The 3 Best Thunderbolt Docks for 2025
Best for…
Using additional software, this dock supports up to four external monitors with either a Windows PC or a Mac.
On its own, a single Thunderbolt 4 connection supports only a pair of external monitors, while Thunderbolt 5 supports a third monitor for Windows PCs only. The Kensington SD5900T DisplayLink Docking Station works around the Thunderbolt 4 limitations with the help of Synaptics’s DisplayLink software, which uses video compression to support up to four external monitors. It’s also just a great dock, whether you use DisplayLink or not.
Note that Kensington markets the SD5900T for Macs and the SD5910T variant in black for Windows and ChromeOS. A spokesperson told Wirecutter that the two models are functionally identical, and the SD5900T worked with both Windows and macOS in our testing, but a customer service representative insisted that the SD5900T supported Macs only. To be on the safe side, buy the model that corresponds with your most-used operating system.
Key specs
| three Thunderbolt 4 ports (one host) | 2.5 Gbps Ethernet |
| two HDMI or DisplayPort (for DisplayLink only) connections | one SD card reader (UHS-II) |
| one DisplayPort connection | one microSD card reader (UHS-II) |
| one USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 port | audio-in/out |
| one USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 port | 96 W charging |
| two USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 ports |
DisplayLink works as expected. This dock has a pair of HDMI and DisplayPort outputs that work exclusively over DisplayLink, and you can use one of each pair for two external monitors. You can use an additional DisplayPort output and two Thunderbolt 4 ports for up to two more monitors without DisplayLink, for up to four connected monitors total. In our testing, the DisplayLink connections were smooth and responsive, supporting 4K video at up to 60 frames per second. Mac users must install the DisplayLink software on their own, but our Windows PC detected the dock and installed the necessary drivers automatically.
It has plenty of other ports, too. Even when you subtract the pair of DisplayPort outputs, Kensington’s dock has a strong port selection, including a pair of Thunderbolt 4 ports, a DisplayPort output, one USB-C port with 10 Gbps speeds, three USB-A ports (one 10 Gbps, two 5 Gbps), SD and microSD card slots (both with UHS-II transfer speeds), a 3.5 mm audio port, and a 2.5 Gbps Ethernet port.
| Read speed | Write speed | |
| SSD, no monitors | 2818 MB/s | 2703 MB/s |
| SSD, two HDMI w/ DisplayLink | 2821 MB/s | 2706 MB/s |
| SSD, one monitor (no DisplayLink) | 2833 MB/s | 1906 MB/s |
| SSD, two monitors (no DisplayLink) | 2806 MB/s | 826 MB/s |
| SD card | 240 MB/s | 83 MB/s |
The port alignment makes sense. Unlike our top pick, Kensington’s dock puts the host port, Ethernet port, and all monitor connections in the back. The front ports are for things you might use less frequently, such as the second Thunderbolt 4 port, the card slots, and the headphone jack. This design helps keep your desk neat and tidy.
It’s mountable. This dock has a couple of VESA mounting holes on its underside. For an extra $20, Kensington sells a mounting bracket for you to clamp the dock to the base of an external monitor.
It’s covered by a three-year warranty. Kensington backs this dock with a three-year warranty, longer than the coverage that most dock makers offer. It also has a phone number for tech support, and in our testing a representative responded immediately.
Flaws but not dealbreakers
DisplayLink isn’t always ideal. Some DisplayLink dock users complain of performance issues, and some dock makers warn against using DisplayLink with dynamic video applications, such as gaming and video editing. We didn’t notice any issues with web browsing, but the display did stutter occasionally when we played a round of Doom on our Windows PC.
The HDMI ports are DisplayLink-only. If you want to avoid the DisplayLink software, you can still use the dock’s DisplayPort and Thunderbolt ports with a pair of external monitors, but you’ll need extra adapters to connect your monitors over HDMI.
