{"id":5246,"date":"2026-05-11T16:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-05-11T16:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rjbarrett.redirectme.net\/?p=5246"},"modified":"2026-05-11T16:00:00","modified_gmt":"2026-05-11T16:00:00","slug":"these-are-the-best-thunderbolt-docks-you-can-buy-right-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rjbarrett.redirectme.net\/?p=5246","title":{"rendered":"These are the best Thunderbolt docks you can buy right now"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"link_wrapped_content\">\n<section class=\"wp-block-bigbite-multi-title\"\/>\n<p>A Thunderbolt laptop docking station takes your desk to the next level, with support for old and new peripherals alike. It\u2019s a necessity for a home office, but only buy what you need: In 2026, premium Thunderbolt 5 docks might be overkill for a Windows PC.<\/p>\n<p>What this article does is recommend the best Thunderbolt docks \u2014 an overall pick, as well as budget and premium recommendations \u2014 based on my own testing of dozens of Thunderbolt docking stations. That testing includes a formal performance evaluation, of course, but also simply using each dock for several days. If you need help figuring out what\u2019s best for you, a FAQ at the bottom of the page is there to assist. That FAQ also explains why I generally lean toward slightly older Thunderbolt 4 docks at the moment.<\/p>\n<p><!-- @@AD gpt-leaderboardmainbod-1 PRE @@--><!-- @@AD gpt-leaderboardmainbod-1 POST @@-->\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"instant-buy-box\">\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr id=\"instant-buy-box-row-1\" class=\" pricing-details-row\">\n<td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/b2c-contenthub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Kensington-SD5780T-rear.jpg?quality=50&amp;strip=all\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Kensington Thunderbolt 4 Dual 4K Dock (SD5780T)\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n<td>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tView Deal\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"pros-cons-row \">\n<td colspan=\"4\">\n<p class=\"pros-cons-row-heading pros-cons-wrapper-show\" data-title=\"Kensington Thunderbolt 4 Dual 4K Dock (SD5780T)\">Show Pros &amp; Cons <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"chevron-icon\" viewbox=\"0 0 320 512\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<path d=\"M151.5 347.8L3.5 201c-4.7-4.7-4.7-12.3 0-17l19.8-19.8c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0L160 282.7l119.7-118.5c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0l19.8 19.8c4.7 4.7 4.7 12.3 0 17l-148 146.8c-4.7 4.7-12.3 4.7-17 0z\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg><\/p>\n<div class=\"pros-cons-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"pros-wrapper\">\n<p class=\"pros-cons-row-sub-heading\">Pros<\/p>\n<ul class=\"pros-list\">\n<li>Solid performance<\/li>\n<li>No thermal issues<\/li>\n<li>Pretty solid mix of ports, including downstream Thunderbolt 4<\/li>\n<li>Price cuts have helped make it more affordable<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<div class=\"cons-wrapper\">\n<p class=\"pros-cons-row-sub-heading\">Cons<\/p>\n<ul class=\"cons-list\">\n<li>One display port, requiring an additional dongle for two displays<\/li>\n<li>No dedicated phone charging port, but Thunderbolt can do it<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"pros-cons-row-heading pros-cons-wrapper-hide\" data-title=\"Kensington Thunderbolt 4 Dual 4K Dock (SD5780T)\">Hide Pros &amp; Cons <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"chevron-icon\" viewbox=\"0 0 320 512\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<path d=\"M151.5 347.8L3.5 201c-4.7-4.7-4.7-12.3 0-17l19.8-19.8c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0L160 282.7l119.7-118.5c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0l19.8 19.8c4.7 4.7 4.7 12.3 0 17l-148 146.8c-4.7 4.7-12.3 4.7-17 0z\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr id=\"instant-buy-box-row-2\" class=\" pricing-details-row\">\n<td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/b2c-contenthub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/StarTech-Thunderbolt-4-dock-1.jpg?quality=50&amp;strip=all\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"StarTech.com Thunderbolt 4\/USB4 Quad Display Docking Station\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n<td>\n<div>\n<p class=\"feature-text\">Best overall Thunderbolt dock runner-up<\/p>\n<p class=\"title-text\">StarTech.com Thunderbolt 4\/USB4 Quad Display Docking Station<\/p>\n<p class=\"link-text\">\u2193 See why we picked it<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tView Deal\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"pros-cons-row \">\n<td colspan=\"4\">\n<p class=\"pros-cons-row-heading pros-cons-wrapper-show\" data-title=\"StarTech.com Thunderbolt 4\/USB4 Quad Display Docking Station\">Show Pros &amp; Cons <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"chevron-icon\" viewbox=\"0 0 320 512\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<path d=\"M151.5 347.8L3.5 201c-4.7-4.7-4.7-12.3 0-17l19.8-19.8c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0L160 282.7l119.7-118.5c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0l19.8 19.8c4.7 4.7 4.7 12.3 0 17l-148 146.8c-4.7 4.7-12.3 4.7-17 0z\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg><\/p>\n<div class=\"pros-cons-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"pros-wrapper\">\n<p class=\"pros-cons-row-sub-heading\">Pros<\/p>\n<ul class=\"pros-list\">\n<li>Four display ports that eliminate extra cables<\/li>\n<li>Absolutely stable<\/li>\n<li>Tons of legacy USB-A ports<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<div class=\"cons-wrapper\">\n<p class=\"pros-cons-row-sub-heading\">Cons<\/p>\n<ul class=\"cons-list\">\n<li>Four simultaneous 4K display outputs are possible only in some scenarios<\/li>\n<li>Just one USB-C port<\/li>\n<li>Iffy charging<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"pros-cons-row-heading pros-cons-wrapper-hide\" data-title=\"StarTech.com Thunderbolt 4\/USB4 Quad Display Docking Station\">Hide Pros &amp; Cons <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"chevron-icon\" viewbox=\"0 0 320 512\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<path d=\"M151.5 347.8L3.5 201c-4.7-4.7-4.7-12.3 0-17l19.8-19.8c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0L160 282.7l119.7-118.5c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0l19.8 19.8c4.7 4.7 4.7 12.3 0 17l-148 146.8c-4.7 4.7-12.3 4.7-17 0z\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr id=\"instant-buy-box-row-3\" class=\" pricing-details-row\">\n<td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/b2c-contenthub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Wavlink-Thunderbolt-4-Triple-display-dock.jpg?quality=50&amp;strip=all\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Wavlink Thunderbolt 4 Triple Display Docking Station\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n<td>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tView Deal\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"pros-cons-row \">\n<td colspan=\"4\">\n<p class=\"pros-cons-row-heading pros-cons-wrapper-show\" data-title=\"Wavlink Thunderbolt 4 Triple Display Docking Station\">Show Pros &amp; Cons <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"chevron-icon\" viewbox=\"0 0 320 512\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<path d=\"M151.5 347.8L3.5 201c-4.7-4.7-4.7-12.3 0-17l19.8-19.8c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0L160 282.7l119.7-118.5c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0l19.8 19.8c4.7 4.7 4.7 12.3 0 17l-148 146.8c-4.7 4.7-12.3 4.7-17 0z\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg><\/p>\n<div class=\"pros-cons-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"pros-wrapper\">\n<p class=\"pros-cons-row-sub-heading\">Pros<\/p>\n<ul class=\"pros-list\">\n<li>Two ports for fast-charging smartphones<\/li>\n<li>Solid value<\/li>\n<li>18-month warranty<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"pros-cons-row-heading pros-cons-wrapper-hide\" data-title=\"Wavlink Thunderbolt 4 Triple Display Docking Station\">Hide Pros &amp; Cons <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"chevron-icon\" viewbox=\"0 0 320 512\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<path d=\"M151.5 347.8L3.5 201c-4.7-4.7-4.7-12.3 0-17l19.8-19.8c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0L160 282.7l119.7-118.5c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0l19.8 19.8c4.7 4.7 4.7 12.3 0 17l-148 146.8c-4.7 4.7-12.3 4.7-17 0z\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr id=\"instant-buy-box-row-4\" class=\" pricing-details-row\">\n<td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/b2c-contenthub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/ugreen-13-in-1-primary-back.jpg?quality=50&amp;strip=all\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Ugreen Revodok Pro 13-in-1 Triple Display Docking Station\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n<td>\n<div>\n<p class=\"feature-text\">Best budget Thunderbolt dock runner-up<\/p>\n<p class=\"title-text\">Ugreen Revodok Pro 13-in-1 Triple Display Docking Station<\/p>\n<p class=\"link-text\">\u2193 See why we picked it<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tView Deal\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"pros-cons-row \">\n<td colspan=\"4\">\n<p class=\"pros-cons-row-heading pros-cons-wrapper-show\" data-title=\"Ugreen Revodok Pro 13-in-1 Triple Display Docking Station\">Show Pros &amp; Cons <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"chevron-icon\" viewbox=\"0 0 320 512\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<path d=\"M151.5 347.8L3.5 201c-4.7-4.7-4.7-12.3 0-17l19.8-19.8c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0L160 282.7l119.7-118.5c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0l19.8 19.8c4.7 4.7 4.7 12.3 0 17l-148 146.8c-4.7 4.7-12.3 4.7-17 0z\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg><\/p>\n<div class=\"pros-cons-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"pros-wrapper\">\n<p class=\"pros-cons-row-sub-heading\">Pros<\/p>\n<ul class=\"pros-list\">\n<li>Excellent performance<\/li>\n<li>Great value for the money<\/li>\n<li>Optimized build<\/li>\n<li>Completely stable<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<div class=\"cons-wrapper\">\n<p class=\"pros-cons-row-sub-heading\">Cons<\/p>\n<ul class=\"cons-list\">\n<li>Short, built-in cord<\/li>\n<li>You\u2019ll need your own power supply\/charger<\/li>\n<li>Requires a relatively modern laptop<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"pros-cons-row-heading pros-cons-wrapper-hide\" data-title=\"Ugreen Revodok Pro 13-in-1 Triple Display Docking Station\">Hide Pros &amp; Cons <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"chevron-icon\" viewbox=\"0 0 320 512\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<path d=\"M151.5 347.8L3.5 201c-4.7-4.7-4.7-12.3 0-17l19.8-19.8c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0L160 282.7l119.7-118.5c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0l19.8 19.8c4.7 4.7 4.7 12.3 0 17l-148 146.8c-4.7 4.7-12.3 4.7-17 0z\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr id=\"instant-buy-box-row-5\" class=\" pricing-details-row\">\n<td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/b2c-contenthub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Sonnet-Echo-13-Thunderbolt-5-SSD-Dock-primary.jpg?quality=50&amp;strip=all\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Sonnet Echo 13 Thunderbolt 5 SSD Dock\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n<td>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tView Deal\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"pros-cons-row \">\n<td colspan=\"4\">\n<p class=\"pros-cons-row-heading pros-cons-wrapper-show\" data-title=\"Sonnet Echo 13 Thunderbolt 5 SSD Dock\">Show Pros &amp; Cons <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"chevron-icon\" viewbox=\"0 0 320 512\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<path d=\"M151.5 347.8L3.5 201c-4.7-4.7-4.7-12.3 0-17l19.8-19.8c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0L160 282.7l119.7-118.5c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0l19.8 19.8c4.7 4.7 4.7 12.3 0 17l-148 146.8c-4.7 4.7-12.3 4.7-17 0z\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg><\/p>\n<div class=\"pros-cons-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"pros-wrapper\">\n<p class=\"pros-cons-row-sub-heading\">Pros<\/p>\n<ul class=\"pros-list\">\n<li>Superb SSD performance<\/li>\n<li>Thunderbolt 5 power<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<div class=\"cons-wrapper\">\n<p class=\"pros-cons-row-sub-heading\">Cons<\/p>\n<ul class=\"cons-list\">\n<li>Higher SSD capacities quickly elevate the price<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"pros-cons-row-heading pros-cons-wrapper-hide\" data-title=\"Sonnet Echo 13 Thunderbolt 5 SSD Dock\">Hide Pros &amp; Cons <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"chevron-icon\" viewbox=\"0 0 320 512\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<path d=\"M151.5 347.8L3.5 201c-4.7-4.7-4.7-12.3 0-17l19.8-19.8c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0L160 282.7l119.7-118.5c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0l19.8 19.8c4.7 4.7 4.7 12.3 0 17l-148 146.8c-4.7 4.7-12.3 4.7-17 0z\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr id=\"instant-buy-box-row-6\" class=\"instant-buy-box-row-hidden pricing-details-row\">\n<td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/b2c-contenthub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Kensington-EQ-Pro-Thunderbolt-5-Docking-Station-1.jpg?quality=50&amp;strip=all\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Kensington SD7100T5 EQ Pro 19-in-1 Thunderbolt 5 Docking Station\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n<td>\n<div>\n<p class=\"feature-text\">Best premium Thunderbolt dock runner-up<\/p>\n<p class=\"title-text\">Kensington SD7100T5 EQ Pro 19-in-1 Thunderbolt 5 Docking Station<\/p>\n<p class=\"link-text\">\u2193 See why we picked it<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tView Deal\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"pros-cons-row instant-buy-box-row-hidden\">\n<td colspan=\"4\">\n<p class=\"pros-cons-row-heading pros-cons-wrapper-show\" data-title=\"Kensington SD7100T5 EQ Pro 19-in-1 Thunderbolt 5 Docking Station\">Show Pros &amp; Cons <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"chevron-icon\" viewbox=\"0 0 320 512\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<path d=\"M151.5 347.8L3.5 201c-4.7-4.7-4.7-12.3 0-17l19.8-19.8c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0L160 282.7l119.7-118.5c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0l19.8 19.8c4.7 4.7 4.7 12.3 0 17l-148 146.8c-4.7 4.7-12.3 4.7-17 0z\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg><\/p>\n<div class=\"pros-cons-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"pros-wrapper\">\n<p class=\"pros-cons-row-sub-heading\">Pros<\/p>\n<ul class=\"pros-list\">\n<li>Thunderbolt 5<\/li>\n<li>Integrated M.2 slot for an SSD<\/li>\n<li>Dedicated function keys<\/li>\n<li>Dock will charge without need for a laptop connection<\/li>\n<li>Unusually varied ports (optical, CompactFlash)<\/li>\n<li>Generally stable<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<div class=\"cons-wrapper\">\n<p class=\"pros-cons-row-sub-heading\">Cons<\/p>\n<ul class=\"cons-list\">\n<li>Some trouble connecting to displays after a restart\/resume<\/li>\n<li>Extremely high price<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"pros-cons-row-heading pros-cons-wrapper-hide\" data-title=\"Kensington SD7100T5 EQ Pro 19-in-1 Thunderbolt 5 Docking Station\">Hide Pros &amp; Cons <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"chevron-icon\" viewbox=\"0 0 320 512\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<path d=\"M151.5 347.8L3.5 201c-4.7-4.7-4.7-12.3 0-17l19.8-19.8c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0L160 282.7l119.7-118.5c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0l19.8 19.8c4.7 4.7 4.7 12.3 0 17l-148 146.8c-4.7 4.7-12.3 4.7-17 0z\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr id=\"instant-buy-box-row-7\" class=\"instant-buy-box-row-hidden pricing-details-row\">\n<td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/b2c-contenthub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Plugable-tiny-hub-back.png\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Plugable 5-in-1 Thunderbolt Hub (USB4-HUB3A)\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n<td>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tView Deal\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"pros-cons-row instant-buy-box-row-hidden\">\n<td colspan=\"4\">\n<p class=\"pros-cons-row-heading pros-cons-wrapper-show\" data-title=\"Plugable 5-in-1 Thunderbolt Hub (USB4-HUB3A)\">Show Pros &amp; Cons <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"chevron-icon\" viewbox=\"0 0 