Professionals
- 14 top-end ports, together with three Thunderbolt 5
- 2.5Gb Ethernet
- 140W Energy Supply
- Trendy seems
Our Verdict
This highly effective and trendy dock is constructed for the brand new class of Thunderbolt 5 Macs is a really helpful improve prepared for the newest Macs or your subsequent one.
Worth When Reviewed
This worth will present the geolocated pricing textual content for product undefined
Finest Pricing Immediately
Worth When Reviewed
$399.99
Finest Costs Immediately: Anker Prime 14-in-1 Thunderbolt 5 Docking Station
$399.99
Apple is keen on a boxy desktop laptop, from the unique Macintosh by means of the G4 Dice and all the way in which to the newest M4 Mac mini. But, equipment corresponding to docking stations that are supposed to sit subsequent to those Macs are often both tall and skinny or lengthy and slim.
The Anker Prime 14-in-1 Thunderbolt 5 Docking Station seems relatively like the newest Mac mini and Mac Studio. And like these two desktop Macs, it’s constructed across the newest and quickest connection normal, Thunderbolt 5 (TB5).
Design
The Anker Prime 14-in-1 TB5 dock has the identical aluminum end as Apple’s Mac mini and Mac Studio, and mimics the port preparations, too.
It measures 4.6 x 4.6 x 3.0 inches (11.6 x 11.6 x 7.5cm) and weighs 38oz (1.1kg). These measurements are much like the M4 Mac mini, which is 5 x 5 x 2 inches (12.7cm x 12.7cm x 5cm).
Simon Jary / Foundry
It seems nice and appreciatively completely different to the usual dock shapes.
Whereas the M4 mini makes use of Thunderbolt 5, this compact dock is aimed extra on the newest TB5-packing MacBooks, which lack as many ports and can hyperlink to the dock’s array by way of a single TB5 cable connection.
Simon Jary / Foundry
Ports and options
- One upstream Thunderbolt 5 port (80Gbps, 140W)
- Two downstream Thunderbolt 5 ports (80Gbps, 15W)
- One HDMI 2.1 port
- One DisplayPort 2.1 port
- Three USB-A ports (10Gbps, 1x 7.5W, 2x 4.5W)
- Two USB-C ports (10Gbps, share 45W)
- Ethernet (2.5Gb)
- SD card reader (UHS-I, 104MBps)
- microSD card reader (UHS-I, 104MBps)
- 3.5mm combo audio jack (entrance)
- 232W energy provide
Simon Jary / Foundry
Thunderbolt 5 future proofing
That’s a good set of ports, and the inclusion of Thunderbolt 5 brings it proper updated with the most recent Macs. On the time of writing, the M4 Professional and Max fashions of MacBook Professional and Mac mini, plus the Mac Studio, pack TB5, with different Macs remaining on TB4 for now.
Thunderbolt 5 is backwards appropriate all the way in which again to USB-C by way of Thunderbolt 3 and 4, so this dock will work with all trendy Macs. Shopping for a TB5 dock now will future-proof you on your subsequent Mac buy as we shouldn’t anticipate Thunderbolt 6 for no less than 4 years: 40Gbps Thunderbolt 3 got here out in 2015, and TB4 on the identical pace 5 years later, so it has taken ten years for Thunderbolt to make a dramatic shift in efficiency.
Non-TB5 Macs may have data-transfer speeds restricted to TB3/TB4’s 40Gbps, however TB5 Macs can benefit from the complete 80Gbps (with 120Gbps Bandwidth Enhance for enhanced video efficiency).
Anker may have included three downstream Thunderbolt 5 ports however has chosen to supply a alternative of devoted video ports, both top-end HDMI 2.1 or DisplayPort 2.1. These are useful in case your screens require certainly one of these connections relatively than a direct USB-C or Thunderbolt monitor connection.
If Anker had gone full TB5—as Sonnet did with its Echo 13 Thunderbolt 5 Dock—such customers would have had to purchase a separate adapter (say, USB-C to HDMI cable), though these aren’t costly.
Dropping the potential third downstream TB5 port for devoted video ports is handy for some customers—these with HDMI or DisplayPort screens—however much less versatile for these with USB-C or Thunderbolt screens.
The upstream Thunderbolt port is handily positioned in the back of the dock, which we favor to these dock producers who put it on the entrance, which may result in ugly trailing cables.
It’s rated at Energy Supply 3.1, so can output 140W, which is sufficient to fast-charge the top-end 16-inch MacBook Professional. Beforehand, to achieve this charging pace Apple insisted you employ its $49 USB-C to MagSafe 3 Cable. With Thunderbolt 5, you’ll be able to join by way of a TB cable too and nonetheless quick cost the laptop computer.
