What docks work with MacBook M1?
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Apple's MacBook Pro and MacBook Air are remarkable laptops, but they don't make for the best desktop alternatives right out of the box. Like Henry Ford's Model T, which gave you a choice of colors (so long as you chose black), modern MacBooks give you your choice of ports, so long as they are Thunderbolt ports. Apple uses oval-shaped Thunderbolt 3 and Thunderbolt 4 ports on its various laptops. Check out our primers on
Thunderbolt 3 and Thunderbolt 4 to learn what makes Thunderbolt different from USB-C. Thunderbolt and
wireless connectivity are perfectly serviceable for most mobile professionals while they're out and about. But many offices around the globe still rely on legacy ports such as HDMI and USB 3.0, not to mention SD card readers and Ethernet for wired connections. And today, with most business travel reduced to wearing a path in the carpet between your home office and the kitchen, flexibility matters more than ever. At certain times, you want to work on a single laptop screen in the living room, and
at others, you buckle down at a desk with a more elaborate multi-screen setup and desktop peripherals. If you don't want to rely on a whole host of USB-C adapters or dongles back at your desk, a docking station can be your best solution short of buying a desktop Mac. This guide to the top MacBook docking stations for your Apple
laptop will help you find the desktop peripheral setup that's right for you. (For a higher-level overview of docking-station options, check out our deep-dive guide to how to pick a laptop docking station.)
By getting the best dock for MacBook Pro you can give your Apple laptop a serious upgrade without having to remortgage your house. The MacBook Pro is fantastic in many ways, but a frequent criticism is that it doesn't have enough ports for connectivity; so if you need to connect external monitors, a mouse, keyboard, an external storage drive and sometimes more, you'll need a dock to link all those peripherals to your MacBook Pro. If you're using your MacBook Pro for video editing or photo retouching, you'll really need to connect it to a full-size monitor so that you can see what you're doing properly, and the best way to do this without sacrificing precious ports is to use a dock with fast transfer ports that can handle large volumes of data. You'll also find that many docks pack in useful extra features such as 3.5mm audio jacks, which are ideal as both headphone connectors and mic sockets, as well as working as power sources both for your MacBook Pro and other devices. Most docks tend to offer standard USB-A ports as well as faster USB-C ports, and many also provide you with lightning-fast Thunderbolt 3 or 4 connections, which are especially useful on new MacBook Pros that you might want to use with big 4K displays or for transferring huge amounts of data around. We've put together a selection of the best docks for MacBook Pro available right now, with a range of options and at various price points. We've assessed them in terms of connectivity, performance and price, as well as checking out online reviews to ensure that they do the business. And once you've found your perfect dock, if you need something else to plug into it, why not take a look at our guide to the best 4K monitors, as well as the best MacBook Pro accessories to further kit out your computer. The best dock for MacBook Pro available nowWhy you can trust Creative Bloq Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test. 01. Kensington SD5700T Thunderbolt 4 Docking StationThe best dock for MacBook Pro M1 Pro and M1 Max SpecificationsDimensions: 22.1 x 14.71 x 11.1cm Weight: 1.48kg Ports: 1 upstream TB4, 3 TB 4, 4 USB-A, 1 Gigabit Ethernet, 1 UHS-II SD Card reader, 1 3.5mm audio, 1 180W power supply Reasons to buy+ ThunderBolt 4 +11 fast ports +180W power display Reasons to avoid- Pricier than others The Kensington SD5700T Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station is currently our top pick as the best dock for a MacBook Pro, including the recent models with M1 processors. With four Thunderbolt 4 ports (one up; three down), three fast USB-A ports, and one for 7.5W charging, it's generously specced, and also has extras like an SD slot, a Gigabit Ethernet port and an audio jack, as well as an 180W power supply that allows you to juice up multiple devices at once. It's difficult to imagine needing much more than that. Vesa mounting holes make it easy to mount the dock to get it out of the way, and the three-year warranty provided by Kensington is a nice bit of