320 512\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<path d=\"M151.5 347.8L3.5 201c-4.7-4.7-4.7-12.3 0-17l19.8-19.8c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0L160 282.7l119.7-118.5c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0l19.8 19.8c4.7 4.7 4.7 12.3 0 17l-148 146.8c-4.7 4.7-12.3 4.7-17 0z\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg><\/p>\n<div class=\"pros-cons-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"pros-wrapper\">\n<p class=\"pros-cons-row-sub-heading\">Pros<\/p>\n<ul class=\"pros-list\">\n<li>Incredibly compact<\/li>\n<li>USB-C to HDMI adapter included<\/li>\n<li>15W\/60W of charging power to phones\/PCs<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<div class=\"cons-wrapper\">\n<p class=\"pros-cons-row-sub-heading\">Cons<\/p>\n<ul class=\"cons-list\">\n<li>Limited ports<\/li>\n<li>Best for Thunderbolt-attached displays<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"pros-cons-row-heading pros-cons-wrapper-hide\" data-title=\"Plugable 5-in-1 Thunderbolt Hub (USB4-HUB3A)\">Hide Pros &amp; Cons <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"chevron-icon\" viewbox=\"0 0 320 512\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<path d=\"M151.5 347.8L3.5 201c-4.7-4.7-4.7-12.3 0-17l19.8-19.8c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0L160 282.7l119.7-118.5c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0l19.8 19.8c4.7 4.7 4.7 12.3 0 17l-148 146.8c-4.7 4.7-12.3 4.7-17 0z\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr id=\"instant-buy-box-row-8\" class=\"instant-buy-box-row-hidden pricing-details-row\">\n<td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/b2c-contenthub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Razer-Thunderbolt-Dock-Chroma-RGB.jpg?quality=50&amp;strip=all\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Razer Thunderbolt 4 Dock Chroma\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n<td>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tView Deal\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"pros-cons-row instant-buy-box-row-hidden\">\n<td colspan=\"4\">\n<p class=\"pros-cons-row-heading pros-cons-wrapper-show\" data-title=\"Razer Thunderbolt 4 Dock Chroma\">Show Pros &amp; Cons <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"chevron-icon\" viewbox=\"0 0 320 512\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<path d=\"M151.5 347.8L3.5 201c-4.7-4.7-4.7-12.3 0-17l19.8-19.8c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0L160 282.7l119.7-118.5c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0l19.8 19.8c4.7 4.7 4.7 12.3 0 17l-148 146.8c-4.7 4.7-12.3 4.7-17 0z\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg><\/p>\n<div class=\"pros-cons-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"pros-wrapper\">\n<p class=\"pros-cons-row-sub-heading\">Pros<\/p>\n<ul class=\"pros-list\">\n<li>Rock-solid stability<\/li>\n<li>The only (?) dock with RGB lighting<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<div class=\"cons-wrapper\">\n<p class=\"pros-cons-row-sub-heading\">Cons<\/p>\n<ul class=\"cons-list\">\n<li>Average to slightly poor performance<\/li>\n<li>Lack of dedicated display ports<\/li>\n<li>A higher price tag than what rivals charge<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"pros-cons-row-heading pros-cons-wrapper-hide\" data-title=\"Razer Thunderbolt 4 Dock Chroma\">Hide Pros &amp; Cons <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"chevron-icon\" viewbox=\"0 0 320 512\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<path d=\"M151.5 347.8L3.5 201c-4.7-4.7-4.7-12.3 0-17l19.8-19.8c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0L160 282.7l119.7-118.5c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0l19.8 19.8c4.7 4.7 4.7 12.3 0 17l-148 146.8c-4.7 4.7-12.3 4.7-17 0z\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr id=\"instant-buy-box-row-9\" class=\"instant-buy-box-row-hidden pricing-details-row\">\n<td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/b2c-contenthub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Plugable-dual-HDMI-USB4-2.jpg?quality=50&amp;strip=all\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Plugable USB4 Dual HDMI Docking Station (UD-4VPD)\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n<td>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tView Deal\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"pros-cons-row instant-buy-box-row-hidden\">\n<td colspan=\"4\">\n<p class=\"pros-cons-row-heading pros-cons-wrapper-show\" data-title=\"Plugable USB4 Dual HDMI Docking Station (UD-4VPD)\">Show Pros &amp; Cons <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"chevron-icon\" viewbox=\"0 0 320 512\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<path d=\"M151.5 347.8L3.5 201c-4.7-4.7-4.7-12.3 0-17l19.8-19.8c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0L160 282.7l119.7-118.5c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0l19.8 19.8c4.7 4.7 4.7 12.3 0 17l-148 146.8c-4.7 4.7-12.3 4.7-17 0z\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg><\/p>\n<div class=\"pros-cons-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"pros-wrapper\">\n<p class=\"pros-cons-row-sub-heading\">Pros<\/p>\n<ul class=\"pros-list\">\n<li>Great price and value, even at MSRP<\/li>\n<li>4K120 display capabilities open up gaming possibilities<\/li>\n<li>Stable performance<\/li>\n<li>Excellent charging capabilities<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<div class=\"cons-wrapper\">\n<p class=\"pros-cons-row-sub-heading\">Cons<\/p>\n<ul class=\"cons-list\">\n<li>Significant thermal issues<\/li>\n<li>Storage tests across the dock were lower than average<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"pros-cons-row-heading pros-cons-wrapper-hide\" data-title=\"Plugable USB4 Dual HDMI Docking Station (UD-4VPD)\">Hide Pros &amp; Cons <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"chevron-icon\" viewbox=\"0 0 320 512\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<path d=\"M151.5 347.8L3.5 201c-4.7-4.7-4.7-12.3 0-17l19.8-19.8c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0L160 282.7l119.7-118.5c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0l19.8 19.8c4.7 4.7 4.7 12.3 0 17l-148 146.8c-4.7 4.7-12.3 4.7-17 0z\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr id=\"instant-buy-box-row-10\" class=\"instant-buy-box-row-hidden pricing-details-row\">\n<td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/b2c-contenthub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/CalDigit-TS5-Thunderbolt-5-Dock.jpg?quality=50&amp;strip=all\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"CalDigit TS5 Thunderbolt 5 Dock\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n<td>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tView Deal\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"pros-cons-row instant-buy-box-row-hidden\">\n<td colspan=\"4\">\n<p class=\"pros-cons-row-heading pros-cons-wrapper-show\" data-title=\"CalDigit TS5 Thunderbolt 5 Dock\">Show Pros &amp; Cons <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"chevron-icon\" viewbox=\"0 0 320 512\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<path d=\"M151.5 347.8L3.5 201c-4.7-4.7-4.7-12.3 0-17l19.8-19.8c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0L160 282.7l119.7-118.5c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0l19.8 19.8c4.7 4.7 4.7 12.3 0 17l-148 146.8c-4.7 4.7-12.3 4.7-17 0z\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg><\/p>\n<div class=\"pros-cons-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"pros-wrapper\">\n<p class=\"pros-cons-row-sub-heading\">Pros<\/p>\n<ul class=\"pros-list\">\n<li>15 top-end ports, including four Thunderbolt 5<\/li>\n<li>2.5Gb Ethernet<\/li>\n<li>Iconic case<\/li>\n<li>240W Power Delivery<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<div class=\"cons-wrapper\">\n<p class=\"pros-cons-row-sub-heading\">Cons<\/p>\n<ul class=\"cons-list\">\n<li>Still not the most affordable<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"pros-cons-row-heading pros-cons-wrapper-hide\" data-title=\"CalDigit TS5 Thunderbolt 5 Dock\">Hide Pros &amp; Cons <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"chevron-icon\" viewbox=\"0 0 320 512\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<path d=\"M151.5 347.8L3.5 201c-4.7-4.7-4.7-12.3 0-17l19.8-19.8c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0L160 282.7l119.7-118.5c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0l19.8 19.8c4.7 4.7 4.7 12.3 0 17l-148 146.8c-4.7 4.7-12.3 4.7-17 0z\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr id=\"instant-buy-box-row-11\" class=\"instant-buy-box-row-hidden pricing-details-row\">\n<td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/b2c-contenthub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Ugreen-9-in-1-front.jpg?quality=50&amp;strip=all\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Ugreen 9-in-1 USB-C (Revodok) Docking Station CM615\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n<td>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<div class=\"pricing-wrapper\">\n<p class=\"best-price\">Best Price Today<\/p>\n<p class=\"price\">$125.99<\/p>\n<p class=\"at-text\">at Amazon Prime<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tView Deal\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tView Deal\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"pros-cons-row instant-buy-box-row-hidden\">\n<td colspan=\"4\">\n<p class=\"pros-cons-row-heading pros-cons-wrapper-show\" data-title=\"Ugreen 9-in-1 USB-C (Revodok) Docking Station CM615\">Show Pros &amp; Cons <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"chevron-icon\" viewbox=\"0 0 320 512\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<path d=\"M151.5 347.8L3.5 201c-4.7-4.7-4.7-12.3 0-17l19.8-19.8c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0L160 282.7l119.7-118.5c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0l19.8 19.8c4.7 4.7 4.7 12.3 0 17l-148 146.8c-4.7 4.7-12.3 4.7-17 0z\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg><\/p>\n<div class=\"pros-cons-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"pros-wrapper\">\n<p class=\"pros-cons-row-sub-heading\">Pros<\/p>\n<ul class=\"pros-list\">\n<li>Terrific price and value<\/li>\n<li>Excellent stability<\/li>\n<li>Great display port flexibility<\/li>\n<li>Support for two 4K60 displays<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<div class=\"cons-wrapper\">\n<p class=\"pros-cons-row-sub-heading\">Cons<\/p>\n<ul class=\"cons-list\">\n<li>Have to provide your own power supply<\/li>\n<li>Can warm to somewhat alarming temperatures<\/li>\n<li>Mandatory software driver<\/li>\n<li>A lack of naming consistency<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"pros-cons-row-heading pros-cons-wrapper-hide\" data-title=\"Ugreen 9-in-1 USB-C (Revodok) Docking Station CM615\">Hide Pros &amp; Cons <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"chevron-icon\" viewbox=\"0 0 320 512\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<path d=\"M151.5 347.8L3.5 201c-4.7-4.7-4.7-12.3 0-17l19.8-19.8c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0L160 282.7l119.7-118.5c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0l19.8 19.8c4.7 4.7 4.7 12.3 0 17l-148 146.8c-4.7 4.7-12.3 4.7-17 0z\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr id=\"instant-buy-box-row-12\" class=\"instant-buy-box-row-hidden pricing-details-row\">\n<td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/b2c-contenthub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Plugable-USB-C-Dual-4K-Display-Horizontal-Docking-Station-UD-6950PDH.png\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Plugable USB-C Dual 4K Display Horizontal Docking Station (UD-6950PDH)\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n<td>\n<div>\n<p class=\"feature-text\">Best USB-C DisplayLink dock runner-up<\/p>\n<p class=\"title-text\">Plugable USB-C Dual 4K Display Horizontal Docking Station (UD-6950PDH)<\/p>\n<p class=\"link-text\">\u2193 See why we picked it<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tView Deal\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"pros-cons-row instant-buy-box-row-hidden\">\n<td colspan=\"4\">\n<p class=\"pros-cons-row-heading pros-cons-wrapper-show\" data-title=\"Plugable USB-C Dual 4K Display Horizontal Docking Station (UD-6950PDH)\">Show Pros &amp; Cons <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"chevron-icon\" viewbox=\"0 0 320 512\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<path d=\"M151.5 347.8L3.5 201c-4.7-4.7-4.7-12.3 0-17l19.8-19.8c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0L160 282.7l119.7-118.5c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0l19.8 19.8c4.7 4.7 4.7 12.3 0 17l-148 146.8c-4.7 4.7-12.3 4.7-17 0z\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg><\/p>\n<div class=\"pros-cons-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"pros-wrapper\">\n<p class=\"pros-cons-row-sub-heading\">Pros<\/p>\n<ul class=\"pros-list\">\n<li>Terrific value for office workers<\/li>\n<li>Great display flexibility<\/li>\n<li>Plenty of USB-A ports<\/li>\n<li>SD\/microSD card slots, too<\/li>\n<li>100W of charging power<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<div class=\"cons-wrapper\">\n<p class=\"pros-cons-row-sub-heading\">Cons<\/p>\n<ul class=\"cons-list\">\n<li>No USB-C ports<\/li>\n<li>No dedicated charging ports<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"pros-cons-row-heading pros-cons-wrapper-hide\" data-title=\"Plugable USB-C Dual 4K Display Horizontal Docking Station (UD-6950PDH)\">Hide Pros &amp; Cons <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"chevron-icon\" viewbox=\"0 0 320 512\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<path d=\"M151.5 347.8L3.5 201c-4.7-4.7-4.7-12.3 0-17l19.8-19.8c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0L160 282.7l119.7-118.5c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0l19.8 19.8c4.7 4.7 4.7 12.3 0 17l-148 146.8c-4.7 4.7-12.3 4.7-17 0z\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<tfoot>\n<tr>\n<td colspan=\"4\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<button id=\"at-a-glance-show-more-button\">Show 7 More<\/button><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<button id=\"at-a-glance-show-less-button\">Show Top 5 only<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tfoot>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t\t<!--@@AT_A_GLANCE@@--><\/p>\n<p>Be aware that significantly older laptops often don\u2019t use Thunderbolt. They may have a slower, generic USB-C port instead, making my picks for the best USB-C hubs and dongles a better choice. If you have a Ryzen laptop, you\u2019re rocking USB4 instead of Thunderbolt 4, although the two are essentially interchangeable. If you\u2019re interested in productivity and not gaming, consider a middle ground: my favorite DisplayLink USB-C docks. I explain how to make that decision below these recommendations.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Why you should trust PCWorld for Thunderbolt dock reviews and buying advice:<\/strong> PCWorld has been in business since the late 1980s, featuring a steady stream of news, reviews, how-to articles, and more. We don\u2019t try to cover every topic under the sun. Instead, we focus on what you need to know \u2014 and buy \u2014 in the world of PCs. I\u2019ve been personally reviewing these docks for several years now.