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Hands-on with the DockCase Mount Ling 2 Pro
Mount Ling 2 Pro offers a lot of flexibility for a gaming dock.
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DockCase is no stranger to Kickstarting unique SSD enclosures and docks, with the company’s Visual Smart M.2 enclosure making its way onto our list of the best SSD enclosures. The Mount Ling 2 Pro, however, is gunning for a spot among the best USB-C docks. It’s a dock for handhelds like the Steam Deck and Switch 2, an external enclosure for an NVMe SSD, and a game capture device, all packaged up in a dock that can show off your handheld and expand your port selection.
There are two versions of the dock: the standard Mount Ling 2 and the Pro version. The only difference between them is the internal capture card. The base version is $109 via an early bird deal while the Kickstarter gets underway, and the Pro version is $149. They’ll be priced at $199 and $249, respectively, after the early deals are gone.
It’s the world’s first “smart creator dock,” says DockCase, which is partially true. There are other docks that give you additional inputs, a stand, and capture capabilities with a handheld, and at a lower price. The AVerMedia X’TRA GO, for instance, offers all of that for $160. The differentiator here is the internal M.2 slot that can support up to 4TB of NVMe storage, with points to mount 2280, 2242, and 2230-sized drives. Of course, this external storage only works with platforms that normally support external storage (so, not the Switch or Switch 2).
For PC-adjacent handhelds running Windows or Linux, the Mount Ling 2 Pro is an expensive but useful dock that gives you capture, storage, and port expandability in one attractive package. For the Switch and Switch 2, the usefulness isn’t as clear. You can’t use the SSD with either platform, and Nintendo’s game of whack-a-mole with third-party accessories means a system update could break HDMI passthrough (and, in the process, the capture function of the dock).
DockCase says the Mount Ling 2 Pro supports the Steam Deck, ROG Ally, Switch, Switch 2, and “more,” presumably wrapping up other Windows- or Linux-based handhelds like the ROG Ally X Xbox or Lenovo Legion Go S. Switch and Switch 2 are supported, as well, though getting Nintendo’s handheld to connect properly isn’t always smooth.
The dock connects to your handheld with a USB 3.2 Gen Type-C connection capable of 10 Gbps, and DockCase includes a small, braided 40 Gbps cable in the box, along with two right-angle connectors. That single connection gives you up to 100W through the USB-C port, along with Gigabit Ethernet, an HDMI 2.0 connection (4K@60Hz), a single USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A port, and a USB 2.0 port. An additional USB-C connection serves as another USB 3.2 Gen 2 port on the Mount Ling 2, while it becomes the capture card output on the Pro model.
Interestingly, there’s also an optical audio output available. Although I don’t suspect most users will put it to use (HDMI transfers audio, as well), it’s a nice fallback if you plan on using the dock with a more elaborate audio setup. It’s a nice bonus, though I would’ve liked a 3.5mm audio jack as well, considering handhelds no longer have access to that connection.
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