Best Thunderbolt and USB-C docking stations for MacBook Air and Pro 2025

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

This is one of the first Thunderbolt 5 docking stations, and it looks hard to beat, with a bunch of fast USB ports joining the four 80Gbps Thunderbolt 5 certified, and with bonus integrated internal SSD storage of up to 4TB.

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

Sonnet offers port flexibility by not swapping one of the Thunderbolt 5 ports for a dedicated DisplayPort or HDMI video port. You can attach up to external 6K displays using either direct Thunderbolt connections to supporting monitors or adding video adapters for DisplayPort or HDMI screens.

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

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

Who should buy the Sonnet Echo 13?

If you want a dock with the very fastest ports, at the moment this is the one to go for. Even if your Mac doesn’t have Thunderbolt 5, it’s backwards compatible and will be ready for when you do upgrade your Mac. This is a top-end solution for owners of Thunderbolt 5 Macs who want to add a range of extra fast ports and super-charge their storage, but owners of Thunderbolt 3 or 4 Macs can future-proof their purchase (as TB5 is backwards compatible with TB4 and TB3) for the same result. Sonnet offers a similar Thunderbolt 4 docking station, the Sonnet Echo 20 Thunderbolt 4 SuperDock (see later in this list), which also offers an internal SSD, but this is optional, user-installed and not as super speedy, and so is more affordable.

• Type: 40Gbps Thunderbolt 4 Dock
• Ports: 13
• Power: 96W PD 3.0; 160W max
• External displays: 2x 4K at 60Hz

The Wavlink Thunderbolt 4 Triple Display Docking station is a bit of a misnomer for Mac users as it can handle only two external 4K displays in Extended Mode on Macs at 60Hz. The third display would just mirror one of the others. That’s a Mac limitation, not one by Wavlink.

That aside, the dock is a well-priced and loaded Thunderbolt 4 dock. 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 would host the mirrored display, or a third extended display on Windows PCs.

The USB ports are fast, as are the two card readers and the backwards-compatible 2.5Gb Ethernet. Thunderbolt 4 allows for 40Gbps data transfer to the laptop.

Power delivery to the laptop is 96W, enough for the 16-inch MacBook Pro. There’s a handy 30W USB-C charging port at the front, which also supports 10Gbps data transfer.

• One upstream Thunderbolt 4 port (40Gbps, 96W)
• One downstream Thunderbolt 4 port (40Gbps, 15W)
• Two HDMI 2.1 video ports (4K at 60Hz)
• One USB-C port (10Gbps, 30W)
• Two USB-A ports (10Gbps, 4.5W)
• Two USB-A ports (5Gbps, 4.5W)
• 2.5Gb Ethernet
• UHS-II SD Card reader (312MBps)
• UHS-II MicroSD Card reader (312MBps)
• 3.5mm audio jack
• 160W power supply

Who should buy the Wavlink Triple Display Dock?

If you want a generous set of extra ports and to connect a couple of 4K displays, this affordable yet able Thunderbolt 4 dock is a great solution even for budget-conscious TB5 Mac users.

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

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

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

The SSD enclosure is the star of the show. Placed on the underside of the dock, this is easily accessed and supports both NVMe and SATA SSDs. You need to buy the SSD separately. Amazon is selling NVME SSDs for around $50 (1TB), $80 (2TB) or $300 (4TB).

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

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

Who should buy the Satechi Dual Dock Stand?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Who should buy the Sonnet Echo 20?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

• One upstream Thunderbolt 4 port (40Gbps, 90W PD)
• Three Thunderbolt 4 downstream ports (40Gbps, 15W)
• Three USB-A ports (10Gbps, 4.5W)
• One USB-A port (480Mbps, 7.5W)
• Gigabit Ethernet
• SD Card reader (UHS-II, 312MBps)
• 3.5mm audio jack
• 180W power supply

Who should buy the Kensington SD5700T?

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

Read our full Kensington SD5700T Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station review.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Who should buy the CalDigit Element Hub?

