3 Best Thun­der­bolt 4 Docks for Win­dows Laptops

CalDigit’s Element Hub is about Thunderbolt ports. This docking station includes multiple Thunderbolt and USB 3.2 ports. One of the Thunderbolt 4 ports can also be used as a power outlet, providing up to 60W of power. The best thing about this spring is that although the force under the hood is very compact, it takes up very little space.

In addition, it has a smart structure. Thunderbolt and USB ports are located on both sides of the docking station for easy connection of monitors or peripherals. At the same time, the rubber feet ensure that the spring does not slip even when all ports are used. Interestingly, even if the laptop is not plugged into a power source, the docking station can provide power to connected peripherals.

In terms of performance, this CalDigit foundation does a pretty good job. The staff at Windows Central tested this laptop docking station by plugging it into a 4K monitor and a series of peripherals such as a mouse and external SSD, and it worked flawlessly without sweating. For the record, Thunderbolt 4 can easily support a single 4K display. One connection can support two 4K displays.

It has its flaws. For example, even if the docking station has a compact form factor, the adapter will take up considerable space. It only includes Thunderbolt and USB ports, and does not include other connectors such as Ethernet and HDMI ports. The latter means that you already need a Thunderbolt-compatible monitor to connect.

Anker Apex solves one of the main limitations of the CalDigit docking station mentioned above. In addition to the Thunderbolt 4 port, it also includes USBA, HDMI, and an Ethernet port. These allow you to connect as many peripherals as you need, be it a simple wired keyboard or an SD card reader. However, despite having a dozen ports, Apex is very slim and may not take up much space on your desk.

Anker Apex looks very elegant. It has grooves on the sides to give it the appearance of a toy suitcase. It is not a joke!

The docking station has all 12 cleverly placed ports for easy cable connection or removal. Yes, it is very light, it only weighs about 1 pound.

Compared to the previous CalDigit docking station, you can get a higher output power of 90W, giving you enough power to run a compatible laptop. Also, you can use the Thunderbolt port to transfer data.

Interestingly, a 120 W adapter powers this laptop docking station. It can charge normally and keep all connected peripherals working normally without failure or delay. In addition, even if you fill up all the ports, you will not see the base getting hot or seeing the mouse slowly moving on the screen.

Kensington SD5700T is more expensive than previous springs, but it achieves incredible performance. This laptop docking station has many ports and a convenient Kensington lock on the side. Like the previous similar products, it occupies a smaller space and is lighter in weight.

As mentioned above, this docking station can work elegantly with performance by connecting to an external monitor or transferring data. SD5700T also includes a UHSII card reader, which provides convenience for the latter.

More importantly, a large number of ports means you can connect a variety of new and old devices. Employees at Laptop Mag connected Corsair keyboards, HyperX wireless headphones, and Razer Naga Pro mice via the docking station, all of which worked smoothly and without delay.

It is not without its problems. For example, there is no HDMI or DisplayPort connector. This means you need a USBC or Thunderbolt monitor to connect your laptop to the old monitor.