Recently we had the chance to speak with Andy Davis, Director of Corporate Marketing at Synaptics about GPU Agnostic™ technology. Synaptics, the company behind DisplayLink Technology, is a go-to partner for product innovators like StarTech.com, developing technology that changes the way we interact with our devices at work and home. At a time when IT professionals face increasing pressure to maximize their existing hardware, GPU Agnostic docking stations using technology from Synaptics offer a practical, scalable, and budget-friendly solution for multi-monitor display deployments. What are the challenges created by aging device GPUs? Traditionally a device relies on its GPU to manage its display capabilities, but as organizational needs change, or an office grows, this can lead to several issues such as: Display Limits: Limiting the number of monitors that can be connected and therefore impacting productivity. Compatibility Concerns: Supporting multiple architectures, operating systems, or connector types. Costly Hardware Upgrades: Scaling to newer systems can lead to expensive upgrades. These challenges can be difficult for IT teams to manage, as solutions often involve the expensive and time-consuming deployment of new devices. Luckily, GPU Agnostic technology offers an effective and IT-friendly solution. What is GPU Agnostic Technology? A GPU Agnostic docking station is a connectivity accessory that works in concert with the system’s GPU capabilities and enhances them, presenting itself as a virtual GPU to the OS. This allows a device that may not be capable of connecting to multiple monitors or use 4K displays to seamlessly connect to those devices without an upgrade. As Andy told us, “The technology extends a host platform's capabilities beyond what it can do itself. You can have a direct connect or GPU dependent display as your external device, but a GPU Agnostic dock sits above those devices and offer you access to even more. So how does GPU Agnostic technology support my deployments? One of the major benefits of using a GPU Agnostic docking station is the return on hardware investment. By deploying a GPU Agnostic docking station, your older devices gain a significant increase in display capabilities, effectively extending their lifetime and allowing you to focus your IT budget on critical infrastructure. Andy put it simply, “The reality is we’re all limited by the budget we can spend. Does your budget enable you to replace every PC in the organization to take advantage of DP2.1 and the latest UHBR specs? Probably not. You can extend the ROI on platforms you’ve already deployed and gain the benefits of 4K and multi-4K connectivity through a docking station.” Do you have a real world example? Andy has been with the company since the beginning and highlighted enabling areas such as finance, banking, insurance companies and Fortune listed companies globally. “ I often tell people, it’s tested by the best, so it’s going to be fine for home or office productivity work.” Andy’s example touches on one of the biggest strengths of the docking stations. Not only do they offer access to more powerful displays, but they can also dramatically increase the overall number of displays that are available as well. Some devices normally only have the capability of extending their screen to a single monitor but with the deployment of a docking station they have the ability to access 3, 4, 5, or even 6 displays. What GPU Agnostic docking stations are available? At StarTech.com we offer a wide variety of docking stations that are equipped with the GPU Agnostic DisplayLink technology. Use the helpful drilldown filters to narrow down the docking station that fits your unique needs. We’d like to thank Andy for his time and for the informative information he shared with us about GPU Agnostic technology. If you have any questions about GPU Agnostic docking stations and how they can help you make the most out of your existing devices, contact us so we can get a conversation started.