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-product-chart product-chart\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-product-chart-item product-chart-item \" id=\"product-chart-item-1\">\n<p><h2 data-p_name=\"Kensington Thunderbolt 4 Dual 4K Dock (SD5780T)\" class=\"product-chart-item__title-wrapper--title product-chart-title toc\" id=\"kensington-thunderbolt-4-dual-4k-dock-sd5780t-best-overall-thunderbolt-dock\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tKensington Thunderbolt 4 Dual 4K Dock (SD5780T) \u2013 Best overall Thunderbolt dock\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"large-pro-cons-product-chart-section\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__image-outer-wrapper product-chart-item__image-outer-wrapper--large\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__image-wrapper\">\n<figure class=\"wp-lightbox-container\" data-wp-context=\"{\" imageid=\"\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on-async--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" class=\"product-chart-item__image\" alt=\"Kensington Thunderbolt 4 Dual 4K Dock (SD5780T) - Best overall Thunderbolt dock\" src=\"https:\/\/b2c-contenthub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Kensington-SD5780T-rear.jpg?quality=50&amp;strip=all\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\"\/><button class=\"lightbox-trigger\" type=\"button\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-label=\"Enlarge\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-style--right=\"state.imageButtonRight\" data-wp-style--top=\"state.imageButtonTop\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewbox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t<\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-chart-body\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-columns\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-column\">\n<h3 class=\"product-chart-subTitle\" id=\"pros\">Pros<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"product-pros-cons-list\">\n<li>Solid performance<\/li>\n<li>No thermal issues<\/li>\n<li>Pretty solid mix of ports, including downstream Thunderbolt 4<\/li>\n<li>Price cuts have helped make it more affordable<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-chart-column\">\n<h3 class=\"product-chart-subTitle\" id=\"cons\">Cons<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"product-pros-cons-list\">\n<li>One display port, requiring an additional dongle for two displays<\/li>\n<li>No dedicated phone charging port, but Thunderbolt can do it<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__information\">\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"product-chart-item__information--rrp-label\"><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPrice When Reviewed:\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"product-chart-item__information--rrp-value\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t$399.99\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__pricing-details \">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"product-chart-item__pricing-details--label\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBest Prices Today: \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"cta_button_table_content product_chart_table_format price_comp_table best_picks_story_types\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-price-comparison price-comparison\">\n<div id=\"New\" class=\"new_products_tab tabcontent \">\n<div class=\"price-comparison__record  amazon_vendor\">\n<div class=\"price-comparison__image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pcworld.com\/wp-content\/themes\/idg-base-theme\/dist\/static\/img\/amazon-logo.svg\" alt=\"Amazon\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t$247.49\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"price-comparison__record  \">\n<div class=\"price-comparison__image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/squirrels-live.getsquirrel.co\/assets\/images\/retailers\/bandh1.png\" alt=\"B&amp;H\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t$257.39\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"price-comparison__record  \">\n<div class=\"price-comparison__image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/squirrels-live.getsquirrel.co\/assets\/images\/retailers\/29359_30d578138e556432c30d3d8306bf5eb4.png\" alt=\"Lenovo USA\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t$299.99\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"price-comparison__hidden-records-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"price-comparison__record  \">\n<div class=\"price-comparison__image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/images.datafeedr.com\/m\/15267.jpg\" alt=\"Target \" loading=\"lazy\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t$301.99\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"price-comparison__record  \">\n<div class=\"price-comparison__image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/squirrels-live.getsquirrel.co\/assets\/images\/retailers\/35161_6512e7a80b4e3205aaec2e6d8d71d205.png\" alt=\"Best Buy US\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t$326.4\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-content\">\n<h3 class=\"\" id=\"who-should-buy-the-kensington-sd5780t\">Who should buy the Kensington SD5780T?<\/h3>\n<p>The SD5780T is an ideal \u201cstarter\u201d dock, for someone who has a laptop and a single external display and might want to add more in the future. Adding a second display will require the purchase of a USB-C (Thunderbolt) to HDMI cable, which will cost an additional $15 or so. The inclusion of the SD card slot should appeal to photographers who record photo or video on those cards.<\/p>\n<p>One of my testing credos is \u201caffordable flexibility,\u201d and I favor a dock that will fit into your existing setup. But I also don\u2019t want you to pay through the nose for it. Still, even the cost of the additional cable isn\u2019t much, and this dock\u2019s price is right where I\u2019d hope it to be, about $250 or so. (It\u2019s also why we include a range of retailers: When I updated this in February 2026, Lenovo was selling this dock for $50 less than other sites.)<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"\" id=\"kensington-sd5780t-further-considerations\">Kensington SD5780T: Further considerations<\/h3>\n<p>The Kensington SD5780T is a solid Thunderbolt 4 dock in all respects. For those who wish to use a single 4K monitor, chances are that you already own an HDMI cable. In my tests, the dock was stable (and not all are!) with a nice port selection. The dock will charge your smartphone if you connect its USB-C charging cable to the Thunderbolt port. The bottom line: This is currently among the best combination of value and features in a Thunderbolt dock that I\u2019ve tested.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"product-chart-review-link\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tRead our full <\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\tKensington Thunderbolt 4 Dual 4K Dock (SD5780T) review\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t<!-- @@AD gpt-leaderboardmainbod-2 PRE @@--><!-- @@AD gpt-leaderboardmainbod-2 POST @@-->\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-product-chart-item product-chart-item \" id=\"product-chart-item-2\">\n<div class=\"large-pro-cons-product-chart-section\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__image-outer-wrapper product-chart-item__image-outer-wrapper--large\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__image-wrapper\">\n<figure class=\"wp-lightbox-container\" data-wp-context=\"{\" imageid=\"\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on-async--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" class=\"product-chart-item__image\" alt=\"StarTech.com Thunderbolt 4\/USB4 Quad Display Docking Station - Best overall Thunderbolt dock runner-up\" src=\"https:\/\/b2c-contenthub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/StarTech-Thunderbolt-4-dock-1.jpg?quality=50&amp;strip=all\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\"\/><button class=\"lightbox-trigger\" type=\"button\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-label=\"Enlarge\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-style--right=\"state.imageButtonRight\" data-wp-style--top=\"state.imageButtonTop\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewbox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t<\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-chart-body\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-columns\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-column\">\n<h3 class=\"product-chart-subTitle\" id=\"pros\">Pros<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"product-pros-cons-list\">\n<li>Four display ports that eliminate extra cables<\/li>\n<li>Absolutely stable<\/li>\n<li>Tons of legacy USB-A ports<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-chart-column\">\n<h3 class=\"product-chart-subTitle\" id=\"cons\">Cons<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"product-pros-cons-list\">\n<li>Four simultaneous 4K display outputs are possible only in some scenarios<\/li>\n<li>Just one USB-C port<\/li>\n<li>Iffy charging<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__information\">\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"product-chart-item__information--rrp-label\"><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPrice When Reviewed:\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"product-chart-item__information--rrp-value\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t$330.99\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__pricing-details \">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"product-chart-item__pricing-details--label\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBest Prices Today: \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"cta_button_table_content product_chart_table_format price_comp_table best_picks_story_types\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-price-comparison price-comparison\">\n<div id=\"New\" class=\"new_products_tab tabcontent \">\n<div class=\"price-comparison__record  amazon_vendor\">\n<div class=\"price-comparison__image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pcworld.com\/wp-content\/themes\/idg-base-theme\/dist\/static\/img\/amazon-logo.svg\" alt=\"Amazon\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t$248.99\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"price-comparison__record  \">\n<div class=\"price-comparison__image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/squirrels-live.getsquirrel.co\/assets\/images\/retailers\/29359_30d578138e556432c30d3d8306bf5eb4.png\" alt=\"Lenovo USA\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t$263.9\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-content\">\n<h3 class=\"\" id=\"who-should-buy-the-startech-com-thunderbolt-4-usb4-quad-display-docking-station\">Who should buy the StarTech.com Thunderbolt 4\/USB4 Quad Display Docking Station?<\/h3>\n<p>This is a good choice for a multi-monitor user who doesn\u2019t want to have to think about adapter cables. This dock includes both HDMI as well as DisplayPort connections, and, depending on the capabilities of your PC, you can connect up to four displays. This makes this dock ideal for a desktop PC or for a \u201cbattlestation\u201d of multiple displays. If it wasn\u2019t for the iffy charging capabilities, this might be our top dock right now.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"\" id=\"startech-com-thunderbolt-4-usb4-quad-display-docking-station-further-considerations\">StarTech.com Thunderbolt 4\/USB4 Quad Display Docking Station: Further considerations<\/h3>\n<p>Normally, docks that include a ton of ports cost a lot more \u2014 and this StarTech dock did too. But for right now, Amazon is charging about $204 for this dock on discount, which is insanely good. Price absolutely matters to my recommendations, so be sure and buy it if the price holds to that point.<\/p>\n<p>Otherwise, keep in mind that this dock doesn\u2019t offer the peripheral power that some others do, and its single USB-C port might not be satisfactory to some buyers \u2014 that\u2019s what our primary pick above is for.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"product-chart-review-link\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tRead our full <\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\tStarTech.com Thunderbolt 4\/USB4 Quad Display Docking Station review\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t<!-- @@AD gpt-leaderboardmainbod-3 PRE @@--><!-- @@AD gpt-leaderboardmainbod-3 POST @@-->\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-product-chart-item product-chart-item \" id=\"product-chart-item-3\">\n<p><h2 data-p_name=\"Wavlink Thunderbolt 4 Triple Display Docking Station\" class=\"product-chart-item__title-wrapper--title product-chart-title toc\" id=\"wavlink-thunderbolt-4-triple-display-docking-station-best-budget-thunderbolt-dock\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tWavlink Thunderbolt 4 Triple Display Docking Station \u2013 Best budget Thunderbolt dock \t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"large-pro-cons-product-chart-section\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__image-outer-wrapper product-chart-item__image-outer-wrapper--large\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__image-wrapper\">\n<figure class=\"wp-lightbox-container\" data-wp-context=\"{\" imageid=\"\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on-async--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" class=\"product-chart-item__image\" alt=\"Wavlink Thunderbolt 4 Triple Display Docking Station - Best budget Thunderbolt dock \" src=\"https:\/\/b2c-contenthub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Wavlink-Thunderbolt-4-Triple-display-dock.jpg?quality=50&amp;strip=all\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\"\/><button class=\"lightbox-trigger\" type=\"button\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-label=\"Enlarge\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-style--right=\"state.imageButtonRight\" data-wp-style--top=\"state.imageButtonTop\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewbox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t<\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-chart-body\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-columns\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-column\">\n<h3 class=\"product-chart-subTitle\" id=\"pros\">Pros<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"product-pros-cons-list\">\n<li>Two ports for fast-charging smartphones<\/li>\n<li>Solid value<\/li>\n<li>18-month warranty<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__information\">\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"product-chart-item__information--rrp-label\"><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPrice When Reviewed:\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"product-chart-item__information--rrp-value\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t$199.99\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__pricing-details \">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"product-chart-item__pricing-details--label\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBest Prices Today: \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"cta_button_table_content product_chart_table_format price_comp_table best_picks_story_types\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-price-comparison price-comparison\">\n<div id=\"New\" class=\"new_products_tab tabcontent \">\n<div class=\"price-comparison__record  amazon_vendor\">\n<div class=\"price-comparison__image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pcworld.com\/wp-content\/themes\/idg-base-theme\/dist\/static\/img\/amazon-logo.svg\" alt=\"Amazon\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t$159.98\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-content\">\n<h3 class=\"\" id=\"who-should-buy-the-wavlink-thunderbolt-4-triple-display-docking-station\">Who should buy the Wavlink Thunderbolt 4 Triple Display Docking Station?<\/h3>\n<p>Like the StarTech above, this is a dock for you if multiple external displays matter more than compactness. This affordable yet capable Thunderbolt 4 dock offers a generous set of extra ports and the ability to connect a couple of 4K displays.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"\" id=\"wavlink-thunderbolt-4-triple-display-docking-station-further-considerations\">Wavlink Thunderbolt 4 Triple Display Docking Station: Further considerations<\/h3>\n<p>For this I\u2019m leaning on Macworld\u2019s choice of docks, which offers an excellent feature set at an affordable price \u2014 and it will work just fine with Windows machines. The dock is a well-priced and loaded Thunderbolt 4 dock, though it sacrifices two of the potential three downstream TB4 ports in favor of two HDMI 2.1 ports. Use one of these for one external display and the downstream TB4 port for the other. The spare HDMI port can be used for a third extended display on Windows PCs.<\/p>\n<p>Power delivery to the laptop is 96W, enough for a lightweight content-creation laptop. There\u2019s a handy 30W USB-C charging port at the front, which also supports 10Gbps data transfer. Note that\u2019s not enough to fast-charge the very latest smartphones, but is satisfactory for older models.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"product-chart-review-link\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tRead our full <\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWavlink Thunderbolt 4 Triple Display Docking Station review\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t<!-- @@AD gpt-leaderboardmainbod-4 PRE @@--><!