Surprised how many commenters are unfamiliar with the vertical docks (previously Henge, acquired by Brydge a few months ago). The vertical docks have been on the market for many years, and owners seem to swear by them.
Just actually received my Brydge vertical stand for my 13" MBP yesterday. Now wondering what was revised (I might give them a call in a bit).
I had a Henge dock for my 15" MBP for years and loved it. It made using my MBP as a desktop machine while at the office a much better of an experience. While I've utilized stands (such as the BookArc) in the past, not having to unplug cables just felt like a better solution.
While pricey, the cost can easily be justified by the convenience factor (for me).
As far as the heat comment: I've been using Apple notebooks in clamshell mode for two decades, no issues yet.
How are you actually using it? 1 USB-C for power and another to a USB-C monitor? That seems like the only way to use this.