Simon Jary / Foundry
USB ports
The 2 downstream TB5 ports will work with USB-C should you don’t want them for quicker Thunderbolt. On prime of this there are two normal USB-C ports—located on the entrance panel—that supply speedy 10Gbps knowledge switch charges and share 45W of charging energy—so you can energy a smaller laptop computer from certainly one of these ports or two iPhones.
There are additionally three legacy USB-A ports, additionally quick at 10Gbps. Charging potential is proscribed, with one on the entrance able to pushing out 7.5W, which is sufficient to fast-charge an Apple Watch, and the opposite two on the again are pegged at 4.5W every—so superb for a reminiscence stick, keyboard or mouse.
Show assist
You’ll be able to join to 1 or two screens by way of both of the devoted video ports (DisplayPort and/or HDMI) or by way of the downstream Thunderbolt 5 ports, or any mixture of the choices.
A MacBook with a Professional or Max M-series processor can run two 6K shows at 60Hz utilizing the 2 TB5 ports or one TB5 and the DisplayPort. If utilizing one TB5 and the HDMI port, the show operating from HDMI could be restricted to 4K at 60Hz.
Single shows are 6K/60Hz for TB5 and DP, and 4K/60Hz for HDMI. Utilizing the TB5 connection M4 Macs can assist a 4K show at the next 240Hz refresh price; earlier M-series Macs 4K at 144Hz. With two shows, utilizing TB5 or TB5 and DP, each screens might be 4K at 144Hz.
Supported Home windows computer systems provide superior graphics potential, with the chance to run twin 8K shows at 60Hz even by way of the HDMI.
Simon Jary / Foundry
Storage slots
The dock options each SD and microSD card readers, which let you add cheap transportable storage that can be accessible from the linked Mac.
Costs of SD and microSD storage playing cards are unstable however on the time of writing you can decide up a 128GB microSD card for round $10, 256GB for $20 and 512GB for $35.
Stack that up towards the $200 that Apple will cost you to improve a MacBook Professional from 512GB to 1TB on the level of buy. And the cardboard, in fact, is transportable.
That dearer built-in SSD inside a Mac can be a lot quicker, however for archive knowledge, a storage card is a discount.
Fashionable MacBook Professional fashions do already embody a built-in SD card reader, and one which’s quicker than the readers on the Anker dock. The Apple card reader helps as much as 250MBps for a UHS-II card and 90MBps for a UHS-I card. The Anker card reader is barely UHS-I rated with a pace restrict of 104MBps. As such, MacBook Professional customers is perhaps higher served with the cardboard reader on their laptop computer. MacBook Air customers, alternatively, will achieve a lot from the slots on the dock.
Different docks embody quicker UHS-II card readers that assist speeds of 312MBps, so Anker has minimize a nook right here as compared. That mentioned, the cardboard readers work effectively for customers who simply wish to add cheap storage to their setup.
Wired networks
Like the perfect new Thunderbolt docks, the Anker Prime 14-in-1 TB5 Dock features a extra trendy wired community normal. The Ethernet port on the again helps networks at as much as 2.5Gb, so theoretically 2.5 occasions as quick because the extra common Gigabit (1Gb) Ethernet.
That is nice in case your community helps such speeds—your community should be no less than 2,5Gb to take benefit—and is helpful future-proofing for when it does. Within the meantime, it’s backwards appropriate with Gigabit Ethernet.
You would want to make use of a Cat5e/ Cat6/Cat6a Ethernet cable that’s not than 3.3 ft (1m).
Simon Jary / Foundry
Worth
The Anker Prime 14-in-1 Thunderbolt 5 Docking Station is priced at $399.99, £399.99 or €419.
There aren’t plenty of Thunderbolt 5 docks to match that worth with. The Sonnet Echo 13 Thunderbolt 5 SSD Dock prices the identical however features a built-in 2TB SSD, with 1Tb and 4TB choices.
The Sonnet dock has an additional TB5 port however no DisplayPort or HDMI port. Whether or not that fits you higher will depend on the exterior show or shows that you simply wish to join. The opposite dock additionally boasts quicker card readers however has much less general energy (180W) out there than the Anker 232W dock.
Now we have additionally reviewed the $249.99 CalDigit Thunderbolt 5 Component 5 Hub, which lacks the cardboard readers, Ethernet and video ports however provides loads of Thunderbolt 5 and USB ports: 4 TB5 and 5 USB.
Now we have examined the finest Thunderbolt docking stations and finest Thunderbolt and USB-C hubs for a wider alternative.
Do you have to purchase the Anker Prime 14-in-1 Thunderbolt 5 Dock
The Anker Prime 14-in-1 TB5 Docking Station is a strong dock that’s constructed for the brand new class of Thunderbolt 5 Macs (and Home windows PCs) and can add Apple-like grace and magnificence to your desk area. It has a variety of well-placed quick ports. Backwards appropriate with Thunderbolt 4 Macs and older networks, it’s a really helpful improve prepared for the newest Macs or your subsequent one.
