Diamond USB 3.0 to DVI/HDMI/VGA Multi-Display Adapter Review

Introduction

There’s no doubt in my mind that if you’re using a computer, you’re using a display of some sorts; a PC isn’t much use without one. Having a single display is fine for most people, it’s more than enough for working, gaming and whatever else you need. However, what if you need to expand your display setup even further? There are other display outputs on your GPU, or at least most graphics cards have more than one output. However, what if you find yourself in a situation where you have no more outputs available? If you have 1-3 displays setup for your system, or you run your spare output to a bigscreen TV or projector, you’ve got no room left to add another display to your setup, without adding another video card into the mix.

Of course, the real market for this device is for notebooks and tablets with a single display output. Most ultrabooks only have a single display output, if they have one at all! So being able to have a cost-effective connectivity solution could be a great solution for expanding your workspace.

The Diamond USB 3.0 to DVI/HDMI/VGA does exactly what it says on the box, it allows you to turn a USB 3.0 port into a video output, giving you as many more display ports as you could need, at a significantly lower price point than adding an extra dedicated GPU. Of course, there are some shortfalls to this, such as the solution may not be ideal for gaming, but for work and content creation, it could be the flexible solution you need.

Specifications and features

Product weight 0.10 lbs.
Package weight 0.65 lbs.
Product Dimensions 3.2(L) x 1.9(W) x 1.0(H) Inches
Package Dimensions 8.6 x 6.4 x 2.1 Inches

Connectors

DVI (Native)
DVI to HDMI (with included adapter)
DVI to VGA (with included adapter)
USB 3.0 Micro

Chipset

DisplayLink DL-3500

Number of Displays Supported

1 per BVU3500 adapter

Max resolution

2048 x 1152 and 1080P

HDCP

Yes, Protected video playback HDCP 2.0

In the box, you will find a USB 3.0 cable, the USB to DVI adaptor, a DVI to VGA adaptor and a DVI to HDMI adaptor; virtually any monitor you can think of should be able to connect with ease.

The main unit is simple enough, with the USB connection on the end and a small LED indicator on the top.

The DVI port is self-explanatory and what is nice to see is that all the connectors are gold-plated, so they should last a lot longer without corroding.

On the underside, you’ll find a small sticker with the product model number (UGA250000S REV.A) and four small screws should you need to open the device for repairs, which is very unlikely.

Both of the connectors are of a very high quality and come with metal thumbscrew fittings to ensure your cables don’t drop out; with the exception of HDMI, which is a self-supporting cable.

The HDMI connector may not screw into place, but the mount does swivel and twist, which should further ensure that your cable doesn’t get pulled from its fitting.