-- @@AD gpt-leaderboardmainbod-4 POST @@-->\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-product-chart-item product-chart-item \" id=\"product-chart-item-4\">\n<p><h2 data-p_name=\"Ugreen Revodok Pro 13-in-1 Triple Display Docking Station\" class=\"product-chart-item__title-wrapper--title product-chart-title toc\" id=\"ugreen-revodok-pro-13-in-1-triple-display-docking-station-best-budget-thunderbolt-dock-runner-up\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tUgreen Revodok Pro 13-in-1 Triple Display Docking Station \u2013 Best budget Thunderbolt dock runner-up\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"large-pro-cons-product-chart-section\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__image-outer-wrapper product-chart-item__image-outer-wrapper--large\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__image-wrapper\">\n<figure class=\"wp-lightbox-container\" data-wp-context=\"{\" imageid=\"\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on-async--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" class=\"product-chart-item__image\" alt=\"Ugreen Revodok Pro 13-in-1 Triple Display Docking Station - Best budget Thunderbolt dock runner-up\" src=\"https:\/\/b2c-contenthub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/ugreen-13-in-1-primary-back.jpg?quality=50&amp;strip=all\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\"\/><button class=\"lightbox-trigger\" type=\"button\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-label=\"Enlarge\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-style--right=\"state.imageButtonRight\" data-wp-style--top=\"state.imageButtonTop\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewbox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t<\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-chart-body\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-columns\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-column\">\n<h3 class=\"product-chart-subTitle\" id=\"pros\">Pros<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"product-pros-cons-list\">\n<li>Excellent performance<\/li>\n<li>Great value for the money<\/li>\n<li>Optimized build<\/li>\n<li>Completely stable<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-chart-column\">\n<h3 class=\"product-chart-subTitle\" id=\"cons\">Cons<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"product-pros-cons-list\">\n<li>Short, built-in cord<\/li>\n<li>You\u2019ll need your own power supply\/charger<\/li>\n<li>Requires a relatively modern laptop<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__information\">\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"product-chart-item__information--rrp-label\"><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPrice When Reviewed:\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"product-chart-item__information--rrp-value\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t$129.99\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-content\">\n<h3 class=\"\" id=\"who-should-buy-the-ugreen-revodok-pro-13-in-1-triple-display-docking-station\">Who should buy the Ugreen Revodok Pro 13-in-1 Triple Display Docking Station?<\/h3>\n<p>I recommend this dock for those who own laptops with 13th-gen Core hardware or above. HBR3\/DSC technology really doesn\u2019t work on older systems like 11th-gen Core hardware and older PCs. If you own an AMD Ryzen laptop, too, it may be a little iffy. Great price, though!<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"\" id=\"ugreen-revodok-pro-13-in-1-triple-display-docking-station-further-considerations\">Ugreen Revodok Pro 13-in-1 Triple Display Docking Station: Further considerations<\/h3>\n<p>The only reason this isn\u2019t my pick for the best budget Thunderbolt docking station is because it uses a generic form of data compression known as HBR3 (High Bit Rate 3) with DSC (Display Stream Compression), which is built into the DisplayPort spec. That\u2019s a particular technology that is more common within recent Intel Core (and Core Ultra) laptops, but isn\u2019t guaranteed to appear on yours. (If you own a laptop with a Thunderbolt port, though, this <em>should<\/em> work just fine.) You\u2019ll also have to supply your own USB-C power cable.<\/p>\n<p>Otherwise, this docking station has so much to offer. The price is outstanding, of course, but Ugreen\u2019s dock is also so flexible yet so stable. Everything\u2019s well labeled, and the dock offers DisplayPort as well as HDMI options. And it\u2019s really quite portable, too. Just remember that charger.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"product-chart-review-link\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tRead our full <\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\tUgreen Revodok Pro 13-in-1 Triple Display Docking Station review\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t<!-- @@AD gpt-leaderboardmainbod-5 PRE @@--><!-- @@AD gpt-leaderboardmainbod-5 POST @@-->\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-product-chart-item product-chart-item \" id=\"product-chart-item-5\">\n<p><h2 data-p_name=\"Sonnet Echo 13 Thunderbolt 5 SSD Dock\" class=\"product-chart-item__title-wrapper--title product-chart-title toc\" id=\"sonnet-echo-13-thunderbolt-5-ssd-dock-best-premium-thunderbolt-dock\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tSonnet Echo 13 Thunderbolt 5 SSD Dock \u2013 Best premium Thunderbolt dock\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"large-pro-cons-product-chart-section\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__image-outer-wrapper product-chart-item__image-outer-wrapper--large\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__image-wrapper\">\n<figure class=\"wp-lightbox-container\" data-wp-context=\"{\" imageid=\"\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on-async--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" class=\"product-chart-item__image\" alt=\"Sonnet Echo 13 Thunderbolt 5 SSD Dock - Best premium Thunderbolt dock\" src=\"https:\/\/b2c-contenthub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Sonnet-Echo-13-Thunderbolt-5-SSD-Dock-primary.jpg?quality=50&amp;strip=all\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\"\/><button class=\"lightbox-trigger\" type=\"button\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-label=\"Enlarge\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-style--right=\"state.imageButtonRight\" data-wp-style--top=\"state.imageButtonTop\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewbox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t<\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-chart-body\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-columns\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-column\">\n<h3 class=\"product-chart-subTitle\" id=\"pros\">Pros<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"product-pros-cons-list\">\n<li>Superb SSD performance<\/li>\n<li>Thunderbolt 5 power<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-chart-column\">\n<h3 class=\"product-chart-subTitle\" id=\"cons\">Cons<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"product-pros-cons-list\">\n<li>Higher SSD capacities quickly elevate the price<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__information\">\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"product-chart-item__information--rrp-label\"><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPrice When Reviewed:\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"product-chart-item__information--rrp-value\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFrom $479.99\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__pricing-details \">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"product-chart-item__pricing-details--label\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBest Prices Today: \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"cta_button_table_content product_chart_table_format price_comp_table best_picks_story_types\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-price-comparison price-comparison\">\n<div id=\"New\" class=\"new_products_tab tabcontent \">\n<div class=\"price-comparison__record  amazon_vendor\">\n<div class=\"price-comparison__image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pcworld.com\/wp-content\/themes\/idg-base-theme\/dist\/static\/img\/amazon-logo.svg\" alt=\"Amazon\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t$479.99\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"price-comparison__record  \">\n<div class=\"price-comparison__image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/squirrels-live.getsquirrel.co\/assets\/images\/retailers\/bandh1.png\" alt=\"B&amp;H\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t$479.99\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-content\">\n<h3 class=\"\" id=\"who-should-buy-the-sonnet-echo-13-thunderbolt-5-ssd-dock\">Who should buy the Sonnet Echo 13 Thunderbolt 5 SSD Dock?<\/h3>\n<p>Yes, this is the same dock I selected as my overall pick. But if you\u2019re looking for a premium Thunderbolt dock, I think this fits the bill. We have a cheaper runner-up option just below.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"\" id=\"sonnet-echo-13-thunderbolt-5-ssd-dock-further-considerations\">Sonnet Echo 13 Thunderbolt 5 SSD Dock: Further considerations<\/h3>\n<p>The performance that this dock offers really boils down to the integrated SSD. It\u2019s simply one of the fastest storage options that I\u2019ve tested for an external drive, though it\u2019s confined to the dock. (It\u2019s not removeable.) But if you want a 4GB SSD option, you\u2019ll pay $750 (at press time). That\u2019s kind of insane.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"product-chart-review-link\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tRead our full <\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSonnet Echo 13 Thunderbolt 5 SSD Dock review\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t<!-- @@AD gpt-leaderboardmainbod-6 PRE @@--><!-- @@AD gpt-leaderboardmainbod-6 POST @@-->\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-product-chart-item product-chart-item \" id=\"product-chart-item-6\">\n<p><h2 data-p_name=\"Kensington SD7100T5 EQ Pro 19-in-1 Thunderbolt 5 Docking Station\u00a0\" class=\"product-chart-item__title-wrapper--title product-chart-title toc\" id=\"kensington-sd7100t5-eq-pro-19-in-1-thunderbolt-5-docking-station-best-premium-thunderbolt-dock-runner-up\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tKensington SD7100T5 EQ Pro 19-in-1 Thunderbolt 5 Docking Station \u2013 Best premium Thunderbolt dock runner-up\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"large-pro-cons-product-chart-section\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__image-outer-wrapper product-chart-item__image-outer-wrapper--large\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__image-wrapper\">\n<figure class=\"wp-lightbox-container\" data-wp-context=\"{\" imageid=\"\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on-async--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" class=\"product-chart-item__image\" alt=\"Kensington SD7100T5 EQ Pro 19-in-1 Thunderbolt 5 Docking Station - Best premium Thunderbolt dock runner-up\" src=\"https:\/\/b2c-contenthub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Kensington-EQ-Pro-Thunderbolt-5-Docking-Station-1.jpg?quality=50&amp;strip=all\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\"\/><button class=\"lightbox-trigger\" type=\"button\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-label=\"Enlarge\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-style--right=\"state.imageButtonRight\" data-wp-style--top=\"state.imageButtonTop\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewbox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t<\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-chart-body\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-columns\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-column\">\n<h3 class=\"product-chart-subTitle\" id=\"pros\">Pros<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"product-pros-cons-list\">\n<li>Thunderbolt 5<\/li>\n<li>Integrated M.2 slot for an SSD<\/li>\n<li>Dedicated function keys<\/li>\n<li>Dock will charge without need for a laptop connection<\/li>\n<li>Unusually varied ports (optical, CompactFlash)<\/li>\n<li>Generally stable<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-chart-column\">\n<h3 class=\"product-chart-subTitle\" id=\"cons\">Cons<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"product-pros-cons-list\">\n<li>Some trouble connecting to displays after a restart\/resume<\/li>\n<li>Extremely high price<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__information\">\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"product-chart-item__information--rrp-label\"><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPrice When Reviewed:\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"product-chart-item__information--rrp-value\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t$449.99\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__pricing-details \">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"product-chart-item__pricing-details--label\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBest Prices Today: \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"cta_button_table_content product_chart_table_format price_comp_table best_picks_story_types\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-price-comparison price-comparison\">\n<div id=\"New\" class=\"new_products_tab tabcontent \">\n<div class=\"price-comparison__record  amazon_vendor\">\n<div class=\"price-comparison__image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pcworld.com\/wp-content\/themes\/idg-base-theme\/dist\/static\/img\/amazon-logo.svg\" alt=\"Amazon\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t$375.30\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-content\">\n<h3 class=\"\" id=\"who-should-buy-the-kensington-sd7100t5-eq-pro-19-in-1-thunderbolt-5-docking-station\">Who should buy the Kensington SD7100T5 EQ Pro 19-in-1 Thunderbolt 5 Docking Station?<\/h3>\n<p>This dock is definitely for the prosumer, or someone with some extra spending cash. This dock has it all: M.2 slot. Hot keys. An optical connection. Offline charging. CompactFlash. If you\u2019re a high-end creative professional, you should be reading the linked review below with one hand on your wallet.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"\" id=\"kensington-sd7100t5-eq-pro-19-in-1-thunderbolt-5-docking-station-further-considerations\">Kensington SD7100T5 EQ Pro 19-in-1 Thunderbolt 5 Docking Station: Further considerations<\/h3>\n<p>I absolutely think that this is more dock than the average person will need, especially in a year where Thunderbolt 5 isn\u2019t a necessity. But there\u2019s enough here for professionals today, especially with an eye toward the future. But man, what a price tag! I would hope and expect that Kensington lowers the price during 2026.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"product-chart-review-link\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tRead our full <\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\tKensington SD7100T5 EQ Pro 19-in-1 Thunderbolt 5 Docking Station\u00a0 review\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t<!-- @@AD gpt-leaderboardmainbod-7 PRE @@--><!-- @@AD gpt-leaderboardmainbod-7 POST @@-->\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-product-chart-item product-chart-item \" id=\"product-chart-item-7\">\n<p><h2 data-p_name=\"Plugable 5-in-1 Thunderbolt Hub (USB4-HUB3A)\" class=\"product-chart-item__title-wrapper--title product-chart-title toc\" id=\"plugable-5-in-1-thunderbolt-hub-usb4-hub3a-best-thunderbolt-4-hub\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tPlugable 5-in-1 Thunderbolt Hub (USB4-HUB3A) \u2013 Best Thunderbolt 4 hub\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"large-pro-cons-product-chart-section\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__image-outer-wrapper product-chart-item__image-outer-wrapper--large\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__image-wrapper\">\n<figure class=\"wp-lightbox-container\" data-wp-context=\"{\" imageid=\"\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on-async--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" class=\"product-chart-item__image\" alt=\"Plugable 5-in-1 Thunderbolt Hub (USB4-HUB3A) - Best Thunderbolt 4 hub\" src=\"https:\/\/b2c-contenthub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Plugable-tiny-hub-back.png\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\"\/><button class=\"lightbox-trigger\" type=\"button\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-label=\"Enlarge\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-style--right=\"state.imageButtonRight\" data-wp-style--top=\"state.imageButtonTop\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewbox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t<\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-chart-body\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-columns\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-column\">\n<h3 class=\"product-chart-subTitle\" id=\"pros\">Pros<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"product-pros-cons-list\">\n<li>Incredibly compact<\/li>\n<li>USB-C to HDMI adapter included<\/li>\n<li>15W\/60W of charging power to phones\/PCs<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-chart-column\">\n<h3 class=\"product-chart-subTitle\" id=\"cons\">Cons<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"product-pros-cons-list\">\n<li>Limited ports<\/li>\n<li>Best for Thunderbolt-attached displays<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__information\">\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"product-chart-item__information--rrp-label\"><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPrice When Reviewed:\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"product-chart-item__information--rrp-value\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t$189\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__pricing-details \">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"product-chart-item__pricing-details--label\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBest Prices Today: \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"cta_button_table_content product_chart_table_format price_comp_table best_picks_story_types\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-price-comparison price-comparison\">\n<div id=\"New\" class=\"new_products_tab tabcontent \">\n<div class=\"price-comparison__record  amazon_vendor\">\n<div class=\"price-comparison__image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pcworld.com\/wp-content\/themes\/idg-base-theme\/dist\/static\/img\/amazon-logo.svg\" alt=\"Amazon\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t$149.95\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"price-comparison__record  \">\n<div class=\"price-comparison__image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pcworld.com\/wp-content\/themes\/idg-base-theme\/dist\/static\/img\/walmart-logo.svg\" alt=\"Walmart\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t$149.95\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"price-comparison__record  \">\n<div class=\"price-comparison__image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/squirrels-live.getsquirrel.co\/assets\/images\/retailers\/bandh1.png\" alt=\"B&amp;H\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t$169.99\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"price-comparison__record  \">\n<div class=\"price-comparison__image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/squirrels-live.getsquirrel.co\/assets\/images\/retailers\/29359_30d578138e556432c30d3d8306bf5eb4.png\" alt=\"Lenovo USA\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t$169.99\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"price-comparison__hidden-records-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"price-comparison__record  \">\n<div class=\"price-comparison__image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pcworld.com\/wp-content\/themes\/idg-base-theme\/dist\/static\/img\/newegg-logo.svg\" alt=\"Newegg\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t$189\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-content\">\n<h3 class=\"\" id=\"who-should-buy-the-plugable-5-in-1-thunderbolt-hub-usb4-hub3a\">Who should buy the Plugable 5-in-1 Thunderbolt Hub (USB4-HUB3A)?