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Best laptop docking stations Geeking Out 2025
If you're looking to keep up with the times (and add as many ports as possible to your slick and slender laptop), you're likely looking to add a dock.
And, once you start digging into it, you're gonna see that you'll have to choose between the "old" Thunderbolt 3 and 4 options (which are much cheaper). Or spend a little extra to keep up with the times (and future proof for your next major computer purchase) by stepping up to Thunderbolt 5.
Best Dock 2025
Kensington SD5000T5
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If the fastest transfer speeds and the most versatility are important to your dock-buying decision, then, hands-down, consider the SD500T5 as a top choice. It has a smattering of ports for devices old and new. An extremely solid build. And it uses the latest technology, so it will work with your devices for years to come.
Thunderbolt 4
Belkin Thunderbolt 4 Dock
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If you're looking for a permanet desktop dock to enhance the productivity you can achieve with your laptop at your main work station, then the Belkin Thunderbolt 4 dock is a great choice. It adds legacy USB-A ports as well as USB-C style ports to your laptop. Plus, it gives you the ability to achieve faster and more secure internet connections through the wired port and adds an SD card reader to your device.
Great for Gaming
Razer Thunderbolt 4 Dock
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This compact dock adds 10 additional ports to your device. It's sleek enough to tuck underneath a monitor or even a laptop riser. However, with the slick RGB lighting (which you can program to different colours and lighting effects), you probably won't want tuck this away.
It is Thunderbolt 4-certified, allowing it to power two external 4K monitors, while also keeping your laptop battery charged. It's available in black and mercury (silver).
Mini Dock
Anker Laptop Dock
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This 8-in-1 dock is very portable, making it great for travel or a top choice for anyone who only occasionally needs to expand their ports on their laptop. It has dual HDMI ports for connecting to two external displays. It has USB type A ports for connecting to legacy flashdrives and hard drives. And it adds an SD drive and hard-wired internet to your laptop.
It's an important decision, so we're here to provide some guidance when the time comes for dock shopping!
What is Thunderbolt 5?
The fast transfer protocol for ports and devices in 2025 is Thunderbolt 5.
It existed in 2024, but laptop and accessory makers needed lead time to start building products for it, and, in 2025, we're in the early days of enjoying this bandwidth beast.
A few quick notes about Thunderbolt 5:
- It can send and receive data up to 80 Gbs
- Video-intensive applications can see a bandwidth boost up to 120 Gps
- It supports higher resolution refresh rates for 4K & 8K displays
- It can deliver up to 240 W of power to charge even the most high-end laptops
- It's "backwards-compatible," in that you'll be able to plug in Thunderbolt 3 and 4 devices (though you won't get TB5 specs/results)
Because this technology is still relatively new to consumers, there's not as many devices and accessories that are using Thunderbolt 5 right now. With this being the new standard, it will be around for many years to come, so investing in Thunderbolt 5 accessories could be worthwhile, since you'll be able to use them with your future devices.
For your home workspace, there's nothing quite like having a high-quality docking station to connect your old and new devices
After researching through the available options and then going into testing, we've found one that we like above all others.
Best Thunderbolt 5 dock for 2025
Kensington makes high-quality accessories for work and productivity. And their design for their Thunderbolt 5 docking station (SD500T5) is no exception.
Front ports
This dock has ports galore!
On the front, you'll find your upstream TB5 input (that's where you plug in your computer), as well as an additional front-facing TB5 port (this one supports 60W, so it could be used for charging a tablet or phone or connecting to a display).
The USB-A 3.2 port is great for connecting to legacy devices that use USB type A (like an external hard drive).
Conveniently, there are slots for both Micro and full-sized SD (supporting UHS-II and SD4.0), as well as a 3.5-mm audio jack to add a connection for wired headphones to whatever device you plug the dock into.
Rear ports & compatibility
On the back, you'll find two more USB-A ports. Two more TB5 ports. A wired networking port (supporting up to 2,500 Mbps) and a power indicator light.
This dock works with all Mac laptops. But if you upgraded to the M4 Pro or Max chips, which have a TB5 port, you'll be able to tap into the full potential of this latest connection protocol. Note, M4 Macbooks support up to two external displays with the dock. This means you could have "three" displays, but your laptop's screen would count as one of them.
