Plug your MacBook in and out of a multi-port laptop docking station to swiftly add multiple devices and external displays with just one cable connection to your laptop. We tested the top contenders to find the best Thunderbolt and USB-C docks available to owners of the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro.

Thunderbolt, USB4 or USB-C

The connectors all look the same (technically known as a “Type-C connector”), but there are significant differences, particularly on speed that will determine both >

Simon Jary / Foundry

? USB and Thunderbolt speeds explained

USB PD: Power Delivery for your laptop

Most docks can charge the connected MacBook, so look for the right Power Delivery (PD) rating that suits your laptop. You can’t over-power a MacBook so the simplest advice is to aim as high as you can. 70W will be more than enough to fast-charge a MacBook Air but go for 85W or more for a MacBook Pro, and 140W for the top-end 16-inch Pro.

We’ve got more detailed advice on recommended MacBook charging speeds below our list of docks.

Best docks for Mac 2025

Here we list the Thunderbolt and USB-C docks that we have reviewed and tested. Read the descriptions for details on all the features and functions offered by each docking station.

CalDigit TS5 Plus – Ultimate Thunderbolt 5 dock for Macs

• Type: 80Gbps Thunderbolt 5 Dock
• Ports: 20
• Power: 140W PD 3.1; 300W max
• External displays: Up to 2x 8K at 60Hz or 1x 8K at 60Hz

If you desire the ultimate in MacBook docking stations, the CalDigit TS5 Plus has just about everything you need—indeed probably more than you need. Alongside super-fast Thunderbolt 5 you get an unmatched number of top-end ports including 10Gb Ethernet and an incredible 330W power supply.

Somehow CalDigit has included an incredible clearly labelled 20 ports into the compact dock—all of which can be used simultaneously—including ten 10Gbps USB ports (five USB-C and five USB-A), the fastest Ethernet available, top-rated card readers and audio ports front and back. There are three 80Gbps Thunderbolt 5 ports: one upstream to connect to your computer and two downstream for speedy > Sonnet Echo 13 Thunderbolt 5 SSD Dock – Best Thunderbolt 5 dock for Macs with SSD

• Type: 80Gbps Thunderbolt 5 Dock
• Ports: 12
• Power: 140W PD 3.1; 180W max
• External displays: 2x 4K at 60Hz or 1x 6K at 60Hz

This Thunderbolt 5 docking station boasts four 80Gbps Thunderbolt 5 ports plus the bonus of integrated internal SSD storage of up to 4TB.

That internal SSD is installed at purchase and is not user upgradeable, so pushes the price to the high-end of all the docks reviewed here. However, it’s well worth it if you can afford to pay the extra. This internal SSD is super-fast, and in our tests nearly matched the native storage in the Mac itself! Having extra storage that’s so fast will save you money on your next MacBook purchase as Apple’s SSD options cost nearly as much as buying one of these docks by itself.

Sonnet offers port flexibility by not swapping one of the Thunderbolt 5 ports for a dedicated DisplayPort or HDMI video port, as found on the CalDigit TS5 Plus reviewed above. You can attach up to two external 6K displays using either direct Thunderbolt connections to supporting monitors or adding video adapters for DisplayPort or HDMI screens.

If you have the right router, you can take advantage of super-fast wired Internet access with the Echo 13’s 2.5GbE Gigabit Ethernet—2.5x faster than standard Gigabit Ethernet, with which it also works on standard networks.

• One upstream Thunderbolt 5 port?(80Gbps, 140W)
• Three downstream Thunderbolt 5 ports?(80Gbps, 1x 60W, 2x 15W)
• Two USB-A ports?(10Gbps, 7.5W)
• One USB-A port?(5Gbps, 7.5W)
• Internal M.2 NVMe SSD?(1TB / 2TB / 4TB)
• Ethernet?(2.5Gb)
• UHS-II SD card reader?(312MBps)
• UHS-II microSD card reader?(312MBps)
• 3.5mm combo audio jack?(front)
• 180W power supply

Who should buy the Sonnet Echo 13?

This is a top-end solution for owners of Thunderbolt 5 Macs who want to add a range of extra fast ports and super-charge their storage, but owners of Thunderbolt 3 or 4 Macs can future-proof their purchase (as TB5 is backwards compatible with TB4 and TB3) for the same result. Sonnet offers a similar Thunderbolt 4 docking station, the Sonnet Echo 20 Thunderbolt 4 SuperDock (see later in this list), which also offers an internal SSD, but this is optional, user-installed and not as super speedy, and so is more affordable.

Read our full Sonnet Echo 13 Thunderbolt 5 SSD Dock review

Wavlink Thunderbolt 4 Triple Display Docking Station – Best budget Thunderbolt 4 dock

• Type: 10Gbps USB-C Dock
• Ports: 19
• Power: 100W PD 3.0; 150W max
• External displays: 2x 4K at 60Hz or 1x 6K at 60Hz

Another dock with an SSD enclosure is the Satechi Dual Dock Stand that doubles up as an open-MacBook stand that raises the keyboard to a more comfortable angle.

