Plug and unplug your MacBook from a multiport docking station to quickly add peripherals and external displays to your laptop. We've tested several and managed to skim the best Thunderbolt 3 and 4 and USB-C hubs and docks available to owners of the latest MacBook, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro.
Thunderbolt 3, 4 or USB-C
The connectors all look the same, but there are significant differences, especially in speed. USB-C reaches a maximum throughput of 10 Gbps, compared to 40 Gbps for Thunderbolt 3 and 4. This additional bandwidth not only allows for faster data transfer, but also higher frame rates for external displays, as well as other benefits.
In Apple's current laptop lineup, the 1-inch MacBook Air M1 and MacBook Pro M13 feature two Thunderbolt 3 (TB3) ports, while the 1-inch and 1-inch MacBook Pro M14 and M16 Max feature three Thunderbolt 4 (TB4) ports.
Apple's older 12-inch MacBook has a 1Gbps USB-C Gen 5 port, while Intel-based MacBook Air (2018 and later) and MacBook Pro (from 2016) have two or four 3 Gbps Thunderbolt 40 ports.
If your MacBook has a TB4 port, then you really should go for a TB4 dock to get more ports than the 14/16 inch ones have.
A Thunderbolt 4 docking station is a wise move, even for TB3 Mac owners, as the standard is backward compatible with TB3 and USB-C. That said, there are still great TB3 docking stations out there, and most Apple users won't see a big difference between TB3 and TB4.
The Thunderbolt 4 standard is primarily aimed at upgrading Windows laptops, although there are technical benefits for MacBook Pro users, such as tethered daisy chaining and faster PCI hard drive connections.
We've included a few cheaper USB-C docking stations that require less bandwidth, they may suit your needs and lower your costs.
Add external displays to your MacBook with a docking station
If you're using your laptop as your primary computer, you'd do well to consider connecting it to at least a larger monitor to create a hybrid desktop/laptop setup (with a keyboard, mouse, and a printer all available through a single connection to your MacBook).
You can turn your 13-inch laptop screen into a 27-inch screen the size of an iMac or even bigger by adding an extra screen or connecting two more monitors.
If you want to hook up more than one external display to your MacBook, you'll need at least a Thunderbolt dock, rather than USB-C.
In native USB-C mode, Macs can only connect to 1 external display in extended mode (it extends beyond what you can see on your laptop, as opposed to the mirror fashion which replicates exactly what you get on your laptop screen), but you'll get two in extended mode through a Thunderbolt connection.
While MacBooks with M1 Silicon chip are very fast compared to Intel models, they have a significant limitation: they do not support more than one external display in extended mode, even through their Thunderbolt 3 ports.
This means that when using a docking station, MacBook M1 users cannot extend their desktop across two or more displays, and will be limited to two mirror displays or one external display, although there is a workaround software to add more than one external display to a MacBook M1.
Luckily, the latest MacBook Pro M1 or M1 Max have the ability to support multiple displays. Indeed, these new models integrate more ports, so it is not necessary to bring a docking station.
With three TB4 ports and one HDMI, a MacBook M1 Max could connect up to four external displays without a docking station. However, its user would undoubtedly need additional TB ports to compensate for the occupancy of others, and perhaps even wired Internet access via a Gigabit Ethernet port (absent on laptops).
Ports galore
A port for charging is necessary, although 14/16 inch MacBooks can also be powered by the MagSafe port, and probably at least one more for connecting peripherals (USB sticks, hard drives, Ethernet, external display).
There are plenty of inexpensive adapters out there that allow other peripherals to be added to a USB-C or Thunderbolt MacBook, but for maximum flexibility, take a look at our selection below. They could meet your criteria and make your life easier, at the office or at home.
In this roundup, we're focusing on Thunderbolt docks, but we're also including USB-C less, MacBook Thunderbolt-compatible, but all at the cost of reduced bandwidth and display limitations.
Mac mini (2018 and later) and iMac (2017 and later) owners can also consider expanding their port count with a Thunderbolt docking station.
USB-C and Thunderbolt Speeds
Thunderbolt and USB-C Docking Station Compatibility
Ordinary USB-C operates at 5 Gbps or 10 Gbps, while the Thunderbolt (TB3 and TB4) reaches speeds of 40 Gbps. It's possible to connect a Thunderbolt laptop to an SB-C dock, but you won't have access to the very high speeds.
Stations equipped with a chip Titan Ridge or Goshen Ridge will work with Thunderbolt and USB-C laptops. Other Thunderbolt stations are not compatible with USB-C computers, such as the 12-inch MacBook.
