What the dock is
The Baseus Spacemate RD1 Plus 14-in-1 (WIN) is a desktop dock. Baseus says it delivers dual 4K@60Hz displays, 120W GaN charging and 10Gbps data transfer through 14 ports. It also has an auto-rotating smart display and a one-finger privacy lock.
Baseus lists these specifications:
- Two HDMI ports and six USB ports in total, with 14 ports overall.
- Dimensions of 3.72 x 0.98 x 5.45 inches and a weight of 3.02 pounds.
- A 140W GaN power supply built into the dock, so it plugs into the wall with a standard power cable. Baseus says that supply delivers up to 120W of total output. The 140W figure is the supply rating and 120W is the output you can use.
The one-cable claim
Butler uses a MacBook Pro with an M4 Pro chip, connected to a 4K 144Hz television. Before the dock, he plugged in three things each time: the MagSafe charger, a side-mounted USB port expander, and the TV's HDMI cable. With the RD1 Plus, he reports that this is now a single USB-C cable, and everything attached comes to life.
In his two weeks of use, everything he plugged in worked, and almost always at the correct speed. He found a few features useful:
- Two 45W charge-only USB-C ports on the front suit his iPad and phone, since he rarely needs to transfer data to either.
- The small info screen shows the power going to each of the three charging ports. It also shows what is connected and whether data links are active.
- A button on top turns the screen on and off. A long press locks the attached computer.
- The dock works upright or flat, and the screen orientation adjusts on its own.
Butler gave it 8.5/10.
Two problems he reported
These are one reviewer's experiences, not confirmed defects.
- No 4K/120Hz on his MacBook. Through the dock's 120Hz HDMI port he could not get anything above 4K/60Hz. He used the same cable that had given him 4K/120Hz directly from the MacBook's own HDMI port. He doesn't doubt the dock can do it, but he couldn't confirm it. He has no second 4K monitor, so he didn't test dual 4K either.
- Waking after an overnight dock. If he left the laptop docked overnight, he had to unplug and replug the host cable before it worked again. He says this matters little if you undock at the end of the day.
His test hardware is a single configuration. A different laptop, monitor or cable could behave differently, particularly on Windows.
Compatibility limits Baseus documents
The product page covers the Mac and Windows differences in its FAQ. Baseus lists compatibility with Windows 10/11, macOS 10.15.x and later, and Linux, and says the laptop needs a full-featured USB-C, USB4 or Thunderbolt port. A plain USB-C connector may not be enough.
Dual monitors on a Mac
According to Baseus's FAQ, two external monitors on a Mac cannot show different content. That feature works on Windows only. Baseus points Mac users who want extended dual displays to other models in its range.
So "dual 4K" on a Mac means mirrored screens, not two independent desktops. Check this before buying if you plan to run two screens on macOS.
Extending displays on Windows
Baseus's instructions are short:
- Press Windows + P.
- Choose Extend.
- Drag windows to the screen you want.
Dual 4K/60Hz checklist
Baseus says the whole chain must meet three conditions:
- The laptop supports DisplayPort 1.4 with Display Stream Compression (DSC) enabled.
- The HDMI cables are HDMI 2.0 or later.
- Both monitors support 4K/60Hz with DSC enabled.
If any link fails, expect lower resolution or refresh rates. Check each one before blaming the dock.
Laptop charging
Baseus says the dock charges a laptop with no extra charger. It warns that some high-power HP and Dell models use proprietary protocols and may show a "slow charging" notice. Baseus calls this a compatibility notice, not a malfunction, and says the laptop still charges normally.
Price
The list price is $259.99. Butler says an introductory offer cuts it to $179.99 through December 31, 2026. He says it is hard to justify at full price unless you work on multi-monitor setups with external storage, such as video editing or compiling code. At $179.99 he calls it a no-brainer, noting that a 140W GaN charger alone can cost about $100. That comparison is his own and I haven't verified it.
Prices on the Baseus page and in other coverage differ and have changed. Baseus's page recently showed $90 off with the code RD1Plus, which brings the price to $169.99. Digital Reviews Network reported a Black Friday offer of $149.99. Early launch coverage also gave conflicting list prices. One press release version said $259.99. Another said $299.99. Treat any deal as time-limited and confirm the price and seller at checkout.
Verdict
- Windows laptop with one or two displays and a full-featured USB-C or Thunderbolt port: this dock is built for you. Check the DP 1.4 DSC, HDMI 2.0 cable and monitor requirements if you want dual 4K.
- Mac with one display: Butler's experience supports the one-cable convenience. Don't count on 4K/120Hz without testing it yourself.
- Mac with two independent displays: this dock doesn't do it, by Baseus's own admission.
- A laptop you leave docked overnight: keep Butler's wake-from-sleep problem in mind. It may not affect your machine.
If 4K/120Hz is your main reason to buy, confirm the return window first. Baseus advertises a 7-day money-back guarantee on its own store. That policy may differ if you buy through Amazon.