Thunderbolt has revolutionized I/O connections for laptops and different moveable computing gadgets. With a single Thunderbolt cable, you may bridge a laptop computer to quite a lot of exterior equipment, like shows, peripherals, and storage gadgets. Nevertheless, Thunderbolt hubs and docks aren’t solely used for laptops and tablets.
I’ve used a Thunderbolt 4 docking station as a everlasting piece of my desktop workstation for years, and I am unable to reside with out it. Regardless that I exploit a Mac Mini M4 and Home windows 11 mini PC in my setup — each desktop computer systems — a Thunderbolt 4 dock ties all my equipment collectively. It lets me join issues like shows, amplifiers, MIDI keyboards, and optical drives to my PCs that would not be potential with out the docking station.
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I used to swear by USB hubs on my laptop computer, however this wall-powered different makes it so a lot better
As computer systems get extra highly effective, so should my USB utilization.
I by no means use Thunderbolt docks with laptops
My desk setup is simply too advanced to run off my MacBook Professional
Credit score: Brady Snyder / MakeUseOf
My M5 MacBook Professional is constructed for use with a Thunderbolt docking station. In actual fact, it is extra highly effective and has extra unified reminiscence than the M4 Mac Mini I exploit at my desk setup. Though it would make sense to make use of the M5 MacBook Professional because the centerpiece of my workstation utilizing a Thunderbolt dock, I choose to have a devoted Mac Mini that is all the time operating and able to go. I haven’t got to fret about docking and eradicating a laptop computer, organising charging limits to protect battery well being, or thermal constraints when operating a laptop computer in clamshell mode.
So, if I am utilizing a desktop pc already, why is there a necessity for a Thunderbolt dock? It is all about port choice and energy supply. My M4 Mac Mini presents a Gigabit Ethernet port, an HDMI port, and three Thunderbolt 4 ports on the again. It additionally has two USB-C ports and a 3.5mm headphone jack on the entrance, however these Kind-C ports are solely rated for USB 3 speeds of 10Gbps. That is merely not sufficient for my peripheral-heavy desktop workstation.
It will be one factor if all of the Mac Mini’s ports had been on the again. 5 USB-C ports break up between Thunderbolt 4 and USB 3 seems like sufficient, nevertheless it’s impractical when you preserve your PC in your desk. Until I need cables completely protruding the entrance of my Mac Mini, I am unable to use three of these ports (2x USB-C and 1x 3.5mm headphone jack). For a clear look, I would like each cable operating out of the again of the Mac Mini, and that is simply not potential with out an exterior Thunderbolt dock.
No, it isn’t only a Mac drawback. I swap between macOS and Home windows typically, and preserve a Home windows 11 mini PC on my desk stacked above the Mac Mini. It has comparable points to the Mac Mini — there are solely two USB-A ports, two Ethernet ports, and HDMI/DisplayPort ports on the again. There are not any USB-C ports in any respect on the again of my mini PC. The quickest USB-C and USB-A ports, in addition to the headphone hack, are on the entrance. That is not precisely superb for a clear setup, which is why I flip to a docking station.
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I will by no means purchase one other ultrawide with out this function — and it has nothing to do with the show
I assumed I might fall in love with an ultrawide for the additional display area, nevertheless it was the built-in KVM swap and Thunderbolt dock that gained me over.
A dock expands my Mac Mini M4’s port choice
I get Thunderbolt passthrough, USB-A, Ethernet, DisplayPort, and extra
A Thunderbolt 4 dock just like the Ugreen Revodok Max 313 permits me to attach all my equipment to my desktop PCs. This one is a 13-in-1 docking station I acquired as a evaluation unit, and albeit, it is too costly for the common consumer. Sadly, Thunderbolt docking stations are dear throughout the board, however there is a good cause for that. They arrive with necessary options, comparable to 40Gbps knowledge switch, 4K video transmission, and quick energy supply for fast charging.
Proper now, all my Mac Mini’s three Thunderbolt 4 are accounted for. One connects the pc to my ultrawide Thunderbolt monitor, one other goes to my Fiio K11 USB-C desktop amplifier, and the final one connects to the Revodok Max 313. Then, this Thunderbolt docking station connects to my Stream Deck, Wokyis secondary monitor, Logitech MX Brio webcam, Asus optical drive, BenQ gentle bar, and MIDI keyboard.
Sure, I actually use all these equipment at my desk setup each day — and I may by no means run all of them concurrently from my Mac Mini or Home windows mini PC and not using a Thunderbolt dock. It additionally provides microSD and full-size SD card readers, which neither of my desktop computer systems provide. These are essential to my private {and professional} workflows. I exploit SD playing cards to switch images from my mirrorless digital camera for work, and use microSD playing cards to maneuver books and video games to my eReader and gaming handhelds.
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USB hubs have a giant limitation that the majority product listings by no means point out
Including a USB hub or dock to your laptop computer or desktop to attach with extra equipment? There is a bandwidth catch it’s essential to find out about.
And not using a Thunderbolt dock, I might run out of ports
Even desktop computer systems include bodily I/O constraints
Credit score: Brady Snyder / MakeUseOf
For those who’re an influence consumer like me, a Thunderbolt docking station could possibly be precisely what it’s essential to streamline your desk setup. My workstation is not only for informal computing, it is also a photograph enhancing machine, a high-res audio listening station, and a music creation package. These with a multipurpose setup and many peripherals may profit from a Thunderbolt dock to assist with cable administration and preserve every thing linked. Due to this dock, the entrance of my Mac Mini and mini PC are utterly clear, with no seen cables.
It actually helps that I can transfer my total desk setup from my Mac Mini to my MacBook Professional with a single Thunderbolt cable. It is yet one more good thing about utilizing a docking station at your desk, even when I by no means use it that manner. I get sufficient worth out of a Thunderbolt dock simply by utilizing it with my desktop computer systems.
USB Energy Supply
60W
Energy provide included
Sure, exterior
Max show res.
Single 8K or triple 4K
The Ugreen Revodok Max 313 is a Thunderbolt 4 docking station that provides you 13 whole ports in trade for a single Thunderbolt connection. It is an effective way to broaden the ports of a laptop computer or desktop.