Unlike the Thunderbolt Sonnet Echo 13 or Echo 20, this is a USB-C dock with a 10Gbps rather than 40Gbps or 80Gbps bandwidth, but it’s significantly cheaper as a result, and is a very reasonably priced for a dual 4K 60Hz USB-C docking station. With one DisplayPort 1.4 and two HDMI 2.0 ports, you can connect up to two 4K displays in Extended mode at a decent 60Hz refresh rate.?The Echo 20 has just one video port. Although that port is the superior HDMI 2.1, you have to add a second external screen via one of the Thunderbolt ports, which will require an adapter with that dock.

The SSD enclosure is the star of the show. Placed on the underside of the dock, this is easily accessed and supports both NVMe and SATA SSDs. You need to buy the SSD separately.?Amazon is selling NVME SSDs?for around $55 (1TB), $80 (2TB) or $300 (4TB).

One USB-C port is for passthrough PD power at up to 75W to the laptop, which is enough for all but the 16-inch MacBook Pro at full pelt. Even that model will charge fine—just slower than smaller MacBooks. Note that you will need to connect your own USB-C charger to the dock: check out our?recommended MacBook chargers.

• Dual-USB-C upstream connector to laptop (10Gbps, 75W PD 3.0)
• Passthrough power USB-C port
• Two USB-C (one at 10Gbps, one at 5Gbps)
• Two USB-A (one at 10Gbps, one at 5Gbps)
• One DisplayPort 1.4
• Two HDMI 2.1 ports
• Gigabit Ethernet

Who should buy the Satechi Dual Dock Stand?

If you use your MacBook’s own keyboard and desire up to two quality external displays, plus need to increase your base storage with fast SSD drives, the Satechi Dual Dock Stand is a neat, zero-footprint docking station that matches your MacBook for style and adds nine useful ports. It’s not as speedy as the Thunderbolt docks we have tested but this is an affordable and discreet dock that still offers a lot of ports and dual-display functionality.

Read our full Satechi Dual Dock Stand review

Sonnet Echo 20 Thunderbolt?4 SuperDock – Thunderbolt 4 dock with SSD options

• Type: 40Gbps Thunderbolt 4 Dock
• Ports: 19
• Power: 100W PD 3.0; 150W max
• External displays: 2x 4K at 60Hz or 1x 6K at 60Hz

Boasting an impressive 19 top-rated ports, Thunderbolt 4 certified and with an optional internal SSD storage feature, the Sonnet Echo 20 Thunderbolt SuperDock offers remarkable value for money. It might not offer the very fastest Thunderbolt 5 hosted by its Echo 13 sibling, but it’s cheaper and in some ways more flexible.

It has the most ports and equals the fastest ports seen in the market. Its nearest competitor is the excellent CalDigit TS4, reviewed below. Sonnet clearly targeted the TS4 and the specs are remarkably similar—but the cheaper Echo 20 has a useful SSD enclosure that means you can add up to 8TB of internal storage via the dock. If you don’t need this feature and prefer DisplayPort to HDMI, or you need the most powerful ports on offer, the TS4 is still a great contender, although it costs a fair amount more.

The Satechi Dual Dock Stand, reviewed below, is an even cheaper non-Thunderbolt option if the idea of an integrated SSD enclosure is appealing.

Even if your MacBook is Thunderbolt 3, as a Thunderbolt 4 dock the Echo 20 is backwards compatible and will work with your next laptop when it’s time to upgrade. Even if your Mac does boast Thunderbolt 5, this good-value dock will work with it, just at Thunderbolt 4 speeds.

While you can use Thunderbolt ports to add external displays, Sonnet has swapped one of the downstream TB4 ports for a dedicated HDMI port. You can add up to two 4K displays at 60Hz or a single 6K screen at 60Hz. Unless your second display can connect directly with its USB-C port, you’ll need a USB-C-to-DisplayPort or HDMI adapter cable to connect to one of the downstream TB4 ports.

• One Thunderbolt 4 upstream port (40Gbps, 100W PD)
• Two Thunderbolt 4 downstream ports (40Gbps, 15W)
• Up to two external displays (4K at 60Hz)
• HDMI 2.1 port?
• Four USB-C ports (10Gbps, 7.5W)
• Four USB-A ports (10Gbps, 7.5W)
• SD Card Reader (SD 4.0 UHS-II, 312MBps)
• 2.5GbE Gigabit Ethernet port
• 3.5mm Combo Audio In/Out port (front)
• Two (right and left channels) line out RCA jacks (back)
• 3.5mm microphone jack (back)
• 150W power supply

Who should buy the Sonnet Echo 20?

The newer Sonnet Echo 13, reviewed above, might have Thunderbolt 5 and a much faster internal SSD, but the Echo 20 has more ports—albeit TB4 rather than TB5—and more flexible, user-installed options for adding extra storage.

Read our full Sonnet Echo 13 Thunderbolt 5 SSD Dock review

Kensington SD5700T Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station – Great choice for 2x 4K displays

• Type: 40Gbps Thunderbolt 4 Dock
• Ports: 11
• Power: 90W PD 3.0; 180W max
• External displays: 2x 4K at 60Hz or 1x 6K at 30Hz

The Kensington SD5700T Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station has everything a dock should have: four TB4 ports, three fast USB-A and a slow one (that at least boasts 7.5W charging power compared to the faster USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 port’s 4.5W), Gigabit Ethernet, SD Card reader, and 3.5mm audio jack.

