Best Thunderbolt docks 2023: Extend your laptop's capabilities - PCWorld
Image: Mark Hachman / IDG
A Thunderbolt dock is now nearly a must-have accessory, providing I/O access for legacy mice, keyboards, external drives, and more. It's a key ingredient for a productive office, whether at work or home. And now there's a new upcoming wrinkle: Thunderbolt 5.
Thunderbolt docks or docking stations help fill the gaps as laptop makers slim down, cut costs, and eliminate multiple ports in favor of a do-it-all Thunderbolt port instead. That may seem like they're pushing those costs on to you (which they are) but it also means you can pick and choose a dock with exactly the ports you need.
Why buy a Thunderbolt dock? Because of the bandwidth it provides. The best USB-C hubs and dongles provide legacy ports (USB-A, microSD, and others) for connecting PC peripherals like mice, printers, external hard drives, and more. Thunderbolt docks use the same USB-C connector. (Look for the "lightning bolt" logo to distinguish them.) But displays, especially 4K displays, consume gobs of bandwidth. A 10Gbps USB-C hub can only power a single 4K display at 30Hz. Thunderbolt 4, with its 40Gbps, allows for two 4K displays at 60Hz apiece. Thunderbolt 5 won't be available until 2024, but will support three 4K displays, at 144Hz each. Good Thunderbolt docks, whether Thunderbolt 4 or 5, can also charge your smartphone.
This roundup begins with the very best Thunderbolt docks, including budget options. We'll close by recommending our favorite DisplayLink USB-C docks—simpler, cheaper solutions that have recently emerged. Our best USB-C hubs and dongles are covered in a separate story. Confused? Don't be. We'll explain the differences in the FAQ that follows our recommendations, clarifying the terminology to help you understand what to buy and how to save some money, too.
Note that not every Thunderbolt dock we review appears here. Recent reviews include the Revodok Pro 13-in-1 Dock, which is terrific and appears here in our list.
Best Thunderbolt docks
Kensington Thunderbolt 4 Dual 4K Dock (SD5780T) – Best overall Thunderbolt dock
Pros
- Solid performance
- No thermal issues
- Pretty solid mix of ports, including downstream Thunderbolt 4
- Price cuts have helped make it more affordable
Cons
- One of the more expensive docks (MSRP) we've tested
- Rear USB-A ports deliver less power than expected
- One display port, requiring an additional dongle for two displays
Price When Reviewed: $399.99
We originally thought our best pick would be the Kensington SD5760T, a dock that featured an ideal mix of ports on paper but also some performance issues. We then thought that the Plugable UD-4VPD would fit the bill, but an intensive gaming session caused the dock to overheat and shut down. So we reconsidered.
Kensington Thunderbolt 4 Dual 4K Dock (SD5780T) is the winner. It's not perfect; this dock only includes support for one display port, requiring you to buy a converter cable or dongle. If flexibility is what you want, we'd recommend our runner-up pick, the Plugable TBT3-UDZ, instead. Kensington's dock was also worryingly expensive when we first reviewed it, but price cuts have brought the price way down from $399 to about $260 or so.
However, this dock didn't present any performance or thermal issues, and if you understand that one of the Thunderbolt ports can be used for charging your smartphone, you'll find this dock delivers virtually everything you'll need.
Plugable TBT3-UDZ Thunderbolt Dock – Best overall Thunderbolt dock runner-up
Pros
- Tons of ports
- Space-saving vertical stand
Cons
- Heavy (4.1lb)
Price When Reviewed: $369.00
Plugable's TBT3-UDZ used to be our pick for the best overall Thunderbolt dock, and we've only bumped it down a notch because newer, less expensive versions are available. But it's a credit to Plugable that we simply can't bump this dock off our list. In part, that's because Plugable has reduced its prices, so that a dock that was once priced about $300 is now $230 or so.
While Thunderbolt 4 docks theoretically offer more stability, we've never had any problems with this dock. Why buy it? Because it offers virtually every port available: two DisplayPort and two HDMI ports, plus a boatload of other options. It's also one of the few docks that can be mounted vertically perched on a stand to clear up desk space.