With Titan Ridge and Goshen Ridge, you get all the benefits of a Thunderbolt docking station, and can use it with non-Thunderbolt laptops.
USB PD: Power Delivery for your laptop
Here is how to choose your docking station with USB PD, PD for Power Delivery.
MacBook charging: The 12-inch MacBook and 13-inch MacBook Air require a docking station with at least 30W of power. The 13-inch MacBook Pro charges at full speed at 61W, the 15-inch MacBook Pro at 87W, and the 16-inch MacBook Pro at 96W.
An 85W/96W MacBook Pro can be charged at 30W or 60W, but slower than it would be with its original charger.
Charging Connected Devices: Some docking stations don't have an external power supply because they rely on your laptop to charge. If you add too many peripherals to one of these stations, you may run into power issues, as USB-C can only handle 7,5W of power, while Thunderbolt can handle 15W.
Benefits of Thunderbolt and USB-C Docks
A docking station makes it much easier to use your laptop in two places because it's easy to dock and undock it, although you may need a dock at each end for similar setups.
You can also use it as a base for home office setups with multiple laptops.
The inclusion of an SD or microSD card reader isn't just for photo enthusiasts. It's also a convenient and affordable way to add storage to your laptop.
The 14/16-inch MacBooks have their own SD card readers and jacks, but lack the Gigabit Ethernet port. To overcome this shortcoming, add a USB-C Ethernet adapter if you have an additional Thunderbolt port.
Here are the best Thunderbolt 3 & 4 and USB-C docks and hubs for MacBook on the market
1CalDigit Thunderbolt Station 3 Plus (TS3 Plus) - The best Thunderbolt 3 dock for Mac
- Most
- 15 ports
- PD 87W
- Digital audio
- The lessers
- thunderbolt 3 and not 4
- Indicated price:
The Caldigit TS3 Plus is compact and its 15 ports have made it our favorite high-end Thunderbolt 3 docking station for its functional flexibility and power, all at an affordable price.
Other docks have faster USB ports, but few have seven like the TS3 Plus.
It lacks the Titan Ridge processor, so it's not suitable for non-Thunderbolt portable Macs, but since most MacBooks have at least the T3, that shouldn't be a problem.
Even though Thunderbolt 4 is the latest connection standard, its high-end benefits won't be noticed by most MacBook owners, as TB3 equals TB4 in data transfer speed. Caldigit has also released a TB4 dock that leads to the Thunderbolt 4 generation.
To connect a second external screen, you will need to have an HDMI or DisplayPort USB-C video adapter. To skip the adapter, opt for a dock with two video ports instead. Both screens can handle 4K displays at 60Hz, or even 5K at the same frame rate.
Its two digital audio inputs set it apart from its Thunderbolt 3 competitors. It also charges your laptop at 8W, making it a great companion for 15- or 16-inch MacBook Pros.
- One Thunderbolt 3 port (40Gbps, 87W PD)
- Un port Thunderbolt 3 (40 Gbits/s, 15W)
- Up to two external displays (4K at 60Hz)
- Display Port 1.2
- Cinq ports USB-A (5 Gbits/s, 7,5 W)
- One USB-C port (10 Gbps)
- One USB-C port (5 Gbps)
- SD card reader (SD 4.0 UHS-II)
- Port Gigabit Ethernet
- 3,5mm audio line-in and line-out ports
- One digital optical audio port (S/PDIF)
- 180W power supply
Anker PowerExpand Elite 13-in-1 Thunderbolt 3 - Best Thunderbolt 3 & USB-C Hybrid Dock with 2 T3s
- Most
- 13 ports
- PD 85W
- 18W USB-C
- The lessers
- thunderbolt 3 and not 4
- Indicated price:
Anker's PowerExpand Elite 13-in-1 Thunderbolt 3 Docking Station is a great Titan Ridge for T3 and USB-C computers, with plenty of top-notch ports in a sleek, compact package.
It's a strong competitor to the Caldigit TS3 Plus, which has one more USB-A port, but the Anker has a faster USB-C port and is compatible with non-Thunderbolt USB-C laptops.
All of the Power Expand Elite's ports are premium: the two USB-C ports, for example, are Gen. 2 to 10 Gbps, while some docking stations only have 5 Gbps Type-C ports.
The on/off button on the front is a feature we haven't seen on other docks, and there's really nothing apart from the price that sets it apart from other stations we recommend.
This Anker dock has several advantages: a compact design, a nice selection of ports, and the presence of two fast USB-C ports as well as two T3s.