It can supply two external 4K displays at 60Hz or one 6K monitor but at 30Hz rather than 60Hz like the CalDigit TS4, so single-screen gamers should probably look elsewhere.

At 180W, the power supply is higher than most docks tested here but not as great as found on the CalDigit TS4 or TS5 Plus. It’s essential if you are powering multiple devices connected to the dock. And the On/Off power button (rare on docks) means you can give the laptop battery’s rest when you’re away.

There are useful lights telling you when the dock is powered and when it’s connected.

Check out the latest live prices above as this dock is often on sale for less than the listed price and can represent great value for money.

? 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 (UHS-II, 312MBps)
? 3.5mm audio jack
? 180W power supply

Who should buy the Kensington SD5700T?

Other docks have more ports, but this affordable Thunderbolt 4 docking station has enough for most people and is a smart choice. A variant model, the Kensington SD5780T dock (available in the US only), drops one of the three downstream Thunderbolt 4 ports in favor of an HDMI 2.1 but costs an extra $50.

Read our full Kensington SD5700T Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station review.

CalDigit Thunderbolt 4 and USB4 Element Hub – Best Thunderbolt 4 hub / mini-dock

• Type: 40Gbps Thunderbolt 4 Hub
• Ports: 8
• Power to laptop: 60W PD 3.0; 150W max
• External displays: 2x 6K at 60Hz

Like its newer sibling, the Element 5 Hub reviewed above, the CalDigit Thunderbolt 4 and USB4 Element Hub might not be labelled a docking station as its Thunderbolt and USB ports only, but with the right adapters it can easily be used as a mini dock—connecting monitors and other useful devices.

There are four TB4 ports and four fast 10Gbps USB-A ports. The newer Element 5 has one extra USB port, with two USB-C and three USB-A.

With video adapters, it can handle an impressive two 6K displays at 60Hz.

As a hub rather than a dock, its 60W laptop charger is a little underpowered for larger laptops, but the overall 150W power supply will help with all the hub’s ports. Owners of the larger MacBook Pro models will probably still reply on the laptop’s own charger via MagSafe.

It’s the same size as the Element 5, and so is small enough to be portable, but its chunkier external power supply will weigh down your travel bag.

? One upstream Thunderbolt 4 port (40Gbps, 60W PD)
? Three downstream Thunderbolt 4 ports (40Gbps, 15W)
? Four USB-A ports (10Gbps, 7.5W)
? 150W power supply

Who should buy the CalDigit Element Hub?

More affordable but a little less powerful than the Thunderbolt 5-toting Element 5 Hub reviewed below, this mini dock has eight fast ports and can handle dual 6K displays. Its the value pick of the two CalDigit Thunderbolt mini docks.

Read our full Caldigit Thunderbolt 4 and USB4 Element Hub review.

CalDigit Thunderbolt 5 Element 5 Hub – Best Thunderbolt 5 hub / mini-dock

• Type: 40Gbps Thunderbolt 4 Dock
• Ports: 11
• Power: 96W PD 3.0; 180W max
• External displays: 4x 4K at 60Hz

This affordable Thunderbolt 4 docking station is built for people who require three or four monitors. Using DisplayLink software, it enables M1/M2/M3/M4 Pro MacBook Pro and M3 MacBook Air users to connect up to four 4K displays, and even plain M1/M2/M3 MacBooks will support three external displays.

Aside from the mighty iVanky dock reviewed below, it’s the only dock available with three downstream speedy 40Gbps Thunderbolt 4 ports and two HDMI 2.0 ports—all of which can connect to an external display, although four is the maximum. Freely downloadable DisplayLink software is required to make the HDMI ports work.

While the $500 iVanky supports four 6K displays, the $299 Satechi can still support four 4K screens at 60Hz at a considerably cheaper price. For three displays, you can get one 6K at 60Hz and the other two 4K/60Hz.

It lacks spare USB-C ports but the three TB4 ports are backwards compatible, and can each offer 15W power output (although only two at one time). The two USB-A ports are fast but offer little device charging power.

The SD card reader is fast, and will accept MicroSD cards with an adapter.

• One upstream Thunderbolt 4 port (40Gbps, 96W)
• Three downstream Thunderbolt 4 ports (40Gbps, 15W)
• Two HDMI 2.0 video ports
• Two USB-A ports (10Gbps, 4.5W)
• Gigabit Ethernet
• UHS-II SD card reader (312MBps)
• 3.5mm combo Audio jack (front)
• 180W power supply

Who should buy the Satechi Thunderbolt 4 Multi-Display Docking Station?

If you want handfuls of USB ports and 2.5Gb Ethernet, there are other docks in your future, but this DisplayLink dock is close to perfect for non-Max M-series users who want a lot of monitors. Even Max owners can use this dock to give them four displays and leave their MacBook’s built-in ports free for other devices, as well as save money on the pricier iVanky alternative.

Read our full Satechi Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station with DisplayLink review

iVanky FusionDock Max 1 – Best Thunderbolt 4 dock for four 6K displays

• Type: 40Gbps Thunderbolt 4 Dock
• Ports: 21
• Power: 96W PD 3.0; 180W max
• External displays: 4x 6K at 60Hz

Packing more ports (a whopping 21 in total) than any equivalent docking station we’ve tested (although the CalDigit TS5 Plus comes close), the iVanky FusionDock Max 1’s dual Thunderbolt 4 chips mark it apart from the competition with not just more but faster connections. No other dock can match it for number of Thunderbolt ports and its ability to host multiple monitors.

