Expert’s Rating
Pros
Cons
Our Verdict
If you are well-fixed establish the third - political party DisplayLink software package , this dock open up impressive outside showing voltage . Not many of us need four screens but those who do will bump this Satechi wharfage hard in feature of speech and reasonable in damage , and M1 / M2 MacBook owners will savor three display rather than one .
Best Prices Today: Satechi Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station with DisplayLink
The Satechi Thunderbolt 4 Multi - Display Docking Station ( with DisplayLink ) is a full moorage place with 11 ports , including three Thunderbolt 4 and two HDMI 2.0 ports , that can support up to four external 4 K display at 60Hz . Connect this collection of profligate ports to your laptop for a full desktop experience on any Thunderbolt / USB - C MacBook .
The only other Mac - compatible bob we ’ve seen with as many downstream Thunderbolt 4 ( TB4 ) porthole plus more show ports is the mega 21 - portiVanky Fusion Dock Max dockthat reach this feat by having an unprecedented two Thunderbolt chips within … and a $ 500 price tag .
This single - chip , more low-priced Satechi moorage station instead gain such showing power by using third - party DisplayLink Software . This enables even M1 / M2 Macs to link to up to three displays ( one at 6 K and two at 4 K ) , and plain M3 and Pro / Max M1 / M2 / M3 microprocessor chip Macs to handle four 4 KB display .
There are three downstream Thunderbolt 4 ports at the back of the dock—one here in use.
Specs and features
Satechi exact this dock has 12 port wine but we ’ve counted them legion times and still only need one special figure when weigh on both custody . Not that 11 is a abject number , and each port is well selected for maximum flexibility .
Satechi
Thunderbolt 4 features the quickest useable 40Gbps bandwidth plus fresh equipment daisy - chaining and super - rapid repositing connectivity . It also offer Intel VT - d DMA machine protective cover that you do n’t get with all older connectivity standards .
There are three downstream Thunderbolt 4 ports at the back of the dock—one here in use.
It is backward compatible with Thunderbolt 3 and USB - C , so it works with older computers as well as the late , which gives you a level of hereafter - proof you wo n’t get from Thunderbolt 3 docking station or USB - hundred docks .
Most DisplayLink docks and hubs apply USB - C , so this Satechi sorrel is a big step up in term of multiple exhibit plus information bandwidth .
The Satechi Thunderbolt 4 Multi - Display Docking Station has one upstream Thunderbolt 4 port to join to your computer . This is situated on one side of the dock , which keeps the cable neatly out of opinion compare to docks that station it at the front .
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
What is a surprisal is Satechi ’s ability to admit three downstream Thunderbolt 4 ports ( to connect to admonisher and/or other devices ) as well as two HDMI ports . Other individual - chip dock — and that intend all of them except the dual - fleck iVanky — are limited to a maximum of two downstream TB4 ports if they admit a video interface ( HDMI or DisplayPort ) .
To benefit full usage of these HDMI port wine you must set up the DisplayLink software program . This mother around limitations in Apple ’s package that do n’t allow the MST ( Multi - Stream Transport ) technology that allows Windows PCs to run up to four displays with easiness .
There are three downstream Thunderbolt 4 ports at the back of the dock—one here in use.
While it may be third - party , Displaylink package is well established and used by many trusted supplement Lord . Installing it on your Mac is jolly painless , and we havemore detailed instruction on instal DisplayLink software package to a Macif those supplied by Satechi are not enough for you .
There are no USB - C ports on this dock but the three Thunderbolt 4 embrasure are USB - C compatible and offer much faster 40Gbps data - transportation rates and 15W of world power output to attached gimmick . observe that while each of the TB4 port can supply power , a uttermost of two port can be used at the same metre — each outputting 15W.
Using the dock , you could power the laptop at 96W , and practice two of the TB4 port to at the same time charge your phone and iPad , for example .
There are also two old - style USB - A ports , at a libertine 10Gbps data - transference speeding . There ’s a minimal 4.5W of force turnout from these ports , which will be fine for low - baron devices although not enough if you need to seize a non - powered storage drive , but the Thunderbolt port are better in that respect anyway .
you may add inexpensive portable storage using the SD Card reader , which is value at a dissolute 4.0 UHS - II 312MBps . With an adapter , this card lecturer can also be used with MicroSD cards . Do n’t imagine of SD cards as just for television camera . you could pick up a fast ( UHS - II ) 512 GB card forunder $ 100 , and cheaper at a compatible but slower UHS - I. SD bill of fare prices are volatile so you might regain cheaper or the price might be higher when you are searching .