peace of mind that should soften the blow of the not-inconsiderable price tag. Given that MacBook Pros themselves already cost a bundle, this could be too much for some, but if it's within your budget, this is a superb dock. 02. CalDigit TS4 Thunderbolt 4 18-in-1 HubThis big, expensive dock is the new high-water mark SpecificationsDimensions: 14.1 x 11.33 x 4.19 cm Weight: 0.64kg Ports: 3x Thunderbolt 4 ports, 3x 10Gb/s USB-C ports, 5x 10Gb/s USB-A ports, 1x DisplayPort 1.4, 1x 2.5Gbps Ethernet, SD UHS-II and microSD UHS-II card slots, 1x 3.5mm audio in, 1x 3.5mm audio out, 1x 3.5mm combo audio in and out Reasons to buy+ Lots and lots of ports +Super-fast connectivity Reasons to avoid- Ongoing stock issues -Pricier than others Fans of CalDigit's comprehensive TS3 dock, which you'll find further down this list, will be immensely pleased by the TS4, which is the most well-specced dock a MacBook Pro owner can get right now (and comes at a price reflecting that fact). Its 18 ports give you all sorts of options, and allow you to charge multiple devices at once even when the laptop isn't connected. The Thunderbolt 4 connections ensure that all transfers are speedy and efficient, and being able to output to as many as two 6K 60Hz displays, or a single 1440p 240Hz display, gives you real flexibility when it comes to display options – check out our guide to the best monitors for MacBook Pro if you need some pointers on which to pick. The CalDigit TS4 is an expensive dock, so if you don't need all of its many ports and options, a cheaper alternative may suit. Also, like many electronics in recent times, it has been hit by stock issues, and can be hard to get hold of. If you're after one, and you see it available, snap it up. (opens in new tab) 03. HP USB-C Dock G5Gets you lots of ports without breaking the bank SpecificationsDimensions: 12.2 x 12.2 x 4.5 cm Weight: 750g Ports: 1 USB-C port with data and power out (15W), 1 USB-C cable to connect to host system, 4 USB 3.0 charging ports, 1 combo audio jack, 2 DisplayPort ports, 1 RJ45 port, 1 HDMI 2.0 port, 1 standard lock slot Reasons to buy+ Lots of ports +Neat size +DP and HDMI ports Reasons to avoid- Layout of ports can make a tangle While it's not a visual match with your MacBook Pro, what with it being a striking black colour with the distinctive silver HP branding emblazoned across the top, this USB-C-ladendock has exactly what your Apple laptop needs: ports, lots of ports. With both HDMI and DisplayPort connections, it can connect more than one extra monitor to your MacBook Pro, for that valuable extra screen real estate if you're working on a demanding visual project, be it 3D modelling, graphic design or video-editing. It has fast-charge ports to charge your phone while you work, links up fuss-free with a cable attached to the front, and its neat dimensions will tuck nicely in on even a compact desk (or underneath a laptop stand (opens in new tab)). 04. Kensington SD5200T Dual 4K docking stationThe best dock for MacBook Pro for TB3 and a tidy desk SpecificationsDimensions: 21.7 x 8.5 x 2.6cm Weight: 337g Ports: 2x Thunderbolt 3, USB-C, 2x USB-A, 3.5mm audio in, 3.5mm audio out, Gigabit Ethernet Reasons to buy+ Zero footprint mounting +85W power delivery +Up to 40Gbps data speed Reasons to avoid- Thunderbolt 4 more future-proof Another dock from Kensington, this is a suitable dock for older MacBook Pros, as it sports a Thunderbolt 3 connection rather than the newer, faster Thunderbolt 4. The SD5200T Dual 4K docking station will still work with Thunderbolt 4 connections, as they're backwards compatible, you just won't get the extra speed. You may be wondering what exactly "Dual 4K" means – this refers to the fact that the dock allows for the attaching of two 4K monitors, both of which can be running at 60 Hz, via the Thunderbolt 3 port and DisplayPort. A mounting plate can be bought separately to mount it to the back of a VESA-compatible monitor. 