AppleInsider Staff
Increase the number of things you can connect to your Mac by getting yourself a Thunderbolt 4 dock. These are AppleInsider's recommendations to achieve expansion nirvana.
One of the problems when buying a MacBook is that you'll feel like there aren't enough ports for all of your hardware. The answer to that is to acquire a dock, which immediately adds a variety of ports to your computing setup.
However, not all docks are created equal. We know, because we've tested about all of them.
Many docks on the market offer USB-C connectivity. This may seem similar to Thunderbolt 4 and USB 4, especially because of the use of a USB-C Type-C connection.
The problem is that, since USB-C connections max out at 10Gb/s, you're limited in terms of how much data can go between your Mac and your peripherals. When you're plugging a USB-C hub into a Thunderbolt 4 port, you're ignoring 75% of the available bandwidth.
The end result is that you may not be able to use fast external drives, multiple displays, and other hardware simultaneously using a USB-C hub because of the limited bandwidth.
By getting a Thunderbolt 4 dock, you'll ensure that all of the 40Gb/s bandwidth is available to your hardware. That 40Gb/s is more than enough for most user's bandwidth needs.
This is especially useful in cases where you have external drives connected to the dock. The last thing you want is slow read and write speeds to the drive because other peripherals are consuming the constrained USB-C bandwidth.
What follows below are AppleInsider's recommendations for docks to use with your Mac hardware, which supports Thunderbolt and USB 4 connections.
Best Thunderbolt 4 dock for port selection - CalDigit Thunderbolt Station 4
The CalDigit Thunderbolt Station 4, or TS4, is a highly regarded Thunderbolt dock at AppleInsider, with it being frequently recommended as one of the best of its kind. In our CalDigit TS4 review, we gave it the highest possible score, because it's seriously that good.
CalDigit Thunderbolt Station 4There are 18 massive ports around the front and back. The front has a UHS-II SD4 card reader, a UHS-II SD 4 microSD card reader, an audio combination jack, a USB 3.2 port with 7.5W of power output, a USB-C port with 7.5W of power output, and a USB-C port with 20W.
The rear side continues with four USB-A 3.2 ports, a USB-C port, 2 downstream Thunderbolt 4 ports, a DisplayPort 1.4 port, audio input and output ports, and a 2.5Gb Ethernet port.
Along with the generous power output to the USB-A and USB-C ports, it's also great for connecting to a MacBook Pro for recharging, since it offers 98W of upstream power delivery. That 20W USB-C connection on the front is ideal for recharging your iPhone, either directly or using MagSafe (Apple's MagSafe charger is on sale at Amazon).
Add in the wide port selection with fast data transfer speeds, and the CalDigit Thunderbolt Station 4 is one of the most versatile and essential Mac expansion tools on the market.
The CalDigit Thunderbolt Station 4 is priced at $399.99 on Amazon and at B&H Photo.
Best Thunderbolt 4 dock for portability - CalDigit Thunderbolt 4 Element Hub
If you're looking for a tiny Thunderbolt hub to slip into a bag with your MacBook Pro, the CalDigit Thunderbolt 4 Element Hub is the way forward.
CalDigit Thunderbolt 4 Element HubIts compact size makes it a no-brainer for workers on the move, with its aluminum enclosure being more than enough to handle the knocks of travel. In the AppleInsider CalDigit Thunderbolt 4 Element Hub review, our team of testers gave it a 4-star rating out of 5.
Due to its size, it only handles two types of connection. Aside from the host Thunderbolt connection on one end, one side has three Thunderbolt 4 ports, while the other has four USB-A connections.
For many people, this will be more than enough for port expansion while on the go. Even so, it's possible to use it to drive a single 8K display or two 6K displays at 60Hz, if you need
The CalDigit Thunderbolt 4 Element Hub is available at B&H for $199.95 and on Amazon for $199.99.
Best Thunderbolt 4 dock for portable power users needing storage - OWC Thunderbolt Hub
Sleek and stylish, the OWC Thunderbolt Dock offers additional ports in a way that's stylish, so it doesn't become a desk eyesore. All in a package that, in our OWC Thunderbolt Hub review, is barely longer than an Apple Watch band.
OWC Thunderbolt HubThe front of the dock has a 96W Thunderbolt 4 port, a combination audio jack, a USB-A 2.0 port, and an SD 4.0 card reader. At the back are three Thunderbolt 4 ports, a Gigabit Ethernet port, and three USB-A 3.0 ports with data transfer speeds of up to 10Gb per second.
It's also capable of driving two dual 4K displays or a single 5K, 6K, or 8K display. If you need to connect storage, it also has support for high-speed offerings, such as NVMe-based drives, and other accessories requiring masses of bandwidth.
The OWC Thunderbolt Dock is priced at $229.99 at OWC and on Amazon.
Surprisingly good dock intended for gamers, but great for Mac users - WD Black D50 Game Dock
The name of the WD Black D50 Game Dock won't attract Mac owners, but it is a good choice beyond being used for gaming.
As a Thunderbolt dock, it pulls double duty as it also has built-in NVMe storage. This means you don't need to have a separate NVMe drive on your desktop since it's incorporated into the dock.
WD Black D50 Game DockDepending on the drive you use, you can see write and read speeds of up to 2,500MB/s and 3,000MB/s respectively. Even better, you can buy the hubs with NVMe storage already included.