There ’s a Gigabit Ethernet port for fast , unchanging wired cyberspace access . Some new Thunderbolt docks have quicker 2.5Gb Ethernet that can outpace 1Gb Ethernet two and a half time but require a supporting web connection to hit those speeds . Until multi - gigabit net become the average , Gigabit Ethernet will suit most of us just fine .
While the dock can support up to four displays for the M3 MacBook Air (while shut in Clamshell Mode), the M1 and M2 MacBooks are limited to three.
round out the ports is a handy 3.5 mm audio in / out embrasure for speaker , headphones or microphone at the front .
The sorrel can supply up to 96W of power to the laptop , via its meaty 180W external business leader supply . This is enough to keep even the 16 - inch MacBook Pro running .
I revalue the force button the front of the dock . This lets you plow off the sour grass and therefore world power to the machine-accessible laptop . Most docks do n’t have such an on / off button so you need to disconnect the cable at night to break the laptop ’s battery constantly being power up , which can harm the barrage ’s sprightliness expectancy over time .
Two monitors can be connected by any of the three Thunderbolt ports, and another two by the HDMI ports.
Multiple monitor support
Any MacBook Pro with Max variants of the M1 , M2 or M3 C.P.U. can support up to four international 4 K displays at 60Hz , even without a sour grass : three displays with 6 K resolution at 60Hz over Thunderbolt and one with up to 4 K solving at 144Hz over its built - in HDMI . However , that will use up all the MacBook ’s embrasure . Using a tying up post apply up just one of the MacBook ’s Thunderbolt ports . If you are the sort of person who need four presentation , you are probably conk to need to colligate a lot more devices and use a fast wired internet .
Therefore , MacBooks with an M - serial Max central processor do n’t need DisplayLink , so we ’d recommend look at one of the docks with more ports — for example , the 18 - portCalDigit TS4or mighty 21 - portiVanky FusionDock Max 1 . If you just want more Thunderbolt 4 and USB ports , the cheaperCaldigit Thunderbolt 4 Element Hubmight equip the bill .
MacBook Pros with Pro variants of the M1 , M2 or M3 processors are limited to two external displays . DIsplayLink opens up the chance to contribute three or four external display , make the Satechi tail an first-class choice .
The upstream Thunderbolt 4 port is neatly hidden away on one side.
MacBooks with the standard M1 , M2 or M3 C.P.U. ( neither Pro nor Max ) natively support just one presentation . This is where DisplayLink docks such as the Satechi Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station really come to the saving .
There are DisplayLink docks with more USB ports than this Satechi Thunderbolt sorrel , but this one is build for its multiple - monitoring gadget power . Few can cope with it for its up - to - four external display funding , and none but the most expensive for its degenerate datum - transfer , too .
Satechi is quite upfront about you postulate to instal DisplayLink software to your Mac to gain so many screens . installing is straightforward . There ’s some fiddling around in System preferences , allowing the software to allow “ Screen Recording ” in rules of order for DisplayLink devices to work properly . Other than that , once instal you should n’t need to worry about it again .
The dock can supply 96W of power to the laptop, plus 15W each to two devices connected to the Thunderbolt 4 ports.
substantiate four displays mean Satechi ’s docking facility is groovy for the higher - powered Pro and Max MacBooks . The only actual competition is the much more expensive iVanky FusionDock Max 1 . Only using the FusionDock gets your four 6 K display at 60Hz ( using all four of its downstream TB4 port ) . With the Satechi your best four displays will be 4 K at 60Hz .
While the dock supports two Apple Studio Displays , touch base two displays via Thunderbolt would require the solving to be limited to 4 K at 60Hz using a DisplayLink dock .
If you restrict yourself to a merethree displays , one of these can be up to 6 K in resolution , still at 60Hz . Windows PC can support an even more telling 8 K at 60Hz .
When connecting three displays , if you want one 6 K monitor , it is command for the other two monitors to be connected via HDMI and using DisplayLink , while the 6 green monitor is connect to one of the Thunderbolt 4 ports . The highest resolution on the HDMI ports will be 4K/60Hz .
Apple ’s apparent ( non - Pro or Max ) M1 and M2 MacBooks are unremarkably limited to endure just a single outside display . mayhap one is all you need . If so , this dock is n’t designed for you . Instead , seem for one of the cheaperMac USB - C or Thunderbolt hubs .
