Amazon.com: Kensington SD5000T5 Thunderbolt 5 Docking Station – Dual Display for MacBooks M1/M2/M3/M4 Pro and Max; Triple Display for Windows TB5; TB4 Compatible, 140W Power Delivery (K35201NA) : Elec...

## At-a-glance ### Top Black Friday Thunderbolt dock picks: * **Best** **overall:** Ugreen Thunderbolt 4 Dock 8-in-1, $161.48. The best mix of price and features at the moment. * **Best Thunderbolt 4 dock deal** : Ugreen Thunderbolt 4 Dock 8-in-1, $161.48. Ugreen’s hardware scores well in our reviews. * **Best Thunderbolt 5 dock deal:** Kensington SD5000T5, $229.00. Price has increased, but I’d still give this dock the edge. Black Friday deals on laptop docking stations and Thunderbolt docks are here, and I’m on the hunt for the best docking station sales for the 2025 holiday season. Welcome to Black Friday, which will continue on to Cyber Monday. I’ve tracked the best laptop docking-station sales for the past several years. For 2025, I’d expect to see predominantly Thunderbolt 4 and USB4 (the generic equivalent) docks to be on sale this holiday season, since Thunderbolt 5 docks are generally aligned with gaming PCs. I’ve listed each dock deal below, together with an explanation of why I picked them. Although I check multiple retailers and e-tailers, the vast majority of the top deals in years past have been on Amazon. Feel free to review the deals below, or else review my list of the best Thunderbolt docks and check to see how those prices have been affected for Black Friday sales. I’ve attached a FAQ at the end of this page with additional buying advice. ## How I chose these deals I’ve authored and our list of the best Thunderbolt docks for several years now, personally testing many docks myself. My colleagues at Macworld have done the same. I use my own knowledge of what the MSRP should be for each dock, the quality of the brand and the dock (especially if we’ve tested it or a related dock) as well as its capabilities as guidance for my recommended deals. This year, I made the decision this year to phase out older Thunderbolt 3 docks, as the functionally equivalent Thunderbolt 4 docking stations provide a better experience. __**Updated November 29, 2025** **to reflect the latest deals and prices.**__ ## Best Black Friday Thunderbolt dock deals * Ugreen Thunderbolt 4 Dock 8-in-1, Thunderbolt 4, 85W charging, **$161.48 (35% off at Amazon)** * Kensington SD5000T5, Thunderbolt 5, 140W charging, **$229.00 (41% off at Amazon)** * CalDigit E5, Thunderbolt 5, 90W charging, **$199.99 (29% off at Amazon)** * OWC Thunderbolt Go Dock, Thunderbolt 4, 90W charging,**$179.99 (28% off at Amazon)** * CalDigit TS4 Thunderbolt 4 Dock, Thunderbolt 4, 98W charging, **$303.99 (32% off at Amazon)** * Kensington SD5750T, Thunderbolt 4, 90W charging, **$171.81 (41% off at Amazon)** * Plugable Dual DisplayPort & HDMI Docking Station, DisplayLink, **$103.96 (26% off at Amazon)** * OWC Thunderbolt Hub, Thunderbolt 4, 60W charging, **$82 (36% off at Amazon)** * Anker 778 Thunderbolt 12-in-1 dock, Thunderbolt 4, 100W charging, **$223.99 w/$46 coupon (17% off at Amazon)** * Anker Prime TB5 Thunderbolt 5 14-in-1 dock, Thunderbolt 5, 140W charging, **$319.99 (20% off at Amazon)** I think the Ugreen Thunderbolt 4 dock offers the best deal. Our sister site TechAdvisor reviewed the Ugreen 8-in-1 dock we recommend, and assigned it four out of five stars. I reviewed the slightly larger Ugreen Revodok Max 213 myself. I’ll let those reviews speak for what Ugreen’s docks do well. (The 8-in-1 dock was priced at a hair less, or $160, for Amazon’s Prime Day.) Price matters, and Amazon and Kensington raised the price of the SD5000T5 partway though Black Friday. Do that, and your ranking in our deals roundup will fall. Otherwise, Kensington’s SD5000T5 suffered a bit as the first Thunderbolt 5 dock I looked at, and you’re still saving close to $200 alone on this excellent deal. Note that this dock supports up to three displays via three Thunderbolt 4 ports, with legacy USB-A ports for keyboards and mice. I’d