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As usual from Kensington, it comes with lock slots, pre-drilled mounting brackets, and a three-year warranty.
It’s considerably cheaper than Razer’s Thunderbolt 4 dock.
Caldigit’s TS4 Thunderbolt 4 dock remains the best docking station on the market, but it might be overkill for some users.
Best overall Thunderbolt dock
1.
It retails forabout $380and has some steep competition from other docks, but it remains my top pick.
The TS4 boasts impressive connectivity.
A Kensington lock slot adds an extra layer of security for office use.
When connected to the host laptop, the dock can deliver up to 98W of power.
See our fullCaldigit TS4 review
Best value laptop dock
2.
As usual, Kensington provides a three-year warranty.
See our fullKensington SD5780T review
Best laptop dock with Thunderbolt Share
3.
A big part of the positive impression comes from the inclusion ofIntel Thunderbolt Sharecertification.
Have two laptops with Thunderbolt 4 or 5?
All USB-A ports can charge, and it provides up to 96W of power to the host laptop.
Kensington pushes the warranty on its docks to three years, which bests most of its competition.
Kensington’s lock slots are also there to secure it wherever you go.
See our fullKensington SD5768T EQ review
Best premium Thunderbolt laptop dock
4.
Even better,Amazon Prime memberscan often find it discounted forabout $225.
See our fullUGREEN Revodok Max 213 review
Best USB4 laptop dock
5.
USB4 at 40Gbps is the peak, and that’s what the Razer dock offers.
It’s compatible with Thunderbolt and USB4 PCs.
Caldigit’s TS4 Thunderbolt 4 dock remains the best docking station on the market, but it might be overkill for some users.
It’s a slim piece of hardware with the usual black Razer finish and logo.
See our fullRazer USB4 Dock review
Best Thunderbolt 5 laptop dock
6.
Port selection is the first thing taken into account.
Port performance is tested in two ways.
First, transfer speeds over USB and/or SD card readers are checked with external drives and CrystalDiskMark benchmarking software.
How well the laptop keeps its cool under load is also factored in.
The SD5780T from Kensington is the best Thunderbolt 4 dock to buy if you’re on a tighter budget.
You want a dock that doesn’t overheat, and surface temperatures can be measured with a FLIR camera.
Size and price are more important than ever when buying a laptop dock.
My top overall pick formodern Windows laptopsremains the CalDigit TS4.
Kensington’s SD5768T EQ is the first dock to offer Thunderbolt Share certification, bridging laptops that lack Intel’s licensing.
Razer’s USB4 Dock is also on the affordable side atabout $230.
The purpose of a Thunderbolt 4 dock is expansion.
That’s where Thunderbolt 4 steps in.
UGREEN’s Revodok Max 213 competes directly with CalDigit’s TS4, and it’s available at a lower price.
By using the USB-C connector, it’s possible to have Thunderbolt 4 even on the thinnest of laptops.
What’s the difference between USB4 and Thunderbolt 4?
Though USB4 can only send at this rate over 1 meter, half that of Thunderbolt 4.
USB4 is even based on the Thunderbolt protocol, but the two are not the same.
They’re just very similar.
The minimum requirements for USB4 are much lower at 20Gbps, while Thunderbolt 4 is at 32Gbps.
Razer’s USB4 dock is a powerful compromise for those who don’t have a Thunderbolt-enabled PC.
Likewise, the minimum power requirements for Thunderbolt 4 are double those of USB4 at 15W versus 7.5W.
Do USB-C hubs work with Thunderbolt 4?
Is Thunderbolt 4 worth it?
Should you buy a Thunderbolt 5 dock instead?
Thunderbolt 5 is slowly coming to market, and a dock like the Kensington SD5000T5 EQ can prepare you for its future takeover.
CalDigit’s Element Hub is an excellent option for those who want to split one Thunderbolt 4 output into multiple USB-A and downstream Thunderbolt.
CalDigit’s TS4 remains the docking station I use on my desk, but there are lots of great alternatives for those who don’t want to pay the premium price.
