USB-C and Thunderbolt Dock/Display Recommendations
- Jim Zajkowski
- Ed Bobak
Izzy Engineering is not able to test (or re-test) every dock available. This information is provided as guidance only. We recommend contacting us before purchasing 3rd party accessories for Mac systems.
Recommendations
Broadly speaking, we recommend Thunderbolt devices over USB. Thunderbolt validation is more stringent than USB (any knucklehead can sell a USB device).
Base M (eg, not a Pro, Max, or Ultra) laptops are physically limited to a single external display. DisplayLink-based docks may provide support for a 2nd external, but DisplayLink is a software video device, and we have had long-term support issues with them. We recommend users who need a 2nd external display choose a device with a Pro-series chip. One addendum: the Mac mini supports two displays with the base M CPU.
| Product | Notes | M1/M2/M3 base chip | Pro/Max/Ultra |
|---|---|---|---|
CalDigit | Exceptional connectivity, 98W PD for single-wire docking. Can be bought via B&H through Marketsite at a discount. | Highly Recommended Single display only. | Highly Recommended Supports dual 4K/60Hz; single 4K/144Hz |
CalDigit | Exceptional connectivity, 87W PD for single-wire docking. Can be bought via B&H through Marketsite at a discount. | Highly Recommended Single display only. | Highly Recommended Supports dual 4K/60Hz |
| Other World Computing Thunderbolt 3 Dock | Excellent connectivity. 85W PD for single-wire docking. Can be bought via B&H through Marketsite at a discount. | Highly Recommended Single display only | Highly Recommended Supports dual 4K/60Hz |
| Other World Computing Thunderbolt Hub | Limited connectivity but broad display support. 60W PD is more than enough for the Air or 13" Pro, but may not be enough for the 16" Pro running Final Cut exports all day every day. Customers who need long-running power demands can plug their laptop in with MagSafe. Can be bought via B&H through Marketsite at a discount. | Recommended Single display only | Recommended With Reservations 60W PD may not be sufficient for demanding, long-term workloads. |
Other World Computing | Basic "dock" setup. Does not provide power pass-through, customer will have to plug in two wires to laptop. Can be bought via B&H through Marketsite at a discount. | Recommended With Reservations Single display only. Except M2 Air: plugging in power will use all ports on device. | Recommended |
Startech | Basic "dock" setup. Does not provide power pass-through, customer will have to plug in two wires to laptop. | Recommended With Reservations Single display only. Except M2 Air: plugging in power will use all ports on device. | Recommended |
| Sonnet Thunderbolt 3 to Dual DisplayPort Adapter | Does not provide power to the Mac, so an additional breakout hub or port will need to be used. | Incompatible | Recommended |
| Apple USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter | Single HDMI display supported; USB-C port is strictly for power to the notebook (cannot be daisy-chained). | Recommended | Recommended |
For debugging, we have this handy tool: