Plug your MacE-book out and in of a multi-port docking station to swiftly add units and exterior shows to your laptop computer. We examined a bunch to seek out one of the best Thunderbolt 3 and 4 and USB-C docks obtainable to homeowners of the MacE-book Air and MacE-book Pro.
Thunderbolt 3, 4 or USB-C
The connectors all look the identical, however there are vital variations, significantly on pace—with USB-C maxing out at 10Gbps (normally 5Gbps) in comparison with the 40Gbps of Thunderbolt 3 and 4. That additional bandwidth permits not only for sooner information switch however increased body charges to exterior shows, plus another good advantages.
Of Apple’s present laptop computer vary, the M1 MacE-book Air and 13in M1 MacE-book Pro function two Thunderbolt 3 (TB3) ports, whereas the 14in and 16in M1 Pro or M1 Max MacE-book Pro fashions include three Thunderbolt 4 (TB4) ports.
Apple’s older 12in MacE-book options one 5Gbps Gen 1 USB-C port, whereas the later Intel MacE-book Air (2018 and later) and MacE-book Pro (from 2016) boast both two or 4 40Gbps Thunderbolt 3 ports.
If your MacE-book is provided with Thunderbolt 4, then you definately actually can buy a TB4 dock should you want extra ports than these 14/16in laptops already possess.
Buying a Thunderbolt 4 dock is a sensible choice primarily based on future-proofing even for homeowners of TB3 Macs as the usual is backwards suitable with TB3 and USB-C. That mentioned, there are nonetheless some nice TB3 docks obtainable, and most Apple customers gained’t see a lot distinction between TB3 and TB4—the Thunderbolt 4 commonplace was primarily about getting Windows laptops in control, though there are technical advantages for MacE-book Pro customers, comparable to smarter daisy-chaining and sooner PCI hard-drive connections.
We have included some cheaper USB-C docks—should you don’t require the final word bandwidth for the quickest information switch and finest display screen body charges or resolutions, a USB-C dock may fit your functions and prevent cash.
Add exterior shows to your MacE-book
If you employ your laptop computer as your principal pc, you’ll do properly to think about attaching at the very least one bigger show to create a hybrid desktop/laptop computer setup (with a keyboard, mouse and printer all obtainable through a single connection to your MacE-book). You can flip that 13in laptop computer display screen into an iMac-sized 27in and even bigger monitor by including an additional show—or join two massive screens to increase your display screen throughout your complete desk.
If you need to join a couple of exterior show to your MacE-book you’ll want a Thunderbolt dock, reasonably than a USB-C dock. Natively over USB-C, Macs can solely join to 1 exterior show in Extended mode (the place the display screen extends past what you possibly can see on the laptop computer display screen, versus Mirrored mode that replicates precisely what you get on the laptop computer display screen) however you’ll get two Extended mode screens over a Thunderbolt connection.
While Apple’s MacBooks that includes the corporate’s personal M1 Silicon chip are tremendous speedy in comparison with the fashions sporting Intel processors, early fashions include an unimaginable limitation: they don’t help a couple of exterior show in Extended Mode even through their Thunderbolt 3 ports. This signifies that when utilizing any docking station, M1 MacE-book customers can’t prolong their desktop over two or extra shows, and will likely be restricted to both twin Mirrored shows or one exterior show—though there’s software program workaround to add a couple of exterior monitor to an M1 MacE-book.
Thankfully, the newest M1 Pro and M1 Max MacE-book Pro fashions can help a number of shows.
Do I would like a docking station?
The new M1 Pro/Max MacE-book Pro fashions boast a wider vary of ports, so lighter customers won’t want a docking station in any respect.
With three TB4 and an HDMI port, a MacE-book with an M1 Max might connect with as much as 4 exterior shows with out the necessity for a dock, though such an influence person would possible require additional Thunderbolt ports for different units to make up for utilizing all of the laptop computer ports for a number of displays.
These MacBooks even have an SD card reader. Although that is rated as UHS-II (312Mbps), Apple has pegged it again at 250Mbps, so for the quickest speeds (and a microSD slot should you want one), a dock will possible be a better option for memory-card use.
MacBooks additionally lack wired Internet entry through a Gigabit Ethernet port, so if you wish to escape flaky Wi-Fi, purchase a dock with at the very least Gigabit Ethernet, though you could possibly add a Thunderbolt-to-Ethernet adapter if in case you have a spare TB port.
If you simply want just a few additional ports, a USB-C hub or Thunderbolt 4 hub is likely to be your most suitable option. If you require a bunch of quick ports together with Gigabit Ethernet, then search for a docking station that fulfils your wants.
USB-C and Thunderbolt speeds
Thunderbolt vs USB-C dock compatibility
Plain USB-C runs at both 5Gbps or 10Gbps, whereas Thunderbolt (TB3 and TB4) hits speeds of 40Gbps. You can hook up a Thunderbolt laptop computer to a USB-C dock however you gained’t entry the sooner speeds except you purchase a real Thunderbolt dock.
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USB and Thunderbolt speeds defined
Docks with a Titan Ridge or Goshen Ridge chipset will work with each Thunderbolt and USB-C laptops. Other Thunderbolt docks gained’t work with USB-C laptops, such because the 12in MacE-book. With Titan Ridge and Goshen Ridge, you get all the advantages of a Thunderbolt dock, however can use it with non-Thunderbolt laptops, too.
In the overview listing beneath, we state on the prime which kind of laptop computer (USB-C or Thunderbolt) every docking station is suitable with.
Our sister web site Tech Advisor have individually examined all of the
finest Thunderbolt 4 hubs and docks.
USB PD: Power Delivery on your laptop computer
Look out for a dock with USB PD. The PD stands for Power Delivery.
Charging the laptop computer: The 12in MacE-book and 13in MacE-book Air require a PD with at the very least 30W energy. The 13in MacE-book Pro costs at full pace at 61W; the 15in MacE-book Pro at 87W; the 16in Pro at 96W or 140W.
An 85W/96W MacE-book Pro may be charged by a 30W or 60W charger, however slower than it could be with its native charger. A bigger MacE-book with a heavy workload may begin fading on a decrease wattage charger and never final all day even when plugged into an influence supply.
If you personal a bigger MacE-book Pro, purchase a dock with a PD (Power Delivery) potential of at the very least 90W should you can. More transportable hubs are normally rated at decrease energy.
Charging the docked units: Some docks don’t function an exterior energy provide however really use your laptop computer to attract energy from. Add too many units to certainly one of these docks and you might properly expertise energy points, as USB-C can deal with simply 7.5W bus-device energy whereas Thunderbolt can cross again 15W.
Whole lotta ports
You want one (upstream) Thunderbolt port for connecting to and charging your laptop computer (though the 14/16in MacBooks also can energy through the MagSafe port), and certain at the very least one other (downstream) to connect additional units (reminiscence sticks, exhausting drives, Ethernet, exterior show).
There are many low cost adapters that allow you to add extra units to a USB-C or Thunderbolt MacE-book (see our roundup of the
finest USB-C adapters for Macs), however for max flexibility try these docking stations that handle all of your additional port necessities, and can help you merely connect it to your laptop computer with only one cable while you get to the workplace or come residence.
Here we focus on Thunderbolt docks, but in addition embrace cheaper USB-C docks—which Thunderbolt MacBooks can use, however at the price of decreased bandwidth and show limitations. For extra non-Thunderbolt USB-C-only docks try Tech Advisor’s roundup of the finest USB-C docking stations for laptops.
Mac mini (2018 and later) and that iMac (2017 and later) homeowners can also think about increasing their ports with a Thunderbolt docking station.
The inclusion of an SD or microSD card reader isn’t only for digital camera buffs. It’s a handy and inexpensive manner so as to add storage to your laptop computer setup. We discovered a 512GB Samsung Evo microSD card on
Amazon for underneath £100 within the UK and
$100 within the US. That’s a really low cost manner of including half a terabyte of transportable storage. For extra particulars learn up on our
finest microSD playing cards.
CalDigit TS4 – Best Thunderbolt 4 dock for Macs
Pros
- Thunderbolt 4
- 18 ports
- 98W PD
- 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet
- 230W energy provide
Cons
- Only two downstream TB4 ports
Works with Thunderbolt and USB-C laptops (TB at full bandwidth)
With 18 top-rated ports and Thunderbolt 4 licensed, it’s tough to look previous the Caldigit Thunderbolt Station 4, aka TS4.
It has probably the most ports, the quickest ports and the best energy provide (a whopping 230W to be unfold among the many ports, together with a 20W USB-C and the 98W laptop computer charging). And we love its versatile vertical or horizontal format.
Even in case your MacE-book is Thunderbolt 3, the TS4 is backwards suitable and can work along with your subsequent laptop computer when it’s time to improve.
While you should utilize Thunderbolt ports so as to add exterior shows, Caldigit has swapped one of many downstream TB4 ports for a devoted DisplayPort. You’ll want an adapter in case your monitor requires HDMI. You can add as much as two 4K shows at 60Hz or a single 6K display screen at 60Hz. Again, except your show can join immediately with its USB-C port, you’ll want a USB-C-to-DisplayPort or HDMI adapter cable.
If you’ve got the appropriate router, you possibly can reap the benefits of super-fast wired Internet entry with the TS4’s 2.5GbE Gigabit Ethernet – 2.5x sooner than commonplace Gigabit Ethernet, with which it additionally works on commonplace networks.
- One Thunderbolt 4 upstream port (40Gbps, 98W PD)
- Two Thunderbolt 4 downstream ports (40Gbps, 15W)
- Up to 2 exterior shows (4K at 60Hz)
- DisplayPort 1.4 port
- Five USB-A ports (10Gbps, 7.5W)
- One USB-C port (10Gbps, 20W)
- Two USB-C ports (10Gbps, 7.5W)
- SD Card Reader (SD 4.0 UHS-II, 312MBps)
- microSD Card Reader (SD 4.0 UHS-II, 312MBps)
- 2.5GbE Gigabit Ethernet port
- 3.5mm Combo Audio In/Out port at entrance
- 3.5mm Audio In & Out ports at again
- 230W energy provide
Read our full Caldigit Thunderbolt Station 4 (TS4) overview.
