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Any Thunderbolt 3 docking stations that are actually good? (MBA M1 2020)

K

krapidler

macrumors member
Original poster
Dec 9, 2009
36
4
So I finally ordered a new Macbook Air M1 to upgrade from my trusty but laggy Macbook Pro early 2011. On a side note, I just checked and have been a forum member for 11 years with a colossal post count of 28.

Anyway: in terms of peripherals, I will need to connect the following (in addition to the power cable):
  • One 4k monitor (side-question: should I use DP or HDMI?)
  • One USB external hard drive (for Time Machine)
  • One ethernet cable
It also needs to have a cable of at least 3 feet because the docking station will be hidden under the table.

My research started on Amazon where all the docking stations that show when you search for "docking station" are Chinese brands with concerning reviews such as "my house caught fire" (I joke, but you get the gist).

I then googled docking station reviews and understand that there are a few major and trusted models including the CalDigit TS3 Plus, the OWC Thunderbolt 3 Dock, and the Anker PowerExpand Elite 13-in-1.

BUT:

It looks like all of these have some kind of problem that appears to make them annoying to use in one way or another. From high-pitched noises to extreme video lag/choppiness to crazy heat to issues with sleep mode, you name it.

Has anyone here had a 100% positive experience with a docking station that just works as advertised? I will only be connecting one single 4k monitor if that helps.

Thanks in advance and merry Xmas!
 
Where do you read these complaints? There's always somebody on for example Amazon with a bad experience which isn't always the product. I personally love the CalDigit TS3 Plus for it's speed, power delivery and connectivity, I use all ports on the back permanently.
 
Successful Sorcerer said:
Where do you read these complaints? There's always somebody on for example Amazon with a bad experience which isn't always the product. I personally love the CalDigit TS3 Plus for it's speed, power delivery and connectivity, I use all ports on the back permanently.
Click to expand...
Successful Sorcerer said:
Where do you read these complaints? There's always somebody on for example Amazon with a bad experience which isn't always the product. I personally love the CalDigit TS3 Plus for it's speed, power delivery and connectivity, I use all ports on the back permanently.
Click to expand...
Yes Amazon. I know, it’s a problem with many products but with that one specifically several users have been reporting the noise issue. It’s nonetheless the one I will most likely buy.
 
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I've been looking at this one: Belkin Thunderbolt 3 Dock Core. I like it because it uses USB-C Power Delivery for power. A little expensive for a dock without a power supply though.
 
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
krapidler said:
Yes Amazon. I know, it’s a problem with many products but with that one specifically several users have been reporting the noise issue. It’s nonetheless the one I will most likely buy.
Click to expand...
Allright, I never have heard anybody complain about it and never had issues myself.
 
I second the recommendations of @Successful Sorcerer. I use a Caldigit TS3 Plus dock at home and an OWC TB3 dock at work with a 16” i9 MBP and I have never had any problems with either of them. I have also used these docks with a Mac Mini and a MBP 13” again with no problems (all Intel processors).

I am sure that you would be happy with either of these.
 
I mainly use my TS3+ with Intel based Macs but have used it with the M1 Air without problems. Before I bought the TS3+ I had what I believe is now an obsolete version of the OWC dock which I returned because its power supply did make squealing sounds.
I have also used the Caldigit USB-C Pro Dock with both Intel and M1 Macs without any complaints.
 
I use a SIIG Mini Display Port Video Dock with USB 3.0 Lan Hub with my 2013 Macbook Air. It is compatible with Thunderbolt, but I don't know if it will work with the new M1 MBA.

There is a SIIG JU-TB05212-S1 (about $89) I was thinking about buying, I think the the M1 MBA should be backward compatible with with gen 2 type-c port, but i will wait a little bit yet before i buy the M1 MBA.