<\/h3>\n<p>First, you want to understand the difference between a dock and a hub. Primarily it\u2019s in the number and variety of ports, with hubs being smaller and extending the selection of USB-C ports.<\/p>\n<p>This hub is a good choice for users of Thunderbolt\/USB-C monitors, which are much more common in the Mac market but may become more prevalent in the Windows space in the future.<\/p>\n<p>A USB-C monitor tends to also have legacy ports (USB-A, USB-C) inside <em>them<\/em>, which means that a Thunderbolt dock and its cluster of ports may be redundant. This hub is a way to save a little money for the user who has a specific setup.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"\" id=\"plugable-5-in-1-thunderbolt-hub-usb4-hub3a-further-considerations\">Plugable 5-in-1 Thunderbolt Hub (USB4-HUB3A): Further considerations<\/h3>\n<p>With this hub there\u2019s less of an emphasis on legacy ports, and more of a focus on a direct connection to a display. Also, this thing is <em>tiny <\/em>(4.75 x 2.88 x 0.5 inches) even if, unfortunately, the associated power brick isn\u2019t.<\/p>\n<p>It will send 15W of power via the Thunderbolt\/USB-C connections to charge smartphones, and 60W to the host PC.<\/p>\n<p>If you don\u2019t need a big, bulky dock with multiple connections, Plugable\u2019s 5-in-1 Hub just does the job and without any extra fuss. If your laptop needs more power than the 60W Plugable hub provides, I would recommend the Satechi Thunderbolt 4 Slim Hub Pro instead.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"product-chart-review-link\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tRead our full <\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPlugable 5-in-1 Thunderbolt Hub (USB4-HUB3A) review\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t<!-- @@AD gpt-leaderboardmainbod-8 PRE @@--><!-- @@AD gpt-leaderboardmainbod-8 POST @@-->\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-product-chart-item product-chart-item \" id=\"product-chart-item-8\">\n<p><h2 data-p_name=\"Razer Thunderbolt 4 Dock Chroma\" class=\"product-chart-item__title-wrapper--title product-chart-title toc\" id=\"razer-thunderbolt-4-dock-chroma-best-thunderbolt-4-hub-runner-up\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tRazer Thunderbolt 4 Dock Chroma \u2013 Best Thunderbolt 4 hub runner-up\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"large-pro-cons-product-chart-section\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__image-outer-wrapper product-chart-item__image-outer-wrapper--large\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__image-wrapper\">\n<figure class=\"wp-lightbox-container\" data-wp-context=\"{\" imageid=\"\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on-async--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" class=\"product-chart-item__image\" alt=\"Razer Thunderbolt 4 Dock Chroma - Best Thunderbolt 4 hub runner-up\" src=\"https:\/\/b2c-contenthub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Razer-Thunderbolt-Dock-Chroma-RGB.jpg?quality=50&amp;strip=all\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\"\/><button class=\"lightbox-trigger\" type=\"button\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-label=\"Enlarge\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-style--right=\"state.imageButtonRight\" data-wp-style--top=\"state.imageButtonTop\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewbox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t<\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-chart-body\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-columns\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-column\">\n<h3 class=\"product-chart-subTitle\" id=\"pros\">Pros<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"product-pros-cons-list\">\n<li>Rock-solid stability<\/li>\n<li>The only (?) dock with RGB lighting<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-chart-column\">\n<h3 class=\"product-chart-subTitle\" id=\"cons\">Cons<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"product-pros-cons-list\">\n<li>Average to slightly poor performance<\/li>\n<li>Lack of dedicated display ports<\/li>\n<li>A higher price tag than what rivals charge<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__information\">\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"product-chart-item__information--rrp-label\"><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPrice When Reviewed:\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"product-chart-item__information--rrp-value\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t$329.99\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-content\">\n<h3 class=\"\" id=\"who-should-buy-the-razer-thunderbolt-4-dock-chroma\">Who should buy the Razer Thunderbolt 4 Dock Chroma?<\/h3>\n<p>Gamers, obviously. But even a stodgy old reporter like me likes it, because the RGB can either be fixed to a certain color or turned off entirely. And the dock surprised me with its stability and construction. You can certainly buy this dock for its blingy aesthetic, but it works just as well as a more down-to-earth alternative, too. Razer did a very nice job balancing both aspects.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"\" id=\"razer-thunderbolt-4-dock-chroma-further-considerations\">Razer Thunderbolt 4 Dock Chroma: Further considerations<\/h3>\n<p>I was surprised by how much I like this combination dock\/hub. It\u2019s a premium offering, with enough ports that I\u2019d almost consider it a full-fledged dock. But with three upstream Thunderbolt ports, you can characterize it as a hub as well. As one of the more modern docks, with rock-solid stability, it won me over in the end, though its storage performance was middling. And, of course, remember to invest in cables.<\/p>\n<p>The RGB lighting is fun, and optional \u2014 it can be turned off. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"product-chart-review-link\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tRead our full <\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRazer Thunderbolt 4 Dock Chroma review\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t<!-- @@AD gpt-leaderboardmainbod-9 PRE @@--><!-- @@AD gpt-leaderboardmainbod-9 POST @@-->\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-product-chart-item product-chart-item \" id=\"product-chart-item-9\">\n<p><h2 data-p_name=\"Plugable USB4 Dual HDMI Docking Station (UD-4VPD)\" class=\"product-chart-item__title-wrapper--title product-chart-title toc\" id=\"plugable-usb4-dual-hdmi-docking-station-ud-4vpd-best-usb4-docking-station\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tPlugable USB4 Dual HDMI Docking Station (UD-4VPD) \u2013 Best USB4 docking station\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"large-pro-cons-product-chart-section\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__image-outer-wrapper product-chart-item__image-outer-wrapper--large\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__image-wrapper\">\n<figure class=\"wp-lightbox-container\" data-wp-context=\"{\" imageid=\"\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on-async--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" class=\"product-chart-item__image\" alt=\"Plugable USB4 Dual HDMI Docking Station (UD-4VPD) - Best USB4 docking station\" src=\"https:\/\/b2c-contenthub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Plugable-dual-HDMI-USB4-2.jpg?quality=50&amp;strip=all\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\"\/><button class=\"lightbox-trigger\" type=\"button\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-label=\"Enlarge\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-style--right=\"state.imageButtonRight\" data-wp-style--top=\"state.imageButtonTop\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewbox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t<\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-chart-body\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-columns\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-column\">\n<h3 class=\"product-chart-subTitle\" id=\"pros\">Pros<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"product-pros-cons-list\">\n<li>Great price and value, even at MSRP<\/li>\n<li>4K120 display capabilities open up gaming possibilities<\/li>\n<li>Stable performance<\/li>\n<li>Excellent charging capabilities<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-chart-column\">\n<h3 class=\"product-chart-subTitle\" id=\"cons\">Cons<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"product-pros-cons-list\">\n<li>Significant thermal issues<\/li>\n<li>Storage tests across the dock were lower than average<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__information\">\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"product-chart-item__information--rrp-label\"><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPrice When Reviewed:\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"product-chart-item__information--rrp-value\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t$199.95\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__pricing-details \">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"product-chart-item__pricing-details--label\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBest Prices Today: \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"cta_button_table_content product_chart_table_format price_comp_table best_picks_story_types\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-price-comparison price-comparison\">\n<div id=\"New\" class=\"new_products_tab tabcontent \">\n<div class=\"price-comparison__record  \">\n<div class=\"price-comparison__image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pcworld.com\/wp-content\/themes\/idg-base-theme\/dist\/static\/img\/newegg-logo.svg\" alt=\"Newegg\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t$199.95\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"price-comparison__record  \">\n<div class=\"price-comparison__image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pcworld.com\/wp-content\/themes\/idg-base-theme\/dist\/static\/img\/walmart-logo.svg\" alt=\"Walmart\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t$199.95\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-content\">\n<h3 class=\"\" id=\"who-should-buy-the-plugable-usb4-dual-hdmi-docking-station-ud-4vpd\">Who should buy the Plugable USB4 Dual HDMI Docking Station (UD-4VPD)?<\/h3>\n<p>This is a general-purpose USB4 dock, which can be adopted by anyone. But it\u2019s best suited for laptops with a Ryzen chip inside, and for photographers who need the SD card slots.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"\" id=\"plugable-usb4-dual-hdmi-docking-station-ud-4vpd-further-considerations\">Plugable USB4 Dual HDMI Docking Station (UD-4VPD): Further considerations<\/h3>\n<p>Thunderbolt and USB4 are basically the same. USB4 ports typically appear on laptops with AMD Ryzen chips inside (because Intel refuses to certify an AMD laptop as Thunderbolt-compliant.) Why include a dedicated USB4 category? In part, because not everyone knows this. <\/p>\n<p>This dock can get hot, but it\u2019s an affordable budget option.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"product-chart-review-link\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tRead our full <\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPlugable USB4 Dual HDMI Docking Station (UD-4VPD) review\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t<!-- @@AD gpt-leaderboardmainbod-10 PRE @@--><!-- @@AD gpt-leaderboardmainbod-10 POST @@-->\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-product-chart-item product-chart-item \" id=\"product-chart-item-10\">\n<p><h2 data-p_name=\"CalDigit TS5 Thunderbolt 5 Dock\" class=\"product-chart-item__title-wrapper--title product-chart-title toc\" id=\"caldigit-ts5-thunderbolt-5-dock-best-thunderbolt-dock-for-apple-mac-users\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tCalDigit TS5 Thunderbolt 5 Dock \u2013 Best Thunderbolt dock for Apple Mac users\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"large-pro-cons-product-chart-section\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__image-outer-wrapper product-chart-item__image-outer-wrapper--large\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__image-wrapper\">\n<figure class=\"wp-lightbox-container\" data-wp-context=\"{\" imageid=\"\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on-async--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" class=\"product-chart-item__image\" alt=\"CalDigit TS5 Thunderbolt 5 Dock - Best Thunderbolt dock for Apple Mac users\" src=\"https:\/\/b2c-contenthub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/CalDigit-TS5-Thunderbolt-5-Dock.jpg?quality=50&amp;strip=all\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\"\/><button class=\"lightbox-trigger\" type=\"button\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-label=\"Enlarge\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-style--right=\"state.imageButtonRight\" data-wp-style--top=\"state.imageButtonTop\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewbox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t<\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-chart-body\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-columns\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-column\">\n<h3 class=\"product-chart-subTitle\" id=\"pros\">Pros<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"product-pros-cons-list\">\n<li>15 top-end ports, including four Thunderbolt 5<\/li>\n<li>2.5Gb Ethernet<\/li>\n<li>Iconic case<\/li>\n<li>240W Power Delivery<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-chart-column\">\n<h3 class=\"product-chart-subTitle\" id=\"cons\">Cons<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"product-pros-cons-list\">\n<li>Still not the most affordable<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__information\">\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"product-chart-item__information--rrp-label\"><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPrice When Reviewed:\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"product-chart-item__information--rrp-value\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t$399.99\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__pricing-details \">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"product-chart-item__pricing-details--label\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBest Prices Today: \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"cta_button_table_content product_chart_table_format price_comp_table best_picks_story_types\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-price-comparison price-comparison\">\n<div id=\"New\" class=\"new_products_tab tabcontent \">\n<div class=\"price-comparison__record  amazon_vendor\">\n<div class=\"price-comparison__image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pcworld.com\/wp-content\/themes\/idg-base-theme\/dist\/static\/img\/amazon-logo.svg\" alt=\"Amazon\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t$399.95\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"price-comparison__record  \">\n<div class=\"price-comparison__image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pcworld.com\/wp-content\/themes\/idg-base-theme\/dist\/static\/img\/apple-logo.svg\" alt=\"Apple\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t$399.95\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-content\">\n<h2 class=\"\" id=\"who-should-buy-the-caldigit-ts5-thunderbolt-5-dock\">Who should buy the CalDigit TS5 Thunderbolt 5 Dock?