recommend using one of those high-speed TB4 ports as an interface for an external SSD, personally. The other Thunderbolt 5 deal, the CalDigit E5, is a bit more geared toward Mac users but Windows laptop owners will find value there as well. CalDigit’s TS4 is also pretty pricy, but it earned top marks from our sister site, TechAdvisor. This is usually one of those docks everyone wants to buy, and it’s on a decent sale. If you’re considering other docks on this deals list, here’s a bit more context for those. I’ve reviewed OWC’s Thunderbolt Go dock, and it earned four out of five stars. It’s $100 off MSRP. OWC’s Thunderbolt 4 dock also performed quite well in TA’s review, too. I also reviewed the Anker 778 and loved it — my only criticism was that it was overpriced. Grab this holiday sale and make sure you click the coupon box! A DisplayLink dock or USB-C hub are other alternatives, working equally well with Thunderbolt ports or older laptops with a generic USB-C port instead. One, listed above, is Plugable’s DisplayLink docking station which works on a generic USB-C port but does require a software driver. The other is Anker’s Anker Prime Docking Station is 40% off or $161.49 on Amazon, but that’s a USB-C docking station that uses a 10Gbps connection. ### Don’t forget accessories! More and more docking stations are choosing to provide Thunderbolt outputs, rather than specific display ports. What this means is that you’ll need to know something about the displays you’re plugging them into. If you own a monitor with a USB-C input, you’ll probably just need a basic USB-C cable to connect to it. If your display has an HDMI or DisplayLink input, you’ll need a cable that with a USB-C (Thunderbolt) connection on one end, and either a DisplayPort or HDMI connection at the other. (Check your monitor to be sure.) DisplayPort is slightly preferred here, but it honestly shouldn’t matter. Match the _speed_ of your cable to the type of dock that you have, however. I’ve listed what you’ll want to buy, below. * USB-C to HDMI (Thunderbolt 5): Ugreen 6.6-foot cable, **$18.99** **on Amazon** * USB-C to HDMI (Thunderbolt 4): Uni 6-foot cable, **$9.49 on Amazon** * USB-C to DisplayPort (Thunderbolt 5): Cable Matters 6.6-foot cable, **$19.99 on Amazon** * USB-C to DisplayPort (Thunderbolt 4): Acer 6.6-foot cable, **$9.99 on Amazon** Ignore any nonsense about Macbook-only cables; these will work just fine on Windows PCs. ## Black Friday: The best PC deals around Check out our roundups for the best PC-related deals in a wide variety of categories! * LIVE real-time Black Friday deals, picked by PCWorld’s experts * Best Amazon Black Friday tech deals * Best Buy’s best Black Friday tech deals * Best Black Friday laptop deals * Best Black Friday Chromebook deals * Best Black Friday mini PC deals * Best Black Friday desktop computer deals * Best Black Friday monitor deals * Best Black Friday USB flash drive deals * Best Black Friday SSD and storage deals * Best Black Friday power bank deals * Best Black Friday office chair and desk deals * Best Black Friday VPN deals ## FAQ * * * 1. ### When is Black Friday and Cyber Monday? Officially, this year’s Black Friday takes place on Friday, Nov. 28, 2025. Cyber Monday is the following Monday, or Dec. 1, 2025. Amazon’s Black Week kicks off Nov. 20. 2. ### What should you pay for a Black Friday or Cyber Monday deal on a Thunderbolt dock? Premium Thunderbolt docks usually retail for about $220 to $270 or so, depending upon the features. I usually hope for $200 or less, but we’ll see. Though Thunderbolt 3 and Thunderbolt 4 (and USB3 and USB4) docks all include the same basic feature set, it’s likely that retailers and e-tailers have sold through their old Thunderbolt 3 hardware. (If this confuses you, please see our list of the best Thunderbolt docks and the explanation for the different features.) This probably leaves Thunderbolt 4 / USB4 as the default choice. I recommend one or two deals on Thunderbolt 5 docking stations, but Thunderbolt 5 is a premium platform with little need for you to buy it right now unless you want to future-proof your setup. (Ironically, some of the TB5 dock deals are better than I expected, making this a viable strategy!) Still, based on my reporting, none of the 2026 mobile processor platforms will integrate Thunderbolt 5 directly. That makes Thunderbolt 4 the preferred choice. 