Best Thunderbolt and USB-C docking stations for your MacBook

Macworld

Plug your MacBook in and out of a multi-port laptop docking station to swiftly add multiple devices and external displays with just one cable connection to your laptop. We tested the top contenders to find the best Thunderbolt and USB-C docks available to owners of the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro.

Thunderbolt, USB4 or USB-C

The connectors all look the same (technically known as a “Type-C connector”), but there are significant differences, particularly on speed that will determine both data-transfer rate and higher external display refresh rates.

USB-C: 3Gbps or 10Gbps

USB4: 20Gbps or 40Gbps

Thunderbolt 3 and 4: 40Gbps

Thunderbolt 5: 80Gbps / 120Gbps

Our list Which ports does my MacBook have will show you how many USB-C or more likely one of Thunderbolt 3, 4 or 5 that you have.

A Thunderbolt 3 (TB3) dock will be enough for most casual users but if you can stretch the budget, go for a TB4 dock. High-end professionals should aim for Thunderbolt 5.

The dock needs one (“upstream“) Thunderbolt or USB-C port for connecting to and charging your laptop (although all recent MacBooks can also power via the MagSafe 3 port), and likely at least another (“downstream“) to attach further devices (hard drives, external display, and others).

For more detail, read our Thunderbolt 5 vs Thunderbolt 4 vs Thunderbolt 3 vs USB4 explainer.

Add external displays to your MacBook

If you use your laptop as your principal computer, attaching at least one larger display to create a hybrid desktop/laptop setup, with a keyboard and mouse, will boost your productivity. You can turn that 13in MacBook’s cramped screen real-estate into an iMac-sized 27in or even larger screen by adding an extra display—or connect two or even four large monitors to extend your screen across your whole desk. Take a look at our recommended best monitors and displays for Mac.

Natively over USB-C, Macs can connect to only one external display in Extended mode (where the screen extends beyond what you can see on the laptop screen, as opposed to Mirrored mode that replicates exactly what you get on the laptop screen) but you’ll get two or more Extended mode screens using a Thunderbolt connection. DisplayLink is third-party software that allows some USB-C docks to extend to up to four screens on even the most basic Mac.

More explained: we cover more on Mac docking stations and external displays at the end of this feature below our recommendations.

Do I need a docking station?

With three TB4 or TB5 and an HDMI port, a MacBook with a Max chip could connect to up to four external displays without the need for a dock, although such a power user would likely require extra Thunderbolt and other ports for more devices to make up for using all the laptop ports for multiple monitors. See below our list of recommended docking stations for more detail on the external display options with each recent MacBook.

All docks come with a bunch of USB ports: some old-school USB-A and newer, more capable USB-C. MacBook Pros also have an SD card reader. Although this is rated as UHS-II (312MBps), Apple has pegged it back at 250MBps, so for the fastest speeds (and a microSD slot if you need one), a dock will likely be a better choice for memory-card use if it is rated at UHS-II rather than UHS-I (104MBps).

MacBooks also lack wired Internet access via an Ethernet port, so if you want to escape flaky Wi-Fi, buy a dock with at least Gigabit Ethernet, although you could add a Thunderbolt-to-Ethernet adapter if you have a spare TB port. Some later docks include faster 2.5Gb, 5Gb or even 10Gb Ethernet but you’ll need a supporting router or other device to get the benefit.

Dock or hub?

If you need just a few extra ports, a USB-C hub or Thunderbolt hub might be your best choice—see our roundup of the best USB-C and Thunderbolt hubs for Mac. However, if you require a bunch of fast ports including Gigabit (or faster) Ethernet and multiple video ports plus more powerful charging capability, then look for a full dock that fulfills your needs.

USB-C and Thunderbolt speeds




Simon Jary / Foundry

• USB and Thunderbolt speeds explained

USB PD: Power Delivery for your laptop

Charging the laptop: The M1/M2/M3/M4 MacBook Air requires a Power Delivery (PD) charger with at least 30W power, but you can fast-charge an M2 and later Air with a charger rated at over 70W. You’ll need 67W for the 13-inch MacBook Pro and 70W for the 14-inch MBP (with 8-, 10-, 11-or 12-core CPU), 96W for 14-inch MBP (with 12- or 14-core CPU), and 96W (preferably 140W) for the 16-inch MBP. The older 15in MacBook Pro requires a 87W PD charger.

If you own a larger MacBook Pro, buy a dock with a PD (Power Delivery) potential of at least 85W if you can. USB PD 3.0 maxes at 100W, while USB PD 3.1 can support up to 240W of power. The 16-inch MacBook Pro requires 140W to fast-charge, so owners of that laptop should look for a PD 3.1 charger.

If you just need a spare charger, we’ve tested the best MacBook chargers for you.

Best docks for Mac 2025

Here we list the Thunderbolt and USB-C docks that we have reviewed and tested. Read the descriptions for details on all the features and functions offered by each docking station.






Sonnet Echo 13 Thunderbolt 5 SSD Dock – Best Thunderbolt 5 dock for Macs














Pros

Thunderbolt 5

12 ports

Built-in super-fast SSD

2.5Gb Ethernet

Fast card readers

140W Power Delivery


Cons

Premium price















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.

Read our full

Sonnet Echo 13 Thunderbolt 5 SSD Dock review






Wavlink Thunderbolt 4 Triple Display Docking Station – Best budget Thunderbolt 4 dock














Pros

Thunderbolt 4

13 fast ports

2.5Gb Ethernet

Two HDMI 2.1

30W USB-C port

Affordable














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Wavlink



$199


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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.

Read our full

Wavlink Thunderbolt 4 Triple Display Docking Station review






Satechi Dual Dock Stand – Best USB-C dock for Macs














Pros

9 ports

Built-in SSD enclosure

100W PD laptop charging

Zero-footprint docking station


Cons

USB-C not Thunderbolt

USB ports can’t charge devices

No card reader

Requires USB-C charger














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Satechi



$149.95


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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.

Read our full

Satechi Dual Dock Stand review






Sonnet Echo 20 Thunderbolt 4 SuperDock – Thunderbolt 4 dock with SSD options














Pros

Thunderbolt 4

19 ports

Built-in speedy SSD enclosure

100W PD laptop charging

2.5Gb Ethernet


Cons

TB5 option available








Price When Reviewed:

402,40 €



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€375


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€402.40


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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.

Read our full

Sonnet Echo 20 Thunderbolt 4 SuperDock review






Kensington SD5700T Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station – Great choice for 2x 4K displays














Pros

Thunderbolt 4

11 fast ports

90W PD laptop charging

180W power supply

Power button


Cons

4.5W USB-A ports








Price When Reviewed:

Dès 240,21 €



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€444.73


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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.







CalDigit Thunderbolt 4 and USB4 Element Hub – Best Thunderbolt 4 hub / mini-dock














Pros

4x Thunderbolt 4

4x 10Gbps USB-A

150W total power

Compact


Cons

60W power maybe light for larger laptops

TB5 option available








Price When Reviewed:

Dès 212,33 €



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€212.33


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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.







CalDigit Thunderbolt 5 Element 5 Hub – Best Thunderbolt 5 hub / mini-dock














Pros

4x Thunderbolt 5

2x 10Gbps USB-C

3x 10Gbps USB-A

180W total power

Compact















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.

Read our full

CalDigit Thunderbolt 5 Element 5 Hub review






Satechi Thunderbolt 4 Multi-Display Docking Station – Best Thunderbolt 4 DisplayLink dock for four 4K displays