<\/h2>\n<p>This is the dock for hardcore Mac users, according to our colleagues at Macworld. Right now, Thunderbolt 5 docks are more suited to Macs, with their higher-resolution displays. The CalDigit TS5 Plus has just about everything you need\u2014indeed probably more than you need. The plain TS5\u2019s 15 ports should be enough for any but the more extreme pro-level users, Macworld says, as part of its list of the best Thunderbolt docking stations for the Apple Mac.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"\" id=\"caldigit-ts5-thunderbolt-5-dock-further-considerations\">CalDigit TS5 Thunderbolt 5 Dock: Further considerations<\/h3>\n<p>The TS5 actually offers one more downstream Thunderbolt 5 port than the CalDigit TS5 Plus, which sacrificed one of its TB5 ports for a DisplayPort. On the other hand, high-end Mac displays include a dedicated Thunderbolt or USB-C connection. If you need to connect high-performance SSDs or RAID devices Thunderbolt 5 rewards you with a PCIe 4.0 performance at 64Gbps, and the dock supports transfer speeds up to 6,200MBps. But yikes! $400 is a lot, even for a high-end dock.<\/p>\n<p>MacBook buyers: Pay for Thunderbolt 5 only if your display or storage workflow can use it.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t<!-- @@AD gpt-leaderboardmainbod-11 PRE @@--><!-- @@AD gpt-leaderboardmainbod-11 POST @@-->\t\t<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading toc\" id=\"best-displaylink-usb-c-docks\">Best DisplayLink USB-C docks<\/h2>\n<p>DisplayLink USB-C docks, which I discuss in more detail in a separate article, don\u2019t offer enough bandwidth for high-refresh rate monitors or gaming, but they work admirably well for everyday office work, including watching movies. Anecdotally, they\u2019ve often been more stable than a Thunderbolt dock on older hardware, as sometimes Thunderbolt docks have issues \u201cwaking up\u201d when the host laptop wakes up from standby. You can \u201cbreak\u201d the dock by pushing more and more over the connection, like streaming while copying files.<\/p>\n<p>What I\u2019d like to see in a DisplayLink USB-C docking station is a feature set that approaches a full-fledged Thunderbolt dock, but that is priced below what you\u2019d pay for Thunderbolt performance. The current pick does just that. Some recent reviews do not appear here \u2014 for instance, StarTech\u2019s USB-C Triple Monitor Dock fell short.  <\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-product-chart product-chart\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-product-chart-item product-chart-item \" id=\"product-chart-item-1\">\n<p><h2 data-p_name=\"Ugreen 9-in-1 USB-C (Revodok) Docking Station CM615\" class=\"product-chart-item__title-wrapper--title product-chart-title toc\" id=\"ugreen-9-in-1-usb-c-revodok-docking-station-cm615-best-usb-c-displaylink-dock\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tUgreen 9-in-1 USB-C (Revodok) Docking Station CM615 \u2013 Best USB-C DisplayLink dock\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"large-pro-cons-product-chart-section\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__image-outer-wrapper product-chart-item__image-outer-wrapper--large\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__image-wrapper\">\n<figure class=\"wp-lightbox-container\" data-wp-context=\"{\" imageid=\"\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on-async--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" class=\"product-chart-item__image\" alt=\"Ugreen 9-in-1 USB-C (Revodok) Docking Station CM615 - Best USB-C DisplayLink dock\" src=\"https:\/\/b2c-contenthub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Ugreen-9-in-1-front.jpg?quality=50&amp;strip=all\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\"\/><button class=\"lightbox-trigger\" type=\"button\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-label=\"Enlarge\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-style--right=\"state.imageButtonRight\" data-wp-style--top=\"state.imageButtonTop\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewbox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t<\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-chart-body\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-columns\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-column\">\n<h3 class=\"product-chart-subTitle\" id=\"pros\">Pros<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"product-pros-cons-list\">\n<li>Terrific price and value<\/li>\n<li>Excellent stability<\/li>\n<li>Great display port flexibility<\/li>\n<li>Support for two 4K60 displays<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-chart-column\">\n<h3 class=\"product-chart-subTitle\" id=\"cons\">Cons<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"product-pros-cons-list\">\n<li>Have to provide your own power supply<\/li>\n<li>Can warm to somewhat alarming temperatures<\/li>\n<li>Mandatory software driver<\/li>\n<li>A lack of naming consistency<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__information\">\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"product-chart-item__information--rrp-label\"><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPrice When Reviewed:\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"product-chart-item__information--rrp-value\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t$169.99\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__pricing-details \">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"product-chart-item__pricing-details--label\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBest Prices Today: \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"cta_button_table_content product_chart_table_format price_comp_table best_picks_story_types\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-price-comparison price-comparison\">\n<div id=\"New\" class=\"new_products_tab tabcontent \">\n<div class=\"price-comparison__record  \">\n<div class=\"price-comparison__image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pcworld.com\/wp-content\/themes\/idg-base-theme\/dist\/static\/img\/amazon-prime-logo.svg\" alt=\"Amazon Prime\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t$125.99\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"price-comparison__record  amazon_vendor\">\n<div class=\"price-comparison__image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pcworld.com\/wp-content\/themes\/idg-base-theme\/dist\/static\/img\/amazon-logo.svg\" alt=\"Amazon\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t$169.99\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-content\">\n<h2 class=\"\" id=\"who-should-buy-the-ugreen-9-in-1-usb-c-revodok-docking-station-cm615\">Who should buy the Ugreen 9-in-1 USB-C (Revodok) Docking Station CM615?<\/h2>\n<p>If you\u2019re not worried about hunting down the proper software driver (because Ugreen, bless them, does not make it apparent that it needs one) than I would recommend that you buy this dock. It offers many of the features of more expensive Thunderbolt docks at an affordable price.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"\" id=\"ugreen-9-in-1-usb-c-revodok-docking-station-cm615-further-considerations\">Ugreen 9-in-1 USB-C (Revodok) Docking Station CM615: Further considerations<\/h3>\n<p>Like some of our premium Thunderbolt docks, Ugreen provides options to use either HDMI or DisplayPort to connect a display, allowing you to use your existing display cables and save some money.<\/p>\n<p>Like most DisplayLink docks, this dock was unusually stable, with no flickering between displays \u2014 one of the reasons I like DisplayLink docks. Some other Thunderbolt docks offer the same flexibility to shift between monitors, but not many. Ugreen\u2019s dock does so affordably.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"product-chart-review-link\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tRead our full <\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\tUgreen 9-in-1 USB-C (Revodok) Docking Station CM615 review\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t<!-- @@AD gpt-leaderboardmainbod-12 PRE @@--><!-- @@AD gpt-leaderboardmainbod-12 POST @@-->\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-product-chart-item product-chart-item \" id=\"product-chart-item-2\">\n<p><h2 data-p_name=\"Plugable USB-C Dual 4K Display Horizontal Docking Station (UD-6950PDH)\" class=\"product-chart-item__title-wrapper--title product-chart-title toc\" id=\"plugable-usb-c-dual-4k-display-horizontal-docking-station-ud-6950pdh-best-usb-c-displaylink-dock-runner-up\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tPlugable USB-C Dual 4K Display Horizontal Docking Station (UD-6950PDH) \u2013 Best USB-C DisplayLink dock runner-up\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"large-pro-cons-product-chart-section\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__image-outer-wrapper product-chart-item__image-outer-wrapper--large\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__image-wrapper\">\n<figure class=\"wp-lightbox-container\" data-wp-context=\"{\" imageid=\"\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on-async--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" class=\"product-chart-item__image\" alt=\"Plugable USB-C Dual 4K Display Horizontal Docking Station (UD-6950PDH) - Best USB-C DisplayLink dock runner-up\" src=\"https:\/\/b2c-contenthub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Plugable-USB-C-Dual-4K-Display-Horizontal-Docking-Station-UD-6950PDH.png\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\"\/><button class=\"lightbox-trigger\" type=\"button\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-label=\"Enlarge\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-style--right=\"state.imageButtonRight\" data-wp-style--top=\"state.imageButtonTop\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewbox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t<\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-chart-body\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-columns\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-column\">\n<h3 class=\"product-chart-subTitle\" id=\"pros\">Pros<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"product-pros-cons-list\">\n<li>Terrific value for office workers<\/li>\n<li>Great display flexibility<\/li>\n<li>Plenty of USB-A ports<\/li>\n<li>SD\/microSD card slots, too<\/li>\n<li>100W of charging power<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-chart-column\">\n<h3 class=\"product-chart-subTitle\" id=\"cons\">Cons<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"product-pros-cons-list\">\n<li>No USB-C ports<\/li>\n<li>No dedicated charging ports<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__information\">\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"product-chart-item__information--rrp-label\"><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPrice When Reviewed:\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"product-chart-item__information--rrp-value\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t$199.00\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__pricing-details \">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"product-chart-item__pricing-details--label\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBest Prices Today: \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"cta_button_table_content product_chart_table_format price_comp_table best_picks_story_types\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-price-comparison price-comparison\">\n<div id=\"New\" class=\"new_products_tab tabcontent \">\n<div class=\"price-comparison__record  amazon_vendor\">\n<div class=\"price-comparison__image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pcworld.com\/wp-content\/themes\/idg-base-theme\/dist\/static\/img\/amazon-logo.svg\" alt=\"Amazon\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t$179.95\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"price-comparison__record  \">\n<div class=\"price-comparison__image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/squirrels-live.getsquirrel.co\/assets\/images\/retailers\/bandh1.png\" alt=\"B&amp;H\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t$179.95\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"price-comparison__record  \">\n<div class=\"price-comparison__image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pcworld.com\/wp-content\/themes\/idg-base-theme\/dist\/static\/img\/walmart-logo.svg\" alt=\"Walmart\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t$194.99\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"price-comparison__record  \">\n<div class=\"price-comparison__image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/squirrels-live.getsquirrel.co\/assets\/images\/retailers\/29359_30d578138e556432c30d3d8306bf5eb4.png\" alt=\"Lenovo USA\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t$199.99\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-content\">\n<h3 class=\"\" id=\"who-should-buy-the-plugable-usb-c-dual-4k-display-horizontal-docking-station\">Who should buy the Plugable USB-C Dual 4K Display Horizontal Docking Station?<\/h3>\n<p>If you\u2019re a home office worker who doesn\u2019t want or need to game, this dock will suit you just fine. Plugable\u2019s USB-C Dual 4K Display dock takes Plugable\u2019s traditional approach: Provide dedicated display interfaces, and let the user choose between which cables they\u2019ll need to connect to their display. The dock is a pretty simple affair, with a pair of legacy USB-A ports and standard gigabit Ethernet connection.<\/p>\n<p>Interestingly, Plugable has recast this dock as a Mac-dedicated device, with a grayish tint to boot. (That\u2019s what you\u2019ll see on the Amazon page.) It\u2019s really not \u2014 it will work on Macs and Windows PCs just fine, though you\u2019ll need the Windows driver for it instead. <\/p>\n<h3 class=\"\" id=\"plugable-usb-c-dual-4k-display-horizontal-docking-station-further-considerations\">Plugable USB-C Dual 4K Display Horizontal Docking Station: Further considerations<\/h3>\n<p>For whatever reason (maybe the bandwidth that a 10Gbps port consumes?) USB-C ports aren\u2019t common on DisplayLink docks. (The Ugreen dock that we\u2019ve picked as our favorite has one; this dock does not.) This is going to sound redundant, but just keep in mind that these docks are terrific for video playback or office work, but gaming is beyond them.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"product-chart-review-link\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tRead our full <\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPlugable USB-C Dual 4K Display Horizontal Docking Station (UD-6950PDH) review\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t<!-- @@AD gpt-leaderboardmainbod-13 PRE @@--><!-- @@AD gpt-leaderboardmainbod-13 POST @@-->\t\t<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading toc\" id=\"other-thunderbolt-reviews-and-features\">Other Thunderbolt reviews and features<\/h2>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading toc\" id=\"can-i-get-a-better-deal-on-thunderbolt-docks\">Can I get a better deal on Thunderbolt docks?<\/h2>\n<p>Let\u2019s face it: Tariffs have been a major wild card on all sorts of purchases. Daily discounts and so-called \u201clightning deals\u201d affect prices, too.<\/p>\n<p>Thunderbolt docks, however, still receive discounts during major shopping events like Amazon\u2019s Prime Day deals and holiday sales. While our automated pricing technology that we use in our reviews should reflect the current price of the item, it\u2019s always a good idea to check PCWorld\u2019s list of deals for these major shopping events. We generally dedicate specific articles to the best deals on Thunderbolt docks and USB-C hubs.<\/p>\n<p><!-- @@AD gpt-leaderboardmainbod-14 PRE @@--><!-- @@AD gpt-leaderboardmainbod-14 POST @@--><\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-idg-base-theme-box-text inline-box\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading toc\" id=\"how-pcworld-tests-thunderbolt-docks\">How PCWorld tests Thunderbolt docks<\/h2>\n<p>I\u2019ve written a separate article about how I test Thunderbolt docks, which goes into detail about how evaluate the performance of docks. Put <em>very<\/em> briefly, I examine each dock physically, making measurements on the cord length and port spacing. I then connect the dock to a variety of laptops. <\/p>\n<p>My performance testing includes streaming video, transferring video files back and forth, running standardized benchmarks, and more. In addition, I simply use the dock for several days just to discover any quirks or glitches.