3. ### When do Black Friday deals on Thunderbolt docks begin? Black Friday begun weeks early at several stores. Retailers haven’t been shy about using early sales to unload inventory before the Black Friday craziness begins. Over the years, I’ve found that certain retailers simply outdo others in specific product categories. I routinely search sites like Newegg, B&H, Target, and Walmart, but Amazon typically has the best collection of deals on docking stations of all stripes, including Thunderbolt docks. 4. ### I have a USB-C port on my laptop. How do I know what to use with it? Consult your laptop’s manual. A Thunderbolt port _may_ be labeled with a small lightning-bolt logo, but that icon can sometimes be used to signal that the port can be used for charging, too. If nothing else, a USB-C dongle/hub will always work with a USB-C port. 5. ### I still don’t understand the difference between USB-C and Thunderbolt. How does it all work? USB ports have been around for years. USB-C (the oval-shaped port) replaced USB-A (the rectangular port) because USB-C was more versatile, with higher speeds and a reversible port connector. USB-C ports can be rated for either 5Gbps or 10Gbps, just like a normal USB-A port. But some USB-C ports connect to a Thunderbolt chip inside your laptop, and this allows the port to run at a higher 40Gbps speed. Physically, the connector looks exactly the same. It’s just what it can do that’s different. Thunderbolt 5 is slowly entering the market, but with only one or two docks and a tiny number of laptops right now. I thought you wouldn’t see any major sales on Thunderbolt 5 docks this holiday season, but I’ve been since proven wrong! 6. ### What’s the difference between a USB-C hub and a Thunderbolt dock? Speed and features. A USB-C hub connects to a single 4K (or 1080p) display and provides a mix of ports: USB-A, SD card slots, and so on. You can usually plug your laptop’s USB-C power cable (if it uses one) right into it. A Thunderbolt dock supplies even more bandwidth for more ports. There are two key differences: It has enough bandwidth to drive a pair of 4K displays, and many docks come with their own power supply that can charge your laptop as well as your phone. All that occurs via the Thunderbolt cable that connects your laptop to the dock. 7. ### My laptop has USB 4, not Thunderbolt. Can I use a Thunderbolt dock? Yes and no. Thunderbolt 3, Thunderbolt 4, and USB 4 all run at 40Gbps across the same connector. USB 4 is identical to Thunderbolt 4. But if your laptop runs USB 4, it won’t “understand” Thunderbolt 3 protocols. USB 4 laptops, which are still rare, have AMD Ryzen chips inside. 8. ### Is Thunderbolt 4 better than Thunderbolt 3? Physically, they use the same USB-C cable. Functionally, they’re _almost_ the same, and run at the same 40Gbps throughput. Thunderbolt 4 was released almost as a patch to Thunderbolt 3, ensuring that everything worked properly. If your laptop has Thunderbolt, you should be able to buy either a Thunderbolt 3 or Thunderbolt 4 dock without any problems. Since Thunderbolt 3 is being phased out, you’ll probably find more discounts on the older Thunderbolt 3 hardware. (For all the gory details, see my roundup of the best Thunderbolt docks.) 9. ### I own a desktop PC. Do I need a Thunderbolt dock? Possibly. Historically, the back of a desktop has been chock-full of I/O ports, especially DIY models that you build yourself. Desktops usually have extra room for internal SSDs, SD cards, and so on. However, if your desktop lacks these things, and if it includes an external Thunderbolt port, you can always add these additional components externally via Thunderbolt.