- Un port Thunderbolt 3 (40 Gbits/s, 85W PD)
- Un port Thunderbolt 3 (40 Gbits/s, 15W)
- Puce Titan Ridge (USB-C and T3)
- Up to two external displays (2 x 4K at 60Hz; or 1 x 5K at 60Hz)
- An HDMI 2.0 port
- Two USB-C (10Gbps) ports (one at 18W)
- Four USB-A (5 Gbps) ports (one at 7,5W)
- SD card reader (SD 4.0 UHS-II)
- microSD 4.0 card reader (SD 4.0 UHS-II)
- Port Gigabit Ethernet
- 3,5mm hybrid audio port
- 180W power supply
CalDigit Thunderbolt 3 mini Dock - The most portable Thunderbolt 3 dock
- Most
- Portable
- Dual display port
- The lessers
- thunderbolt 3 and not 4
- No front TB3 port
- Indicated price:
The CalDigit Thunderbolt 3 Mini Dock supports dual 4K displays at 60Hz in a lightweight, portable form. It connects to the laptop via an integrated TB3 cable.
It is available with two DisplayPort ports or two HDMI ports, although there are other differences between the two models apart from the type of display connection.
The Mini Dock Dual HDMI has two HDMI ports, a Gigabit Ethernet port and two USB-A ports: one at 5 Gbps (4,5W), the other at 480 Mbps (2,5W) much slower. It has two DP slots, a Gigabit Ethernet port and a USB-A port (5 Gbits/s, 4,5 W).
Both models run 4K displays at 60Hz in extended mode, which is great for movies and gaming. More ordinary USB-C docking stations can take on two 4K displays, but only at 30Hz and only one in extended mode.
The downside is that there is no power supply (which it draws from the host laptop), so you'll have to power your laptop through another port.
- Bus powered, so no PD charging
- Thunderbolt 3 (40 Gbps) cable
- Up to two external displays (4K at 60Hz)
- Two DisplayPort 1.2 ports or two HDMI 2.0 ports (4K@60Hz)
- DP : Un port USB-A (5 Gbits/s, 4,5W)
- HDMI: two USB-A ports (5 Gbps and 4,5W, one 480 Mbps and 2,5W)
- Port Gigabit Ethernet
SD5700T Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station - The Best Thunderbolt 4 Dock
- Most
- 11 fast ports
- 4x TB4
- 180W power supply
- On button
- The lessers
- 4,5W USB-A ports
- Indicated price:
The Kensington SD5700T Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station has everything a dock should have: four TB4 ports, three fast USB-A and one slow port (with 7,5W charging power, compared to 4,5W for the faster USB-A 3.2 Gen 2), Gigabit Ethernet, SD card reader and 3,5mm audio jack.
At 180W, the power supply is the highest we've seen, which is ideal if you're charging multiple devices connected to the dock. And the On/Off power button (rare on docking stations) means you can let the laptop battery rest while you're away.
LEDs let you know when the dock is powered and when it's connected.
We think it's worth paying a little more for this Thunderbolt 4 station, especially considering its three-year warranty.
- Un port Thunderbolt 4 (40 Gbits/s, 90W PD)
- Three Thunderbolt 4 ports (40 Gbps, 15W)
- Trois ports USB-A (10 Gbits/s, 4,5W)
- One USB-A port (480Mbps, 7,5W)
- Gigabit Ethernet
- UHS-II SD card reader (320 MBps)
- 3,5 mm audio jack
- 180W power supply
CalDigit Thunderbolt 4 Element Hub - The Best Thunderbolt 4 Hub
- Most
- 4x TB4
- 4x 10 Gbits/s USB-A
- 150W total power
- Compact
- The lessers
- Power of 60W may be too low for 16 inches
- Indicated price:
The CalDigit Thunderbolt 4 Element hub is not a docking station as it features nothing but Thunderbolt and USB ports, no Ethernet, SD card reader or audio port. But it has so many high-end TB and USB ports that you can customize it to your liking.
It includes four TB4 ports and four fast 10Gbps USB-A. You can use two of the three TB4 ports to connect directly to USB-C monitors, HDMI or DisplayPort displays using inexpensive adapters.
You still have a spare TB4 port and the four USB-A ports to add other peripherals, such as an adapter for Gigabit Ethernet and/or an SD card reader, SSDs, USB keys, etc.
As it is a hub rather than a docking station, its 60W laptop charger is not powerful enough for larger laptops, but the 150W overall power supply will be useful for all hub ports.
- Un port Thunderbolt 4 (40 Gbits/s, 60W PD)
- Three Thunderbolt 4 ports (40 Gbps, 15W)
- Quatre ports USB-A (10 Gbits/s, 7,5W)
- 150W power supply
Twelve South StayGo - The Best Compact USB-C Dock
- Most
- Portable
- 85W passthrough charging
- The lessers
- USB-C and not Thunderbolt
- Indicated price:
Twelve South StayGo is a simple dock, but this small, lightweight box has enough going for it to rival larger, more expensive laptop docking stations. It's small enough to fit in your pocket and travel with you.