DisplayLink allows for more monitor lizard , so this tying up station is a great option if you need more than one external exhibit from a lower - power MacBook M1 or M2 .
The Satechi Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station with DisplayLink can enable three - display support for these Macs , up to 6 kB at 60Hz via a Thunderbolt porthole and two 4 K at 60Hz via the two HDMI ports .
We ’ve rounded up thebest DisplayLink sorrel for M1 and M2 MacBooks , and the Satechi Thunderbolt 4 Multi - Display Docking Station is our favorite Thunderbolt 4 option due to the faster data point transfer . Satechi itself has a USB - C alternative , theSatechi Triple 4 K Display Docking Station , which has DisplayPort as well as HDMI , is likewise priced , and offers M1 / M2 possessor the fortune to add three external 4 KB displays at 60Hz . Being USB - C does n’t stopping it bring with the a la mode Macs , but it does throttle the information - transferral bandwidth to 10Gbps compared to the Thunderbolt 4 dock ’s 40Gbps .
The M3 MacBook Air can plump for four external display touch base to the Thunderbolt sorrel , but only with its hat closed ( Clamshell Mode ) . You ’ll postulate to use a keyboard and shiner in this mode . These can be connect wirelessly or via the dock ’s two USB - A ports .
you may connect displays directly to the Thunderbolt port if the monitors have a USB - nose candy connexion . If not , you ’ll need either a USB - C - to - HDMI or USB - ampere-second - to - DisplayPort adapter ( not included ) to unite the Thunderbolt 4 port to the video display .
Without DisplayLink , you could still connect to two displays , both 4 K at 60Hz , to a Pro or Max MacBook Pro using two of the dock ’s Thunderbolt ports . If DisplayLink is not installed , only the Thunderbolt port wine will give up for video output . The DisplayLink software program is there to turn on the HDMI ports . Non - Pro / Max MacBooks do call for DisplayLink for more than one extraneous display .
Design and build
The Satechi Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station with DisplayLink is a super - slim visibility atomic number 13 physique with smooth chamfered edges . The company has aThunderbolt 4 hub with Slim in its name , but this full docking place is only 0.05 mm taller . Maybe Satechi Thunderbolt 4 Slim Docking Station with DisplayLink would have been too long a name , but it would be a believable one .
The upstream Thunderbolt 4 port is locate on one of the side , which is a neater solution than perplex out at the front , as found on many dock . It would have been even well placed at the back , but that is loaded with the three downstream Thunderbolt ports , two HDMI ports and Gigabit Ethernet , as well as the DC porthole to the ability supply .
The ports are well set out , with the USB - A ports at the front , alongside the audio jack and SD Card lector .
It measures 8.42 - x-3.75 - x-0.72 inches ( 21.4 - x-9.5 - 1.8 centimetre ) and librate 17.3 oz ( 490 g ) minus the power supplying .
Price
The Satechi Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station with DisplayLink costs $ 299.99 , which is a cheaper than many full TB4 dockage stations .
What makes it even more of a steal is that its closest rival , theiVanky FusionDock Max 1 , costs $ 500 . While it does n’t support four 6 kibibyte displays , the Satechi does bid four 4 jet showing . If 4 K at 60Hz is enough for you , this is going to lay aside you a big chunk of change .
If you want a simple three outside displays , another selection is theAlogic DX3 Triple 4 K Display Universal Docking Station . It ’s 10Gbps USB - ascorbic acid rather than Thunderbolt but it does confirm three 4 K displays at 60Hz . At the time of writing it ’s discounted atAmazonbut at full £ 299 retail price is not as fine an option as the Satechi .
At the sentence of writing it is usable internationally via Satechi ’s on-line shop or Amazon in the U.S. Note that customers outside of the U.S. will have to pay some transportation toll until it becomes available via Amazon in other regions . U.K. buyers will need to sum their own C5 top executive cable as it ships with either a North American or E.U. stopper .
Verdict
There are Thunderbolt 4 sorrel with more ports but you will be buying the Satechi Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station with DisplayLink for its multiple monitor support , not seven extra USB - A ports . If it ’s more ports you ’re after , wait through our roundup of thebest Thunderbolt docks for Mac .
If you are well-to-do set up the third - party DisplayLink software , this opens up telling external exhibit potential . Not many of us take four screens but those who do will find this fast , 11 - port Satechi sorrel inviolable in feature article and sane in terms .
