For students heading back to school or professionals looking to upgrade, a good docking station can make all the difference. These devices, sometimes called Thunderbolt docks, consolidate your connectivity needs into one compact hub. With the right one, you can plug in all sorts of accessories like external drives, keyboards, and even monitors.
The best docks are fully loaded with a wide array of ports, support multiple high-res displays, and offer fast data transfer speeds. There are many great options out there, it can be hard to choose. Should you go for the nearly $300 Satechi Thunderbolt 4 Dock or some cheap USB-C hub from Ugreen? Keep reading to learn about our top laptop docking stations for every type of user.
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What is the best laptop docking station right now?
After much deliberation, we decided that the CalDigit TS4 Thunderbolt 4 Dock takes the top spot. The device is compact, capable of supporting 8K monitors, and provides 98W of power delivery to recharge laptops. If this doesn't sound like the right fit, the following list covers other notable docking stations from Baseus, Dell, and Kensington.
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The best Thunderbolt docks in 2025
Show less View now at Amazon View now at CalDigit Why we like it: I picked the CalDigit TS4 as the best laptop docking station overall because it is the most capable on our list. With 18 ports -- which include three Thunderbolt 4 ports, five USB-A inputs, and dual SD card readers -- it covers just about every connection I could ever need. The USB-A ports are notable because they provide data transfer speeds up to 10 Gbps, allowing users to quickly move files between devices. Additionally, it has a power delivery of 98W, enough to charge both a laptop and a smartphone at the same time. I really appreciate the CalDigit TS4's size. It measures 4.46 x 1.65 x 5.55 inches and weighs about 1.4 pounds, so you can take it to the office. It can even output video signals to dual 4K displays simultaneously, helping future-proof your setup. Who it's for: CalDigit's docking station is perfect for power users with demanding tasks. If you routinely work with external drives or high-resolution displays, this device's versatility will save you from contact plugging and unplugging. It's compatible with Windows, macOS, and ChromeOS laptops. The TS4 even works with iPads. Who should look elsewhere: At nearly $400, the CalDigit TS4 is one of the most expensive options on this list, so I wouldn't recommend it to anyone on a tight budget. I also wouldn't suggest the docking station to people who have a triple monitor setup. The dock can't support that many panels at once. CalDigit TS4 Thunderbolt 4 Dock specs: Ports: 3x Thunderbolt 4, 3x USB-C, 5x USB-A, 1x DisplayPort 1.4, 1x SD card slot, 1x microSD card, 1x 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet, 1x front combo audio in/out, 1x rear audio out, 1x rear audio in | Display: HDMI: Dual 6K @ 60 Hz (1), Dual 4K @ 60 Hz (1), 8K @ 60Hz (1); DisplayPort: 4K @ 144Hz (1); supports up to 2 total displays Pros Compact design
Supports 8K monitors via DisplayPort
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