Plugable TBT-UDT3: Best-value Thunderbolt 5 docking station

Even if your Mac doesn't boast Thunderbolt 5, it's time to move to the new standard.

- BY SIMON JARY

Thunderbolt 5 is backward compatible with earlier versions of Thunderbolt and all the way back to USB-C.

Investing in it now is the best way to future-proof your desktop technology and be ready for super-fast connectivity even if you don’t have a Thunderbolt 5-ready Mac at the moment.

A docking station puts a lot of connections within arm's reach, and the Plugable Thunderbolt 5 dock hosts a bunch of fast ports from 80Gbps Thunderbolt 5 itself to 2.5Gb Ethernet.

The aluminum chassis feels solid.

DESIGN

The silvery Plugable Thunderbolt 5 dock can be placed in either a horizontal position or vertically through the included stand (see image below).

The aluminum chassis feels solid, and we appreciate the on-off button at the front. While your laptop's power management should regulate how much power is input, we like the reassurance that the battery isn't constantly being filled up even when not in use for hours.

It measures 6.9×3.1×1.6 inches (17.6×7.8×4.2cm) and weighs 1.5lbs (692g).

The ports are where they should be, with the laptop-connecting upstream Thunderbolt 5 port placed at the back rather than untidily at the front.

Front facing is an audio jack port and two fast card readers, as well as a 10Gbps USB-A port, the audio jack, and a power button.

At the back is the real business end of the dock. Most important are the two downstream Thunderbolt 5 ports you'll be using to connect a monitor or two or other devices. These sit alongside the upstream TB5 port you will connect your laptop to using the included 1m TB5 cable. There's another downstream TB5 port on the front, where you might expect a USB-C port— more on that later.