CalDigit TS3 Plus – Best Thunderbolt 3 dock for Macs
Pros
- 15 ports
- 87W PD
- Digital audio
Cons
- Thunderbolt 3 not 4
- Doesn’t work with USB-C laptops
Works with Thunderbolt laptops (TB at full bandwidth)
Caldigit’s TS3 Plus is the granddaddy of Thunderbolt 3 docks. Its compact form and 15 ports made it our favourite top-end Thunderbolt 3 docking station for its sheer purposeful flexibility and energy at an amazing worth.
Other docks boast sooner USB ports, however few have seven just like the TS3 Plus—besides its successor, the TS4, which makes even the TS3 Plus look underpowered. should you can afford the additional, we suggest the TS4.
The TS3 Plus exhibits its age by not having a Titan Ridge or Goshen Ridge chipset. It’s subsequently unsuitable for non-Thunderbolt laptops—however as most MacBooks have at the very least T3, that shouldn’t matter except you’re employed in a blended Mac/Windows setting.
And whereas Thunderbolt 4 is the newest connection commonplace, its top-end advantages gained’t be seen by most MacE-book homeowners as TB3 matches TB4 on data-transfer pace.
To add the second exterior show you’ll require an HDMI or DisplayPort USB-C video adapter to run from the USB-C port except you’ve got a USB-C monitor. To keep away from this want for an adapter, search for a dock with two video ports.
Both linked shows can run 4K shows at 60Hz. You might additionally run one 5K show on the identical body fee.
The TS3 Plus’s digital audio ports set it aside from most different Thunderbolt docks.
It costs your laptop computer at 87W so makes it an amazing companion to Apple’s 15in or 16in MacE-book Pro.
This dock is dinky so gained’t take up an excessive amount of area in your desk. Available in Silver and Space Gray, it matches the colours of Apple’s laptops.
- One Thunderbolt 3 upstream port (40Gbps, 87W PD)
- One Thunderbolt 3 downstream port (40Gbps, 15W)
- Up to 2 exterior shows (4K at 60Hz)
- DisplayPort 1.2 port
- Five USB-A ports (5Gbps, 7.5W)
- One USB-C (10Gbps) port
- One USB-C (5Gbps) port
- SD Card Reader (SD 4.0 UHS-II, 312MBps)
- Gigabit Ethernet port
- Front-facing 3.5mm Audio In & Out ports
- One Digital Optical Audio (S/PDIF) port
- 180W energy provide
Read our full
CalDigit Thunderbolt Station 3 Plus (TS3 Plus) overview
Anker PowerExpand Elite 13-in-1 Thunderbolt 3 Dock – Best hybrid Thunderbolt 3 & USB-C dock with two TB3
Pros
- 13 ports
- 85W PD
- 18W USB-C
Works with Thunderbolt and USB-C laptops (TB at full bandwidth)
Anker’s PowerExpand Elite 13-in-1 Thunderbolt 3 Dock is a superb Titan Ridge docking station for Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C laptops – with numerous top-rated ports in a compact, handsome case.
It is a critical contender to the crown of one of the best Thunderbolt 3 dock. The Caldigit TS3 Plus boasts another USB-A port, however the Anker has one sooner USB-C port plus the flexibility to additionally work with non-Thunderbolt USB-C laptops.
All the Power Expand Elite’s ports are top-end: each USB-C ports, for instance, are Gen. 2 at 10Gbps, the place some docks boast simply 5Gbps C-type ports.
The On/Off button on the entrance is a pleasant contact we haven’t seen on different docks, and there’s actually nothing besides worth to tell apart it from the opposite advisable docking stations we’ve examined.
This is a superb choice for perfecting your TB3 or USB-C laptop computer to a desktop setup.
In the battle of the Titan Ridge hybrid docks, the Anker wins on a cute compact design, variety of ports, and having two quick USB-C ports in addition to two TB3.
- One Thunderbolt 3 upstream port (40Gbps, 85W PD)
- One Thunderbolt 3 downstream port (40Gbps, 15W)
- Titan Ridge chipset (USB-C and T3)
- Up to 2 exterior shows (2 x 4K at 60Hz; or 1 x 5K at 60Hz)
- One HDMI 2.0 port
- Two USB-C (10Gbps) ports (one at 18W)
- Four USB-A (5Gbps) ports (one at 7.5W)
- SD Card Reader (SD 4.0 UHS-II, 312MBps)
- microSD 4.0 Card Reader (SD 4.0 UHS-II, 312MBps)
- Gigabit Ethernet port
- Hybrid 3.5mm audio port
- 180W energy provide
Read our full
Anker PowerExpand Elite 13-in-1 Thunderbolt 3 Dock overview
CalDigit Thunderbolt 3 mini Dock – Best transportable Thunderbolt 3 dock
Pros
- Portable
- Dual show ports
Cons
- Thunderbolt 3 not 4
- No downstream TB3 port
- Unpowered
Works with Thunderbolt laptops (TB at full bandwidth)
The CalDigit Thunderbolt 3 mini Dock provides dual-4K show help at 60Hz in a light-weight transportable kind. It connects to the laptop computer through an built-in TB3 cable.
