At a look
Skilled’s Ranking
Execs
- 14 top-end ports, together with three Thunderbolt 5
- 2.5Gb Ethernet
- 140W Energy Supply
- Fashionable appears to be like
Our Verdict
This highly effective and classy dock is constructed for the brand new class of Thunderbolt 5 Macs is a advisable improve prepared for the most recent Macs or your subsequent one.
Worth When Reviewed
This worth will present the geolocated pricing textual content for product undefined
Finest Pricing At the moment
Worth When Reviewed
€419
Finest Costs At the moment: Anker Prime 14-in-1 Thunderbolt 5 Docking Station
Apple has all the time been keen on a sq. and classy desktop designs, from the unique Macintosh via the G4 Dice and all the best way to the most recent M4 Mac mini. But, equipment resembling docking stations that are supposed to sit subsequent to those Macs are normally both tall and skinny or lengthy and slim.
The Anker Prime 14-in-1 Thunderbolt 5 Docking Station appears to be like moderately like the most recent Mac mini and Mac Studio. And like these two desktop Macs, it’s constructed across the newest and quickest connection commonplace, 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 just like the M4 Mac mini, which is 5 x 5 x 2 inches (12.7cm x 12.7cm x 5cm).
Simon Jary / Foundry
It appears to be like 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 best way again to USB-C by way of Thunderbolt 3 and 4, so this dock will work with all fashionable Macs. Shopping for a TB5 dock now will future-proof you on your subsequent Mac buy as we shouldn’t count on Thunderbolt 6 for not less than 4 years: 40Gbps Thunderbolt 3 got here out in 2015, and TB4 on the identical velocity 5 years later, so it has taken ten years for Thunderbolt to make a dramatic shift in efficiency.
Non-TB5 Macs could have data-transfer speeds restricted to TB3/TB4’s 40Gbps, however TB5 Macs can benefit from the complete 80Gbps (with 120Gbps Bandwidth Increase for enhanced video efficiency).
Anker may have included three downstream Thunderbolt 5 ports however has chosen to supply a selection of devoted video ports, both top-end HDMI 2.1 or DisplayPort 2.1. These are useful in case your displays require one in all these connections moderately 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 displays—however much less versatile for these with USB-C or Thunderbolt displays.
The upstream Thunderbolt port is handily positioned in the back of the dock, which we choose to these dock producers who put it on the entrance, which might 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 velocity 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 high of this there are two commonplace USB-C ports—located on the entrance panel—that provide speedy 10Gbps information switch charges and share 45W of charging energy—so you may energy a smaller laptop computer from one in all these ports or two iPhones.
There are additionally three legacy USB-A ports, additionally quick at 10Gbps. Charging potential is restricted, 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 high quality for a reminiscence stick, keyboard or mouse.
Show assist
You may join to 1 or two displays 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 working from HDMI can 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 charge; earlier M-series Macs 4K at 144Hz. With two shows, utilizing TB5 or TB5 and DP, each displays may very well 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 will likely be accessible from the related Mac.
Costs of SD and microSD storage playing cards are unstable however on the time of writing you may decide up a 128GB microSD card for round $10, 256GB for $20 and 512GB for $35.
Stack that up in opposition to 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 will likely be a lot quicker, however for archive information, a storage card is a cut price.
Fashionable MacBook Professional fashions do already embrace 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 simply UHS-I rated with a velocity restrict of 104MBps. As such, MacBook Professional customers may be higher served with the cardboard reader on their laptop computer. MacBook Air customers, alternatively, will acquire a lot from the slots on the dock.
Different docks embrace quicker UHS-II card readers that assist speeds of 312MBps, so Anker has lower a nook right here compared. That mentioned, the cardboard readers work nicely for customers who simply need to add cheap storage to their setup.
Wired networks
Like one of the best new Thunderbolt docks, the Anker Prime 14-in-1 TB5 Dock features a extra fashionable wired community commonplace. 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 have to be not less than 2,5Gb to take benefit—and is beneficial future-proofing for when it does. Within the meantime, it’s backwards appropriate with Gigabit Ethernet.
You would wish 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 loads of Thunderbolt 5 docks to match that value 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 is determined by the exterior show or shows that you simply need to join. The opposite dock additionally boasts quicker card readers however has much less total energy (180W) out there than the Anker 232W dock.
Now we have additionally reviewed the $249.99 CalDigit Thunderbolt 5 Factor 5 Hub, which lacks the cardboard readers, Ethernet and video ports however gives loads of Thunderbolt 5 and USB ports: 4 TB5 and 5 USB.
Now we have examined the greatest Thunderbolt docking stations and greatest Thunderbolt and USB-C hubs for a wider selection.
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 elegance 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 advisable improve prepared for the most recent Macs or your subsequent one.
