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Which thunderbolt dock to buy?

I ordered:

"Satechi Aluminum Multi-Port Adapter V2-4K HDMI (30Hz), Gigabit Ethernet, USB-C Pass-Through, SD/Micro Card Readers, USB 3.0 Ports for 2016/2017/2018 MacBook Pro, 2015/2016/2017 MacBook"

It got a lot of great reviews and I like the portable size & inclusion of an ethernet port.
 
I know that people don't care for the Belkin one, and complain its too expensive (though Amazon has it on sale for $230). But I found it reliable and it supports the full 80+ watts of power the 15 inch Macbook needs.
 
I tried the Caldigit TS3 (original, not the Plus) based upon the fact that it offered more ports at the time than any other TB3 dock. I had issues using my particular 4k monitor with the DisplayPort > DisplayPort (I have an LG UD69P-W 27" 4k). Several others on the web also seemed to have problems with other 4k monitors using this dock. The only solution was to use a TB3 port, which was not an option given my setup. I tried multiple cables, different solutions, and had no luck. I returned it.

I then tried the Elgato TB3 dock, which was very similar only didn't offer eSATA (which I never use), and was able to get the DisplayPort to work as expected. I've used the dock everyday at work for months now and literally do not have any issues. Maybe once or twice a day my monitor flickers for 1-2 seconds, but that's literally the only 'issue' I've had. I really, really love the setup. I have my 4k monitor along with another vertical 24" monitor hooked up via the dock.

These issues may have been fixed with the CalDigit TS3+, which offers even more ports/options than the original, and your success with a 4k monitor will really be dependent on the particular model of monitor you have, oddly enough. I think the Elgato TB3 dock & CalDigit TS3+ are really the options you should be considering. Especially if you have a 15 inch MBP, you want to ensure you'll get the 85W charging capacity versus the 60W which a lot of other models offer (i.e. OWC).
 
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Trey M said:
I tried the Caldigit TS3 (original, not the Plus) based upon the fact that it offered more ports at the time than any other TB3 dock. I had issues using my particular 4k monitor with the DisplayPort > DisplayPort (I have an LG UD69P-W 27" 4k). Several others on the web also seemed to have problems with other 4k monitors using this dock. The only solution was to use a TB3 port, which was not an option given my setup. I tried multiple cables, different solutions, and had no luck. I returned it.

I then tried the Elgato TB3 dock, which was very similar only didn't offer eSATA (which I never use), and was able to get the DisplayPort to work as expected. I've used the dock everyday at work for months now and literally do not have any issues. Maybe once or twice a day my monitor flickers for 1-2 seconds, but that's literally the only 'issue' I've had. I really, really love the setup. I have my 4k monitor along with another vertical 24" monitor hooked up via the dock.

These issues may have been fixed with the CalDigit TS3+, which offers even more ports/options than the original, and your success with a 4k monitor will really be dependent on the particular model of monitor you have, oddly enough. I think the Elgato TB3 dock & CalDigit TS3+ are really the options you should be considering. Especially if you have a 15 inch MBP, you want to ensure you'll get the 85W charging capacity versus the 60W which a lot of other models offer (i.e. OWC).
Click to expand...

Now that I know these can charge the Macbook pro, I may actually get one instead of an extra macbook charger I was going to pick up for my office. Pretty great functionality!
 
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