Best dock for 2018 MacBook Pro

[Padsterman]

Can anyone recommend a good dock for the 2018 MacBook Pro. I need to run a 4k monitor at 60htz so display port, a few USB-A drives, a usb-c drive, network,memory card reader would also be nice.

I will leave this on my desk and get another for work on the road to connect a couple of drives.

 

[Trey M]

CalDigit TS3, CalDigit TS3+, or the Elgato dock. There are many other options, but in terms of reliability these are the top choices.

 

[unglued]

x2 for the CalDigit TS3+. I bought a refurbished one from CalDigit for $240 USD and it’s like brand new condition it even came with the sticky feet strips if you decide to place it flat down instead of standing up.

 

[ra123]

I just bought a new CalDigit TS3+ and like it a lot. Worth the money. Buy it from amazon with the Asurion warranty. My only issue with my MBP 2016 is that it randomly stops displaying on the external monitor unless I also have the laptop's lid open to have the built-in display on. I found this issue even with a direct thunderbolt to display port cable. I am using 10.12. I wonder if this is isolated to the 2016 MBP or it is still an issue with the 2018 models. I have to do a NVRAM reset to resolve it, but it recurs after 2-3 uses with the dock.

 

[calliex]

I have been looking for a dock for months now. The ones mentioned in this thread pop up a lot. I have spent a lot of time reading reviews. I have found none to be flawless. I know reviews on Amazon, etc. are not reliable. Many docks are quite costly and people report they quit working after a couple months, the get really hot, some of the ports quit working. I blame Apple for this. I have never had an issue with a built in port on a Mac. All really need is to charge, run external display and read usb A thumb drive.

 

[ra123]

@calliex I am using the Caldigit ts3+ and it works fine. Just purchase the insurance thru amazon and you will be set. I prefer Asurion. I even had an employee time keeping clock burn out on its own, and they gave me a full refund two years in. I am always skeptical of these insurance policies, but as long as there is no sign of misuse, you should get your money back. Consumer electronics like docks run hot. There definitely is no perfect dock. Going the insurance route is the only way to protect your financial investment in such a product.

 

[calliex]

@calliex I am using the Caldigit ts3+ and it works fine. Just purchase the insurance thru amazon and you will be set. I prefer Asurion. I even had an employee time keeping clock burn out on its own, and they gave me a full refund two years in. I am always skeptical of these insurance policies, but as long as there is no sign of misuse, you should get your money back. Consumer electronics like docks run hot. There definitely is no perfect dock. Going the insurance route is the only way to protect your financial investment in such a product.

Thanx. I have to admit I am not an online buyer. Had two bad experiences with Amazon and have never tried again. I will look into the insurance route.

 

[Trey M]

Personally I have never had any issue whatsoever. I use the Elgato dock for work every single day and never had an issue. I think I had to unplug the power cord once when things weren’t responsive but that fixed immediately.

I actually began with the CalDigit TS3 when they first launched (not the + model) and it was incompatible with my LGUD69 4K monitor. I just couldn’t get it to connect reliably. I’ve since tried someone else’s TS3 many months later and it worked without issue. Not sure if it was a Mac firmware update or CalDigit, but it worked

Pretty much everyone seems happy with the TS3+ model, which offers more connectivity than pretty much any other dock. I really don’t need a lot of those ports so I’m perfectly happy with my Elgato dock. Just wish it was Space Gray!

 

[PROFESS0R]

This. I own the TS3+ and ithas performed flawlessly.

CalDigit TS3, CalDigit TS3+, or the Elgato dock. There are many other options, but in terms of reliability these are the top choices.