[codepeach]

I have a couple of laptops with I use heavily for dev work. Dell and Acer, and both have really impressed me.

The dell also has a docking station which connects 2x widescreen monitors on my desk, which i find highly useful as trying to code on 1x small laptop screen can be restrictive at times.

[andymurd]

I totally forgot about docking stations, which is probably a result of having plenty of USB ports. Is dual video the only reason to use a docking station, or are there other benefits?

[a3n]

Docking station: Arrive at work, snap the laptop down, work. Reverse at the end of the day.

No docking station, lots of USB and other ports: Arrive at work, plug plug plug look for cable that dropped down below the desk plug plug plug, that was already a lot of work. Prepare to leave work ... aw, fuckit.

[SamReidHughes]

Some docking stations have legacy ports (serial, parallel, maybe modem), most have yet more USB ports, some have a second ethernet port (and both work), some have a turnkey solution for locking the laptop to the docking station. Often three external monitors is something you can get.