"This hub features a USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C port with data transfer rates of up to 10 Gb/s. The port also supports USB power delivery up to 87W, so you can keep your MacBook Pro charged. There is also a USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-C port and two USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A ports, which provide data transfer rates of up to 5 Gb/s. You can also connect to an external display via the HDMI port, which supports up to 4K @ 30 Hz. There is also a SDXC/MMC memory card slot and a microSDXC card slot as well. The hub is bus powered so you don't need a separate power adapter. It is also Plug and Play so you don't have to install any drivers."




​

 
TS3+ here. No problems at all with both a 16” i9 MBP and a 13” M1 MacBook Pro. No noise, no hiccups, video is nice and fast (running it with a 32” 4K LG display - have connected it over both USB-C and DisplayPort). Works as advertised and I highly recommend it.
 
There are new docks coming out that have multiple Thunderbolt ports on them for connecting multiple Thunderbolt peripherals directly to the dock. If you've got a Mac with TB3 ports running Big Sur or later these are probably the way to go rather than older docks.
 
Interesting views. I am too about to take delivery of my MacBook Air M1 and am looking for a good doc with an Ethernet port, at least 1 HDMI, audio in and out and a few usb connections. I currently have a thunderbolt 2 Belkin dock which has been great and was wondering if I can not find someth8ng suitable would it be worth just buy an apple thunderbolt 2 to 3 connector until I can find a suitable dock?
 
Have been using a CalDigit TS3+ for a while now - no issues at all.
I also have the CalDigit TB3 to 10GbE adapter connected to the dock as well, so as soon as I connect my MacBook I have 10Gb Ethernet too.....
 
I'm currently looking to get a Dock for my new Macbook Pro M1. Probably the HP G2 or the Dell WD19. With a third option being the Dell WD TB16. Those are the ones that I can get at a reasonable local price.
I don't need dual monitors, just 1 HDMI one, but would like full compatibility for the USB ports (for peripherals, external hard drives like the T7, etc) and ideally support for the audio out as well.
Do you have any recommendation?
Any risk of frying my MB just like it happened to those USB-C hubs users?
Thanks!
 
I ended up getting this one and it is fantastic. Found it new for $140 on eBay which is a lot less than the Caldigit one (really liked that one too). It says it only supports HDMI at 30hz but I had a 4K Displayport to HDMI cable and it is giving me 4k@60hz.

www.amazon.com

Plugable Thunderbolt 3 Dock Compatible with MacBook Pro and Thunderbolt 3 PCs (4K DisplayPort or HDMI, 1Gb Ethernet, Audio, 3 USB Ports, 85W Charging)

Plugable's Thunderbolt 3 Dock with 85W charging (TBT3-UD1-85W) eliminates the need to constantly plug and unplug multiple devices to your notebook or tablet. Connect a DisplayPort display up to 4K@60Hz. DP to HDMI passive adapter included if HDMI connectivity is needed. Connect to wired Ethernet ...
www.amazon.com
 
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Does anyone have any experience with the Sabrent Thunderbolt 3 dock?

www.amazon.co.uk

Thunderbolt 3 Docking Station with 4 USB 3.0 for Data and charging, HDMI 4K@60Hz Display, Power Delivery (PD) Charge up to 85W, RJ-45 Ethernet, 3.5 mm audio + microphone jack, for Windows Mac

The Sabrent Thunderbolt 3 Docking Station with USB-C Power Delivery up to 60W Charging for Windows/MacOS Devices - Dual-4K Display (DS-TH3C) is designed for your extra connectivity demands. With this docking station, you can take advantage of high-end 4k resolutions and the fastest transfer speed...
www.amazon.co.uk
 
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Today I got online with the Apple Store and bought a Satechi USB-C multiport Pro Adaptor for $65. I picked it up and so far so good.
 
krapidler said:
So I finally ordered a new Macbook Air M1 to upgrade from my trusty but laggy Macbook Pro early 2011. On a side note, I just checked and have been a forum member for 11 years with a colossal post count of 28.

Anyway: in terms of peripherals, I will need to connect the following (in addition to the power cable):
  • One 4k monitor (side-question: should I use DP or HDMI?)
  • One USB external hard drive (for Time Machine)
  • One ethernet cable
It also needs to have a cable of at least 3 feet because the docking station will be hidden under the table.

