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Best Black Friday Thunderbolt dock deals: November 28

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PC World 

Black Friday deals on Thunderbolt docking stations for your laptop are nearly here, but that’s not stopping retailers from offering holiday sales early. Happy Thanksgiving!

We’ve been on the hunt for the best Thunderbolt dock deals for several weeks now, but we’re consolidating them on this page as Black Friday approaches. I’ve reviewed docking station deals at major retailers, comparing them to my extensive reviews of the best Thunderbolt docks and my knowledge of their pricing. Even better, I explain why each deal is worth buying, with an emphasis on getting the most bang for your buck.

Want more? I’ve included a FAQ with more information: how to differentiate between the various standards, the price I’d expect to pay, and more.

Best Black Friday budget Thunderbolt dock deals

Best Black Friday premium Thunderbolt dock deals

If $186 isn’t out of your price range, buy the Kensington SD5800T. It’s the best premium Thunderbolt dock available right now, and it’s well under the $299 MSRP — that brings it down to what I’d consider a mainstream price range. Read my SD5800T review: it’s excellent! Cheaper options are listed below. Plugable’s TBT4-UDX1 is also a top choice. Plugable’s dock includes a single HDMI port, plus two upstream Thunderbolt 4 ports, but Plugable includes a Thunderbolt (USB-C) to HDMI adapter right in the box. Both Kensington and Plugable have solid reputations, especially for support.

I think the HP Thunderbolt Dock G2 still represents excellent value for the money, and it’s my favorite deal right now in the budget category. I personally reviewed the HP G4 and it was terrific. Here, the G2 swaps HDMI ports for DisplayPort ports, so if you only have HDMI connections on your displays, you’ll have to buy some $15 DisplayPort-to-HDMI cables. Otherwise, it’s a compact and effective dock for your desk.

I also think you’ll be happy with the Kensington USB-C and Thunderbolt Dock (which is a true Thunderbolt 3 dock, though the name’s a bit confusing.) It has the same caveat as the HP dock above: it sports just one HDMI port plus an upstream Thunderbolt port. If you want to connect it to a display, you’ll need a dongle like the one suggested above. Kensington is one of those manufacturers whose quality has been consistently good in my experience.

I also like Ugreen hardware, as my review of the slightly more expensive Max 213 dock indicates. The Ugreen Revodok Max 208, which is what’s on sale here, also received a favorable review from our sister site, TechAdvisor. It, too, is a hub, however; you’ll need adapter cables.

So what’s the difference between the Belkin Thunderbolt 3 Dock Core, Pro, and Plus? Ports, mainly. I think that the Core (one HDMI, one DisplayPort) will fit most users the best, followed by the Pro‘s single DisplayPort. (An upstream Thunderbolt port requires a display dongle.) The Plus includes two DisplayPort ports, but Belkin’s had some quality-control issues here on one of the ports — you might get a lemon, you might not.

The Kensington SD2500T is an interesting device — both the “old version” and the new version are on steep discounts. (Kensington sells it for $199.99, so the $66.99 is much more than 6% off.) It does run hot, according to reports, which is why it’s well down my list for a reason. I haven’t tested this device personally. The Kensington SD2480T is even cheaper, at $49.95. Again, users complain that it runs very hot. however.

The CalDigit TS4 works for both Macs and Windows PCs. (Our friends at Macworld loved it per their review.) This CalDigit dock is also a good choice if you’re looking for a more full-featured dock, but it’s definitely pricier. That’s also the reason I’ve included the Surface Dock, which has a good reputation even if I haven’t reviewed it. Ditto for the Lenovo Dock Gen 2.

If you’ve been following our lists of deals, some of these are familiar: They’re solid docks that keep going on sale. And some of the discounts are somewhat deceptive. Last year, the Belkin Thunderbolt 3 Dock Core (a perfectly good travel dock, per my review) was being sold for $100 on a “50 percent discount.” This year, it’s being sold for $69.99 at Walmart (and at Target for the same price). At least at Walmart, the $69.99 price tag is now the “regular price,” not a discount. Still, it’s a steal! Ditto for the Kensington SD2500T, which was $131 last year but now $68.75 at Amazon.

The Targus USB-C Docking Station is the only exception to the Thunderbolt category, as it uses the DisplayLink protocol, which I’ve found exceedingly stable for office use but not for games.

We’ve also reviewed quite a few Thunderbolt docking stations in our list of the best Thunderbolt docks. It’s never a bad idea to skim down that list and see if there’s a price that appeals to you.

Black Friday: The best PC deals around

Check out our roundups for the best PC-related deals in a wide variety of categories!

FAQ

1.

When is Black Friday?

Officially, this year’s Black Friday takes place on Friday, Nov. 29, 2024. Cyber Monday is the following Monday, or Dec. 2, 2024.

