Thunderbolt has been a bit of a major step forward, a lovely technological innovation that makes one connection potentially hugely powerful. It first launched with Mini DisplayPort connectors, but it thankfully now uses USB-C and is, essentially, a super-speed version of it.
Thunderbolt 3 and 4 are part of newer USB standards, but many of us don't have brand-new ports, like those on recent MacBooks. If you don't have Thunderbolt on your computer but you do have USB-C, why not check out our guide to the best USB-C docks?
Thunderbolt's benefit is the amount of data it can throughput - up to 40Gbps with the right cables. So it's the best technology if you're often transferring large files onto a compatible Thunderbolt drive. The docks here are all Thunderbolt 4 or 3 compatible but they also have the key benefit of USB-C - you can connect up display, power and data to your laptop via a single cable.
All of these docks are designed for on-desk use. If you need a more portable hub, check our guide to USB-C hubs.
Best Thunderbolt docks: Our top choices
Corsair TBT200 Thunderbolt 4 Dock
Great performance
Corsair's dock has a huge four Thunderbolt 4 ports, which makes it really future-proof and handy.
- Supports dual displays
- Gigabit ethernet
- Convenient power button
- Expensive
Corsair's TBT200 Thunderbolt 4 dock has a definite advantage over rivals in that it's nicely sleek and can sit neatly under a display without drawing attention to itself.
It also offers plenty of connectivity options on its svelte frame with two USB-C ports, two USB-A, two HDMI and a 3.5mm combo headphone jack. There's also an SD card reader, too, in addition to a Gigabit Ethernet port.
Indeed, the only disadvantage of the TB2100 is that there's no USB-A on the front for connecting a USB stick or similar quickly and easily.
Satechi Thunderbolt 4 Multimedia Pro Dock
Pro-level
A great dock that has some seriously impressive specs and ports to spare, more than enough to power a professional workspace.
- Plenty of ports
- HDMI 2.1
- Sturdy and well-made
- Expensive
This dock from Satechi is absolutely super-powered and consequently expensive. It's Thunderbolt 4, as you'd hope, with a wide array of ports: two HDMI 2.1, two DisplayPorts, six USB-A, one USB 3.2, Ethernet, SD and microSD cards. That means it can be at the heart of a serious workstation.
Those HDMI 2.1 ports are key, too, future-proofing it with the latest in HDMI technology, and it's all in an attractive (chunky) package that comes with a vertical stand for a different orientation.
Belkin Connect Pro Thunderbolt 4 Dock
Good legacy support
A great dock from Belkin, this has all the ports you're likely to need smartly laid out.
- Lots of USB-A ports
- Dual-display
- 90W power output
- Still pricy
The Belkin dock is the best if you have stacks of legacy USB-A gear that you need to connect to your Thunderbolt Mac or PC.
That's because this fairly compact dock not only has four USB-A ports on the rear but also one on the front in addition to an SD card slot and headphone jack. It also supports 90W upstream charging.
With dual-display support and a host of connections, this is another great option for those who want Thunderbolt 4 to be sure their dock lasts years.
Elgato Thunderbolt 3 Pro
USB-C connections aplenty
This dock is brilliant for those with plenty of USB-C connections to use, although a lack of HDMI does mean it won't be ideal for older hardware.
- Good connectivity options
- Front-facing audio
- Micro and full sized SD card readers
- No HDMI ports
This dock - from Corsair brand Elgato - is great if you have several devices that use the USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 connector - there are 2 x standard USB-C ports on the rear as well as dual Thunderbolt 3 ones, meaning there are plenty of options for newer devices.
Dual USB-A on the front joins SD/micro SD card, Gigabit Ethernet and DisplayPort connectivity, too.
Anker PowerExpand 5-in-1 Thunderbolt 4 Mini Dock
Powerful portability
No other dock comes close to this in terms of portability - it's a brilliant option for those with power-working stations that move around a lot.
- Compact and portable option
- Thunderbolt 4 support
- Lots of Thunderbolt ports
- No card reader
This model takes a powerful approach to portability. It's a serious choice for pro users and while the dock itself is lightweight, you'll need to plug it into power.
It boasts an 85W Thunderbolt 4 upstream port (which plugs into your laptop), 3 Thunderbolt 4 downstream ports, and 1 USB-A port. It'll support a single 8K display or dual 4K ones, too.
Dell Thunderbolt Dock WD22TB4
Many options
Dell has a great dock here, with more ports than you're likely to need.
- Loads of ports
- Decent price
- Plenty of power
- A bit ugly
Dell's reputation might be a little dry, but it knows PC peripherals inside out, and this dock is a really impressive one that comes in at a very solid price given how much it offers.
There are plenty of ports, a plethora in fact, along with the rare combination of both HDMI and DisplayPort, which means this could work with multiple machines if your hardware ever changes.
The bottom line: What is the best Thunderbolt dock overall?
Thunderbolt docks are a little hard to tell apart - they all do very similar things, and they don't look drastically different to each other, frankly, but there are plenty of key features that you should watch out for. Running our eye over all the options out there right now, we think that Corsair's dock is the one that should excel most in the widest range of setups, so it takes our top spot.
Corsair TBT200 Thunderbolt 4 Dock
Corsair takes our top recommendation thanks to a range of massively powerful ports that should be enough for almost any setup.
How I chose the best Thunderbolt docks
Thunderbolt docks come in a few shapes and sizes, but their objectives are all largely the same - letting you extend the usefulness of your computer (be it a Mac or a PC) with extra connections that you don't have to dive under a desk to find.
Weeding out bad docks is somewhat complex, as it's all in the specs - especially now that Thunderbolt 4 docks are becoming more common, so pricing is a pretty major variable when judging them, as seriously expensive options crop up frequently.
However, the single most important criterion is the array of ports that each dock brings to the table - one super-fast port doesn't make a dock, so they need to have a useful selection to pass muster.
What devices are you trying to connect?
If you're planning to buy a Thunderbolt dock, it's a safe assumption that you're looking to hook devices up to your computer - but what devices? If it's mainly monitors that you'll be using, be sure that you have the right connections before picking a dock, and if it's USB peripherals the same applies.
You don't want to buy a potentially pricy dock and then discover that one of your key devices can't connect through it.
Do you need a card reader?
One of the potentially more niche connections that some docks have started to drop is the old-fashioned SD card reader - and for anyone who works with cameras or imagery that could be a big issue.
If you use SD cards a lot, be sure to double-check which docks still have readers.
What's your budget?
Thunderbolt docks can get ferociously expensive, but as productivity options they can still be worth their weight in gold. However, as with any purchasing decision it's worth knowing what you can afford before you start being won over by specs lists and features.