Tech Guides

Buying Guide: A list of USB hubs and Thunderbolt 4 docks

By Glenn Chua - 3 Jun 2022

Thunderbolt 4 Docks

Moving on to what some of you may have been looking forward to, the list of Thunderbolt 4 docks. As you may expect, prices for these docks are much higher than the USB hubs before it, and it should be noted that all of these require external power to function. Another thing worth mentioning is that your system must have a Thunderbolt 4 port to work with these docks.

 

OWC Thunderbolt 4 Hub

Image source: OWC

PriceUS$179

Ports: 4 x USB-C TB4 (60W PD charging, 1x 8K30 / 2x 4K60), 1 x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, Power In (20V/5.5A)

The OWC Thunderbolt 4 Hub is excellent for anyone who wants to expand their Thunderbolt 4 connectivity. This hub takes one of your USB-C Thunderbolt 4 docks and gives you three more in return, plus an additional USB-A USB 3.2 Gen 2 port. This lets you connect more devices and is especially helpful for notebooks that only come with one USB-C Thunderbolt 4 port. In terms of display output, it supports up to one 8K 30Hz display or two 4K 60Hz displays. This hub also delivers up to 60W of charging.

You can get the OWC Thunderbolt 4 Hub from OWC's store here for US$179.

 

Belkin Pro Thunderbolt 4 Hub

Image source: Belkin

Price: S$599

Ports: 2 x USB-C TB4, 4 x USB-A (2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2, 2 x USB 2.0), 1 x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 (PD 3.0), 2 x HDMI 2.0, 3.5mm audio jack, Gigabit Ethernet port, SD Card Reader, Power In (120W)

Next up is something a little bit less subdued. The Belkin Pro Thunderbolt 4 Hub is one we've covered before in an earlier news article, but another mention couldn't hurt.

On the front, this Thunderbolt 4 dock has a single USB-C Thunderbolt 4 port, one USB-C 3.1 Gen 2 port, a 3.5mm audio jack, and a SD card reader. Round the back, there's two HDMI 2.0 ports (max 4K 60Hz), a Gigabit Ethernet port, and four USB-A ports supporting a mix of USB-A 3.1 Gen 2 and USB-A 2.0.

If this interests you, you can get the Belkin Pro Thunderbolt 4 Hub from Amazon.sg. The original retail price is S$599, and indeed it's currently selling for S$595 on Amazon, but keep in mind that prices can fluctuate on that platform.

 

CalDigit TS4 Dock

Image source: CalDigit

Price: US$359.95

Ports: 3 x USB-C TB4 (2x for display output), 3 x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 (1 x 20W, 2 x 7.5W), 1 x DP 1.4, 5 x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 (7.5W), 3 x 3.5mm audio (1 x TRRS, 2x TRS), 2.5GbE, microSD UHS-II, SD UHS-II, Power In (230W)

Next up is the most premium-looking option. Out of all the Thunderbolt 4 hubs and docks listed here, CalDigit’s Thunderbolt Station 4 has the greatest amount of ports. Thus, as you'd expect, it has the greatest amount of versatility. The successor to its own TS3 Plus, it preserves its predecessor’s metal build, and of course, updates the ports on it.

The TS4 has a grand total of 18 ports, including three USB-C Thunderbolt 4 ports on the rear (one of which supports 98W PD charging), another USB-C Gen 3.2 Gen 2 port on the rear, and two USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 ports on the front (one of which supports 20W charging). Alongside that, another notable feature is its 2.5Gb Ethernet port, which can be useful if you have a compatible router.

Notably, and considering the capabilities of the TS4, it's also the power-hungriest of all the docks in this list, needing 230W of external power (a power supply for which is included).

Unfortunately, the CalDigit TS4 is currently sold out, though according to CalDigit Asia, you can expect TS4 stock to replenish in June.

 

Razer Thunderbolt 4 Dock Chroma

Image source: Razer

Price: S$579 (Mercury), S$599 (Black)

Ports: 4 x USB-C TB4, 3 x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, 3.5mm audio jack, Gigabit Ethernet port, UHS-II SD, Power In (135W)

Although the CalDigit is certainly a looker, it's not the showiest one. Rounding out the list is the Razer Thunderbolt 4 Dock Chroma. I's certainly not cheap, which is what you'd likely expect from Razer. In terms of its looks, though, it's definitely one of a kind, and the only one on this list with RGB lighting, if that's your thing. It's no slouch in terms of port selection either; it has four USB-C Thunderbolt 4 ports, three USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 ports, and an SD card reader as an added bonus.

Other features include a Gigabit Ethernet port and up to 90W laptop charging through Power Delivery. Being a Razer product with RGB, it also has Chroma support, so if you're already into Razer's Chroma ecosystem, nothing will fit in better than this.

If you like RGB, there's not really any other choice unless you stick on some LEDs to a dock yourself. You can get the Razer Thunderbolt 4 Dock Chroma on Razer's website here. It retails for S$579 for the Mercury version and S$599 for the Black version.

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