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading toc\" id=\"who-curated-this-article\">Who curated this article?<\/h2>\n<p>My name is Mark Hachman, and I\u2019ve covered the technology industry as a reporter and reviewer for over 30 years. I\u2019ve worked from home for years, so when the pandemic hit I instantly realized that all the things I had already nerded out about \u2014 using a laptop docking station, setting up multiple monitors \u2014 would become a priority for PCWorld\u2019s readers. When someone tells me that they bought one of the docking stations that I\u2019ve recommended, and that they love it \u2014 well, that\u2019s why I do what I do.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading toc\" id=\"how-to-choose-the-best-thunderbolt-dock\">How to choose the best Thunderbolt dock<\/h2>\n<p>Ports, cables, peripherals: Those are the three major considerations when buying a Thunderbolt dock.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Check your laptop\u2019s specifications. As a general rule, a dock from the Thunderbolt 4 family is the default buy for most people. It will work with laptops with a Thunderbolt 5 connection, but at Thunderbolt 4 speeds. Still, you may save a few bucks with an older dock.<\/p>\n<p>Thunderbolt 5, if your laptop supports it, is the better choice if you expect to run high-end storage or display setups.<\/p>\n<p>Think about what you want to connect the dock to. Here, the priority is usually the displays. Consider the displays you own (which typically include either HDMI or DisplayPort connections) and think about whether the dock will accommodate them. I prefer docks with dedicated display ports, so that a display with an HDMI port, for example, can connect directly. <\/p>\n<p><!-- @@AD gpt-leaderboardmainbod-15 PRE @@--><!-- @@AD gpt-leaderboardmainbod-15 POST @@--><\/p>\n<p>I <em>am<\/em> seeing a small but growing percentage of Thunderbolt docks that include a Thunderbolt cable to your laptop and then dedicated Thunderbolt connections out to displays. These docks tend to cater to Mac users. However, you can buy a dongle or cable that converts Thunderbolt\/ USB-C to HDMI or DisplayPort, or else you can buy a USB-C display.<\/p>\n<p>What will you want to plug into the dock? Use that answer as a guide. Do you want a basic Thunderbolt dock, with just a pair of HDMI ports for connecting two displays? Does an SD card slot matter? How many USB Type A peripherals do you plan to attach? Do you want to charge your smartphone? More recent phones now require more power to fast-charge them.<\/p>\n<p>Check your laptop\u2019s power supply. Does it plug into your laptop via USB-C? If so, a Thunderbolt dock will likely power it. You\u2019ll need to understand how the dock supplies power, though. Check your laptop\u2019s charger to learn how much power it supplies, and how much the dock will need to supply to replace it. If your laptop or devices aren\u2019t receiving enough power, you may see a warning pop up.<\/p>\n<p>A \u201cbus-powered\u201d dock won\u2019t come with an external charger in the package, saving some cost, space, and power concerns. (Today, these are pretty rare.)<\/p>\n<p><!-- @@AD gpt-leaderboardmainbod-16 PRE @@--><!-- @@AD gpt-leaderboardmainbod-16 POST @@--><\/p>\n<p>A dock with power delivery will supply its own power\u00a0<em>and<\/em> charge your laptop and\/or a phone via your laptop\u2019s existing USB-C charger. What I\u2019ve found is that some docks, especially those with a free Thunderbolt port, will supply enough power for even today\u2019s most modern fast-charging smartphones, even without explicit support for them.<\/p>\n<div class=\"extendedBlock-wrapper block-coreImage undefined\">\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{\" imageid=\"\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" class=\"wp-block-image size-large wp-lightbox-container\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on-async--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"https:\/\/b2c-contenthub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/thunderbolt-power-supply-edited-100868081-orig.jpg?quality=50&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1200\" alt=\"Thunderbolt power supply\" class=\"wp-image-1064501\" width=\"1200\" height=\"717\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><button class=\"lightbox-trigger\" type=\"button\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-label=\"Enlarge\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-style--right=\"state.imageButtonRight\" data-wp-style--top=\"state.imageButtonTop\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewbox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t<\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/button><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\n<p>Powered Thunderbolt docks, especially those that power your laptop, can ship with some pretty sizeable power bricks.<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"imageCredit\">Mark Hachman \/ IDG<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>There\u2019s one more consideration: the length of the Thunderbolt cable between your laptop and the dock itself. You may have noticed or heard about USB-C ports wearing out on smartphones; a loose or wobbly connector on a Thunderbolt dock can cause a monitor to unexpectedly flicker or lose connection. Consider how much tension will be put on a cable. A Thunderbolt dock that\u2019s dangling from a Thunderbolt port will stress the physical connector. You don\u2019t want that!<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019re starting to see some docks with an SSD enclosure inside. It\u2019s possible that this will become more of a viable product over time, but for now it\u2019s still niche.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re a Mac user who has stumbled across this article, welcome. But please be aware that early Apple MacBook Pros powered by Intel silicon supported up to two 4K displays. The first MacBook Pros powered by the Apple M1 chip only support a single 4K display. Many Mac users have recently left negative reviews on Thunderbolt docks on shopping sites because of this. Apple also hasn\u2019t explicitly committed to Thunderbolt 5, either. Buy a PC!<\/p>\n<p><!-- @@AD gpt-leaderboardmainbod-17 PRE @@--><!-- @@AD gpt-leaderboardmainbod-17 POST @@--><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"related-content\">Related content<\/h2>\n<div class=\"wp-block-idg-base-theme-faq-block faq-block\">\n<h2 class=\"faq-block-title\" id=\"faq\"> FAQ <\/h2>\n<hr class=\"block-horizotal-divider\"\/>\n<div class=\"wp-block-idg-base-theme-faq-inner-block faq-save-block\">\n<div class=\"faq-save-content\"><span class=\"faq-rank\">1.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-do-i-know-if-my-laptop-has-thunderbolt\">How do I know if my laptop has Thunderbolt?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"wp-block-idg-base-theme-faq-answer-block how-to-tip\">\n<p>The short answer: Look at the laptop\u2019s published specifications to be sure. A Thunderbolt port uses a USB-C connection, and it may look indistinguishable from a USB-C port. Put another way: All Thunderbolt ports are USB-C, but not all USB-C ports are Thunderbolt-equipped.<\/p>\n<p>Thunderbolt ports are\u00a0<em>supposed<\/em> to have a small lightning-bolt icon to identify them. But some laptop makers use a similar lightning-bolt icon to indicate that a USB-C port can be used for charging your phone, and\u00a0not for Thunderbolt. Laptop makers sometimes don\u2019t want to clutter the clean lines of their products by adding additional logos, it seems.\u00a0Fortunately, most laptops now choose to highlight their Thunderbolt capabilities, so the ports should be well-marked.<\/p>\n<p>In June 2024, Intel held a technical session talking about its Core Ultra 200 (Lunar Lake) processor. One of the big changes Intel said it would make was to force laptop makers to a) cluster all of the older USB-C ports on one side of the laptop, away from the Thunderbolt and b) require the ports (including Thunderbolt) to be clearly labeled. That didn\u2019t happen.<\/p>\n<p>USB4 is Thunderbolt\u2019s more generic competitor, and USB4 docks and Thunderbolt docks are often interchangeable. The USB Implementor\u2019s Forum is going to ask laptop makers to add a separate, different USB4 logo to laptops as well. This strikes me as unnecessarily confusing.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"extendedBlock-wrapper block-coreImage undefined\">\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{\" imageid=\"\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized wp-lightbox-container\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on-async--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"https:\/\/b2c-contenthub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/thunderbolt-laptops-one-wrong-one-right-100868077-orig.jpg?quality=50&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1200\" alt=\"Thunderbolt vs USB-C\" class=\"wp-image-1064489\" style=\"width:1200px;height:762px\" width=\"1200\" height=\"762\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><button class=\"lightbox-trigger\" type=\"button\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-label=\"Enlarge\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-style--right=\"state.imageButtonRight\" data-wp-style--top=\"state.imageButtonTop\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewbox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t<\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/button><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\n<p>Two laptops, both with USB-C ports, and both with lightning-bolt symbols. Which laptop offers Thunderbolt? The top one, though it can be difficult to tell. Consulting the manufacturer\u2019s specifications is your safest bet.<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"imageCredit\">IDG<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-idg-base-theme-faq-block faq-block\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-idg-base-theme-faq-inner-block faq-save-block\">\n<div class=\"faq-save-content\"><span class=\"faq-rank\">2.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-fast-is-thunderbolt\">How fast is Thunderbolt?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"wp-block-idg-base-theme-faq-answer-block how-to-tip\">\n<p>Put simply, 40Gbps, for Thunderbolt 3 or 4.<\/p>\n<p>Most USB-C ports are built on the second-generation USB 3.1 data-transfer standard, which transfers data at 10Gbps. Thunderbolt 3 and 4 ports, the most common standard, transfer data at up to 40Gbps. Thunderbolt 4 differs very slightly in that it supports a theoretical maximum of 32Gbps for external storage devices, but you probably won\u2019t notice the difference.<\/p>\n<p>Intel unveiled an 80Gbps version of Thunderbolt in 2024, called Thunderbolt 5, meaning that you\u2019ll see Thunderbolt docks with even more capabilities. In certain scenarios, Thunderbolt 5 can reroute data to deliver 120Gbps in one direction. More laptops are arriving with a discrete Thunderbolt 5 chip inside, though they\u2019re still somewhat rare and tend to land inside gaming laptops.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-idg-base-theme-faq-inner-block faq-save-block\">\n<div class=\"faq-save-content\"><span class=\"faq-rank\">3.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-should-i-buy-thunderbolt-3-thunderbolt-4-or-thunderbolt-5\">What should I buy: Thunderbolt 3, Thunderbolt 4, or Thunderbolt 5?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"wp-block-idg-base-theme-faq-answer-block how-to-tip\">\n<p>It\u2019s not a bad idea to match your laptop\u2019s hardware specification to the dock: Thunderbolt 3 to Thunderbolt 3, Thunderbolt 4 to Thunderbolt 4, and so on. Thunderbolt 3 and 4 are basically the same, though retailers have almost entirely phased out their Thunderbolt 3 dock inventory.<\/p>\n<p>The default choice is a Thunderbolt 4 dock. You can always future-proof your setup with an 80Gbps Thunderbolt 5 laptop and dock. but those aren\u2019t essential quite yet. I would normally say that Thunderbolt 5 docks are backwards-compatible to Thunderbolt 4 and Thunderbolt 3 docks, but that doesn\u2019t seem always true. If you own a laptop with a Thunderbolt 3 port, do not buy a Thunderbolt 5 dock; chances are that it won\u2019t work.<\/p>\n<p>Please be aware that, early in 2026, only a few Apple Macs include dedicated Thunderbolt 5 ports, alongside a scattering of Windows gaming laptops. Neither Intel nor AMD support Thunderbolt 5 on their 2026 laptop platforms, meaning that laptop makers have to buy a separate chip. For that reason, Thunderbolt 5 makes sense if you anticipate a future where Intel\u2019s gaming laptops or future platforms natively support Thunderbolt 5. Otherwise, Thunderbolt 5 is best for Macs.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s the long answer to the question asked above: Essentially, Thunderbolt 3 and Thunderbolt 4 allow up to 40Gbps maximum bandwidth, enough for two 4K\/60 displays. \u201cUp to\u201d is the key phrase: Thunderbolt 3 is only <em>required<\/em> to support a 10Gbps connection, allowing for a <em>single<\/em> external 4K display (a 16Gbps PCIe connection, paired with USB 3.2). Most manufacturers go beyond this, however, and our recommended docks support the full 40Gbps specification (and two 4K displays) unless noted. Thunderbolt 3 also supports a slower (16Gbps) PCIe connection for connecting to external storage.<\/p>\n<p>Thunderbolt 3 is also the only specification (not Thunderbolt 4) that we\u2019ve seen connecting to external GPUs, in case you\u2019d like to try that approach. Thunderbolt 5 adds that capability back, but few docks take advantage of it.<\/p>\n<p>Thunderbolt 3 was somewhat flexible from a standards perspective. Thunderbolt 4 doesn\u2019t allow for any leeway\u2014you\u2019re getting a full-fledged 40Gbps connection (32Gbps PCIe + USB 3.2), no questions asked. For external storage, Thunderbolt 4 supports 32Gbps of data transfer\u2014this really only matters for video, external GPU connections, or possibly games. Thunderbolt 4 supports \u201cwake on sleep\u201d from an external keyboard or mouse, which allows you to tap your external keyboard or wiggle your mouse to wake up your PC, which is handy. Thunderbolt 4 allows for longer cables and more Thunderbolt ports on laptops, too.<\/p>\n<p>Device maker Anker has a nice table of all of the technical features associated with Thunderbolt 3, Thunderbolt 4, and USB4, if you <em>really<\/em> want to get into the fine distinctions (below). What\u2019s USB4? We address that further down.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-idg-base-theme-faq-inner-block faq-save-block\">\n<div class=\"faq-save-content\"><span class=\"faq-rank\">4.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"i-already-own-a-usb-c-dongle-can-i-use-it-with-thunderbolt\">I already own a USB-C dongle. Can I use it with Thunderbolt?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"wp-block-idg-base-theme-faq-answer-block how-to-tip\">\n<p>Yes, you can connect the dongle to a Thunderbolt port. But the 10Gbps dongle won\u2019t magically transform into a 40Gbps Thunderbolt port, as there\u2019s circuitry within the dock that allows it to work with your laptop\u2019s high-speed Thunderbolt port. However, there\u2019s nothing saying that you can\u2019t connect the dongle to an available USB-C port on the Thunderbolt dock itself, either. If your laptop has two Thunderbolt ports, you can also attach a Thunderbolt dock to one port, and the dongle to the other.<\/p>\n<p>That solution will add more clutter to your desk, but it might allow you to buy a cheaper, budget dock, too. It\u2019s up to you!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"extendedBlock-wrapper block-coreImage undefined\">\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{\" imageid=\"\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" class=\"wp-block-image size-large wp-lightbox-container\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on-async--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"https:\/\/b2c-contenthub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Thunderbolt-comparison-chart-Anker.png?w=1200\" alt=\"Thunderbolt 3 Thunderbolt 4 USB4 comparison chart Anker\" class=\"wp-image-1064488\" width=\"1200\" height=\"1059\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><button class=\"lightbox-trigger\" type=\"button\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-label=\"Enlarge\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-style--right=\"state.imageButtonRight\" data-wp-style--top=\"state.imageButtonTop\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewbox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t<\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/button><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\n<p>Thunderbolt dock and I\/O hub designer Anker provided this summary of the differences between Thunderbolt 3 and Thunderbolt 4.