Connectivity-wise, the D50 has two Thunderbolt ports, one DisplayPort 1.4 connection, two USB-C 10Gbps ports, three USB-A 10Gbps ports, audio in and out, and Gigabit Ethernet. There's also power delivery available at up to 87 watts, so it will handle the MacBook Pro with ease.
The WD Black D50 Game Dock on its own is available for $219.99 on Amazon. However, you can also get it bundled with a 1TB or 2TB NVMe SSD for $239.99 or $335.99, which would be better picks.
Best Thunderbolt 4 dock without a power brick - OWC Thunderbolt Go
Sure, a dock can be small, but sometimes that's accompanied by a large unsightly power brick. The OWC Thunderbolt Go, as reviewed by AppleInsider, eliminates the extra element by incorporating it into its enclosure.
OWC Thunderbolt GoWhile not as small as some of the others, the OWC Thunderbolt Go has an aluminum enclosure to dissipate heat, and runs quiet without a fan.
At the end of the dock is a Thunderbolt 4 port for connecting to the Mac, which also has 90W of power delivery. At the front are a USB-C 3.2 port, a USB 2.0 port for peripherals, a combination audio port, and a memory card reader.
At the back are two more Thunderbolt ports, two USB-A 3.2 10Gbps ports, an HDMI 2.1 port, and a 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet port. For video, it can allow you to connect an 8K display or two 4K displays.
The OWC Thunderbolt Go dock is available directly from OWC, priced at $299.99.
Best Thunderbolt 4 dock for storage - Sonnet Echo Dual NVMe Dock
We have covered docks with storage earlier, but this is the one to get if capacity is important. As the name indicates, the Sonnet Echo Dual NVMe Dock can hold two single or double-sided M.2 2280 NVMe PCIe SSDs, up to a maximum capacity of 16TB.
What's more, these drives can be accessed as a single SSD at up to 1,500MB/s, but also as a RAID 0 set. Doing it this way, you can achieve transfer speeds of up to 3,000MB/s.
Sonnet Echo Dual NVMe DockAs discovered in the AppleInsider review, these drives can be easily accessed by removing seven Philips-head screws. Those drives can also be fitted with heatsinks, to help keep them cool and maintain speed under load.
Alongside the storage-centric features, there is still a selection of ports available to use. Along with the Thunderbolt port to connect to the host, it has a second Thunderbolt port, two USB-C ports, and a pair of USB-A connections.
The Sonnet Echo Dual NVMe Dock is available for $249.99 from Amazon.
Best Thunderbolt 4 dock for basic portability - Hyper Thunderbolt 4 Power Hub
Another compact example of a dock, the Hyper Thunderbolt 4 Power Hub is fairly simple in its execution. For a start, it is a compact hub thanks to using an integrated Gallium Nitride power source, which also eliminates the power brick.
Our review found it to be impressively small, measuring 4.9 inches square and 1.2 inches tall. That's easily small enough to fit into a spare pocket in a bag.
Hyper Thunderbolt 4 Power HubThe hub has a total of four Thunderbolt 4 ports, with one used for the host and the others for downstream connections. Each connection can work at up to 40Gbps.
Each port also has up to 15W of power that can be used to charge peripherals, though the host also benefits from up to 96W of power delivery. There's even support for an 8K 30Hz display or two 4K 60Hz screens.
The Hyper Thunderbolt 4 Power Hub can be acquired from Amazon, priced at $209.99, as well as from Hyper directly.
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16 Comments
"USB-C connections max out at 10Gb/s"
Err, what? USB-C is just a connector and it IS the connector for TB3/TB4.
USB-4 can run at the same speed as TB3, depending on optional implmentations, since a FULLY optioned USB-4 IS Thunderbolt 4. Now, personally, I prefer TB over USB, because you know what you're getting with TB, it's really, really hard to tell what optional features are implemented on something that says USB-4.
I got the CalDigit Thunderbolt 4 Element Hub. It works great with my M3 MacBook Pro.
I just wish it had more USB-C ports.
I have a CalDigit TS3+ dock, which I've been very happy with, but decided on the Element Hub rather than getting their Thunderbolt Station 4.
My wife inherited the TS3+.
"There are 18 massive ports around the front and back."
Really? Just how massive are these ports? Can you stuff multiple connectors into each one, or do you need matching giant connectors?
Enquiring minds want to know!
On a more serious note, I have several dozen TB docks in operation at the office, and I'm sick and tired of the low rent power bricks used by most of them. In many cases they're bigger and heavier than the dock itself, and in every case they add to the cable clutter and general desk mess. Compact and high power GaN power supply technology exists — get those power supplies inside the dock!
i’m still trying to figure out why nobody builds a simple TB / USB C hub to replace USB hubs… TB to host and then 7 or more ports of USB 3.2 (10Gb) with a USB C connector would suit my needs just fine.
i don’t need to run multiple monitors with it. i don’t need ethernet. i don’t need audio ports. i don’t need SD card slots. i don’t need to charge a laptop with it.
i have enough cables at this point with USB C that i don’t even need USB A support.
this really shouldn’t be a big ask and definitely shouldn’t he a $200+ device.
if anybody has seen something that resembles what i’m talking about i’d love to hear about it. so far all i’ve seen is 4 USB C ports at 10Gb… or more ports at just 5Gb and not all USB C