It’s obtainable with both two DisplayPort or two HDMI ports, though there are different variations between the 2 fashions apart from show connection sort.
The Mini Dock Dual HDMI options the 2 HDMI ports, plus Gigabit Ethernet and two USB-A: one at 5Gbps (4.5W); one on the a lot slower 480Mbps (2.5W).
The Mini Dock Dual DisplayPort options the 2 DP slots, plus Gigabit Ethernet port and one USB-A (5Gbps, 4.5W energy).
Both fashions run 4K shows at 60Hz in Extended mode—finest for high-action films and gaming. Plainer USB-C docks can deal with two 4K shows, however solely at 30Hz, and just one Extended.
Its draw back is a scarcity of energy provide (which it attracts from the host laptop computer), so that you’ll have to energy your laptop computer through one other port, and the USB ports definitely aren’t for fast-charging functions.
Portable USB-C hubs typically boast extra ports (though simply the one exterior show choice) however lack the sooner Thunderbolt 3 connection.
- Bus-powered, so no PD charging
- Thunderbolt 3 (40Gbps) upstream cable
- Up to 2 exterior shows (4K at 60Hz)
- Two DisplayPort 1.2 ports or two HDMI 2.0 ports (4K at 60Hz)
- DP: One USB-A port (5Gbps, 4.5W)
- HDMI: Two USB-A port (5Gbps & 4.5W, one 480Mbps & 2.5W)
- Gigabit Ethernet port
Read our full
CalDigit Thunderbolt 3 miniDock overview
Kensington SD5700T Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station
Pros
- 11 quick ports
- 4x TB4
- 180W energy provide
- Power button
Works with Thunderbolt and USB-C laptops (TB at full bandwidth)
The Kensington SD5700T Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station has every part a dock ought to have: 4 TB4 ports, three quick USB-A and one sluggish one (that at the very least boasts 7.5W charging energy in comparison with the sooner USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 port’s 4.5W), Gigabit Ethernet, SD Card reader, and three.5mm audio jack.
At 180W, the facility provide is excessive however not as nice as discovered on the Caldigit TS4. It’s important in case you are powering a number of units linked to the dock. And the On/Off energy button (uncommon on docks) means you may give the laptop computer battery’s relaxation while you’re away.
There are helpful lights telling you when the dock is powered and when it’s linked.
• One upstream Thunderbolt 4 port (40Gbps, 90W PD)
• Three Thunderbolt 4 downstream ports (40Gbps, 15W)
• Three USB-A ports (10Gbps, 4.5W)
• One USB-A port (480Mbps, 7.5W)
• Gigabit Ethernet
• SD Card reader (USHS-II, 312MBps)
• 3.5mm audio jack
• 180W energy provide
Read our full
Kensington SD5700T Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station overview.
Caldigit Thunderbolt 4 and USB4 Element Hub – Best Thunderbolt 4 hub
Pros
- 4x TB4
- 4x 10Gbps USB-A
- 150W whole energy
- Compact
Cons
- 60W energy perhaps mild for bigger laptops
Works with Thunderbolt and USB-C laptops (TB at full bandwidth)
The Caldigit Thunderbolt 4 and USB4 Element Hub isn’t a dock as a result of it doesn’t function something apart from Thunderbolt and USB ports—no Ethernet, SD card reader or audio port.
But it boasts so many top-end Thunderbolt and USB ports that you would be able to customise it to your each want.
There are 4 TB4 ports (one upstream to your pc positioned handily on the aspect, and three downstream to different units) and 4 quick 10Gbps USB-A ports.
You can use two of the three downstream TB4 ports to attach on to USB-C-equipped displays or HDM or DisplayPort screens utilizing cheap adapters.
That nonetheless depart you a spare TB4 port and the 4 USB-A ports so as to add additional units, comparable to an adapter for Gigabit Ethernet and/or SD card reader, SSDs, reminiscence sticks and so forth.
As a hub reasonably than a dock, its 60W laptop computer charger is a bit of underpowered for bigger laptops, however the total 150W energy provide will assist with all of the hub’s ports.
It’s sufficiently small to be transportable, however don’t neglect that the exterior energy provide will overwhelm your journey bag.
• One upstream Thunderbolt 4 port (40Gbps, 60W PD)
• Three downstream Thunderbolt 4 ports (40Gbps, 15W)
• Four USB-A ports (10Gbps, 7.5W)
• 150W energy provide
Read our full
Caldigit Thunderbolt 4 and USB4 Element Hub overview.
Orico TB3-S2 Thunderbolt 3 Dock – Dock with built-in SSD enclosure
Cons
- Thunderbolt 3 not 4
- Noisy
The Orico TB3-S2 is a Thunderbolt 3 docking station that provides one thing no different dock examined right here can boast: an M.2 dual-bay solid-state drive (SSD) enclosure.