## At-a-glance ### Top Black Friday Thunderbolt dock picks: * **Best** **overall:** Kensington SD5000T5, $195.90. The latest Thunderbolt 5 hardware at $200 off! * **Best Thunderbolt 4 dock deal** : Ugreen Thunderbolt 4 Dock 8-in-1, $161.48. Ugreen’s hardware scores well in our reviews. Black Friday deals on laptop docking stations and Thunderbolt docks have begun, and I’m on the hunt for the best docking station sales for the 2025 holiday season. Welcome to Black Week, the period leading up to Black Friday and Cyber Monday. I’ve tracked the best laptop docking-station sales for the past several years. For 2025, I’d expect to see predominantly Thunderbolt 4 and USB4 (the generic equivalent) docks to be on sale this holiday season, since Thunderbolt 5 docks are generally aligned with gaming PCs. I’ve listed each dock deal below, together with an explanation of why I picked them. Although I check multiple retailers and e-tailers, the vast majority of the top deals in years past have been on Amazon. Feel free to review the deals below, or else review my list of the best Thunderbolt docks and check to see how those prices have been affected for Black Friday sales. I’ve attached a FAQ at the end of this page with additional buying advice. ## How I chose these deals I’ve authored and our list of the best Thunderbolt docks for several years now, personally testing many docks myself. My colleagues at Macworld have done the same. I use my own knowledge of what the MSRP should be for each dock, the quality of the brand and the dock (especially if we’ve tested it or a related dock) as well as its capabilities as guidance for my recommended deals. This year, I made the decision this year to phase out older Thunderbolt 3 docks, as the functionally equivalent Thunderbolt 4 docking stations provide a better experience. _Updated on Nov. 27 at 12:15 AM._ ## Best Black Friday Thunderbolt dock deals * Kensington SD5000T5, Thunderbolt 5, 140W charging, **$195.90 (50% off at Amazon)** * Ugreen Thunderbolt 4 Dock 8-in-1, Thunderbolt 4, 85W charging, **$161.48 (35% off at Amazon)** * CalDigit E5, Thunderbolt 5, 90W charging, **$199.99 (29% off at Amazon)** * OWC Thunderbolt Go Dock, Thunderbolt 4, 90W charging,**$179.99 (28% off at Amazon)** * CalDigit TS4 Thunderbolt 4 Dock, Thunderbolt 4, 98W charging, **$303.99 (32% off at Amazon)** * OWC Thunderbolt Hub, Thunderbolt 4, 60W charging, **$82 (36% off at Amazon)** * Plugable Dual DisplayPort & HDMI Docking Station, DisplayLink, **$103.96 (26% off at Amazon)** * Anker 778 Thunderbolt 12-in-1 dock, Thunderbolt 4, 100W charging, **$223.99 (17% off at Amazon)** Normally, I wouldn’t think of putting “Thunderbolt 5” and “deal” in the same sentence. But Kensington’s SD5000T5 is a really solid deal for any dock right now, especially if you’re looking to future-proof your desktop. In my experience, Kensington’s SD5000T5 suffered a bit as the first Thunderbolt 5 dock I looked at, though you’re saving $200 alone on this fantastic deal. Note that this dock supports up to three displays via three Thunderbolt 4 ports, with legacy USB-A ports for keyboards and mice. I’d recommend using one of those high-speed TB4 ports as an interface for an external SSD, personally. The other Thunderbolt 5 deal, the CalDigit E5, is a bit more geared toward Mac users but Windows laptop owners will find value there as well. CalDigit’s TS4 is also pretty pricy, but it earned top marks from our sister site, TechAdvisor. This is usually one of those docks everyone wants to buy, and it’s on a decent sale. Otherwise, I think the Ugreen Thunderbolt 4 dock offers the best deal. Our sister site TechAdvisor reviewed the Ugreen 8-in-1 dock we recommend, and assigned it four out of five stars. I reviewed the slightly larger Ugreen Revodok Max 213 myself. I’ll let those reviews speak for what Ugreen’s docks do well. (The 8-in-1 dock was priced at a hair less, or $160, for Amazon’s Prime Day.) I’ve reviewed OWC’s Thunderbolt Go dock, and it earned four out of five stars. It’s $100 off MSRP. OWC’s Thunderbolt 4 dock also performed quite well in TA’s review, too. A DisplayLink dock or USB-C hub are other alternatives, working equally well with Thunderbolt ports or older laptops with a generic USB-C port instead. One, listed above, is Plugable’s DisplayLink docking station which works on a generic USB-C port but does require a software driver. The other is Anker’s Anker Prime Docking Station is 40% off or $161.49 on Amazon, but that’s a USB-C docking station that uses a 10Gbps connection. ## Black Friday: The best PC deals around Check out our roundups for the best PC-related deals in a wide variety of categories! * Best Amazon Black Friday tech deals * Best Buy’s best Black Friday tech deals * Best Black Friday laptop deals * Best Black Friday Chromebook deals * Best Black Friday mini PC deals * Best Black Friday desktop computer deals * Best Black Friday monitor deals * Best Black Friday USB flash drive deals * Best Black Friday SSD and storage deals * Best Black Friday Thunderbolt dock deals * Best Black Friday power bank deals * Best Black Friday office chair and desk deals * Best Black Friday VPN deals ## FAQ * * * 1. ### When is Black Friday and Cyber Monday? Officially, this year’s Black Friday takes place on Friday, Nov. 28, 2025. Cyber Monday is the following Monday, or Dec. 1, 2025. Amazon’s Black Week kicks off Nov. 20. 