Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Lenovo Announces New 'ThinkPad' Docks Equipped With Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C Ports

MacRumors

MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
67,486
37,755



Lenovo recently announced a pair of docks in its "ThinkPad" accessory line, including one equipped with Thunderbolt 3 and one with USB-C (via Anandtech). The ThinkPad Thunderbolt 3 dock includes a Thunderbolt 3 port, two DisplayPort options, HDMI, VGA, Gigabit Ethernet, a headphone jack, and five USB-A 3.0 ports, with one that is always powered.

thinkpad-thunderbolt-dock-800x452.jpg
Both images show the ThinkPad Thunderbolt 3 dock​


The company said that users can connect as many as three displays to the Thunderbolt 3 dock, with two coming off the dual DisplayPort streams, and another connected to an extra Thunderbolt 3 output. One display will get up to a 3840 x 2160 resolution at 60Hz, while two displays will have the same resolution at 30Hz. In terms of power, the dock comes with a 135W adapter, with up to 65W of power to a connected laptop. The Thunderbolt 3 dock is likely to work with the new Touch Bar MacBook Pro, but Lenovo hasn't specified compatibility yet.
The dock ships with a 135-Watt AC Adapter, which provides up to 65W of power to the laptop, and the remainder for powering the accessories. There is also a power button on the dock to control the ThinkPad power state when docked, which is nice since the laptop could easily be closed when docked.
Click to expand...
The USB-C dock has a similar look and number of ports when compared to the Thunderbolt 3 version. It includes a single USB-C port, three USB-A 3.0 ports, two USB-A 2.0 ports, two DisplayPort options, VGA, Gigabit Ethernet, and a headphone jack. A single display can be driven with 3840 x 2160 resolution at 30Hz, or the dock can power two displays with 1920x1080 resolution at 60 Hz. The USB-C dock includes a 90W power adapter, with up to 60W of power to a connected laptop.
ThinkPad-Thunderbolt-3-Dock-3-800x284.jpg

Users will be able to purchase the ThinkPad USB-C dock in January for $199.99, and the ThinkPad Thunderbolt 3 dock in February for $279.99. More information about the ThinkPad line, and other Lenovo products, is likely to be announced at CES in January.

Article Link: Lenovo Announces New 'ThinkPad' Docks Equipped With Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C Ports
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2016/12/28/lenovo-thinkpad-thunderbolt-3/
Should they be considered docks or hubs? It doesn't appear as though they have any place to actually dock a ThinkPad, so... An SD card slot would've been a nice addition.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bobob
Hopefully these are compatible but the workaround could make it work.

The more interesting aspects of the new Thinkpads are that they have Optane storage. I doubt we'll see this on the 2017 MacBook Pros due to the low capacity. But it may not matter since they are rumored to perform similarly to the current MBP SSD speeds, contrary to Intels claims.
[doublepost=1482942389][/doublepost]
justperry said:
About time to drop VGA, yes, I know, businesses seems to still use them, but really, it should go like the Dodo/flash.
Click to expand...
I agree, but it's a tough process to push new standards. That's the trouble with the USB-C dream future, for individuals it can work, but A LOT of businesses and education facilities will continue to use older standards.
 
  • Like
Reactions: A.Goldberg, Xi Xone and 69Mustang
Janichsan said:
And VGA? Why? Is there really still that great a need for that port?
Click to expand...

For businesses, probably.

Anyway, OWC's looks like a better choice for Mac users. FireWire instead of VGA, card reader, digital audio out, looks better (comes in Space Gray), also coming in Feb. for the same price. The only thing I like better about this one is that it has multiple full-sized Displayports.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Saturn1217, jimthing, Deelron and 2 others
Janichsan said:
The placement of the USB-A ports is pretty strange. Why are they scattered willy-nilly over the backside of the dock like that?

And VGA? Why? Is there really still that great a need for that port?
Click to expand...

on the plus side, if you got a Mac and such an old display / projector to use you have an option to connect those , ..
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mike Oxard
ReneR said:
on the plus side, if you got a Mac and such an old display / projector to use you have an option to connect those , ..
Click to expand...

True, but they (manufacturers) should have stopped including a VGA port on their devices a decade ago, yet we still see some coming out with new stuff that has VGA, WTF.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bobob
DaveOP said:
It's tough. Most businesses (mine included) still have VGA on our tables and workrooms. Visitors bring VGA projectors constantly.
Click to expand...
This 100%. I liken it to the 80/20 rule. 20% of businesses may upgrade to today's equipment and standards but 80% run perfectly fine on legacy equipment. The cost/benefit analysis tends to fall on the side of buying 100 1080p VGA monitors for $60 each instead of buying a lot fewer more expensive monitors.
 
  • Like
Reactions: alvindarkness, CarpalMac, Deelron and 2 others
A lot of businesses still use VGA because a lot of businesses are at least 6 years behind. PC manufacturers aren't willing to cut off old technology like Apple.
 
MrX8503 said:
A lot of businesses still use VGA because a lot of businesses are at least 6 years behind. PC manufacturers aren't willing to cut off old technology like Apple.
Click to expand...

Make that more like >10 years.
It's a crap connector, too bulky-hard to connect and too thick of a cable attached to it, there have been much better options for ages.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: BlueParadox and PublicEnemy
justperry said:
Make that more like >10 years.
It's a crap connector, too bulky-hard to connect and to thick of cable attached to it, there have been much better options for ages.
Click to expand...
Much better, sure, but not much more common. In the business world, the common denominator wins. Virtually everyone that comes in has a way to connect to VGA (or with 1-2 adapters that can be kept at tables). For everyone else, the wireless adapters we have work as well.
 
MrX8503 said:
A lot of businesses still use VGA because a lot of businesses are at least 6 years behind. PC manufacturers aren't willing to cut off old technology like Apple.
Click to expand...

Apple is only making stuff that lasts 3 years, cannot be upgraded, cannot be repaired, and cannot be expanded. A business would be a fool to purchase Apple products. A consumer should also be considered a fool to purchase Apple products, but alas they have more money than sense. But there is hope, consumers will come to understand eventually.
 
  • Like
Reactions: dilbert99
justperry said:
About time to drop VGA, yes, I know, businesses seem to still use them, but really, it should go like the Dodo/flash.
Click to expand...

I keep beating that drum at work (I'm at a university); but it's hard to dump VGA when people keep coming in with only a VGA adapter.

Many people also continue to make their presentation slides 4:3, even though pretty much every laptop has been 16:9 or 16:10 for - what, a decade?

It's hard to break old habits...
 
  • Like
Reactions: A.Goldberg
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back