Packing two Thunderbolt chips gives the FusionDock Max 1 the ability to double up on video-capable ports.

Connected to a MacBook Pro with an M1 Max, M2 Max or M3 Max processor it can handle up to four 6K displays at 60Hz using both its Thunderbolt 4 chipsets. It costs more than any other docking station but it’s a unique dual-Thunderbolt 4 system that answers the dreams of multi-screen Mac professionals. It doesn’t work with Intel Macs or even any Windows computer.

This is a dock built for the top-end MacBook Pro Max. Macs with Pro rather than Max processors can connect to two 4K displays at 60Hz. While that would lose the display benefit this is still is good choice as you could have up to four 40Gbps downstream Thunderbolt 4 ports at your disposal.

Its other ports are plenty and top-end, too. We’re not sure who needs six USB-A ports these days, but they are there and all are rated at 10Gbps. We would have preferred more USB-C than USB-A, but one of the Type C ports included boasts 30W device charging power.

On top of all that you get 2.5Gb Ethernet and two fast UHS-II SD card readers.

• Two upstream Thunderbolt 4 ports (40Gbps, 96W)
• Four downstream Thunderbolt 4 ports (40Gbps, 15W)
• Two HDMI 2.0 video ports
• Six USB-A ports (10Gbps, 7.5W)
• Two USB-C ports (10Gbps, one at 30W, one at 7.5W)
• 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet
• UHS-II SD card reader (312MBps)
• UHS-II MicroSD card reader (312MBps)
• 3.5mm combo Audio jack (front)
• 3.5mm Audio out jack (back)
• Optical Audio
• 180W power supply

Who should buy the iVanky FusionDock Max 1?

This super dock has more fast ports and can connect the most high-end displays than any other, including four downstream Thunderbolt ports… if you can afford it.

Read our full iVANKY FusionDock Max 1 review

CalDigit TS4 – Most powerful Thunderbolt 4 dock

• Type: 40Gbps Thunderbolt 4 Dock
• Ports: 11
• Power: 96W PD 3.0; 180W max
• External displays: 4x 4K at 60Hz

This Thunderbolt 4 docking station is virtually identical to the Satechi Thunderbolt 4 dock reviewed above. Like that dock, it’s built for people who require three or four monitors and uses DisplayLink software to get past Apple’s multi-monitor limitations.

It has three TB4 ports and two fast USB-A ports, plus an SD card reader and Gigabit Ethernet.

There are some advantages that this Plugable TBT-6950PD dock offers over the Satechi: it comes with a 1m rather than 0.8m Thunderbolt 4 cable, features a Kensington lock slot, and boasts a two-year rather than one-year warranty.

• One upstream Thunderbolt 4 port (40Gbps, 96W)
• Three downstream Thunderbolt 4 ports (40Gbps, 15W)
• Two HDMI 2.0 video ports
• Two USB-A ports (10Gbps, 4.5W)
• Gigabit Ethernet
• UHS-II SD card reader (312MBps)
• 3.5mm combo Audio jack (front)
• 180W power supply

Who should buy the Plugable TBT-6950PD Docking Station?

Like the Satechi four-display dock reviewed above, this DisplayLink dock is for MacBook users who yearn for a wall of screens on their desk.

Read our full Plugable Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station for 4K Quad Monitors review

Alogic DX3 Triple 4K Display Universal Docking Station – Best USB-C display dock for Macs

• Type: 10Gbps USB-C Dock
• Ports: 12
• Power: 100W PD 3.0; 135W max
• External displays: 3x 5K at 60Hz

This Alogic DisplayLink docking station is a USB-C rather than Thunderbolt docking station, so lacks the > Satechi Pro Hub Max Adapter – Best portable 40Gbps dock

• Type: 40Gbps USB4 Hub
• Ports: 7
• Power: 96W PD 3.0
• External displays: 6K at 60Hz

The majority of portable USB-C hubs are compatible with the Mac’s Thunderbolt ports, but most feature slower USB-C connections (5Gbps or 10Gbps) compared to Thunderbolt (40Gbps).

The?Satechi Pro Hub Max, available in either Silver or Space Gray, features USB4 ports that are both compatible with Thunderbolt and can reach the same 40Gbps maximum throughput.

Connecting directly to two of the MacBook’s Thunderbolt ports, it boasts a bunch of ports that should be enough for most of us. The hub receives 40Gbps from each of the Thunderbolt ports on the Mac (so a total of 80Gbps). 40Gbps is used for the USB4 pass-through port, while the second Thunderbolt port distributes 40Gbps of bandwidth to the rest of the ports on the hub.

The USB4 port supports up to 96W charging—easily fine for a 14-inch MacBook Pro and punchy enough to keep a 16-inch Pro going and charged pretty quickly. This same USB4 port can be used to connect to an external display—up to 6K at 60Hz display output, transferring data at 40Gbps. The HDMI 2.0 port can also be used to connect a 4K 60Hz display, so you can achieve a dual 4K monitor setup on any Pro or Max MacBook.

Also onboard are a 5Gbps USB-A port and a 5Gbps USB-C port—although neither can charge connected devices. There are both SD and MicroSD card readers (UHS-I), a Gigabit Ethernet port, and 3.5mm combo audio jack port.