2. ### What should you pay for a Black Friday or Cyber Monday deal on a Thunderbolt dock? Premium Thunderbolt docks usually retail for about $220 to $270 or so, depending upon the features. I usually hope for $200 or less, but we’ll see. Though Thunderbolt 3 and Thunderbolt 4 (and USB3 and USB4) docks all include the same basic feature set, it’s likely that retailers and e-tailers have sold through their old Thunderbolt 3 hardware. (If this confuses you, please see our list of the best Thunderbolt docks and the explanation for the different features.) This probably leaves Thunderbolt 4 / USB4 as the default choice. I recommend one or two deals on Thunderbolt 5 docking stations, but Thunderbolt 5 is a premium platform with little need for you to buy it right now unless you want to future-proof your setup. (Ironically, some of the TB5 dock deals are better than I expected, making this a viable strategy!) Still, based on my reporting, none of the 2026 mobile processor platforms will integrate Thunderbolt 5 directly. That makes Thunderbolt 4 the preferred choice. 3. ### When do Black Friday deals on Thunderbolt docks begin? Black Friday begun weeks early at several stores. Retailers haven’t been shy about using early sales to unload inventory before the Black Friday craziness begins. Over the years, I’ve found that certain retailers simply outdo others in specific product categories. I routinely search sites like Newegg, B&H, Target, and Walmart, but Amazon typically has the best collection of deals on docking stations of all stripes, including Thunderbolt docks. 4. ### I have a USB-C port on my laptop. How do I know what to use with it? Consult your laptop’s manual. A Thunderbolt port _may_ be labeled with a small lightning-bolt logo, but that icon can sometimes be used to signal that the port can be used for charging, too. If nothing else, a USB-C dongle/hub will always work with a USB-C port. 5. ### I still don’t understand the difference between USB-C and Thunderbolt. How does it all work? USB ports have been around for years. USB-C (the oval-shaped port) replaced USB-A (the rectangular port) because USB-C was more versatile, with higher speeds and a reversible port connector. USB-C ports can be rated for either 5Gbps or 10Gbps, just like a normal USB-A port. But some USB-C ports connect to a Thunderbolt chip inside your laptop, and this allows the port to run at a higher 40Gbps speed. Physically, the connector looks exactly the same. It’s just what it can do that’s different. Thunderbolt 5 is slowly entering the market, but with only one or two docks and a tiny number of laptops right now. I thought you wouldn’t see any major sales on Thunderbolt 5 docks this holiday season, but I’ve been since proven wrong! 6. ### What’s the difference between a USB-C hub and a Thunderbolt dock? Speed and features. A USB-C hub connects to a single 4K (or 1080p) display and provides a mix of ports: USB-A, SD card slots, and so on. You can usually plug your laptop’s USB-C power cable (if it uses one) right into it. A Thunderbolt dock supplies even more bandwidth for more ports. There are two key differences: It has enough bandwidth to drive a pair of 4K displays, and many docks come with their own power supply that can charge your laptop as well as your phone. All that occurs via the Thunderbolt cable that connects your laptop to the dock. 7. ### My laptop has USB 4, not Thunderbolt. Can I use a Thunderbolt dock? Yes and no. Thunderbolt 3, Thunderbolt 4, and USB 4 all run at 40Gbps across the same connector. USB 4 is identical to Thunderbolt 4. But if your laptop runs USB 4, it won’t “understand” Thunderbolt 3 protocols. USB 4 laptops, which are still rare, have AMD Ryzen chips inside. 8. ### Is Thunderbolt 4 better than Thunderbolt 3? Physically, they use the same USB-C cable. Functionally, they’re _almost_ the same, and run at the same 40Gbps throughput. Thunderbolt 4 was released almost as a patch to Thunderbolt 3, ensuring that everything worked properly. If your laptop has Thunderbolt, you should be able to buy either a Thunderbolt 3 or Thunderbolt 4 dock without any problems. Since Thunderbolt 3 is being phased out, you’ll probably find more discounts on the older Thunderbolt 3 hardware. (For all the gory details, see my roundup of the best Thunderbolt docks.) 9. ### I own a desktop PC. Do I need a Thunderbolt dock? Possibly. Historically, the back of a desktop has been chock-full of I/O ports, especially DIY models that you build yourself. Desktops usually have extra room for internal SSDs, SD cards, and so on. However, if your desktop lacks these things, and if it includes an external Thunderbolt port, you can always add these additional components externally via Thunderbolt.

