I don't get this. Why do so many people hate docks? For me this is the best solution available. Come home, plug in just ONE cable and everything is connected to your Mac. At the moment every time I come home I have to plug in the charger, two thunderbolt cables, one USB cable and finally my headphones. Really annoying.
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OWC Debuts $279 Thunderbolt 3 Dock With 13 Ports
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FYI, the new 13 MBP i've been testing has NOT ONCE exhibited the same symptoms the 2016 rMB connected to the same display it happened daily on.
Only missing Compact Flash but other than that, this thing is perfect. It has everything I need.
I have been using the TB2 version of this since shortly after it was available. I wanted something like the Thunderbolt Display that didn't tie me to the display. It works wonderfully.
I also have an Elgato dock that's nice too, and cheaper.
Looks like the layout of the TB3 version is better and the combination audio port is a BIG improvement. Would have liked eSATA over FireWire this time around but it's a small thing.
I have 3 Mac users at my house, all with Thunderbolt 2. It's really, really convenient for anyone to use a workstation as necessary.
I also have an Elgato dock that's nice too, and cheaper.
Looks like the layout of the TB3 version is better and the combination audio port is a BIG improvement. Would have liked eSATA over FireWire this time around but it's a small thing.
I have 3 Mac users at my house, all with Thunderbolt 2. It's really, really convenient for anyone to use a workstation as necessary.
Better to give your money to owc than Apple.
Edit: I have a feeling that Microsoft or any competitors will make an ad about this "why buy dongles when it's included with this computer?"
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Your avatar made me read this comment in an upbeat Mickey Mouse voice, which made it twice as funny for some reason, lol.
HDMI is one of the least flexible video ports because it is difficult to convert it into anything else. The two Thunderbolt ports and the mini displayport on this dock can all output to HDMI with a simple cable.
So all USB-C ports are obviously not TB3 ports, but is the reverse true? All TB3 ports can take USB-C devices? Or no?
I'm mainly wondering as this thing only has 1 display out, but I have a USB-C compatible monitor already, so i'm wondering if I can plug into this dock, and plug my USB-C monitor cable into one of the TB3 ports on this dock.
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I'm mainly wondering as this thing only has 1 display out, but I have a USB-C compatible monitor already, so i'm wondering if I can plug into this dock, and plug my USB-C monitor cable into one of the TB3 ports on this dock.
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Yes
Caveat Emptor: As of November -- just learned. From Plugable:
"Apple has chosen to prevent Thunderbolt 3 devices using currently available controller chips from Texas Instruments from enumerating and functioning on the 2016 MacBook Pros. All current Thunderbolt 3 peripherals which use this controller chip are incompatible with the new 2016 Thunderbolt 3 MacBooks (To our knowledge, this includes all currently available Thunderbolt 3 devices including our TBT3-DP2X and TBT3-HDMI2X graphics adapters. Our Thunderbolt 3 cables do not require this chip, and therefore are compatible.)
Because of this, we’ve made the difficult decision to postpone our TBT3-UD1 Docking Station as we evaluate what is necessary to make this docking station MacBook-compatible. Our Flagship TBT3-UDV dock with Power Delivery/Charging is using the next generation controller chip from TI, and will be compatible with the 2016 Thunderbolt 3 MacBooks."
Just watch your back.Because of this, we’ve made the difficult decision to postpone our TBT3-UD1 Docking Station as we evaluate what is necessary to make this docking station MacBook-compatible. Our Flagship TBT3-UDV dock with Power Delivery/Charging is using the next generation controller chip from TI, and will be compatible with the 2016 Thunderbolt 3 MacBooks."
If you only need to work at a fixed location, you don't really need a laptop anyway.
If you're really a mobile worker, having to use this sort of thing is a significant annoyance.
Uh, you seriously are having trouble imagining a workflow where you move regularly from a desk to mobile??
When you are mobile very very few users will ever need anything this extensive. The pocket sized hubs will suffice for 99% of people on the go.
Keeps me from having to spend 5 minutes plugging everything in every time I get to my desk and dong the same every time I leave my desk.
Plugging a single cord into my computer and having power, monitors, hard drives, and numerous other peripherals connected in one shot is awesome.
Are you honestly saying you like taking the time to plug in and un-plug each and every single device you use?
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They don't currently via DisplayPort. They do via Thunderbolt but you'd have to have a true Thunderbolt monitor.
Why? Seems like exactly the opposite is true. I hook up and my desk where I need to be connected to a ton of stuff and in the road have a thinner, lighter laptop. My desktop machine, which will be sitting at a desk, should require a ton of dongles and adapters to hook up to the stuff traditionally at a desk because it's basically guaranteed to be there.
How many peripherals do you use without a desk? A monitor? A mouse? A keyboard? An external drive? A sound system?
The only current inconvenience I see is dealing with flash drives, something I do so rarely that it's just not worth getting worked up over.
Expensive but seriously, Apple should have offered something like this right from the start at a lower price.
I have a FireWire CF card reader and a FireWire external drive plugged into my iMac.
I would need 2 thunderbolt ports on mine for extra monitors.
Other issue is I would need 2 of these for my office, and home office.
I can't get by the frustration of needing something like this for a laptop. I know Apple drive the industry forward, but this is a pretty expensive adaption to the new tech.
Other issue is I would need 2 of these for my office, and home office.
I can't get by the frustration of needing something like this for a laptop. I know Apple drive the industry forward, but this is a pretty expensive adaption to the new tech.
You don't need this for a laptop. You can continue to connect your devices one by one each time you move from home to work. This is for convenience, like docks have been forever in the PC world.