• One USB4 port (40Gbps, 96W PD)
• One HDMI port
• One USB-C (5Gbps) port
• One USB-A (5Gbps) port
• SD Card Reader (UHS-I, 104MBps)
• microSD 4.0 Card Reader (UHS-I, 104MBps)
• Gigabit Ethernet port
• Hybrid 3.5mm audio port

Who should buy the Satechi Pro Hub Max Adapter?

The Pro Hub Max calls itself just an adapter but this super-portable gizmo is as functional as most desktop-based docks, although it can handle just one external display.

In the same family, Satechi also offers the?Pro Hub Mini?(the same as the Max but without the HDMI port) and the?Pro Hub Slim?(which swaps the Ethernet port for an extra USB-A port, and boasts 10GBps USB-A and USB-C ports compared to the Mac and Mini’s 5Gbps). If you don’t need wired Internet access, the Pro Hub Slim edges out the Pro Hub Max. If you don’t need more than one external screen or you want to save the USB4 for passthrough charging only, consider the Pro Hub Mini or the Plugable 5-in-1 USB-C Hub reviewed below.

Note that all three requires a MacBook with two adjacent Thunderbolt ports on one side, so some older MacBook Air models might not be compatible.

A single Thunderbolt to Mac connection is available with the CalDigit Thunderbolt 3 mini Dock that offers full Thunderbolt 40Gbps bandwidth and dual-4K HDMI display support at 60Hz in a lightweight portable form. It connects to the laptop via an integrated TB3 cable, and features two HDMI ports, plus Gigabit Ethernet and two USB-A: one at 5Gbps (4.5W); one at the much slower 480Mbps (2.5W).?Its downside is a lack of power supply (which it draws from the host laptop), so you’ll need to power your laptop via another port, and the USB ports certainly aren’t for fast-charging purposes.?No power supply means it’s super portable but a passthrough power port would have been preferred.

OWC Thunderbolt Hub – Best budget Thunderbolt 4 hub

• Type: 40Gbps Thunderbolt 4 Hub
• Ports: 5
• Power to laptop: 60W PD 3.0; 110W max
• External displays: 2x 6K at 60Hz

Also a hub rather than a full dock, the OWC Thunderbolt Hub doesn’t match the CalDigit Thunderbolt 4 or even the TB4 Element Hub on its number of old-school USB-A ports, but it is cheaper and offers the same four Thunderbolt 4 ports—one upstream to your computer placed at the front, and three downstream to other devices at the back.

You can use two of the three downstream TB4 ports to connect directly to USB-C-equipped monitors or HDMI or DisplayPort screens using inexpensive adapters. It supports dual 6K displays at 60Hz.

As with the its rival hub, its 60W laptop charger is underpowered for larger laptops.

? One upstream Thunderbolt 4 port (40Gbps, 60W PD)
? Three downstream Thunderbolt 4 ports (40Gbps, 15W)
? One USB-A port (10Gbps, 7.5W)
? 110W power supply

Who should buy the OWC Thunderbolt Hub?

If you want a bunch of fast Thunderbolt 4 ports and not much else, the OWC Thunderbolt Hub is a cute, affordable solution.

CalDigit TS3 Plus – Still excellent Thunderbolt 3 dock for Macs

• Type: 40Gbps Thunderbolt 3 Dock
• Ports: 15
• Power: 87W PD 3.0; 180W max
• External displays: 2x 4K at 60Hz or 1x 5K at 60Hz

Caldigit’s TS3 Plus is the iconic granddaddy of Thunderbolt 3 docks. Its compact shape and 15 ports?made it our favorite top-end Thunderbolt 3 docking station for its sheer functional flexibility and power at a great price.

Other docks boast faster USB ports, but few have seven like the TS3 Plus—except its successor, the TS4, which makes even the TS3 Plus look underpowered. If you can afford the extra, we recommend the TS4, or wait for the TS5 and TS5 Plus.

The TS3 Plus isn’t unsuitable for non-Thunderbolt laptops—but as most MacBooks have at least TB3, that shouldn’t matter unless you work in a mixed Mac/Windows environment.

And while Thunderbolt 5 is the latest connection standard, its top-end benefits won’t be noticed by most MacBook owners as TB3 matches TB4 on 40Gbps > Anker 675 USB-C 12-in-1 Docking Station and Monitor Stand – Best dock and monitor stand combo

• Type: 10Gbps USB-C Dock
• Ports: 11
• Power: 100W PD 3.0; 180W max
• External displays: 4K at 60Hz

Why not make your MacBook even more powerful and improve your workspace and posture at the same time?

This is an able USB-C dock and good-looking monitor stand that you can place your external display on top of and desk-based gear underneath in a boost to create an ergonomic and decluttered workplace.

Your MacBook will probably best sit nearby in a closed laptop stand—see our roundup of the best MacBook stands—and connect via USB-C to the dock/stand.

The roster of ports is impressive, with four fast (10Gbps) downstream USB ports on the side (two of which can share 45W of device charging power), plus storage card readers and audio jack, as well as the upstream 100W PD USB-C port positioned underneath.