It may not be the top reason to pick the Kensington SD5000T5, though.

Kensington SD5000T5 EQ Thunderbolt 5 dock offers three downstream TB5 ports, including a rare 60W connection.

Macworld #### At a glance ### Expert's Rating ### Pros * Thunderbolt 5 * 11 ports * 140W MacBook charging * 60W Thunderbolt 5 port ### Cons * Fewer ports than many ### Our Verdict The Kensington SD5000T5 is a great entry-level Thunderbolt 5 dock with enough top-rated ports for most users, including three downstream Thunderbolt 5 (one rated at a most useful 60W), that puts it at the front of the line at this price point. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today ### Price When Reviewed $299.99 ### Best Prices Today: Kensington SD5000T5 EQ Thunderbolt 5 Triple 4K Docking Station Retailer Price $239.99 View Deal $239.99 View Deal Kensington $299.99 View Deal $299.99 View Deal $307.89 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide View more prices Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket The Kensington SD5000T5 EQ is an entry-level Thunderbolt 5 dock designed mainly for MacBook users who want fast, future-proof connectivity without paying for a premium model. It stands out by offering three downstream Thunderbolt 5 ports (instead of replacing one with HDMI or DisplayPort), including a rare 60W port for charging devices, alongside 140W laptop charging. With 11 well-chosen ports, fast data speeds, and solid features like 2.5Gb Ethernet and UHS-II card readers, it delivers strong performance and flexibility at its price—though it sacrifices extra ports and power headroom compared to higher-end docks. ## Is the SD5000T5 worth it for Mac users? This simpler Kensington EQ dock joins the company’s flagship docking station, the EQ Pro Thunderbolt 5 Dock for MacBook (SD7100TS), as an entry-level solution for Macs sporting the latest and fastest 80/120Gbps connectivity standard. The $449/£329 EQ Pro has 19 ports and a dedicated SSD slot for you to add extra storage, plus special Mac hot keys for easy iPhone photo backup and a Focus Mode. The more affordable $299/£299 EQ Thunderbolt 5 Triple 4K Docking Station (SD5000TS) has 11 ports but might offer all you need for your speedy desktop setup. ## What ports do you actually get (and what’s missing)? * **One upstream Thunderbolt 5 port** (80Gbps, 140W) * **Two downstream Thunderbolt 5 ports** (80Gbps, 15W) * **One downstream Thunderbolt 5 port** (80Gbps, 60W) * **One USB-A port** (10Gbps, 7.5W) * **Two USB-A ports** (10Gbps, 4.5W) * **Ethernet** (2.5Gb) * **UHS-II SD card reader** (312MBps) * **UHS-II microSD card reader** (312MBps) * **One 3.5mm combo audio In/Out jack** (front) * **180W power supply** Thunderbolt 5 (TB5) is backwards compatible with Thunderbolt 4 and 3, so even if your Mac isn’t yet built for TB5, you can rest assured that it will work with earlier Thunderbolt versions and be ready for your eventual TB5 Mac upgrade. Thunderbolt 5 Macs get 80Gbps data-transfer rates and up to 120Gbps in Bandwidth Boost mode for top-end video demands. Simon Jary One TB5 port is “upstream”, meaning it connects to your Mac. The other three are “downstream” for connecting other devices such as monitors and storage drives. Kensington has, in my mind, wisely decided against swapping one of the potential Thunderbolt 5 ports for a dedicated video port such as HDMI or DisplayPort. Several top dock makers think they know best when giving you a DisplayPort in place of the third downstream Thunderbolt port—reasoning that the user will almost certainly use the dock to connect to at least one external display and as all good monitors have a DisplayPort connection then why not have the same on the dock. On a dock with extra USB-C ports, a video-only port might make sense, but on a dock with only 11 ports and no extra USB-C on top of the Thunderbolt ports the video-only port could end up unused and a wasted opportunity to replace it with another flexible Thunderbolt port. That’s because not all good monitors have a DisplayPort connection on their back. The Apple Studio Display, to take a high-profile example, has four Thunderbolt ports and no DisplayPort. BenQ’s excellent MA range of monitors each has dual HDMI ports and no DisplayPort. If the dock maker had stuck with the chipset’s available three downstream