Underneath, there’s a hatch that permits you to add one or two SSDs for as much as 4TB of additional storage – a boon for laptops with smaller storage capacities. This enclosure consists of one bay for M.2 NVMe 2280 SSD and the opposite for an M.2 NGFF 2280 SSD.
For instance, you could possibly add the Samsung 970 EVO Plus PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD, with 1TB round $200/£130 and 2TB from $256/£200. If you need a 4TB SSD added to your MacE-book Pro, Apple will cost you $1,000/£1,000.
As the SSDs require a fan, the dock does make an audible buzzing sound, which might be drowned out by air-conditioning however would undoubtedly be heard in a quiet room.
The dock itself is extremely slim regardless of the storage bays, and made from aluminum.
On the TB3-S2 there’s only one upstream TB3 port (that connects to your laptop computer) and a downstream TB3 port that can be utilized to connect suitable units or an exterior show.
The included DisplayPort 1.4 connection is one of the best show hyperlink, however so as to add two exterior displays you could use the spare TB3 downstream port. It can deal with two 4K shows at 60Hz or as much as an 8K single show.
There is, nonetheless, a quick USB-C port on the dock’s entrance, in addition to three various pace USB-A ports. The charging functionality of the USB-A ports is reasonably weak however you possibly can energy a tool at 7.5W utilizing the USB-C port. The Thunderbolt 3 port can cost a laptop computer at as much as 60W, which is okay for many mid-sized laptops however not the 16in MacE-book Pro.
The Orico TB3-S2 is a slim—if barely noisy—Thunderbolt 3 dock with the enviable potential to help as much as 4TB of inexpensive solid-state storage.
• One Thunderbolt 3 upstream port (40Gbps, 60W PD)
• One Thunderbolt 3 downstream port (40Gbps, 15W)
• Up to 2 exterior shows (2 x 4K at 60Hz; or 1 x 8K at 60Hz)
• One DisplayPort 1.4 port
• One USB-C (10Gbps) ports (one at 7.5W)
• Two USB-A (5Gbps) ports (one at 2.5W)
• One USB-A (10Gbp) ports (one at 4.5W)
• Two NVMe SSD slots (max 4TB storage)
• Gigabit Ethernet port
• Hybrid 3.5mm audio port
• 120W energy provide
Anker Apex Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station
Pros
- 12 ports, inc two HDMI ports
- TB4
- 20W USB-C
- Power button
Cons
- Macs cannot totally use each HDMI ports
- Only one downstream TB4 port
- 4.5W USB-A charging
Works with Thunderbolt and USB-C laptops (TB at full bandwidth)
With its two HDMI ports, the Anker Apex Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station seems an amazing alternative if you could join a couple of exterior show to your laptop computer.
Most different Thunderbolt 4 docks we’ve examined rely solely on the TB4 ports for show connections. This signifies that if you’d like two exterior screens, you lose two of the three downstream TB4 ports, plus you will have HDMI or DisplayPort adapters except the shows have a USB-C connection.
If your exterior shows use HDMI, you don’t want any USB-C adapters to attach shows. One draw back is that there’s only one downstream TB4 port, however that’s all you’d have left should you linked two shows to one of many different docks or hubs.
The different is extra vital for Mac customers. There are methods across the limitation however, out of the field, Macs can’t use each HDMI ports with Extended mode shows; solely Mirrored.
If you aren’t planning on including two screens, this dock is much less versatile than different hubs and docks the place the TB4 ports can be utilized for show or no matter else you want.
We are followers of the inclusion of an influence button in order that your laptop computer isn’t receiving a possible cost when it’s not wanted, and maintaining the dock’s temperature down at night time.
• One upstream Thunderbolt 4 port (40Gbps, 90W PD)
• One downstream Thunderbolt 4 port (40Gbps, 15W)
• One USB-C port (10Gbps, 20W)
• Two USB-A ports (10Gbps, 4.5W)
• Two USB-A ports (480Mbps, 4.5W)
• Two HDMI 2.0 ports (4K at 60Hz)
• Gigabit Ethernet
• SD Card reader (UHS-II, 312MBps)
• 3.5mm audio jack
• 120W energy provide
Read our full
Anker Apex Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station overview.
HyperDrive GEN2 16-Port Thunderbolt 3 Dock
Pros
- 16 ports
- 85W PD
- Titan Ridge
- Digital audio
Works with Thunderbolt and USB-C laptops (TB at full bandwidth)
This Titan Ridge (Thunderbolt and USB-C) docking station is bristling with 16 (rely ’em) high-performance ports.
Its compact kind is neat (identical to the Caldigit TS4 and TS3 Plus or the Anker PowerExpand Elite), and it may well lie both upright or horizontal relying in your wants and choice.
There are six USB-A ports in whole: 4 USB-A ports at 5Gbps and an extra two at 10Gbps, plus one fast-charging QC 3.0 USB-A port.
On prime of that is one 10Gbps USB-C port that you just’ll want if you wish to complement the DisplayPort for a second exterior show.