<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"imageCredit\">Anker<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-idg-base-theme-faq-block faq-block\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-idg-base-theme-faq-inner-block faq-save-block\">\n<div class=\"faq-save-content\"><span class=\"faq-rank\">5.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"my-laptop-says-it-has-a-usb4-port-not-thunderbolt-can-i-use-it-with-a-thunderbolt-dock\">My laptop says it has a USB4 port, not Thunderbolt. Can I use it with a Thunderbolt dock?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"wp-block-idg-base-theme-faq-answer-block how-to-tip\">\n<p>Probably. USB4 ports typically appear on laptops with AMD Ryzen processors inside. USB4 and Thunderbolt 4 are compatible and functionally equivalent. (Though Thunderbolt is an open standard, Intel declines to certify non-Intel hardware. That means that Ryzen laptops end up with USB4 ports, and Intel Core laptops include Thunderbolt.)<\/p>\n<p><strong>USB4<\/strong> is essentially a subset of Thunderbolt 4, mainly designed as an I\/O specification.<\/p>\n<p>As a subset of Thunderbolt 4, a USB4 device will run just fine plugged into a Thunderbolt 4 port. But dock makers tell us that a Thunderbolt 4 device may not work as expected when plugged into what is specifically a USB4 port. Instead, most hubs and docks are marketed as Thunderbolt 4, while most devices (like an external SSD) are designed around USB4. (We test Thunderbolt docks on Thunderbolt laptops.) There <em>are<\/em> USB4 docks, however, which you\u2019ll find above in our list of best picks. <\/p>\n<p><strong>USB4 Version 2<\/strong> is a standard that will propel USB4 to 80Gbps, just like Thunderbolt 5. I haven\u2019t seen any docking stations marketed as USB v2 (also known as USB80Gbps), however.<\/p>\n<p>Note that Thunderbolt 3 and 4 require at least 15W to power devices plugged into the Thunderbolt port, such as a bus-powered hard drive. USB4 requires just half that.<\/p>\n<p>I did try to connect a Thunderbolt 5 dock to a USB4 laptop, and it didn\u2019t work. It should! It may just be a driver issue.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-idg-base-theme-faq-inner-block faq-save-block\">\n<div class=\"faq-save-content\"><span class=\"faq-rank\">6.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-is-so-important-about-thunderbolt-5\">What is so important about Thunderbolt 5?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"wp-block-idg-base-theme-faq-answer-block how-to-tip\">\n<p>The Thunderbolt 5 spec pushes I\/O bandwidth from 40Gbps in Thunderbolt 4 to 80Gbps in Thunderbolt 5, and even to 120Gbps in some cases. Another good way to think of Thunderbolt 5 is in the context of what it can do. Thunderbolt 4 allows enough bandwidth for two 4K displays, running at 60Hz. Thunderbolt 5 will offer enough bandwidth to connect to three 4K displays, at 144Hz apiece. That helps make Thunderbolt 5 a gaming-class technology, rather than just for office work.<\/p>\n<p>Thunderbolt 5 will also allow for 64Gbps of dedicated bandwidth for storage and external GPUs, double the 32Gbps on Thunderbolt 4.<\/p>\n<p>Finally, there\u2019s power. Thunderbolt 5 will provide up to 240W (140W required) of charging power for your laptop. Most laptops require 65W to 90W today, but gaming laptops require more. All this means is that a Thunderbolt 5 dock will potentially eliminate the need to carry a gaming laptop\u2019s charger around. (It won\u2019t be in all cases, but some.) Note that you\u2019ll need a laptop that supports this power spec, however!<\/p>\n<p>And that\u2019s the problem. Thunderbolt 5 debuted in 2024, both in laptops as well as docks and devices. Although we saw a couple of early products in 2024, I only saw two TB5 laptops for several months: \u00a0a version of the Razer Blade and the Maingear ML-17. Both have discrete chips inside, rather than being directly integrated inside the processor. I tried a Thunderbolt 5 setup, and it stunk, though I think it\u2019s the fault of Maingear\u2019s laptop, and not the docks.<\/p>\n<p>Why does that matter? If a function like Thunderbolt 5 isn\u2019t built right into the processor, a laptop OEM must buy it separately. That takes time, money, and engineering, and most laptop makers think hard before spending extra. There are a few Thunderbolt 5 docks, but hardly any laptops that support it. At CES 2025, I was told that it may take a couple of years for Thunderbolt 5 to really go mainstream \u2014 2026 or maybe 2027. In 2026, that seems likely to be the case.<\/p>\n<p>Thunderbolt 5 isn\u2019t integrated into Intel\u2019s Lunar Lake mobile processor, and it\u2019s not in the desktop or mobile versions of Arrow Lake, either. Maybe Panther Lake? Nope. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-idg-base-theme-faq-inner-block faq-save-block\">\n<div class=\"faq-save-content\"><span class=\"faq-rank\">7.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-is-thunderbolt-share-how-does-it-work\">What is Thunderbolt Share?  How does it work?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"wp-block-idg-base-theme-faq-answer-block how-to-tip\">\n<p>Thunderbolt Share is a new way of connecting two PCs via a Thunderbolt cable. Plug one end of the cable into one Thunderbolt port, and the other into a Thunderbolt port on another laptop, and <em>voila<\/em>! They\u2019re connected. Thunderbolt Share allows you to use one PC to control another, sync files, share files, and more, all at Thunderbolt speeds. I explain Thunderbolt Share and test it, here.<\/p>\n<p>It sounds simple, easy, and powerful, but it\u2019s more complicated than that. Both PCs have to run Intel\u2019s Thunderbolt Share software, and you\u2019ll only be able to get that from a licensed PC or Thunderbolt dock. Thunderbolt 4 and Thunderbolt 5 will run Thunderbolt Share, but not Thunderbolt 3 \u2014 well, officially. The same goes for USB 4; it <em>might<\/em> work, and it might not. Intel isn\u2019t saying.<\/p>\n<p>Thunderbolt Share will be supported by a handful of PC makers as well as dock makers like Belkin, Plugable, and more. But you know what? That announcement kind of came and went. I\u2019m not betting on Thunderbolt Share being more than a gimmick right now. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-idg-base-theme-faq-inner-block faq-save-block\">\n<div class=\"faq-save-content\"><span class=\"faq-rank\">8.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-cable-should-i-use-with-a-thunderbolt-dock\">What cable should I use with a Thunderbolt dock?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"wp-block-idg-base-theme-faq-answer-block how-to-tip\">\n<p>Virtually every Thunderbolt dock will ship with its own cable. We recommend that you use Thunderbolt 3 cables with Thunderbolt 3 products, and Thunderbolt 4 cables with Thunderbolt 4 products. Ditto for the first Thunderbolt 5 cables, when the technology ships.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-idg-base-theme-faq-inner-block faq-save-block\">\n<div class=\"faq-save-content\"><span class=\"faq-rank\">9.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"my-thunderbolt-docking-station-only-has-thunderbolt-connections-but-i-need-to-connect-it-to-my-monitor-how-can-i-connect-a-thunderbolt-dock-to-my-hdmi-display\">My Thunderbolt docking station only has Thunderbolt connections, but I need to connect it to my monitor. How can I connect a Thunderbolt dock to my HDMI display?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"wp-block-idg-base-theme-faq-answer-block how-to-tip\">\n<p>You\u2019ll need a special USB-C to HDMI cable, rated for Thunderbolt speeds. I recommend and have purchased this Uni Thunderbolt to HDMI cable from Amazon, which is about $16. You can find cheaper options, but make sure they\u2019re rated for either Thunderbolt or a 4K@60Hz display. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-idg-base-theme-faq-inner-block faq-save-block\">\n<div class=\"faq-save-content\"><span class=\"faq-rank\">10.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-differentiates-a-displaylink-usb-c-docking-station-from-a-thunderbolt-dock\">What differentiates a DisplayLink USB-C docking station from a Thunderbolt dock? <\/h3>\n<div class=\"wp-block-idg-base-theme-faq-answer-block how-to-tip\">\n<p>A DisplayLink USB-C docking station is a new category of docking station. They\u2019re often marketed just as a USB-C docking station, unfortunately, though the DisplayLink logo features prominently on the box. The key here is that the DisplayLink technology (now owned by Synaptics) uses data compression between your PC and the dock to approximate a Thunderbolt experience (a pair of 4K displays at 60Hz, plus additional peripherals) across the narrower, slower USB-C bus. You\u2019ll need to install a software driver for your PC to communicate with the DisplayLink chip built into the dock.<\/p>\n<p>The advantage here is twofold. First, DisplayLink allows you to \u201ccheat\u201d and get a Thunderbolt dock experience on an older laptop. Alternatively, even if you do own a laptop with a Thunderbolt port, you may be able to find a DisplayLink USB-C dock for a cheaper price than Thunderbolt. This is a viable solution, especially if you don\u2019t mind not playing PC games. <\/p>\n<p>Our separate story on DisplayLink docks has more. For a while, DisplayLink offered a consistently cheaper option than Thunderbolt. Older Thunderbolt technologies and tariffs have now muddled those waters that the distinction isn\u2019t as clear-cut.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-idg-base-theme-faq-inner-block faq-save-block\">\n<div class=\"faq-save-content\"><span class=\"faq-rank\">11.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-is-hbr3-with-dsc\">What is HBR3 with DSC?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"wp-block-idg-base-theme-faq-answer-block how-to-tip\">\n<p>We\u2019re starting to see some USB-C docking stations take advantage of <em>another<\/em> technology: HBR3 (High Bit Rate 3) with DSC (Display Stream Compression). Think of it as the industry-standard, manufacturer-agnostic version of DisplayLink. It works over the USB-C port, and again provides a dual 4K60 display experience.<\/p>\n<p>The problem? It\u2019s wonky. I\u2019ve found that support for the technology was very iffy in 11th-gen hardware, and really seems to work consistently in 12th-gen or 13th-gen Core laptops (and above, when they ship). It\u2019s becoming more common, however, and works more stably in the most recent Intel Core laptops. At CES 2026, though, I did see the VESA standards body propose a sticker for DSC, to let customers know they have it.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-idg-base-theme-faq-inner-block faq-save-block\">\n<div class=\"faq-save-content\"><span class=\"faq-rank\">12.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"can-i-use-an-external-graphics-card-egpu-with-thunderbolt\">Can I use an external graphics card (eGPU) with Thunderbolt?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"wp-block-idg-base-theme-faq-answer-block how-to-tip\">\n<p>With Thunderbolt 3? Yes, you can. Certain manufacturers (Razer is one, though there are others) have built enclosures that can house a standard desktop graphics card, connected to your laptop via a Thunderbolt cable. Although a mobile gaming laptop with an external GPU does a good job enabling mobile gaming, a desktop GPU does even better. Thunderbolt simply connects the two.<\/p>\n<p>External GPU support sort of skipped Thunderbolt 4, however, and I would recommend using a Thunderbolt 3 dock instead, or wait until Thunderbolt 5. How can you hook up an external GPU to your laptop via Thunderbolt? Our story has more. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-idg-base-theme-faq-inner-block faq-save-block\">\n<div class=\"faq-save-content\"><span class=\"faq-rank\">13.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"the-only-egpus-ive-seen-with-thunderbolt-use-thunderbolt-3-not-thunderbolt-4-why-is-that\">The only eGPUs I\u2019ve seen with Thunderbolt use Thunderbolt 3, not Thunderbolt 4. Why is that?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"wp-block-idg-base-theme-faq-answer-block how-to-tip\">\n<p>According to a representative for Razer, the differences between Thunderbolt 3 and Thunderbolt 4 were too small. \u201cWhen we release any product, we only do so when there can be a material advantage over the previous generation,\u201d we were told.<\/p>\n<p>Since Thunderbolt 4 was backwards compatible and functionally equivalent to Thunderbolt 3, Razer simply declined to invest in the production and testing of a Thunderbolt 4 eGPU. I presume other manufacturers followed suit.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-idg-base-theme-faq-inner-block faq-save-block\">\n<div class=\"faq-save-content\"><span class=\"faq-rank\">14.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"i-want-to-charge-my-phone-with-a-thunderbolt-dock-what-do-i-need-to-know\">I want to charge my phone with a Thunderbolt dock. What do I need to know?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"wp-block-idg-base-theme-faq-answer-block how-to-tip\">\n<p>I specifically updated this question in February 2026, with the release of the Samsung Galaxy S26 lineup. These new phones require a full 60W to charge, which no Thunderbolt 4 dock I\u2019ve seen can accomplish. (An iPhone 17 requires 40W.) A Thunderbolt 4 dock can deliver up to 140W to a laptop (known as host charging), but not commonly out through a USB-C charging port. <\/p>\n<p>I have also yet to see a Thunderbolt dock with wireless charging built in. Some USB-C docks do have this feature. Still, the S26 can use up to 25W for wireless charging, as can the iPhone 17. This is a shortcoming of these docks, and we\u2019ll have to see if it can be overcome.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"extendedBlock-wrapper block-coreImage undefined\">\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{\" imageid=\"\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" class=\"wp-block-image size-large wp-lightbox-container\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on-async--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"https:\/\/b2c-contenthub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/thunderbolt-3-cable-100868063-orig.jpg?quality=50&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1200\" alt=\"Thunderbolt 3 cable\" class=\"wp-image-1064490\" width=\"1200\" height=\"875\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><button class=\"lightbox-trigger\" type=\"button\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-label=\"Enlarge\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-style--right=\"state.imageButtonRight\" data-wp-style--top=\"state.imageButtonTop\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewbox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t<\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/button><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\n<p>The vast majority of Thunderbolt docks should include a Thunderbolt cable like this one, which indicates that it\u2019s specified for Thunderbolt 3.<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"imageCredit\">IDG<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading toc\" id=\"\"\/>\n<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A Thunderbolt laptop docking station takes your desk to the next level, with support for old and new peripherals alike. It\u2019s a necessity for a [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5247,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/b2c-contenthub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Kensington-SD5780T-rear.jpg?quality=50&strip=all","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5246","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-rj"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/rjbarrett.redirectme.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5246","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/rjbarrett.redirectme.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/rjbarrett.redirectme.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rjbarrett.redirectme.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rjbarrett.redirectme.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5246"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/rjbarrett.redirectme.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5246\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rjbarrett.redirectme.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/5247"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/rjbarrett.redirectme.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5246"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rjbarrett.redirectme.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5246"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rjbarrett.redirectme.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5246"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}