Belkin Thunderbolt 3 Dock Core – Best budget Thunderbolt dock
Pros
- Compact
- HDMI 2.0 + DisplayPort 1.4 port covers two displays
Cons
- Unlabeled USB-A ports look identical
- Bus-powered
Price When Reviewed: $199.99
Belkin's Thunderbolt 3 Dock Core is a smartly designed "powered" Thunderbolt 3 travel dock, and an inexpensive one as well. We've upgraded it to our best budget pick because of Belkin's recent price cuts.
At a nearly square 5.2 x 6.5 x 1.5 inches, the Thunderbolt Dock Core black doesn't take up much room, and the included 8-inch Thunderbolt 3 cord provides ample length for flexibility. Ports are adequately spaced around the flat, black plastic cube, with HDMI 2.0 and DisplayPort 1.4 ports providing a stable 4K/60Hz experience to both of my 4K displays. There's gigabit Ethernet and a 3.5mm audio jack, but good luck telling the USB 3.1 and USB 2.0 Type A ports apart—they're not labeled.
Ugreen Revodok Pro 13-in-1 Triple Display Docking Station – Best budget Thunderbolt dock runner-up
Pros
- Excellent performance
- Great value for the money
- Optimized build
- Completely stable
Cons
- Short, built-in cord
- You'll need your own power supply/charger
- Requires a relatively modern laptop
Price When Reviewed: 129.99
The only reason that this isn't our best budget Thunderbolt docking station is because it appears that it's using a generic form of compression known as HBR3 (High Bit Rate 3) with DSC (Display Stream Compression), which is built into the DisplayPort spec. That's a particular technology that is more common within recent Intel Core (and Core Ultra) laptops, but isn't guaranteed to appear on yours. (If you own a laptop with a Thunderbolt port, though, this should work just fine.) You'll also have to supply your own USB-C power cable.
Otherwise, this docking station is fantastic, completely stable, compact, and inexpensive. Everything's well labeled, and the dock offers DisplayPort as well as HDMI options. Just be wary of connecting three displays. Also, the attached USB-C cable is too short for my taste.
HP Thunderbolt Dock 120W G4 (4J0A2AA) – Best Thunderbolt dock for business
Pros
- Ports aplenty, plus charging
- Solid performance
- No thermal concerns
Price When Reviewed: $299.00
This squat little Thunderbolt 4 dock feels a lot more solid than its rated 1.68 pounds would indicate, and sprouts ports to all sides: a 10Gbps USB-C port capable of 15W charging on the front, a 5Gbps USB-A port on either side, plus two more on the back, all capable of 7.5W out. The back also houses two DisplayPort 1.4 ports, an HDMI 2.0 port, Ethernet, and a USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 port designed for video. We only tested this dock with two 4K/60 external displays, but it's capable of driving three 4K/60 displays provided you have a DisplayPort 1.4-capable laptop with Display Stream Compression, or DSC.
The 4J0A2AA supplies up to 100W to the host laptop via the Thunderbolt cable—still among the highest we've seen. Even then, there were no thermal issues at all.
Kensington SD5780T Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station – Best Thunderbolt 4 dock
Pros
- Solid performance
- 96W (rated) of downstream laptop power
- Pretty solid mix of ports, including downstream Thunderbolt 4
Cons
- One of the most expensive docks we've tested
- Rear USB-A ports deliver less power than expected
- One display port, requiring an additional dongle for two displays
Price When Reviewed: $399.99
The Kensington SD5780T replaces the Kensington SD5700T as our pick for the best premium Thunderbolt 4 docking station right now, but the price is also extravagantly high. (Amazon knocked 15 percent off the price at the time of our most recent revision, though, lowering the price considerably.)
The SD5780T improves on its predecessor by adding a dedicated HDMI 2.1 port and more laptop charging power. The dock performed excellently in our tests, though the external power was a bit lower in places than we'd hoped. (It counts where it matters, however, which includes charging a smartphone.)
Razer Thunderbolt 4 Dock Chroma – Best Thunderbolt 4 dock runner-up
Pros
- Rock-solid stability
- The only (?) dock with RGB lighting
Cons
- Average to slightly poor performance
- Lack of dedicated display ports
- A higher price tag than what rivals charge
Price When Reviewed: $329.99
Believe it or not, we agonized over this. OWC's Thunderbolt Go Dock was our prior pick, and we liked its gimmick: an integrated power brick that allows it to be taken on the road, sort of. And we instinctively shy away from docks that force users to buy additional display cables, and Razer's Chroma dock does.