05. Corsair TBT100 Thunderbolt 3 DockThe best dock for MacBook Pro for TB3 and HDMI output SpecificationsDimensions: 22.8 x 8.3 x 2.5cm Weight: 500g Ports: 2x USB-C 3.1, 2x USB-A 3.1, 2x HDMI, 3.5mm Audio, SD card reader, Gigabit Ethernet Reasons to buy+ Twin HDMI connections +SD card reader +Smart charging technology Reasons to avoid- Expensive for TB3 Another great dock for hooking up a pair of 4K monitors to your MacBook Pro, the Corsair TBT100 Thunderbolt 3 Dock offers a broad range of connections. It's got the usual Thunderbolt 3 and USB-A ports, as well as the aforementioned HDMI ports for monitors, and a reader for a UHS-II SD card. There's also Gigabit Ethernet and 85W charging – all the hits, essentially. The Corsair TBT100 is still quite pricey, especially for a Thunderbolt 3 dock. Still, if you want to output your MacBook Pro to dual displays at 4K resolution in 60Hz HDR, there aren't a lot of options for doing so. It's a well-made piece of kit with sleek design that will complement your MacBook Pro. 06. Anker PowerExpand 5-in-1 Thunderbolt 4 Mini DockThe best dock for MacBook Pro M1 SpecificationsDimensions: 12.4 x 7.2 x 2.4cm Weight: 167.8 g Ports: Thunderbolt 4 upstream, 3x Thunderbolt 4 downstream, USB-A Reasons to buy+ Supports up to 8K monitor +Thunderbolt 4 support Reasons to avoid- Only one external monitor with M1 Want ThunderBolt 4 but not convinced by the price of the Kensington dock at number one in our list? Then the Anker PowerExpand 5-in-1 Thunderbolt 4 Mini Dock is a good option at a more economical price, although that does mean sacrificing some features. It has a premium, very compact design that takes up little room on a desk, and it offers 85W power delivery and support for a single 8K monitor or dual 4K. The downside is that there's only one USB-A port and no SD card reader or HDMI. Still, it's a worth companion to give the M1 MacBook Pro the extra ports you need, high transfer speeds, charging and the ability to connect external monitors with just one port. 07. Belkin Thunderbolt 3 Dock CoreThe best compact and portable dock for MacBook Pro SpecificationsDimensions: 3.8 x 13.2 x 16.5cm Weight: 220g Ports: USB-A 3.2, USB-A 2.0, USB-C PD, HDMI 2.0, DisplayPort 1.4, 3.5mm Audio in/out, Gigabit Ethernet Reasons to buy+ 60W power delivery +Supports dual monitors Reasons to avoid- Tethered Thunderbolt 3 cable For a highly portable dock for your MacBook Pro, Belkin has the perfect option in the form of the Thunderbolt 3 Dock Core. This dinky piece of kit delivers 40W of charging power and it doesn't skimp on connectivity despite its compact size. With its assorted ports you can attach up to two 4K monitors at 60Hz via DisplayPort and HDMI 2.0, and for other devices there's a pair of USB-A ports and a Thunderbolt 3/USB-C port for fast data speeds. We're not so keen on the tethered Thunderbolt 3-cable – if that breaks then that's your dock ruined – but apart from that this is a great little dock. 08. CalDigit Thunderbolt 3 Mini DockA neat little dock with a choice of video ports SpecificationsDimensions: 12.4 x 1.9 x 6.3cm Weight: 220g Ports: USB 3.0, USB 2.0, 2x DisplayPort or HDMI, Gigabit Ethernet Reasons to buy+ Two video ports +Compact design Reasons to avoid- Tethered Thunderbolt 3 cable The CalDigit Thunderbolt 3 Mini Dock is a neat, compact MacBook Pro dock that's similar in appearance to the Belkin Thunderbolt 3 Dock Core mentioned earlier (even down to the tethered Thunderbolt 3 cable, which you'll really want to ensure doesn't get damaged). This dock offers another lightweight and portable solution to get more ports out of your MacBook Pro, giving you a USB-3.0 and USB-2.0 port and Gigabit Ethernet as well as a pair of video ports – you can choose between HDMI and DisplayPort. It's bus-powered so it won't charge your MacBook Pro, but it's ideal for attaching a pair of 4K displays and gaining some extra connectivity while you're at it.
09. Moshi Symbus QThe best dock for MacBook Pro with wireless charging on the side SpecificationsDimensions: 11.6 x 7.2 x 3.2cm Weight: 785 g Ports: 2x USB-A, HDMI 2.0, Gigabit Ethernet Reasons to buy+ Qi charging pad +60W charging power Reasons to avoid- No Thunderbolt 3 out The reality of having one of the best docks for MacBook Pro will be that you end up using it to charge most of your portable devices. But why plug them in if you can charge them wirelessly? The Moshi Symbus Q has a Qi-EPP-certified wireless charging pad built into it, so if you want to keep your iPhone or AirPods Pro charged without running cables all over your desk, you can simply pop them on top of it. That keeps things a lot neater, and the Symbus Q will also charge your MacBook Pro at 40W. It features a pair of USB-A ports, Gigabit Ethernet and an HDMI port that supports 4K HDR too. 10. Plugable Thunderbolt 3 DockA hefty dock with plenty of ports SpecificationsDimensions: 29.6 x 15 x 10.6cm Weight: 1.9kg Ports: 2x Thunderbolt 3, 5x USB-A, DisplayPort (HDMI adapter included), 3.5mm audio, Gigabit Ethernet Reasons to buy+ Five USB ports +Handy USB port on the front Reasons to avoid- Only one Thunderbolt 3 output The sleek Plugable Thunderbolt 3 Dock isn't quite as chock full of ports as some of the other docks on this list, but it still offers impressive connectivity with five standard USB 3.0 ports and a pair of Thunderbolt 3 ports, which should allow you to connect pretty much everything you might want to. With a DisplayPort output thrown in for good measure, you'll be able to expand your desktop with a pair of 4K monitors (there's a DisplayPort to HDMI adapter included too), and it'll charge your MacBook Pro with a steady 60W of power. 