You’ll additionally get extra professional-level digital audio ports, in addition to the analogue 3.5mm headphone/mic jack on the entrance.
- One Thunderbolt 3 upstream port (40Gbps, 85W PD)
- One Thunderbolt 3 downstream port (40Gbps, 15W)
- Titan Ridge chipset (USB-C and TB3)
- Up to 2 exterior shows (4K at 60Hz)
- One DisplayPort 1.4 ports (4K at 60Hz)
- Three USB-A ports (5Gbps, 4.5W)
- Two USB-A ports (10Gbps, 4.5W)
- One USB-A port (QC 3.0, 36W)
- One USB-C port (10Gbps, 7.5W)
- SD Card Reader (SD 4.0 UHS-II, 312MBps)
- microSD Card Reader (SD 4.0 UHS-II, 312MBps)
- Gigabit Ethernet port
- Front-facing 3.5mm Analogue Audio In & Out port
- One Digital Optical Toslink Audio (S/PDIF) port
- One Digital Coaxial Audio (S/PDIF) port
- 180W energy provide
Read our full
HyperDrive GEN2 16-Port Thunderbolt 3 Dock overview.
CalDigit USB-C Pro Dock – Best worth Thunderbolt 3 & USB-C DP dock with SD
Pros
- 11 ports
- 85W PD
- Titan Ridge
Works with Thunderbolt and USB-C laptops (TB at full bandwidth)
CalDigit’s USB-C Pro Dock options dual-DisplayPort show connectors, so there’s no want for adapters if each your exterior displays use that commonplace. The
Caldigit USB-C HDMI Dock is comparable however with two HDMI ports, however was unavailable on the time of writing.
Using the Titan Ridge chipset, it really works with each Thunderbolt and USB-C laptops.
The two DisplayPort connections dispose of the necessity for a USB-C to DP/HDMI that you just get with docks boasting only one devoted video choice, and it additionally leaves the quick 10Gbps USB-C port spare for additional machine connections.
- One Thunderbolt 3 upstream port (40Gbps, 85W PD)
- One Thunderbolt 3 downstream port (40Gbps)
- Titan Ridge chipset (USB-C and TB3)
- Up to 2 exterior shows (4K at 60Hz)
- Two DisplayPort 1.2 ports (4K at 60Hz)
- Three USB-A ports (5Gbps; one at 7.5W)
- One USB-C port (10Gbps)
- SD Card Reader (SD 4.0 UHS-II, 312MBps)
- Gigabit Ethernet port
- Front-facing 3.5mm Analogue Audio In & Out port
- 150W energy provide
Read our full
Caldigit USB-C Pro Dock overview.
Twelve South StayGo – Best transportable USB-C dock
Pros
- Portable
- 85W passthrough charging
Works with USB-C and Thunderbolt laptops (TB at decreased bandwidth)
It calls itself only a hub however this little light-weight field of ports has sufficient to go to battle with greater, costlier laptop computer docking stations—and is little sufficient to slot in your pocket and go travelling with you.
It boasts three USB-A ports (one with Fast Charging), USB-C ports for connecting to the laptop computer and in addition 85W of PD charging, one HDMI port, Gigabit Ethernet and SD/Micro SD card readers.
It’s USB-C reasonably than Thunderbolt however will work with both sort of laptop computer connection (we examined it with a 15in MacE-book Pro). Of course, you’ll lose that full 40Gbps bandwidth and the choice of a second exterior show, however lighter customers won’t care, and it’s excellent for portability.
- One USB-C upstream port (5Gbps)
- One USB-C port (5Gbps) for passthrough 85W PD charging; requires charger
- One exterior show (4K at 30Hz)
- HDMI port (4K at 30Hz)
- Three USB-A ports (5Gbps; one at 7.5W)
- Gigabit Ethernet port
- SD Card Reader (UHS-I, 104MBps)
Read our full
Twelve South StayGo USB-C Hub overview.
OWC Thunderbolt 3 Pro Dock – Best dock for 10Gb Ethernet
Pros
- 11 ports
- 10Gb Ethernet
- 6Gbps eSATA port
Works with Thunderbolt laptops (TB at full bandwidth)
The OWC Thunderbolt 3 Pro Dock is aimed toward digital picture professionals and has final efficiency at its coronary heart.
Principally, it options super-fast 10Gb Ethernet reasonably than the usual 1Gb (Gigabit) connection discovered on the opposite docking stations reviewed right here. The Caldigit TS4 options 2.5Gb Ethernet.
To get probably the most from this stage of Ethernet you could have suitable community units.
It additionally encompasses a CFast 2.0 card reader for individuals nonetheless utilizing CompactFlash in its newest model.
There are Thunderbolt docking stations with extra ports and beefier chargers, however none have 10Gb Ethernet or CFast 2.0. You can add these to different docks through devoted adapters, however the Pro Dock has all of it built-in, plus a very safe power-supply connection in case it’s used on a professional DIT cart.
