Plug your MacBook in and out of a multi-port docking station to swiftly add devices and external displays to your laptop. We tested a bunch to find the best Thunderbolt and USB-C docks available to owners of the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. Thunderbolt 3, 4, USB4 or USB-C The connectors all look the same (technically known as a “Type-C connector”), but there are significant differences, particularly on data-transfer speed—with USB-C maxing out at 10Gbps (usually 5Gbps) compared to the 40Gbps of Thunderbolt 3 and 4.

More like Thunderbolt than USB-C, USB4 can be either 20Gbps or 40Gbps. That extra bandwidth allows not just for faster data transfer but higher frame rates to external displays, plus some other smart benefits. Of Apple’s current laptop range, the M1/M2/M3 MacBook Air and 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro feature two ports that Apple specifies as “Thunderbolt / USB 4” ports, while the 14in and 16in M1/M2/M3 Pro or M1/M2/M3 Max MacBook Pro models come with three Thunderbolt 4 (TB4) ports.

Ignore Apple’s dual designation of non-4 Thunderbolt and USB4—it just means that the ports don’t certify as pure Thunderbolt 4, and that shouldn’t worry most users except for the number of external displays each supports. PROMOTION Elevate your desktop and turn your workstation into a powerhouse. Connect displays, devices, media cards, and more with world-renowned OWC reliability and ease-of-use.

Through a single cable, the 14-Port Thunderbolt Dock brings an unprecedented c.