You'll have similar versatility pairing with a Windows laptop. If you have an older laptop with TB4 or 3 ports, you can still use this dock at those transfer speeds. But if you have (or eventually upgrade) to a computer with Thunderbolt 5, this dock supports up to three monitors with 4K resolution running at 144 Hz. Note, unlike Mac, this could be a total of three external monitors (not counting your laptop display).
Best Dock 2025
Kensington SD5000T5
Geeking Out Shop
If the fastest transfer speeds and the most versatility are important to your dock-buying decision, then, hands-down, consider the SD500T5 as a top choice. It has a smattering of ports for devices old and new. An extremely solid build. And it uses the latest technology, so it will work with your devices for years to come.
The bottom line
The selection of Thunderbolt 5 docks is still limited. However, Kensington's model has a generous sampling of ports and exceptional connection speeds and is one of the few docks available on the market that can support three external displays running at 4K resolution.
This is an expensive dock. So, you should really only consider it if:
- You need multiple 4K displays
- You want something "future proof"
- You have existing Thunderbolt 5 accessories (laptop, external storage, etc.) and you want to tap into the full bandwidth available
If you're just looking for something to add more ports to your existing laptop, then you should consider a lower-cost alternative.
Best alternatives
We selected the Kensington SD500TS (AKA the EQ Thunderbolt 5 Triple 4K Docking Station) as our top choice after spending hands-on time over the course of a month or so.
But if your current laptop doesn't have Thunderbolt 5 connections (and many won't, especially if bought in 2024 or sooner) then you could happily settle for something a little less expensive that matches the specs of your laptop.
Belkin Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station
Belkin accessories are top-notch. They're perhaps best known for their chargers and portable battery packs, but they didn't skimp when it came to designing a laptop dock.
This is a Thunderbolt 4 dock, so not as fast as our top pick for the best docking station for 2025. However, this Thunderbolt 4 dock is perfect for your 2024 or earlier laptop.
Thunderbolt 4
Belkin Thunderbolt 4 Dock
Geeking Out Shop
If you're looking for a permanet desktop dock to enhance the productivity you can achieve with your laptop at your main work station, then the Belkin Thunderbolt 4 dock is a great choice. It adds legacy USB-A ports as well as USB-C style ports to your laptop. Plus, it gives you the ability to achieve faster and more secure internet connections through the wired port and adds an SD card reader to your device.
Razer Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station
Razer is best known for their gaming accessories. The good news is that a lot of stuff that's good for gaming can also be good for productivity. This is very much true with the design of their docking station.
Previous to using the Kensington Thunderbolt 5 dock, this was my daily driver. Its front-facing ports are limited (your upstream Thunderbolt connection, a headhpone jack, and an SD card reader), but the back is stacked with additional connections for wired internet, legacy USB-A type devices and additional USB-C style inputs.
Great for Gaming
Razer Thunderbolt 4 Dock
Geeking Out Shop
This compact dock adds 10 additional ports to your device. It's sleek enough to tuck underneath a monitor or even a laptop riser. However, with the slick RGB lighting (which you can program to different colours and lighting effects), you probably won't want tuck this away.
It is Thunderbolt 4-certified, allowing it to power two external 4K monitors, while also keeping your laptop battery charged. It's available in black and mercury (silver).
Anker Docking Station
If you've been reading this article, clicking the links, and felt immense sticker shock because all you wanted was a few extra ports, don't worry! We've got you covered.
Anker has a simpler option than the previous docking stations at a lower price.
This style of dock is one that you might keep in a drawer and pull out only when you need it, rather than the other ones we've discussed, which are meant to be a permanent fixture at your work station.
Mini Dock
Anker Laptop Dock
Geeking Out Shop
This 8-in-1 dock is very portable, making it great for travel or a top choice for anyone who only occasionally needs to expand their ports on their laptop. It has dual HDMI ports for connecting to two external displays. It has USB type A ports for connecting to legacy flashdrives and hard drives. And it adds an SD drive and hard-wired internet to your laptop.
Having a dedicated docking station at home or the office is a great way to enhance productivity and add utility to your laptop.
In the quest to make sleeker and thinner laptops, many manufcaturers have had to ditch the ports because there's simply not as much room in these devices to add them in.
Pairing your laptop with a docking station is a great way to bring back ports when you need 'em.
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