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

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

• Type: 80Gbps Thunderbolt 5 Hub
• Ports: 9
• Power to laptop: 90W PD 3.0; 180W max
• External displays: 2x 6K at 60Hz; 2x 4K at 240Hz

The CalDigit Thunderbolt 5 Element 5 Hub isn’t a full dock because it doesn’t feature anything other than Thunderbolt and USB ports—no Ethernet, SD card reader or audio port.

But it boasts so many top-end Thunderbolt and USB ports that you can customize it to your every desire. It has one more than its Thunderbolt 4 predecessor, the 8-port Element 4 Hub, reviewed below.

There are four TB5 ports (one upstream to your computer placed handily on the side, and three downstream to other devices), two fast 10Gbps USB-C and three 10Gbps USB-A ports.

You can use two of the three downstream TB5 ports to connect directly to USB-C- or Thunderbolt-equipped monitors or HDMI or DisplayPort screens using inexpensive adapters. It can connect to dual 6K/60Hz or dual 4K/240Hz extended displays on Macs.

That still leaves you a spare TB5 port and the five USB ports to add further devices, such as an adapter for Gigabit Ethernet and/or SD card reader, SSDs, memory sticks and so on as your requirements demand, so there is no port wastage.

Its 90W laptop charger is powerful enough for most MacBook charging needs, and beats the Element 4’s rather underpowered 60W PD. Its 180W power supply is also generous for what calls itself just a hub.

It’s small enough to be portable, and its external power supply is also pretty dinky.

• One upstream Thunderbolt 5 port (80Gbps/120Gbps, 90W)
• Three downstream Thunderbolt 5 ports (80Gbps, 15W)
• Two USB-C ports (10Gbps, 7.5W)
• Three USB-A ports (10Gbps, 7.5W)
• 180W power supply

Who should buy the CalDigit Element 5 Hub?

This is the most affordable and compact entry point for Thunderbolt 5 users and people planning ahead (it’s backwards compatible). It’s a hub as it doesn’t offer a variety of port types but it has nine TB/USB that can (with the right adapters) handle anything you need.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Who should buy the iVanky FusionDock Max 1?

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

• Type: 40Gbps Thunderbolt 4 Dock
• Ports: 18
• Power: 98W PD 3.0; 230W max
• External displays: 2x 4K at 60Hz or 1x 6K at 60Hz

With 18 top-rated ports and Thunderbolt 4 certified, it’s difficult to look past the Caldigit Thunderbolt Station 4, aka TS4. Yes, it’s expensive, but it’s an ultra-impressive dock.

It compares well to the Sonnet Echo 20 with just one fewer port—the Echo 20’s integrated SSD enclosure. For port speeds the TS4 matches the Echo 20, and it boasts the highest power supply that we’ve seen on any dock that we’ve tested—a whopping 230W to be spread among the ports, including a front-mounted 20W USB-C that can fast-charge an iPhone and 98W laptop PD charging.

We also love this dock’s flexible vertical or horizontal format.

As with the Echo 20, while you can use Thunderbolt ports to add external displays. Caldigit swaps one of the downstream TB4 ports for a dedicated video port—in this case, DisplayPort. You’ll need an adapter if your monitor requires HDMI. You can add up to two 4K displays at 60Hz or a single 6K screen at 60Hz.

The TS4 also matches the Echo 20 with super-fast 2.5GbE Gigabit Ethernet–2.5x faster than standard Gigabit Ethernet.

• One Thunderbolt 4 upstream port (40Gbps, 98W PD)
• Two Thunderbolt 4 downstream ports (40Gbps, 15W)
• Up to two external displays (4K at 60Hz)
• DisplayPort 1.4 port 
• Five USB-A ports (10Gbps, 7.5W)
• One USB-C port (10Gbps, 20W)
• Two USB-C ports (10Gbps, 7.5W)
• SD Card Reader (SD 4.0 UHS-II, 312MBps)
• microSD Card Reader (SD 4.0 UHS-II, 312MBps)
• 2.5GbE Gigabit Ethernet port
• 3.5mm Combo Audio In/Out port at front
• 3.5mm Audio In & Out ports at back
• 230W power supply

Who should buy the CalDigit TS4?