Also on the cable-management underside are the HDMI and Gigabit Ethernet ports as well as a low-powered USB-A port (most likely for a wired keyboard or mouse) and the meaty 180W power supply port.

On the top there’s a (non-magnetic) Qi wireless charger that you can rest your iPhone or AirPods case on for 7.5W charging.

• One USB-C upstream port (10Gbps, 100W PD)
• Two USB-C ports (10Gbps, shared 45W)
• One external display (4K at 60Hz)
• HDMI 2.0 port?
• Three USB-A ports (10Gbps, one at 7.5W)
• Qi wireless charging pad (10W max, 7.5W iPhone)
• Gigabit Ethernet port
• SD Card Reader (SD UHS-I, 104MBps)
• microSD Card Reader (SD UHS-I, 104MBps)
• 3.5mm Combo Audio In/Out port
• 180W power supply

Who should buy the Anker 675 Dock and Monitor Stand?

If you need to create a more ergonomic and tidy workspace this dual-function monitor stand and USB-C dock offers a lot, although not at the very fastest speeds you will find on the Thunderbolt docks.

Read our full Anker 675 USB-C 12-in-1 Docking Station and Monitor Stand review

HyperDrive GEN2 14-Port Thunderbolt 3 Dock

• Type: 40Gbps Thunderbolt 3 Dock
• Ports: 14
• Power: 85W PD 3.0; 180W max
• External displays: 2x 4K at 60Hz

This Titan Ridge (Thunderbolt and USB-C) docking station is bristling with 14 high-performance ports. Its compact form is neat (just like the CalDigit TS4 and TS3 Plus), and it can lie either upright or horizontal depending on your needs and preference.

There are six USB-A ports in total: four USB-A ports at 5Gbps and a further two at 10Gbps, plus one fast-charging QC 3.0 USB-A port. While the Quick Charge port’s 36W is impressive, iPhone fast-charging requires a USB-C port rather than USB-A as found here. That said, it’s still going to charge a device faster than the 4.5W or 7.5W ports found on many other docks.

On top of this is one 10Gbps USB-C port that you’ll need if you want to supplement the DisplayPort for a second external display. You’ll also get more professional-level digital audio ports, as well as the analogue 3.5mm headphone/mic jack at the front.

• One Thunderbolt 3 upstream port (40Gbps, 85W PD)
• One Thunderbolt 3 downstream port (40Gbps, 15W)
• 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)
• 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 power supply

Who should buy the HyperDrive GEN2 14-Port Dock?

This is another older dock (Thunderbolt 3) that still offers a fast route to adding multiple devices and up to two 4K screens. Its list price is high but it’s often greatly discounted so check the prices listed above.

Read our full HyperDrive GEN2 16-Port Thunderbolt 3 Dock review.

Ugreen Revodok Max 213 Thunderbolt 13-in-1 Docking Station

• Type: 40Gbps Thunderbolt 4 Dock
• Ports: 13
• Power: 90W PD 3.0; 180W max
• External displays: 2x 4K at 60Hz

This solid, good-looking dock is aimed against the mighty CalDigit TS4, with a bunch of fast ports and the same vertical or horizontal design—and sadly the same high price.

It’s a little bigger than the TS4, reviewed above, but has fewer USB ports. Both support two 4K displays at 60Hz, but the TS4 can handle a single 6K display, while the Revodok Max is limited to 4K even with just one display connected.

• One Thunderbolt 4 upstream port (40Gbps, 90W PD)
• Two Thunderbolt 4 downstream ports (40Gbps, 15W)
• Up to two external displays (4K at 60Hz)
• DisplayPort 1.4 port?
• Two USB-A ports (10Gbps, 7.5W)
• Two USB-A ports (5Gbps, 7.5W)
• One USB-C port (10Gbps, 20W)
• 2.5GbE Gigabit Ethernet port
• SD Card Reader (SD 4.0 UHS-II, 312MBps)
• microSD Card Reader (SD 4.0 UHS-II, 312MBps)
• 3.5mm Combo Audio In/Out port at front
• 180W power supply

Who should buy the Revodok Max 213?

The CalDigit TS4, reviewed above, definitely wins on ports and specs, so we’d call the Revodok over-priced. If Ugreen dropped the price this would be a compelling alternative, as it offers just about everything most users need in a robust and pleasant design.

Read our full Ugreen Revodok Max 213 Thunderbolt 13-in-1 Docking Station review

Logi Dock – USB-C dock for remote working and video calls

• Type: 5Gbps USB-C Hub
• Ports: 8
• Power: 100W PD 3.0; 230W max
• External displays: 1x 4K at 60Hz

There are plenty of docks and hubs that allow you to connect monitors, hard drives and other accessories to your Mac, but the Logi Dock casts its net wider than that. It’s fairly expensive, at $399/￡399.99, but it’s designed to provide an all-in-one desktop system for people who do a lot of video-conferencing when working at home or in the office.

The compact USB-C dock (3.3-x-6.3-x-5.2 inches) will fit neatly on your desk alongside your Mac’s display. The Logi Dock’s chunky power adaptor means that this is very much a dock that’s designed to stay on your desk the whole time.

There’s one USB-C upstream port that is used to connect the Logi Dock to your Mac, and both HDMI and DisplayPort interfaces for external display. Significantly, you can connect only one 4K display if you’re using Extended mode, although you can connect two 4K displays in Mirrored mode.