11. CalDigit TS3 PlusThe best dock for MacBook Pro 16-inch SpecificationsDimensions: 13.1 x 4 x 9.8cm Weight: 470g Ports: 2x Thunderbolt 3, DisplayPort 1.2, 5x USB-A, 2x USB-C, SD Card Reader, Digital Optical Audio (S/PDIF), Gigabit Ethernet, 3.5mm audio in, 3.5mm audio out Reasons to buy+ 87W charging power +Loads of ports +SuperDrive compatible Reasons to avoid- No US availability If you're the proud owner of a shiny new 16-inch MacBook Pro and want to plug literally everything into it, the monster CalDigit TS3 Plus is a great choice. The predecessor to the 18-port Caldigit TS4 featured further up the list, this dock comes with 15 ports in total, seven of which are USB, which means that you ought to be able to attach everything your design studio needs. Dual 4K monitors? A stack of USB hard drives? Graphics tablet? Digital audio devices? A load of files on SD card? It'll take all of that with room to spare too, and it'll keep your MacBook Pro topped up with 87W of power in the process. How do I choose the best dock for MacBook Pro?The best dock for MacBook Pro will depend somewhat on the model you have and what you want to do with it. If charging is a priority, look for at least 90W for charging at a decent rate. What you most need to consider, however, is what connections you want. Do you want to hook up multiple monitors? And do you need Thunderbolt 3 or 4? The latest MacBook Pros (the 14in and 16in M1 Pro and M1 Max model released in October 2021) have Thunderbolt 4 ports rather than Thunderbolt 3, and even if you have an earlier model, you might still want a Thunderbolt 4 dock since the TB4 is backwards compatible. Functionally, there's not a huge difference, but TB4 docks can have up to four, rather than two, Thunderbolt ports, including the upstream port that connects to your laptop. There's also an improvement when it comes to daisy-chaining devices since with Thunderbolt 3, a device chain can be disrupted when any but the final device is removed. Note that the M1 13in MacBook can only connect to one external display, while the 14in and 16in can support multiple displays. Related articles:
Jim McCauley is a writer, performer and cat-wrangler who started writing professionally way back in 1995 on PC Format magazine, and has been covering technology-related subjects ever since, whether it's hardware, software or videogames. A chance call in 2005 led to Jim taking charge of Computer Arts' website and developing an interest in the world of graphic design, and eventually led to a move over to the freshly-launched Creative Bloq in 2012. Jim now works as a freelance writer for sites including Creative Bloq, T3 and PetsRadar, specialising in design, technology, wellness and cats, while doing the occasional pantomime and street performance in Bath and designing posters for a local drama group on the side. Related articlesIs there a docking station for MacBook Air M1?Satechi USB-C Multimedia Adapter M1
Designed for M1 MacBooks, Satechi's USB-C Multimedia Adapter M1 ($149.99) offers two HDMI monitor ports supporting 4K resolution (one at 60Hz, one at 30Hz); two 5Gbps USB Type-A data ports; one 5Gbps USB-C data port; and one 85-watt USB-C charging port.
What docks are compatible with MacBook Pro?The best dock for MacBook Pro available now. Kensington SD5700T Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station. ... . HP USB-C Dock G5. ... . Kensington SD5200T Dual 4K docking station. ... . Corsair TBT100 Thunderbolt 3 Dock. ... . Anker PowerExpand 5-in-1 Thunderbolt 4 Mini Dock. ... . Belkin Thunderbolt 3 Dock Core. ... . CalDigit Thunderbolt 3 Mini Dock. ... . Moshi Symbus Q.. Does DisplayLink work with M1 Mac?Compatible with all Macs (macOS 10.15+) and Windows 11 or 10 Computers. Sonnet's DisplayLink Dual DisplayPort Adapter is ideal for M1 and M2 Macs, and Intel®-based Mac or Windows computers with USB 3 or USB-C interfaces.
Are all monitors compatible with Mac M1?While the M1 and M2 MacBooks natively support just one monitor, the M1 Mac Mini does natively support up to two external monitors—one via the HDMI port and a second via USB-C. But the M1 models of the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro support only one external display.
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