It has three USB-A ports (including one with fast charging), USB-C ports for connection to the laptop and also 85W PD charging, an HDMI port, a Gigabit port Ethernet and SD/Micro SD card readers.
It's a USB-C port rather than Thunderbolt, but it will work with both connection types (we tested it with a 15-inch MacBook Pro). Of course, you'll lose that full 40Gbps bandwidth and the option of a second external display, but it's still great for portability.
- One USB-C port (5 Gbps)
- One USB-C port (5Gbps) for 85W PD passthrough charging, charger required.
- An external display (4K at 30Hz)
- HDMI Port (4K@30Hz)
- Three USB-A ports (5 Gbps, one at 7,5W)
- Port Gigabit Ethernet
- SD card reader (UHS-I)
OWC Thunderbolt 3 Dock - Ports galore
- Most
- 14 ports
- 85W PD
- The lessers
- Thunderbolt 3 not 4
- MiniDP
- Indicated price:
OWC's standard Thunderbolt 3 dock has a nice array of ports and charges at 85W. This is enough to quickly restore energy to the 16-inch MacBook Pro (96W).
All five USB-A ports are 5Gbps, and one USB-C Gen 2 port is 10Gbps, something few Thunderbolt docks have.
The oddly old-fashioned choice of Mini DisplayPort over DisplayPort isn't a technical barrier, but you'll need adapters for external displays, which adds to the overall cost.
Other than that, OWC Thunderbolt 3 has everything a docking station should have in a slim and sleek package.
- One Thunderbolt 3 port (40Gbps, 85W PD)
- One Thunderbolt 3 port (40 Gbps)
- Up to two external displays (2 x 4K at 60Hz or 1 x 5K at 60Hz)
- A Mini DisplayPort 1.2 port
- One USB-C port (10 Gbps)
- Five USB-A ports (5 Gbps, two at 7,5W)
- SD card reader (SD 4.0 UHS-II)
- MicroSD card reader (SD 4.0 UHS-II)
- Port Gigabit Ethernet
- 3,5mm hybrid audio port
- S/PDIF digital audio out port
- 180W power supply
StarTech.com Thunderbolt 3 Dual Display 4K Docking Station - Compact with lots of ports
- Most
- 12 ports
- PD 85W
- The lessers
- thunderbolt 3 and not 4
- Indicated price:
The StarTech.com Thunderbolt 3 Dual-4K Dock is, as the name suggests, for laptops with the fast (3 Gbps) Thunderbolt 40 version of USB-C. It is not compatible with slower (5-10 Gbps) USB-C computers, such as the 12-inch MacBook, but will connect to newer Thunderbolt 4 models.
It can also be used with Windows laptops and Chromebooks. Designed for Thunderbolt 3, it allows pairing of two external 4K displays at 60Hz, ideal for rich graphics and gaming. One of the monitors can be connected via DisplayPort.
You'll likely need an adapter to connect the second port through the spare Thunderbolt 3, unless the display also has a USB-C port.
- One Thunderbolt 3 port (40Gbps, 85W PD)
- One Thunderbolt 3 port (40 Gbps)
- Up to two external displays (4K at 60Hz)
- Display Port 1.2
- One USB-C port (5 Gbps)
- Five USB-A ports (5 Gbps, one at 7,5W)
- SD card reader (SD 4.0 UHS-II)
- Port Gigabit Ethernet
- 3,5mm audio input and output
- 180W power supply
Symbus Q Compact USB-C Charger with Wireless Charging System - Best USB-C Dock with Wireless Charging
- Most
- 15W wireless charging
- Compact
- The lessers
- USB-C and not Thunderbolt
- Indicated price:
The Symbus Q USB-C Docking Station has a non-slip wireless charging pad where you can rest your phone and charge it without needing to occupy any of the USB slots.
It has an HDMI port ([email protected], [email protected]), a Gigabit Ethernet port, and two old-school USB-A ports (5 Gbps USB 3.1 Gen 1).
Qi-certified, it can charge a phone wearing a protective case up to 5mm thick, and supports Apple's 7,5W and Samsung's 10W fast charging.
It is compatible with USB PD functionality for fast charging (up to 50W) of your laptop.
- PD laptop charging up to 60W
- An external display (4K at 30Hz)
- HDMI port
- Two USB-A ports (5 Gbps)
- Port Gigabit Ethernet
- Qi wireless charging (15W)
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- The best external displays for Mac
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