It's a little odd, though TBF the 'ports' on the side are just the SD/microSD card slots.
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Review: Anker Prime Thunderbolt 5 Dock Pairs Compact Design With 14 Ports
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While the pics make it seem large, it's far from 'massive'... it's got a larger total volume than equivalent docks in the usual low-and-long form factor, but it's got a smaller footprint (compare its 116x116mm with the Sonnet's 220x97). Definitely fits better into my desk setup than the other docks I have.
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Dell, Microsoft, and Lenovo all make Thunderbolt docks, and HP did for a while but discontinued. Belkin, OWC, and CalDigit are all big names in the Thunderbolt dock and accessory market and they're all US companies. CalDigit's products are routinely considered the best you can buy.
Thunderbolt's kind of a niche market compared to significantly less expensive USB-C docks which, while less capable, easily meet the needs of a lot of consumers and businesses. I suspect that's why you see far more limited offerings.
Because they're cheaper to implement (in terms of money & bandwidth/resources/power) than full-featured USB-C, provide the same bandwidth as a minimal USB 3.1-only USB-C port can do and lots of people still use them. The mistake is to think that you'd get more full-featured USB-C ports if the USB A was taken away.
If you need more type C ports then just spend $10 on a 3-pack of USB-A to C converters - whats so bad about using a dongle? (as USB-C evangelists have been telling USB-A users since 2015...)
Seriously, though, there does seem to be a lack of choice of hubs/docks for anybody who does want to go all-USB-C. Closest you'll get is something like the OWC Thunderbolt Dock which only has one USB-A port to offend your eyes - but you still only get 3 downstream TB/USB4 ports because that's all the standard supports. They could have made the extra port USB-C/USB 3-only instead, but I suspect that the arithmetic is that most people have at least one USB-A device that could make use of it.
A lot of them haven't bothered - USB-A actually has an advantage for low-profile wireless dongles and flash sticks because most of the circuitry can be built into the barrel of the plug - where USB-C dongles do exist they protrude almost as much as the USB-A dongle in a C-to-A dongle. I think Logitech tend to make the (questionable) assumption that if you have a USB-C only machine you also have Bluetooth (don't shoot the messenger on that one).
It still boils down to plugging multiple peripherals into a singe port. Although there's a technical distinction between a hub and a dock, the practical distinction is getting blurred: virtually all 'docks' contain a USB 3 hub, USB4/TB4/5 ones usually contain a USB4/TB hub - USB4/TB hubs (like Caldigit Elements) still have USB-A ports and a power brick the size of Manhattan so they can double as laptop chargers...
I'm not sure just how inclusive your thinking is (e.g.: all docks & hubs; just those with built-in power supplies?), but there are big name docks. Go on FaceBook Marketplace and do a Search for 'computer dock,' and I believe you'll see Dell, HP and other 'household name' (at least amongst computer user) computer docks.
There are, and Tagrav mentioned the one I thought of, but you may not see such listed as Thunderbolt docks. I'm gonna relate 2nd hand off memory what I recall reading on this forum, and if you want to find the source, it might be under a discussion on MacRumors about the SONNET Echo 13 Thunderbolt 5 SSD Dock with 2TB, 4TB SSD etc. that Tagrav mentioned.
What I recall is that to use the Thunderbolt 5 name in branding/marketing, the specific SSD is supposed to be tested in a device to prove it meets the required specifications. They can't do that if you buy the dock with an empty NVME slot and put whatever brand and model SSD you like in there. Therefore, a dock with such a slot might be labeled USB-4 v. 2, I think, but in theory not Thunderbolt 5.
This came out in discussions because some people might prefer an empty NVME slot as opposed to having to buy the dock with a built-in SSD.
Oh, one more thing about the internal NVME slot on docks issue (which this Anker device doesn't have). Thunderbolt-based external SSDs produce heat...a matter that's been discussed in other threads, with discussion of passive heat dissipation vs. active fan-based cooling strategies, using heat sinks and/or adhesive heat dissipation pads (ideally creating a solid connection between SSD and housing wall, so use the housing shell as a heat sink), and how some such devices can get fairly hot to the touch. People ask about what temperature the SSD runs at to get alarmed about or act to mitigate, and what that means for longevity.
And that's all in stand-alone external Thunderbolt SSD enclosures.
When you pack one of these things into a dock, with more circuitry operating around it, is that a problem?
And from another post in this thread, someone mentioned the ability of docks to power laptops requires enough power delivery to cause substantial heat. xgman reported 'the CalDigit unit' (which one?) gets 'hot as blazes,' and it doesn't have an internal SSD option.
The SonnetTech Echo 13 Thunderbolt Dock with internal SSD is an option for those who want an SSD inside their dock, unlike the Anker product. But do you want that in light of the heat concerns? Which brings up a couple of questions?
Has anyone used the Echo 13 for awhile and can report on how hot it gets?
Given all the heat-related concerns, would it be impractical for a Thunderbolt dock maker to include both an internal SSD slot (or SSD) and use an internal power supply (to avoid an external power brick)?