My research started on Amazon where all the docking stations that show when you search for "docking station" are Chinese brands with concerning reviews such as "my house caught fire" (I joke, but you get the gist).

I then googled docking station reviews and understand that there are a few major and trusted models including the CalDigit TS3 Plus, the OWC Thunderbolt 3 Dock, and the Anker PowerExpand Elite 13-in-1.

BUT:

It looks like all of these have some kind of problem that appears to make them annoying to use in one way or another. From high-pitched noises to extreme video lag/choppiness to crazy heat to issues with sleep mode, you name it.

Has anyone here had a 100% positive experience with a docking station that just works as advertised? I will only be connecting one single 4k monitor if that helps.

Thanks in advance and merry Xmas!
Click to expand...
I have an Air M1 and found the same problem including most of the ports are USB-A with the odd USB-C. I looked at all the options and decided to get the LG 5K 27” monitor which has 4 USB-C ports one of which is thunderbolt which can power the MacBook Air M1 and I have adapters (£6 each) for USB-C to USB-A, Ethernet and this leaves one spare port on the Air M1.

Problem solved, or it will be when the monitor arrives next week. Cost around £1,100 However saved the £250 cost of the dock so is more reasonable, actually not bad and I get a high quality 5K monitor.

Their is also a cheaper LG 23.7” 4K monitor which has five USB-C ports two of which are Thunderbolt. The second Thunderbolt port can daisy chain to a second 23.7” monitor. This costs a more reasonable £650. Air M1 can only drive one monitor up to 6K at this time.

That may change as the M1 SoC is incredibly powerful and has performance a few % better than my Dell XPS17 i9 8 core 32Gb. I do very large Monte Carlo Simulations with up to 500k trials so have tested on both PC’s so this is a good test of performance and how I know the Air M1 is a few % faster than the XPS17 and 1/3 of the price.

I got both in November and am running Windows ARM 64 Preview with Parallels 16 Tech Preview Intel code on Rosetta 2 using Oracle Crystal Ball for the Monte Carlo Simulation in Intel code Excel.
 
Last edited:
I've been using the Kensington SD5200T Thunderbolt 3 dock for over 3 years- first on a 2017 13" MBP and now on a 2020 13" Intel MBP. Never had any of the issues some report with other docks, such as display problems and drive disconnects, however sometimes after a couple disconnecting/reconnecting of the dock (unplug the TB3 cable) while the 2020 MBP is running in clamshell mode with an LG 38" Ultrawide @60Hz, I'll get a kernel panic (in three years and similar usage patterns, the 2017 MBP never did this). Does not happen if I reconnect the dock with the screen open and seems to be more likely with long uptime (I don't power cycle or shut down the machine often) and multiple TB3 reattachments. Otherwise, stable AF and trouble free LOL. I suspect that something has changed in the MBP hardware or MacOS that causes the kernel panics.

What I like about this dock is it's quiet, runs cool, and has the 3.5mm audio jack on the back. Since it's used as dock, I rather have my speakers connected to the back of the unit along with the other cables. I suppose a front-facing audio jack is more convenient for wired headphones, but makes for a messy setup with desktop speakers. It only has DP connection and no HDMI- so that will limit its appeal to some.
 
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DJ Rob said:
I've been using the Kensington SD5200T Thunderbolt 3 dock for over 3 years- first on a 2017 13" MBP and now on a 2020 13" Intel MBP. Never had any of the issues some report with other docks, such as display problems and drive disconnects, however sometimes after a couple disconnecting/reconnecting of the dock (unplug the TB3 cable) while the 2020 MBP is running in clamshell mode with an LG 38" Ultrawide @60Hz, I'll get a kernel panic (in three years and similar usage patterns, the 2017 MBP never did this). Does not happen if I reconnect the dock with the screen open and seems to be more likely with long uptime (I don't power cycle or shut down the machine often) and multiple TB3 reattachments. Otherwise, stable AF and trouble free LOL. I suspect that something has changed in the MBP hardware or MacOS that causes the kernel panics.