The Logi Dock can work as a speaker for voice and video calls, or you can just listen to some music while you’re working using either the USB-C connection with your Mac, or using Bluetooth to connect to your mobile devices. It sounds pretty good too, with a set of 55mm stereo speakers that deliver a nice firm bass.

You can also use Logitech’s Tune app to link the Logi Dock with conferencing apps such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom, and there’s a set of buttons on the top of the Logi Dock that allow you to quickly mute the mic and turn off the camera.

• 1x USB-C upstream port (5Gbps, 100W)
• 2x USB-C downstream ports (5Gbps, 4.5W)
• 1 x USB-C downstream ports (5Gbps, 7.5W)
• 1x USB-A (5Gbps, 4.5W)
• 1x USB-A (5Gbps, 7.5W)
• 1x HDMI 2.0
• 1x DisplayPort 1.4
• 2x 55mm speakers (stereo)
• 6x noise-cancelling microphones
• 230W power supply
• Certified for Zoom, MS Teams, Google Meet

Who should buy the Logi Dock?

With a built-in speaker the Logi Dock is a dual-function device that saves you having more on your desk than you need to while supplying a decent range of low-speed ports.

OWC Thunderbolt 3 Pro Dock – Dock with 10Gb Ethernet

• Type: 40Gbps Thunderbolt 3 Dock
• Ports: 11
• Power: 60W PD 3.0; 150W max
• External displays: 2x 4K at 60Hz or 1x 5K at 60Hz

The OWC Thunderbolt 3 Pro Dock is aimed at digital image professionals and has ultimate performance at its heart. Principally, it features super-fast 10Gb Ethernet rather than the standard 1Gb (Gigabit) connection found on most other docking stations reviewed here. Only the Caldigit TS5 Plus also features a 10Gb Ethernet connection. To get the most from this level of Ethernet you need to have compatible network devices.

It also features a CFast 2.0 card reader for people still using CompactFlash in its latest version.?

• One Thunderbolt 3 upstream port (40Gbps, 60W PD)
• One Thunderbolt 3 downstream port (40Gbps, 15W)
• Up to two external displays (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 power supply

Who should buy the OWC Thunderbolt 3 Pro Dock?

This Thunderbolt 3 dock might seem to lag behind newer docks, it’s still rated at 40Gbps and uniquely—until the CalDigit TS5 Plus arrives—offers the fastest 10Gb Ethernet network speeds.

Read our full OWC Thunderbolt 3 Pro Dock review

Which ports are on each MacBook?

Of Apple’s recent laptop ranges, the M1/M2/M3 MacBook Air and 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro feature two ports that Apple specifies as “Thunderbolt / USB 4” ports, while more recent the 13in and 15in M4 MacBook Air and Pro models feature two Thunderbolt 4 ports. The 14in and 16in M1/M2/M3 Pro, plain M4 MacBook Pro, and M1/M2/M3 Max MacBook Pro models come with three Thunderbolt 4 (TB4) ports. Ignore Apple’s dual designation of non-4 Thunderbolt and USB4—it just means that the ports don’t certify as pure Thunderbolt 4, and that shouldn’t worry most users except for the number of external displays each supports.

Apple’s latest M4 Pro and Max MacBook Pro models feature three of the latest Thunderbolt 5 ports, which are backwards compatible with TB4, TB3 and USB-C. Thunderbolt 5 devices and docks are rare right now but we are reviewing them as fast as we get them in to our labs. They promise 80Gbps data transfer and 120Gbps video rates. Until the technology finds its way into more devices and the Thunderbolt 5 dock market matures, you are still going to do very well with a 40Gbps Thunderbolt 4 dock.

Apple’s older 12in MacBook features one 5Gbps Gen 1 USB-C port, while the later Intel MacBook Air (2018 and later) and MacBook Pro (from 2016) boast either two or four 40Gbps Thunderbolt 3 ports.

Apple

MacBook Air and Pro built-in ports listed

13-inch and 15-inch M1/M2/M3 MacBook Air: Two Thunderbolt/USB4 ports and one MagSafe 3 charging port, plus headphone jack

13-inch and 15-inch M4 MacBook Air: Two Thunderbolt 4 ports and one MagSafe 3 charging port, plus headphone jack

13-inch M1/M2 MacBook Pro: Two Thunderbolt/USB4 ports and one MagSafe 3 charging port, plus headphone jack

14-inch M3 MacBook Pro: Two Thunderbolt/USB4 ports, one HDMI port, one SDXC card slot, plus headphone jack

14-inch M1/M2/M3 Pro, M1/M2/M3 Max and plain M4 MacBook Pro: Three Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports, one HDMI port, one SDXC card slot, plus headphone jack

14-inch M4 Pro or M4 Max MacBook Pro: Three Thunderbolt 5 (USB-C) ports, one HDMI port, one SDXC card slot, plus headphone jack

16-inch M1/M2/M3 Pro or M1/M2/M3 Max MacBook Pro: Three Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports, one HDMI port, one SDXC card slot, plus headphone jack

16-inch M4 Pro or M4 Max MacBook Pro: Three Thunderbolt 5 (USB-C) ports, one HDMI port, one SDXC card slot, plus headphone jack

How many external displays can each MacBook support without a dock?

M1/M2: One external display with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz.