Each of the 18 ports is super speedy, and the TS4’s 230W power supply is unrivaled if you need to attach and power a lot of external devices. Note that CalDigit is readying two new Thunderbolt 5 docks, the TS5 and mega-port TS5 Plus.

Read our full CalDigit Thunderbolt Station 4 (TS4) review.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This Alogic DisplayLink docking station is a USB-C rather than Thunderbolt docking station, so lacks the data-transfer bandwidth you’d get from a TB dock. However, with the addition of third-party DisplayLink software, this dock can support up to three external 4K 60Hz displays even on a limited plain M1/M2/M3 MacBook.

The video ports are all top-end DP. 1.4. If your monitor is HDMI instead of DisplayPort, you’ll need to add an adapter between dock and display—but you’d need to buy video cables anyway. If HDMI is all you need, consider the Satechi Triple 4K dock.

It also packs a bunch of non-display ports, such as three USB-A and a spare downstream USB-C port, plus fast SD and MicroSD card readers and Gigabit Ethernet.

It can power the connected laptop at 100W and has a decent 135W external power supply so doesn’t require an extra USB-C charger like many DisplayLink USB-C docks do. For similar options check out our list of the best USB-C DisplayLink docks.

The DisplayLink download link is clearly shown in the user manual, and instructions make sense—although you need a magnifying glass to read them!

• One USB-C port (10Gbps, 100W PD)
• Three DisplayPort 1.4 port
• One USB-C (10Gbps) port (7.5W)
• Three USB-A (5Gbps) ports (one at 7.5W)
• SD Card Reader (SD 4.0 UHS-II, 312MBps)
• microSD 4.0 Card Reader (SD 4.0 UHS-II, 312MBps)
• Gigabit Ethernet port
• Hybrid 3.5mm audio port
• 135W power supply

Who should buy the Alogic DX3?

If you don’t need the fastest data-transfer rates but do fancy a bunch of external screens, this USB-C DisplayLink dock offers decent ports and external-display redemption for owners of plain M1 and M2 MacBooks.

A little cheaper, the Alogic DX2 supports two 4K displays at 60Hz and lacks some of the other ports found on the DX3. If you just need two external monitors for your M1/M2/M3 MacBook this may be a cheaper option.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Who should buy the Satechi Pro Hub Max Adapter?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Who should buy the OWC Thunderbolt Hub?

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

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

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

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

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

And while Thunderbolt 5 is the latest connection standard, its top-end benefits won’t be noticed by most MacBook owners as TB3 matches TB4 on 40Gbps data-transfer speed and TB5’s 80Gbps is probably too fast for many needs.

To add the second external display you will require an HDMI or DisplayPort USB-C video adapter to run from the USB-C port unless you have a USB-C monitor. To avoid this need for an adapter, look for a dock with two video ports. Both connected displays can run 4K displays at 60Hz. You could also run one 5K display at the same frame rate.

The TS3 Plus’s digital audio ports set it apart from most other Thunderbolt docks.

It charges your laptop at 87W so makes it a great companion to even Apple’s larger MacBook Pro models.

This dock is dinky so won’t take up too much space on your desk. Available in Silver and Space Gray, it matches the colors of Apple’s laptops. 

• One Thunderbolt 3 upstream port (40Gbps, 87W PD)
• One Thunderbolt 3 downstream port (40Gbps, 15W)
• DisplayPort 1.2 port 
• Five USB-A ports (5Gbps, 7.5W)
• One USB-C (10Gbps) port
• One USB-C (5Gbps) port
• SD Card Reader (SD 4.0 UHS-II, 312MBps)
• Gigabit Ethernet port
• Front-facing 3.5mm Audio In & Out ports
• One Digital Optical Audio (S/PDIF) port
• 180W power supply

Who should buy the CalDigit TS3?

While apparently archaic with its Thunderbolt 3 rating, the TS3 is still a great dock and offers the same 40Gbps speeds as TB4 docks, with some reasonably arcane technical limitations (see our Thunderbolt speed chart at the stop of this article).