Razer's dock is stable, if slightly on the slow side. The RGB lighting is fun, and optional — it can be turned off. And yes, the Chroma is more expensive: about $10 as we write this, with an additional $15 or so each if you need a USB-C to HDMI cable. So we're splitting the difference here. We think the Chroma is the better dock, but if you don't want to spend the extra money, consider OWC's dock instead. Frankly, the Kensington SD5780T that we recommend as our top pick does share a lot of the same functionality as both the OWC and the Razer docks, so price does play a factor here.
Plugable 5-in-1 Thunderbolt Hub (USB4-HUB3A) – Best Thunderbolt 4 hub
Pros
- Incredibly compact
- USB-C to HDMI adapter included
- 15W/60W of charging power to phones/PCs
Cons
- Limited ports
- Best for Thunderbolt-attached displays
Price When Reviewed: $189
The Mac world tends to emphasize Thunderbolt-connected displays far more than the Windows world does, so this might be a niche product for most of you. But this thing is tiny (4.75 x 2.88 x 0.5 inches) even if, unfortunately, the associated power brick isn't. It will send 15W of power via the Thunderbolt/USB-C connections to charge smartphones, and 60W to the host PC.
We lacked a Thunderbolt-connected display at the time of testing. (We have one now, and can confirm it works.) But the box does include a USB-C to HDMI adapter, so you can certainly connect one display natively out of the box, then attach a USB-C hub to connect another.
Anker 568 USB-C Docking Station – Best USB4 docking station
Pros
- Two ports for fast-charging smartphones
- Solid value
- Eighteen-month warranty
Cons
- Occasional instability on a second display or connected devices
Price When Reviewed: $299.99
A USB4 docking station is very much like a Thunderbolt 4 docking station—you can see more explanation following our product recommendations. But if you're specifically looking for a USB4 docking station, you should buy the Anker 568 USB-C Dock.
This 11-in-1 docking station favors DisplayPort, with two DisplayPort 1.4 ports, and a single HDMI 2.0 video port. The Anker 568's distinguishing feature, however, is the pair of 10Gbps USB-C ports on the front, each supplying 30W of power as well as a separate 100W connection to the laptop. That's quite unusual, and the two ports should fast-charge a smartphone and possibly even a tablet.
We noticed a small bit of instability on occasion, but in general the Anker 568 provided a solid connection to a pair of 4K displays and other peripherals.
Plugable USB4 Dual HDMI Docking Station (UD-4VPD) – Best USB4 docking station runner-up
Pros
- Great price and value, even at MSRP
- 4K120 display capabilities open up gaming possibilities
- Stable performance
- Excellent charging capabilities
Cons
- Significant thermal issues
- Storage tests across the dock were lower than average
Price When Reviewed: $199.95
Deciding between the best USB4 dock is a real dilemma. Plugable's dock claims dual 4K120 capability, but Anker's 568 dock edges it out in price and slightly in display flexibility. What sealed the deal for us were the Plugable UD-4VPD's thermal issues. Plugable's dock was absolutely fine for office work, only growing rather warm to the touch. But after a prolonged PC RPG gaming session, the dock heated up to the point where it shut down. That will be an issue for some users.
What we liked about this powered dock is its strong charging capabilities, but the thermal issues gave us pause. Our review goes into more detail.
CalDigit Thunderbolt Station 4 (TS4) – Best Thunderbolt dock for Apple Mac users
Pros
- Thunderbolt 4
- A whopping 18 ports
- 98W power delivery to your Mac
- 2.5 gigabit ethernet
- 230W power supply
Cons
- Only two downstream TB4 ports
- Pricey
Price When Reviewed: $399.95
This recommendation comes courtesy of our colleagues at Macworld, who have compiled their own list of best Thunderbolt docking stations for the Apple Mac market. "All the ports you could want coupled with high-wattage charging justify the price of this full-featured dock," and who are we to argue? We can personally vouch for its progenitor, the TS3 Plus, which we ranked favorably among other Thunderbolt docks.
While we have yet to review the TS4 ourselves, a simple gander at the price re-affirms our certainty that this is a product for the Mac market.
Best DisplayLink USB-C docks
DisplayLink USB-C docks, which we discuss in more detail in a separate article, don't offer enough bandwidth for high-refresh rate monitors or gaming, but they work admirably well for ...
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