Thunderbolt ports, rather than switch one for a DisplayPort, the Studio Display or BenQ user would have an extra high-speed port to play with rather than a wasted DisplayPort. Ugreen recently made this error on its Maxidok 10-in-1 Thunderbolt 5 Docking Station—and as you can read in our review, we didn’t like that decision at all. Simon Jary So, breathe a sigh of relief that Kensington offers you the full roster of Thunderbolt 5 ports for you to decide how to use. If you must connect via DisplayPort, then simply buy a USB-C to DisplayPort adapter cable. If not, you have an extra Thunderbolt port that the poor Ugreen user does not. ## How good is the 60W Thunderbolt 5 port in practice? As an even greater bonus the Kensington has bestowed upon its extra downstream Thunderbolt 5 port the ability to charge a connected device at 60W. The upstream Thunderbolt 5 port can deliver 140W to a connected laptop—enough to fast-charge Apple’s top-end 16-inch MacBook Pro. The other two TB5 ports each supports 15W of power output as well as their 80/120Gbps data prowess. There are three legacy USB-A ports (at a speedy 10Gbps), which I think is overkill for the old standard, but dock makers continue to heap USB-A on us. The front-facing USB-A port can charge at 7.5W, with the two at the back a little weaker at 4.5W output. Also at the front of the dock are two card readers: both the SD and MicroSD readers works at the fast 312MBps UHS-II standard, which is faster than Apple’s 250MBps SDXC card reader on its Pro MacBooks. ## What are the main drawbacks? * Front-facing upstream TB5 port concern * Front-facing 60W port clutter concern * Limited number of ports (11 total) * 180W power supply limitation (you can pull the key point from the “Power” section or summarise it here) ## Design: Is the design practical for everyday use? Before we delve deeper into the technical detail, now would be a good time to discuss the dock’s design. Up to this point I have been a fan of the SD5000TS but I have a couple of grumbles on the port layout. Two of the Thunderbolt ports are situated on the front of the dock, including the upstream port that connects to the Mac. If you are frequently connecting and disconnecting your Mac from the docking station—say in a hot-desking office—having the upstream port on the front might make sense if you have to make a quick dash or connect in 0.5 seconds. Simon Jary However, I would prefer to have all the Thunderbolt ports at the back, keeping trailing cables neatly out of the way. Having the upstream port at the front used to be all the rage but recently it has been pushed out of sight to the rear panel. It’s not a deal-breaker and you may love the positioning. The 60W TB5 port is the other Thunderbolt port at the front. I can see why this might be handy—making it easy to locate when charging other devices—but to reduce cable clutter I’d still stick it at the back. The card readers are certainly where they should be, at the front, and having one of the USB-A ports there is also sensible for memory sticks, for example, as is the audio port. Aside from the port layout the dock is a good-looking silvery gray box with some ridges on one side of the top. The front and rear and darker in black. It measures 8.9 x 3.8 x 1.6 inches (226 x 97 x 40mm) and weighs 2.15lbs (nearly 1kg). Simon Jary ## Network: Is 2.5Gb Ethernet fast enough for your setup? With many office networks moving to faster speeds, the 2.5Gb Ethernet will be appreciated—2.5 times faster than the standard 1Gb Gigabit Ethernet that has been the mainstay of docking stations until recently. 2.5GbE is backwards compatible with Gigabit Ethernet so—like Thunderbolt 5—is a good way of future-proofing your system even if you don’t yet work with the faster network standard. The very top docking stations—such as the CalDigit TS5 Plus and iVanky FusionDock Ultra—boast 10GbE. USB-C adapters can be purchased if you later need that fastest of networking standards. ## Power: Does it deliver enough power for a full setup? Like Kensington’s flagship EQ Pro Thunderbolt 5 dock, the simpler EQ feels a little under-powered with its max 180W power supply. Both can supply up to 140W (PD 3.1) to a connected laptop so there’s not much left to play with if your other devices all require power. There’s a highly useful 60W