What I like about this dock is it's quiet, runs cool, and has the 3.5mm audio jack on the back. Since it's used as dock, I rather have my speakers connected to the back of the unit along with the other cables. I suppose a front-facing audio jack is more convenient for wired headphones, but makes for a messy setup with desktop speakers. It only has DP connection and no HDMI- so that will limit its appeal to some.
Click to expand...
Didn't realise Kensington made docks. Looks good and has more USB-C ports than most of them. I have a Dell WD19TB for my 2020 Dell XPS17 that works well driving 2 x Dell 43" 4K monitors although it is a bit quirky as it won't do 4K with 2 x DP or DP and HDMI however does with USB-c Thunderbolt and DP.

Previously with a 2016 Dell XPS3 and XPS15 we had Dell TB16's and had no end of problems with hanging and screens switching off or freezing. Eventually after 3 years we got Dell to replace them under warranty and everything started working properly on both laptops. I've just found out that the 1st years production of TB16's had a firmware problem and a hardware problem. They never issued a recall so several 100k's of people must have suffered the same fate as we did.

I receive the LG 5K 27" monitor next week so will be interesting to see how it the 4 USB-C ports work as a dock for the MacBook Air M1 and will also power it through the USB-C Thunderbolt port, giving me a spare USB-C port on the Air.
 
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Does anyone have any experience of the Plugable USB C dock?
www.amazon.co.uk

Plugable USB C Dock VESA Mount Compact with 85W Charging Thunderbolt 4/3 USB4 Compatible and works with macOS, Windows, and ChromeOS Laptops (HDMI up to 4K@30Hz, Ethernet, 4X USB 3.0 Ports, USB-C PD)

The Plugable USB-C Mini Docking Station (UD-CAM) is a compact powerhouse designed to enhance your workspace with versatile connectivity and efficient performance. Supporting up to 85W of laptop charging, this dock powers your MacBook, MacBook Pro, Surface Pro, iPad, or other USB-C and Thunderbolt...
www.amazon.co.uk
 
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
I'm also wary of overheating docks. I've had problems with adaptors and other dongles (thanks Apple), which overheat in a worrying manner, and some fail once too hot.

My needs aren't complex:
  1. several USB-A ports
  2. Displayport to drive a 4K display at 60Hz
  3. charge a MacBook
  4. SD card reader would be nice but not necessary

I really won't want anything that makes noise, either.

What do people recommend? Happy to pay a bit extra for quality.
 
project_2501 said:
I'm also wary of overheating docks. I've had problems with adaptors and other dongles (thanks Apple), which overheat in a worrying manner, and some fail once too hot.

My needs aren't complex:
  1. several USB-A ports
  2. Displayport to drive a 4K display at 60Hz
  3. charge a MacBook
  4. SD card reader would be nice but not necessary

I really won't want anything that makes noise, either.

What do people recommend? Happy to pay a bit extra for quality.
Click to expand...
I've had this one for a couple days now and so far it's been working great.
eshop.macsales.com

OWC 11-Port Thunderbolt Dock for M1 and Intel Macs and Thunderbolt 4 (USB 4) PCs

Add three Thunderbolt ports, 4 USB ports, along with Ethernet, audio, and card reader functionality to your Thunderbolt-equipped Mac or Thunderbolt 4 PC.
eshop.macsales.com eshop.macsales.com
 
I've been using an HP Thunderbolt Dock G2 for a couple years, can drive two 4K/60 displays at once (on macOS, can run three in Windows,) has three USB-A ports plus two USB-C ports (plus a second "out" Thunderbolt 3/USB-C port) can charge 120W, sadly, no SD reader. They also make a version with a built in "speakerphone" that is EXCELLENT quality for Zoom calls, its noise reduction/echo suppression is perfect.
 
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