Kensington rolls out new Universal Thunderbolt 4 docking station

Unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show, Kensington's latest dock delivers a Thunderbolt 4 connection in an ergonomic riser designed for MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and select iPads.

Alongside an official launch of three portable and desktop docking stations, Kensington announced the forthcoming "Universal Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station." A MacBook Pro, MacBook Air or iPad can slot into the dock, and be displayed at an ergonomic angle as well as gaining a Thunderbolt port.

"For more than 40 years, Kensington has focused on bringing to market innovative products that make computers and mobile devices easier, safer, and more secure to use," said Louie Yao, Director of Global Product Management at Kensington. "This latest expansion of our portfolio of connectivity solutions reflects our vision to continue to deliver best-in-class products that enable users to expand and maximize the capabilities of their computing devices."

No pricing has yet been announced, but this new Thunderbolt 4 docking station will be available from Q2 2023.

It incorporates a single Thunderbolt 4 port into the dock, "enabling users to instantly connect USB and Thunderbolt accessories, external monitors, audio devices, and multi-gigabit Ethernet."

The ergonomic design means that MacBooks are placed "at the ideal height to reduce eye strain." Similarly, the riser "places tablets in a 20-degree angle for sketching, which is ideal for creative projects."

There's also a groove at the front which means users can "stand a tablet (including the case) upright in reading mode, use a laptop in closed lid mode... or stand a cellphone upright.

Kensington's CES lineup

Kensington also used CES to promote three recent docking stations, the MD120U4 USB4 Mobile Dock, SD5780T Thunderbolt 4 Dock, SD1700P Mobile Dock with Qi Charging.

MD120U4 USB4 Mobile Dock

Kensington MD120U4

Described as "one of the first mobile USB4 docking stations," the MD120U4 offers:

• Dual 4K 120Hz monitor support
• Up to 40Gbps upstream speed
• Up to 100W power pass-through
• Two HDMI 2.1 ports for up to 8K, 60Hz on a single monitor
• 2.5Gbps Ethernet port
• Two USB-A 3.2 Gen2 ports
• One USB-C 3.2 Gen2 port

The MD120U4 USB4 Mobile Dock retails for $149 from Kensington.

SD5780T Thunderbolt 4 Desktop Docking Station

Kensington SD5780T

Aimed at professionals who need to use MacBooks as "complete, high- performance desktop workstations," the SD5780T:

• Supports one 8K or up to two 4K displays
• Connects mouse, keyboard and other USB devices at up to40Gbps
• 96W power to charge laptops or other USB-C, USB4 devices
• 2.5Gbps Ethernet port
• includes 1m Thunderbolt 4 passive cable

The SD5780T Thunderbolt 4 Desktop Docking Station retails for $399.99 from Kensington.

SD1700P USB-C Dual 4K Portable Dock w/Qi Charging

Another recent dock intended for mobile users, the SD1700P also includes an integrated Qi charger for iPhone.

• Qi charging up to 10W
• Up to dual 4K 60Hz displays via two HDMI 2.0 ports
• 1Gbps Ethernet port
• Two USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 ports
• One USB-C 3.2 Gen2 port that supports up to 100W for pass-through charging

The SD1700P USB-C Dual 4K Portable Dock w/Qi Charging was first revealed in December 2023, though at present Kensington has not announced a price or release date.

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