- One Thunderbolt 3 upstream port (40Gbps, 60W PD)
- One Thunderbolt 3 downstream port (40Gbps, 15W)
- Up to 2 exterior shows (2 x 4K at 60Hz; or 1 x 5K at 60Hz)
- DisplayPort 1.2 port
- Three USB-A ports (5Gbps)
- SD Card Reader (SD 4.0 UHS-II, 312MBps)
- CFast 2.0 Card Reader
- 10Gb Ethernet port
- 6Gbps eSATA port
- 150W energy provide
Read our full
OWC Thunderbolt 3 Pro Dock overview
OWC Thunderbolt 3 Dock – ports aplenty
Cons
- Thunderbolt 3 not 4
- MiniDP
Works with Thunderbolt laptops (TB at full bandwidth)
OWC’s commonplace Thunderbolt 3 docking station has an amazing set of ports, and costs at a top-end 85W—highly effective sufficient for a 15in MacE-book Pro. 85W will likely be sufficient to cost even the 96W 16in MBP fairly quick and positively not drain even when linked to a number of units.
The 5 USB-A ports are all 5Gbps, and there’s a 10Gbps Gen 2 USB-C port on the entrance of the newest 14-port mannequin, which not many Thunderbolt docks have.
The curiously old style alternative of Mini DisplayPort over DisplayPort isn’t a technical hurdle however you’ll require adapters for including exterior shows. Other docks have a couple of port for exterior shows, however this one wants adapters to hook up with shows—which provides to the general value.
That apart, the OWC Thunderbolt 3 Dock has every part a dock ought to have in a slick-looking slim case that can look good in any laptop computer setup.
- One Thunderbolt 3 upstream port (40Gbps, 85W PD)
- One Thunderbolt 3 downstream port (40Gbps)
- Up to 2 exterior shows (2 x 4K at 60Hz; or 1 x 5K at 60Hz)
- Mini DisplayPort 1.2 port
- One USB-C port (10Gbps)
- Five USB-A ports (5Gbps; two at 7.5W)
- SD Card Reader (SD 4.0 UHS-II, 312MBps)
- MicroSD Card Reader (SD 4.0 UHS-II, 312MBps)
- Gigabit Ethernet port
- Hybrid 3.5mm audio port
- S/PDIF digital audio output port
- 180W energy provide
Read our full
OWC Thunderbolt 3 Dock overview
StarTech.com Thunderbolt 3 Dual-4K Docking Station – Packed with ports
Works with Thunderbolt laptops (TB at full bandwidth)
The StarTech.com Thunderbolt 3 Dual-4K Docking Station is, because the identify suggests, for laptops that sport the quick (40Gbps) Thunderbolt 3 model of USB-C. It gained’t work for slower (5-10Gbps) USB-C laptops, such because the 12in MacE-book, however will connect with newer Thunderbolt 4 laptops.
It’s additionally suitable with Windows laptops and Chromebooks like the opposite Thunderbolt docks we’ve examined.
Being constructed for Thunderbolt 3, it may well join two exterior 4K shows at 60Hz, so is nice for wealthy graphics and quick gaming motion. One of the displays can join through the DisplayPort. You’ll possible want an adapter to attach the second port through the spare Thunderbolt 3 port except the show has a USB-C port too.
The listing worth is steep, however you’ll discover it cheaper at Amazon.
- One Thunderbolt 3 upstream port (40Gbps, 85W PD)
- One Thunderbolt 3 downstream port (40Gbps)
- Up to 2 exterior shows (4K at 60Hz)
- DisplayPort 1.2 port
- One USB-C port (5Gbps)
- Five USB-A ports (5Gbps; one at 7.5W)
- SD Card Reader (SD 4.0 UHS-II, 312MBps)
- Gigabit Ethernet port
- Front-facing mixture 3.5mm Audio In & Out port
- 180W energy provide
Read our full
StarTech.com Thunderbolt 3 Dual-4K Docking station overview.
Plugable Thunderbolt 3 Dock – Upright stand dock
Pros
- 10 ports
- vertical or horizontal
Works with Thunderbolt laptops (TB at full bandwidth)
Plugable’s Thunderbolt 3 Dock (TBT3-UDV) is a succesful dual-display Thunderbolt 3 docking station that can delight many with its potential to face upright or lie horizontally.
It’s received lots of USB-A ports, and two Thunderbolt 3 ports—one for the host laptop computer and the opposite for quick units or a second exterior 4K show alongside one connected to the DisplayPort. A non-USB-C monitor would require an adapter.
Note that whereas typically labelled a “Single Display” docking station, that refers back to the single show port. You can use the spare TB3 port. with an adapter so as to add a second monitor.
At 60W, it’s a bit of underpowered for Apple’s bigger 15in and 16in MacE-book Pro laptops, however positive for the 13in MacE-book Pro or Air.