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Who should buy the Anker 675 Dock and Monitor Stand?

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

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

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

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

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

• One Thunderbolt 3 upstream port (40Gbps, 85W PD)
• One Thunderbolt 3 downstream port (40Gbps, 15W)
• One DisplayPort 1.4 ports (4K at 60Hz)
• Three USB-A ports (5Gbps, 4.5W)
• Two USB-A ports (10Gbps, 4.5W)
• One USB-A port (QC 3.0, 36W)
• One USB-C port (10Gbps, 7.5W)
• Gigabit Ethernet port
• Front-facing 3.5mm Analogue Audio In & Out port
• One Digital Optical Toslink Audio (S/PDIF) port
• One Digital Coaxial Audio (S/PDIF) port
• 180W power supply

Who should buy the HyperDrive GEN2 14-Port Dock?

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

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

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

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

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

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

Who should buy the Revodok Max 213?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Who should buy the Logi Dock?

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

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

The OWC Thunderbolt 3 Pro Dock is aimed at digital image professionals and has ultimate performance at its heart.

Principally, it features super-fast 10Gb Ethernet rather than the standard 1Gb (Gigabit) connection found on the other docking stations reviewed here. The Caldigit TS4 features 2.5Gb Ethernet.

To get the most from this level of Ethernet you need to have compatible network devices.

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

There are Thunderbolt docking stations with more ports and beefier chargers, but none have 10Gb Ethernet or CFast 2.0. You can add these to other docks via dedicated adapters, but the Pro Dock has it all built-in, plus a really secure power-supply connection in case it’s used on a pro DIT cart.

• One Thunderbolt 3 upstream port (40Gbps, 60W PD)
• One Thunderbolt 3 downstream port (40Gbps, 15W)
• Up to two external displays (2 x 4K at 60Hz; or 1 x 5K at 60Hz)
• DisplayPort 1.2 port
• Three USB-A ports (5Gbps)
• SD Card Reader (SD 4.0 UHS-II, 312MBps)
• CFast 2.0 Card Reader
• 10Gb Ethernet port
• 6Gbps eSATA port
• 150W power supply

Who should buy the OWC Thunderbolt 3 Pro Dock?

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

• Type: 40Gbps Thunderbolt 3 Dock
• Ports: 14
• Power: 85W PD 3.0; 180W max
• External displays: 2x 4K at 60Hz or 1x 5K at 60Hz

OWC’s standard Thunderbolt 3 docking station has a great set of ports, and charges at a top-end 85W—powerful enough for a 15-inch MacBook Pro. 85W will be enough to charge even the 96W 16in MBP pretty fast and certainly not drain even when connected to multiple devices.

The five USB-A ports are all 5Gbps, and there’s a 10Gbps Gen 2 USB-C port on the front of the latest 14-port model, which not many Thunderbolt docks have.

The curiously old-fashioned choice of Mini DisplayPort over DisplayPort isn’t a technical hurdle but you will require adapters for adding external displays. Other docks have more than one port for external displays, but this one needs adapters to connect to displays—which adds to the overall cost.

That aside, the OWC Thunderbolt 3 Dock has everything a dock should have in a slick-looking slim case that will look good in any laptop setup.

• One Thunderbolt 3 upstream port (40Gbps, 85W PD)
• One Thunderbolt 3 downstream port (40Gbps)
• Up to two external displays (2 x 4K at 60Hz; or 1 x 5K at 60Hz)
• Mini DisplayPort 1.2 port
• One USB-C port (10Gbps)
• Five USB-A ports (5Gbps; two at 7.5W)
• SD Card Reader (SD 4.0 UHS-II, 312MBps)
• MicroSD Card Reader (SD 4.0 UHS-II, 312MBps)
• Gigabit Ethernet port
• Hybrid 3.5mm audio port
• S/PDIF digital audio output port
• 180W power supply

Who should buy the OWC Thunderbolt 3 Dock?

Ignore the older TB3 rating, this 40Gbps dock is still an able performer that’s available at affordable prices.