2.

When do early Black Friday deals on Thunderbolt docks begin?

Early Black Friday sales have already begun at several retailers, though sales should ramp up as Black Friday nears. Retailers haven’t been shy about using early sales to unload inventory before the Black Friday craziness begins.

Over the years, I’ve found that certain retailers simply outdo others in specific product categories. I routinely search sites like Newegg, B&H, Target, and Walmart, but Amazon typically has the best collection of deals on docking stations of all stripes, including Thunderbolt docks.

3.

What should you pay for a Black Friday deal on a Thunderbolt dock?

Premium Thunderbolt docks usually retail for about $220 to $270 or so, depending upon the features. I usually hope for $200 or less.

In 2024, you benefit from one key trend: Thunderbolt 3 and Thunderbolt 4 are roughly the same in terms of throughput and features, but retailers hate keeping old hardware on the shelves. It’s likely that you’ll still see substantial sales on older Thunderbolt 3 hardware, with lesser discounts applied to Thunderbolt 4 options.

I’m already seeing evidence of that. The Plugable TBT3-UDZ, which has been one of my favorite Thunderbolt 3 docks for years, is being discontinued in favor of the TBT4-UDZ, the Thunderbolt 4 version. With Thunderbolt 3 hardware on its way out — and very similar to Thunderbolt 4 in what it can do — you should expect additional discounts on older TB3 hardware. Thunderbolt 5 is just barely beginning to roll out. You won’t see any deals there.

4.

I have a USB-C port on my laptop. How do I know what to use with it?

Consult your laptop’s manual. A Thunderbolt port may be labeled with a small lightning-bolt logo, but that icon can sometimes be used to signal that the port can be used for charging, too. If nothing else, a USB-C dongle/hub will always work with a USB-C port.

5.

I still don’t understand the difference between USB-C and Thunderbolt. How does it all work?

USB ports have been around for years. USB-C (the oval-shaped port) replaced USB-A (the rectangular port) because USB-C was more versatile, with higher speeds and a reversible port connector. USB-C ports can be rated for either 5Gbps or 10Gbps, just like a normal USB-A port. But some USB-C ports connect to a Thunderbolt chip inside your laptop, and this allows the port to run at a higher 40Gbps speed. Physically, the connector looks exactly the same. It’s just what it can do that’s different.

Thunderbolt 5 is slowly entering the market, but with only one or two docks and a tiny number of laptops right now. You won’t see any sales on Thunderbolt 5 docks during the 2024 holiday season.

6.

What’s the difference between a USB-C hub and a Thunderbolt dock?

Speed and features. A USB-C hub connects to a single 4K (or 1080p) display and provides a mix of ports: USB-A, SD card slots, and so on. You can usually plug your laptop’s USB-C power cable (if it uses one) right into it.

A Thunderbolt dock supplies even more bandwidth for more ports. There are two key differences: It has enough bandwidth to drive a pair of 4K displays, and many docks come with their own power supply that can charge your laptop as well as your phone. All that occurs via the Thunderbolt cable that connects your laptop to the dock.

7.

My laptop has USB 4, not Thunderbolt. Can I use a Thunderbolt dock?

Yes and no. Thunderbolt 3, Thunderbolt 4, and USB 4 all run at 40Gbps across the same connector. USB 4 is identical to Thunderbolt 4. But if your laptop runs USB 4, it won’t “understand” Thunderbolt 3 protocols. USB 4 laptops, which are still rare, have AMD Ryzen chips inside.

8.

Is Thunderbolt 4 better than Thunderbolt 3?

Physically, they use the same USB-C cable. Functionally, they’re almost the same, and run at the same 40Gbps throughput. Thunderbolt 4 was released almost as a patch to Thunderbolt 3, ensuring that everything worked properly. If your laptop has Thunderbolt, you should be able to buy either a Thunderbolt 3 or Thunderbolt 4 dock without any problems.

Since Thunderbolt 3 is being phased out, you’ll probably find more discounts on the older Thunderbolt 3 hardware. (For all the gory details, see my roundup of the best Thunderbolt docks.)

9.

I own a desktop PC. Do I need a Thunderbolt dock?

Possibly. Historically, the back of a desktop has been chock-full of I/O ports, especially DIY models that you build yourself. Desktops usually have extra room for internal SSDs, SD cards, and so on. However, if your desktop lacks these things, and if it includes an external Thunderbolt port, you can always add these additional components externally via Thunderbolt.

10.

Some of these docks have bad reviews on shopping sites. What gives?

Read the user reviews closely. While Macs adopted Thunderbolt first, some of the Apple M1 silicon couldn’t keep up with Intel Thunderbolt controllers used by Windows PCs, and the Apple macOS experience suffered as a result. If a Windows user complains, pay attention; otherwise, you can dismiss them.