M3: Two external displays, one with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz and one at 5K/60Hz when the MacBook lid is closed.

M4: Two external displays, one with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz and one at 5K/60Hz.

M1/M2/M3/M4 Pro: Up to two external displays with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz over Thunderbolt, or one external display with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz over Thunderbolt and one external display with up to 4K resolution at 144Hz over HDMI. Or one external display supported at 8K resolution at 60Hz or one external display at 4K resolution at 240Hz over HDMI.

M1/M2/M3/M4 Max: Up to four external displays: Up to three external displays with 6K resolution at 60Hz over Thunderbolt and one external display with up to 4K resolution at 144Hz over HDMI. Up to three external displays: Up to two external displays with 6K resolution at 60Hz over Thunderbolt and one external display with up to 8K resolution at 60Hz or one external display with 4K resolution at 240Hz over HDMI.

Mac docking stations and external displays

Baseus

While Apple’s MacBooks featuring the company’s own M-series Silicon chips are super speedy compared to the models sporting Intel processors, models with plain (non-Pro or -Max) M1 and M2 chips come with an incredible limitation: they don’t support more than one external display in Extended Mode even via their Thunderbolt ports. Plain M3 MacBooks can support two displays but only with their lids closed.

This limitation means that when using any docking station, M1 and M2 MacBook users cannot extend their desktop over two or more displays, and will be limited to either dual Mirrored displays or one external display—although adding third-party DisplayLink or InstantView software to the Mac and connecting to a dedicated USB-C dock will allow you to add more than one external monitor to an M1, M2 or M3 MacBook. Follow that link for our roundup of the best USB-C DisplayLink docks, and we’ve included our favorite in our roundup below.

Thankfully, the superior M1/M2/M3 “Pro” and M1/M2/M3 “Max” MacBook Pro models—plus the plain M4—can support multiple displays. Below our list of the best MacBook docking stations, we’ve listed the native external display options for each MacBook. One dock supports up to four 6K displays if you own a Max MacBook Pro.

While some docking stations promise support for 8K displays, Macs are limited to 6K support via the dock. Macs with an M2/M3/M4 Pro or Max chip can support an 8K display at 60Hz but only when it is connected via the Mac’s own HDMI port and not any port on the dock.

Dock, hub or dongle: Whole lotta ports

You need one (“upstream“) Thunderbolt or USB-C port for connecting to and charging your laptop (although the 14/16in MacBooks can also power via the MagSafe port), and likely at least another (“downstream“) to attach further devices (hard drives, external display, and others).

There are many inexpensive USB-C dongles/hubs that let you add more devices to a MacBook (see our roundup of the best USB-C adapters?for Macs) or a Thunderbolt hub offering a few extra ports might be all your need, but for maximum flexibility check out a docking station that takes care of all your extra port requirements, and allows you to simply attach it to your laptop with just one cable when you get to the office or come home.

Docks aren’t just for MacBooks. Mac mini (2018 and later) and iMac (2017 and later) owners may also consider expanding their ports with a Thunderbolt docking station.

The inclusion of an SD or microSD card reader isn’t just for camera buffs. It’s a convenient and affordable way to add storage to your laptop setup. We found a 512GB Samsung Evo microSD card on Amazon for around $100 in the US and under ￡100?in the UK. That’s a very cheap way of adding half a terabyte of portable storage. For more details read up on our best microSD cards.

Some of the docks reviewed below include an integrated SSD enclosure that lets you add up to 8TB of fast storage to your connected MacBook.

Charging the laptop

The M1/M2/M3/M4 MacBook Air requires a Power Delivery (PD) charger with at least 30W power, but you can fast-charge an M2 and later Air with a charger rated at over 70W. You’ll need 67W for the 13-inch MacBook Pro and 70W for the 14-inch MBP (with 8-, 10-, 11-or 12-core CPU), 96W for 14-inch MBP (with 12- or 14-core CPU), and 96W (preferably 140W) for the 16-inch MBP. The older 15in MacBook Pro requires a 87W PD charger.

If you own a larger MacBook Pro, buy a dock with a PD (Power Delivery) potential of at least 85W if you can. USB PD 3.0 maxes at 100W, while USB PD 3.1 can support up to 240W of power. The 16-inch MacBook Pro requires 140W to fast-charge, so owners of that laptop should look for a PD 3.1 charger.

If you just need a spare charger, we’ve tested the best MacBook chargers for you.

Other dock options

Here we concentrate on Thunderbolt docks, but also include cheaper USB-C docks—which Thunderbolt MacBooks can use, but at the cost of reduced bandwidth and display limitations. We’ve also included our favorite Thunderbolt hubs for smaller and cheaper alternatives. For more non-Thunderbolt USB-C-only docks check out Tech Advisor’s roundup of the best USB-C docking stations for laptops. Tech Advisor also reviews all the available Thunderbolt 4 docks.

Now think about a stand to go alongside the dock

These MacBook docking stations look and work great with a laptop stand, and we’ve also?tested?some MacBook-friendly stands that lack all the extra ports but keep your MacBook/Air/Pro upright and out of the way: further saving valuable desk space, reducing clutter, keeping your laptop cool, and saving it from spills.

The above is the detailed content of We test and rate the best Thunderbolt and USB-C docks for your MacBook. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!