- One Thunderbolt 3 upstream port (40Gbps, 60W PD)
- One Thunderbolt 3 downstream port (40Gbps)
- Up to 2 exterior shows (4K at 60Hz)
- DisplayPort 1.2 port
- Five USB-A ports (5Gbps, one at 7.5W)
- Gigabit Ethernet port
- Front-facing mixture 3.5mm Audio In & Out port
- 135W energy provide
Read our full
Plugable Thunderbolt 3 Dock (TBT3-UDV) overview
Linedock – Best USB-C dock for desk area
Pros
- 10 ports
- Extra battery
- Extra SSD storage choices
Cons
- USB-C not Thunderbolt
- Expensive
Works with USB-C and Thunderbolt laptops (TB at decreased bandwidth)
The Linedock appears to be like completely different to most USB-C docks. In reality, you’ll hardly discover it because it sits beneath a 13in, 15in or 16in MacE-book Pro or Air.
It appears to be like identical to a closed MacE-book, aside from a row of ports on both aspect, and a charging USB-C port on the again (it requires a separate charger, however the one which shipped along with your MacE-book will likely be positive).
It connects to the MacE-book with a nifty little U-shaped connector, with one USB-C connector for the dock and one other for the laptop computer.
It’s a desk-space saver however not a cash saver. It doesn’t simply appear like an Apple product, it’s priced like one, and is the costliest dock on check right here. For the 16in MacE-book Pro the value goes from $479 to $839 totally specced.
But it does have two distinctive and extremely helpful options lacking from different docking stations: as much as a 27,000mAh battery and the choice so as to add as much as 2TB of SSD reminiscence inside it – an nearly unbelievable quantity of battery capability and storage for a laptop computer. You can depart the Linedock with no SSD, or add a 256GB, 1TB or 2TB SSD relying on the mannequin.
These are nice concepts, however in different methods the Linedock appears a bit of outdated in locations.
The 13in mannequin has a Mini DisplayPort (in addition to the extra widespread HDMI) however no Gigabit Ethernet, for instance. Adding a fats Ethernet port would perhaps make this flat dock too excessive for its goal.
While the 13in Linedock can help just one exterior show, the 15in and 16in fashions can deal with two – though, for now, all M1 Apple laptops can help just one exterior monitor anyway.
The newer 16in mannequin is aimed toward M1 / M1 Pro / M1 Max ditches the MiniDP for full-size DisplayPort and HDMI ports, though it might have distributed with video ports totally if customers have been advisable to make use of a USB-C-to-USB-C cable for suitable shows or an adapter for HDMI or DisplayPort displays.
And it’s USB-C reasonably than Thunderbolt, so nowhere close to the top-end 40Gbps bandwidth of the Apple laptops. This is supposed to maintain prices down, and the Linedock is already a lot costly sufficient.
If you possibly can afford it, the Linedock is a superb hybrid of dock, battery and storage. The lack of Thunderbolt gained’t trouble lighter customers, and respectable Wi-Fi will imply the lacking Ethernet port gained’t matter both.
- Pass-through laptop computer charging at as much as 100W
- Two exterior shows (4K at 60Hz)
- HDMI 2.0 port (on all fashions)
- DisplayPort (on 15in and 16in mannequin)
- Mini DisplayPort 1.4 (on 13in mannequin)
- Three USB-C (5Gbps) ports (13in)
- Three USB-C (10Gbps) ports (15/16in)
- Three USB-A (5Gbps) ports (13/15/16in)
- SD Card Reader (UHS-I, 104MBps) on 13in
- Two SD Card Readers (UHS-II, 312MBps) on 15/16in
- 19,350mAh battery (13in)
- 27,000mAh battery (13in)
- 0GB, 256GB or 1TB SSD choices (13in)
- 0GB, 1TB or 2TB SSD choices (15/16in)
Read our full
Linedock overview
Moshi Symbus Q Compact USB-C Dock – Best USB-C dock with wi-fi charging
Pros
- 15W Wireless charging
- Compact
Works with USB-C and Thunderbolt laptops (TB at decreased bandwidth)
The Symbus Q compact USB-C dock has a genius, distinctive promoting level.
The prime of the dock encompasses a cushioned and non-slip wi-fi charging pad that you would be able to relaxation your telephone on and begin charging it with out the necessity to take up one of many USB slots or discover that pesky charging cable.
It options one HDMI (4K@30Hz, 1080p@60Hz), one Gigabit Ethernet, and two old-school USB-A ports (5Gbps USB 3.1 Gen 1).
Qi-certified, it may well cost by means of circumstances as much as 5mm in thickness, and helps Apple’s 7.5W and Samsung’s 10W quick charging.
It helps full USB PD (Power Delivery) performance for fast-charging (as much as 50W) your laptop computer.
- PD laptop computer charging at as much as 60W
- One exterior show (4K at 30Hz)
- HDMI port
- Two USB-A ports (5Gbps)
- Gigabit Ethernet port
- Qi wi-fi charging (15W)
Now take into consideration a stand to go alongside the dock
These MacE-book docking stations look and work nice with a laptop computer stand, and we’ve additionally examined some
MacE-book-friendly stands that lack all the additional ports however maintain your MacE-book/Air/Pro upright and out of the best way: additional saving priceless desk area, lowering litter, maintaining your laptop computer cool, and saving it from spills.
Read our greatest MacE-book equipment function for extra important laptop computer gear.
Source: www.macworld.com