speeds. VLI has tested it with AMD FreeSync as well as NVIDIA G-Sync compatible monitors without any problems and it's also been certified for FreeSync Premium Pro. Overall a neat little solution that could appeal to gamers that want a simple way of hooking up their peripherals to their gaming laptop when using an external monitor, keyboard and mouse.



View at TechPowerUp Main Site

 

[tommo1982]

Isn't that VIA logo?

 

[Dragokar]

Isn't that VIA logo?

Cause they are:

Company | VIA Labs, Inc., VLI 威鋒電子股份有限公司

威鋒電子（VIA Labs, Inc., VLI）是全球獨特兼具USB高速傳輸、USB Type-C 及 USB PD 相關技術布局的控制晶片領導廠商。自高速傳輸跨足至USB Type-C介面控制及USB PD電源管理，技術穩定領先。產品全數獲得USB-IF協會認證肯定，並參與協會規格制定，將USB4、USB3、USB Type-C及USB PD等技術帶入市場，奠定卓越實力。 VIA Labs, Inc. (VLI) is a leading chip supplier of USB, USB Type-C and USB PD controllers for...

www.via-labs.com

 

[TheLostSwede]

Isn't that VIA logo?

No, they have different, but similar logos.
As pointed out, VLI was spun off from VIA, but that's already 15 years ago.

 

[tommo1982]

No, they have different, but similar logos.
As pointed out, VLI was spun off from VIA, but that's already 15 years ago.

I didn't know. I lost interest with VIA after they acquired Cyrix.

 

[TheLostSwede]

I didn't know. I lost interest with VIA after they acquired Cyrix.

That never happened though, it was National Semiconductor who bought Cyrix and then sold that business unit to VIA, who then gave the IP to Centaur, since most of the Cyrix engineers had already left National Semiconductor.

Cyrix - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Lianna]

HDMI 2.1 port with VRR support, a first for a docking station solution as far as we're aware
[...]
there aren't many docking stations out there that support VRR combined with USB ports that offer more than USB 2.0 speeds

JSAUX HB1201S had HDMI 2.1 with VRR, ALLM etc. for a long time:
JSAUX HB1201S
It also has:
- second video out with DP 1.4,
- 2x USB A 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps),
- 1x USB C 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps) data-only,
- 1x USB 2.0,
- 1GbE,
- audio jack,
- SD/microSD reader at USB 2.0 speeds and common case of one or the other, not both cards at the same time - one reader,
- and can't forget about RGB
but its PD tops out at 100 W vs. 140 W on this one.

Probably most featured non-USB4 (non-TB) docking station around; happy to be proven wrong, though.

 

[Dragokar]

No, they have different, but similar logos.
As pointed out, VLI was spun off from VIA, but that's already 15 years ago.

In the end, they are all one thing just brother and sister companies for reasons

Home

VIA Technologies, Inc is a global leader in the development of intelligent automotive, industrial, edge, and building solutions.

www.viatech.com

 

[_roman_]

Someone should have given them 1€ for a male and female USB PCB connector.

 

[TheLostSwede]

JSAUX HB1201S had HDMI 2.1 with VRR, ALLM etc. for a long time:
JSAUX HB1201S
It also has:
- second video out with DP 1.4,
- 2x USB A 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps),
- 1x USB C 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps) data-only,
- 1x USB 2.0,
- 1GbE,
- audio jack,
- SD/microSD reader at USB 2.0 speeds and common case of one or the other, not both cards at the same time - one reader,
- and can't forget about RGB
but its PD tops out at 100 W vs. 140 W on this one.

Probably most featured non-USB4 (non-TB) docking station around; happy to be proven wrong, though.

It doesn't do VRR and USB 3.x speeds at the same time though, from my understanding.

In the end, they are all one thing just brother and sister companies for reasons

Home

VIA Technologies, Inc is a global leader in the development of intelligent automotive, industrial, edge, and building solutions.

www.viatech.com

Sure, but then we should use the VIA logo for HTC as well, since they're spun out of VIA.

 

[Lianna]

It doesn't do VRR and USB 3.x speeds at the same time though, from my understanding.

My display connected to HB1201S is 4K and I often see ~880 MB/s from USB 3.2 Gen 2 SSD.
VRR should only lower bandwidth requirements.
Am I missing something?

 

[TheLostSwede]

My display connected to HB1201S is 4K and I often see ~880 MB/s from USB 3.2 Gen 2 SSD.
VRR should only lower bandwidth requirements.
Am I missing something?

It's possible I'm missing something, it was what I read, trying to figure out if there was something similar on the market.
I only found HDMI 2.0 docks with VRR as well, except the one you have, where people mentioned that they can't transfer data at USB 3.x speeds with VRR enabled.