Thunderbolt 5 port at the front that you can use to fast charge an iPhone or iPad or hook up a second MacBook for recharging. That 180W power supply will therefore feel the pinch at full pelt. The other two downstream Thunderbolt ports are rated at 15W, with the two back-mounted USB-A ports offering just 4.5W and the one at the front 7.5W. The upstream power delivery of 140W is as capable as any other Thunderbolt 5 dock—enough to fast-charge the top-end 16-inch MacBook Pro. Simon Jary ## Storage: What storage options do you get? While the top-end Kensington EQ Pro featured an SSD slot that allowed you to add up to 8TB of fast storage, the EQ has just the two front-facing card readers. These are a great way of adding affordable and super-portable storage, with 1TB cards selling for around $200 at the time of writing. Given the at-time-of-purchase cost of internal storage charged by Apple, you can flexibly add your own quite cheaply. In addition to its UHS-II SD/MicroSD card reader slots, the EQ Pro featured a CompactFlash card slot for digital photographers. This is quite niche and not missed on the entry-level TB5 EQ. Apple’s fastest Macs with the M5 Pro chip can support three monitors via Thunderbolt 5. The M5 Max supports up to four displays. Kensington ## Displays: How many displays can it run on a Mac? The Kensington SD5000T5 EQ calls itself a “Triple 4K Docking Station” but this is true only for Windows computers (using Thunderbolt 5) or Macs with an M5 Pro or M5 Max chip. While Thunderbolt 4 docks continue to be capped at two external displays on the Mac, the latest top-end M5 Pro and M5 Max chips support up to three external displays with a Thunderbolt 5 dock. The M5 Max can handle four but as there aren’t enough ports on the SD3000T5 to hang so many monitors off, you’ll need to daisy-chain the fourth screen from the third. Lesser Mac processors—right up to the base M5 and speedy M4 Pro/Max—are stuck at a limit of two external displays due to Apple’s lack of support for Multi-Stream Transport (MST) on macOS. You can get round this limitation by employing a DisplayLink dock but the SD5000TS is not one of those. At the time of writing there were no Thunderbolt 5 DisplayLink docks. Two monitors are plenty for most users, however. A Mac with an M1/M2/M3/M4 Pro or Max chip can support two 6K displays at 60Hz. Even a base M4 Mac can support 2x 6K/60Hz but only if the Mac has Thunderbolt 5. Any of the M4 chip Macs will support a single 8K display at 60Hz, while M1/M2/M3 Pro or Max Macs can run a single 6K/60Hz monitor. A base M3 MacBooks can run up to two displays (1x 6K and 1x 6K) with its lid closed. Base M1/M2 Macs are limited to one 4K/60Hz display, but these Macs are probably not the target for a Thunderbolt 5 dock unless you are buying for the future. Simon Jary ## Price The Kensington SD5000T5 EQ Thunderbolt 5 Docking Station is priced at $299.99 or £299.99, which is the expected cost for an entry-level Thunderbolt 5 dock. Other options worth considering are the similarly priced Plugable Thunderbolt 5 Docking Station (11 ports), WAVLINK Thunderbolt 5 Dock (12 ports) and OWC Thunderbolt 5 Dock (11 ports). There’s little between these docks. The WAVLINK has an extra USB-A port and a 230W power supply. But the Kensington’s 60W TB5 port might swing it if your charging needs require it. You’ll need to find at least an extra hundred bucks to jump up a level: the CalDigit TS5 has 15 ports but lacks a downstream port with the charging power of the Kensington. Read our reviews of the best Thunderbolt 5 docks for Mac for the full range available. ## Should you buy Kensington EQ Thunderbolt 5 Dock? The Kensington SD5000T5 is a great entry-level Thunderbolt 5 dock with enough top-rated ports for most users, including three downstream Thunderbolt 5 (one rated at a useful 60W), that puts it at the front of the line at this price point.

REVIEW – Recently I changed from a bigger laptop to a smaller, lighter one. Being thin and light has its advantages, but being “port-friendly” is not one of them. Having only two Thunderbolt USB-C ports available puts a strain on connecting all the…

A TB5 dock from Cable Matters shares many features with the Kingston SD5000T5, but it is cheaper.

The first TB5 dock is ahead of the curve, with relatively few things to connect to it.