Razer Thunderbolt 5 Dock review: Who knew high-end expansion could look so good?

Macworld

At a glanceExpert's Rating

Pros

Clean, understated design

Rock-solid build quality

Internal M.2 SSD slot (supports up to 8TB with PCIe Gen 4×4 speeds)

Plenty of fast ports

Supports external display refresh rates up to 144Hz

Up to 140W of power delivery

Cons

Ports hidden at the rear can make for fiddly connections

Huge, weighty power brick

Ethernet limited to one-gigabit speeds

Mercury version lacks RGB lighting

Our Verdict
Razer has managed to create a truly tempting Thunderbolt 5 dock while keeping the price in check. It offers a great range of ports, solid display support (especially for gamers), and super-fast internal SSD speeds. The attractive, well-built design is the icing on the cake.

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You probably know Razer as a brand catering to PC gamers, but in recent years, the company has branched out with more understated fare aimed towards pros and creatives. That’s the case with the Razer Thunderbolt 5 Dock, and while it still retains some elements of the gamer aesthetic, it looks surprisingly at home on a Mac lover’s desk.

Razer has offered docks with Thunderbolt 4 and USB4 connectivity before, but this is its first foray into the world of Thunderbolt 5. Priced at $390 for the Mercury colorway tested here (or $400 for the Black edition with RGB lighting), this device lets you plug in a wide variety of peripherals with just a single Thunderbolt 5 cable going into your Mac (Razer includes a braided Thunderbolt 5 cable in the box). Not only does that free up ports on your computer, but it reduces cable clutter on your desk–providing you can hide the cables coming out of the back of Razer’s dock, of course.

Razer Thunderbolt 5 Dock: Design

Before we get to all that rich connectivity, it’s worth exploring the dock’s look and feel. The first thing you’ll notice when unboxing Razer’s device is its solid, sturdy construction. It’s made from anodized aluminum, and there’s absolutely no give or bend anywhere you look–reassuring considering how many times you might bump it with cables and connectors throughout the day. There’s a rubberized pad on the bottom to keep it from slipping, and it weighs in at a hefty 522g, according to our scales.

I reviewed the Mercury model, which is a similar shade of silver to Apple’s desktop Mac range. There’s a Razer logo printed on top, with honeycombed vents on the left and right edges that are somewhat reminiscent of the Power Mac G5’s front grille. Every port (bar the SD card slot, which is on the right-hand side) is located on the back of the dock, giving a seamless appearance on your desk when viewed from the front. There’s not even a power indicator light. If you’re looking for something that will blend in with your existing Apple kit, Razer’s dock fits the bill.




The grille on the Razer Thunderbolt 5 Dock is reminiscent of the original Mac Pro grille.Alex Blake/Foundry

The drawback of this unobtrusive look is that you’ve got to fiddle around behind the dock every time you want to add or remove a connection. You’ll want to consider how often you’re likely to do that each day before you buy.

And don’t be fooled into thinking that the minimalism extends to every facet of Razer’s dock. Its power brick is a monstrosity, as large as the dock itself and weighing almost double, tipping the scales at 937g. You’ll have to hide it out of sight if you want to maintain the low-key illusion.




The Razer Thunderbolt 5 Dock’s power supply is almost as big as the dock itself–and heavier.Alex Blake/Foundry

Only the black version comes with integrated RGB lighting on the underside. The silver model lacks lighting altogether, though that might not be a problem if you prefer an understated look.

Razer Thunderbolt 5 Dock: Features

The main attraction of this dock over older models is the inclusion of Thunderbolt 5. This grants you data transfer speeds of up to 120Gbps, which is far more than the 40Gbps that Thunderbolt 4 tops out at. If you need rapid transfer rates, this is an instant benefit.




All of the ports on the Razer Thunderbolt 5 Dock on on the back, except the SD Card slot.Alex Blake/Foundry

The Razer Thunderbolt 5 Dock comes with 11 ports:

Gigabit ethernet

3 Thunderbolt 5 downstream

Thunderbolt 5 upstream

2 USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gbps)

2 USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gbps)

UHS-II SD card slot

Microphone/headphone combination port (supports 7.1 surround sound)

M.2 slot (internal)

250W power port

That gives you plenty of connectivity, although some rival docks offer more. Also note that the USB-A ports are a little tight when connecting peripherals, though the other slots are fine.

The inclusion of gigabit ethernet is a little disappointing, as it’s not uncommon to see Thunderbolt docks pack in an ethernet jack with speeds of up to 2.5Gbps or even 10Gbps. While not everyone has access to 2.5Gb ethernet or faster, including a port of that speed helps to add a degree of futureproofing.

In addition to those ports, Razer’s device has an extra party trick: a built-in M.2 SSD slot capable of handling drives up to 8TB in size. You’ll find this on the underside of the dock: lift away a hatch and you’ll see a 2280 M.2 SSD connector that’s capable of blazing PCIe Gen 4×4 speeds. That’s a great boost to Macs, where upgrading storage post-purchase is notoriously difficult (or impossible). It means there’s no need for a clunky external storage drive taking up even more space on your desk, as you can get the expansion you need integrated into the dock itself.

Those side grilles mentioned earlier have a practical use as heat exhaust points for the device. Razer has built an active cooling fan into the dock to keep it from throttling and overheating, and in practice, this is definitely noticeable and a little distracting. Hopefully, you won’t hear it too often, but it’s not the quietest fan in the world.

The built-in M.2 SSD slot is handy for a module you’ll need to provide for external storage.

There’s also 140W of Power Delivery, which is enough to charge up even the beefiest 16-inch MacBook Pro. Razer told us the dock adjusts its output wattage based on what you hook up to it, so an iPhone 17 will receive 40W, for example. Each device will get the maximum amount it can handle, so you shouldn’t need to worry about any slow trickle charging.

One of the primary uses of a Thunderbolt dock is to hook up many more monitors to your Mac than you otherwise would be able to. In the case of Razer’s Thunderbolt 5 dock, you can connect up to three 4K displays running at 144Hz, or one 8K screen at 60Hz, without needing to install any third-party software (like DisplayLink) to get everything working.

Notably, that number is less than the five 4K displays that the Plugable 5-Display Dock can host. Yet the difference here is that Plugable can only run those screens at 60Hz–Razer’s three connected monitors can run at the much faster 144Hz refresh rate, which is ideal for the type of fast-paced gaming enjoyed by much of the company’s target audience. And with Macs increasingly becoming bona fide gaming machines, it’s a benefit that Apple fans can take advantage of too.

Should you buy the Razer Thunderbolt 5 Dock?

The Razer Thunderbolt 5 Dock is a great option for a range of Mac users. If you want Thunderbolt 5 speeds combined with a variety of modern ports, are looking to expand your Mac’s storage up to a massive 8TB, or need to hook up high-refresh-rate monitors, it’ll make you very happy with its performance and good looks. Users who are after the fastest Ethernet connections or want a dock with front-facing ports should look elsewhere, though.