And that's all in stand-alone external Thunderbolt SSD enclosures.
When you pack one of these things into a dock, with more circuitry operating around it, is that a problem?
And from another post in this thread, someone mentioned the ability of docks to power laptops requires enough power delivery to cause substantial heat. xgman reported 'the CalDigit unit' (which one?) gets 'hot as blazes,' and it doesn't have an internal SSD option.
The SonnetTech Echo 13 Thunderbolt Dock with internal SSD is an option for those who want an SSD inside their dock, unlike the Anker product. But do you want that in light of the heat concerns? Which brings up a couple of questions?
Has anyone used the Echo 13 for awhile and can report on how hot it gets?
Given all the heat-related concerns, would it be impractical for a Thunderbolt dock maker to include both an internal SSD slot (or SSD) and use an internal power supply (to avoid an external power brick)?
I have a Dell thunderbolt dock at office desk, and it works with my MacBook. I only use it with my work-provided laptop, though.
Sorry! I genuinely forgot to include the side view. I'm reviewing this one alongside another dock and I when I was doing my photos, I spaced out on the side ports. I'm adding images of both sides to the review now. Thanks for the call out
I don't have the TS5, but I am reviewing the TS5 Plus. Should be up tomorrow. Anker Prime and TS5 are pretty similar. Less power to the front ports on TS5 (20W + 7.5W for TS5), UHS-II SD card slot so faster speeds there. TS5 wouldn't be as tall, has a power brick, and would run hotter with no active cooling. TS5 has one more TB5 port, no DisplayPort.
for sure everyone has a different set up so different form factors are going to work better. in my situation the echo fits neatly on the base of one of my speaker stands with room for an nvme enclosure on top
no way I could fit one of these on my desk
Imagine NOT getting that dock and having to connect ALL your cables to your laptop every time you bring it back to your desk. More ports on the laptop is good but only to a point. When away from your desk most people have very few things on hand to plug into a port. The MacBook pro adds an HDMI port for those times a person might want to show a slide show such as when visiting a customer site. Most other uses when away from a desk can (these days) be handled by a USB-C port.
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The problem is that it makes sense to focus on USB-C for any new purchases, as that standard is firmly entrenched now with no future changes/replacements on the horizon. There is no technical advantage to USB-A. The only issue is preexisting old devices, and for that we have the $ 1.00 solution:
:These cheap adapters are why I don't miss my laptop having USB-A. But a dock is different. The same logic that these adapters is cheap means it's cheap and easy to have such USB-A ports on the dock and most docks certainly have room for them. But yes, I do want to see docks with an increasing ratio of C to A USB ports but keeping at least two A ports for several more years.
Not "insane". Anker sells a 8-in-1, 240W Charging Station for $ 150 (I'm assuming this TB5 Docking Station charges attached devices even without a Mac). Add your $ 100 dock = $ 250. Add the latest Thunderbolt 5, and add fan-cooling without a power brick, for $ 400, and after on-sale pricing of $ 3xx it looks like a deal to me.
But why not just have usb-a ports on the dock instead of having to buy cheap junk like that
Please show us the $100 dock that does all of the same things
That would sell like hotcakes!
As I’ve said above this one isn’t for me because I dislike the form factor of jamming the power supply up in to a big box on my desk, but it seems reasonably priced in relation to the market
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USB-A and USB-C coexist; people expecting USB-C to completely supplant USB-A anytime in the next several years (like the likely life expectancy of one of these docks?) indulge in a fantasy. An argument can be made for more USB-C and fewer USB-A, but for what these things cost, nobody wants to have to buy adapters and converting cables to use their peripherals.
On the 'future changes' end of things, there are already a number of different versions and issues with these things so there's already confusion. Consider...
1.) Not all USB-C ports can handle 10 Gbps data transfer rates.
2.) Not all USB-C cables are rated for the same data transfer rates or charging capacities.
3.) Some USB-C ports are for Thunderbolt, which further breaks into varied standards (3, 4 and 5), and each requiring a Thunderbolt cable to enable full functionality.
4.) A dock's USB-C ports may not support USB DisplayPort Alt Mode for video out, an issue I ran into with a dock hooked to my Mac, and a display hooked to my daughter's Windows PC.
Untrue. As another post noted, with USB-A some circuitry can be put inside the portion that goes in the port, so USB-A wifi receivers and some thumb drives fit almost flush, with barely a 'button' protrusion, which not only looks better but is less vulnerable to getting bent and broken when a notebook is moved around, etc... For mouse and keyboard wireless receivers and some USB thumb drives, USB-A is superior.
That same solution can let you use your USB-C peripherals with USB-A ports on a dock!
Yeah, I prefer the power brick for my Caldigit dock because I can hide the brick and the dock is smaller fitting nicely under my monitor. Not a big deal though.
Is no one actually reading the review? Or did you stop at the specs? The thing has an actual fan built in as opposed to just trying to use general thermodynamics ( heat dissipation) for cooling.