Ugreen Maxidok 10-in-1 Thunderbolt 5 Dock assessment: Mini dock or tremendous hub?

Value When Reviewed

£299.99

Finest Costs Immediately: Ugreen Maxidok 10-in-1 Thunderbolt 5 Docking Station

$249.99

$299.99

Following the discharge of its flagship 17-port Maxidok Docking Station, Ugreen has a extra entry-level Thunderbolt 5 dock with fewer ports at a extra user-friendly value.

The extra standard-looking Ugreen Revodok Maxidok 10-in-1 Thunderbolt 5 Docking Station lacks the 17-port dock’s built-in SSD slot and a bunch of ports however will match the wants of most. Given its compact kind and smaller variety of ports, is the Maxidok 10 a mini dock or an excellent Thunderbolt 5 hub?

Simon Jary

Specs and options

Ten ports is fewer than most Thunderbolt 5 docks—nearer to the 9 discovered on the CalDigit Thunderbolt 5 Component 5 Hub.

• One upstream Thunderbolt 5 port (80Gbps/120Gbps, 100W)
• Two downstream Thunderbolt 5 ports (80Gbps, 15W)
• Three USB-A ports (10Gbps, 4.5W)
• DisplayPort 2.1
• Ethernet (1Gb)
• UHS-II SD card reader (170MBps)
• MicroSD card reader (170MBps)
• 140W energy provide

Simon Jary

The upstream Thunderbolt 5 connection to your Mac just isn’t an open port however an built-in TB5 cable measuring 2.6 toes (0.8m). That is uncommon because it means you possibly can’t swap it out for an extended cable if that’s what you require. The common TB5 cable size is 3.3 toes (1m), which isn’t for much longer however nonetheless may make a distinction in your setup. The CalDigit Energetic Thunderbolt 5 Professional Cable is accessible at a size of 6.56 toes (2m), however you merely can’t use an extended cable with the Maxidok 10 as its upstream port just isn’t open.

That stated, the near-meter-long cable will probably be lengthy sufficient for many desktop setups—except your energy socket is much out of your desk, during which case you could possibly add an extended energy cable.

Just like the Maxidok 17, for the Maxidok 10 Ugreen sacrifices one of many potential downstream Thunderbolt 5 ports for a devoted DisplayPort (2.1) video port. The choice to incorporate a video-only port is one taken on many high-end Thunderbolt docking stations, however we predict it’s a mistake on a dock with no different type-C ports.

It’s nice in case your designated monitor has a DisplayPort (DP) connection, however if you wish to join through HDMI or USB-C/Thunderbolt the DisplayPort may find yourself unused (or connected to an adapter cable). Apple’s Studio Show, for instance, has no DisplayPort so that you’d be compelled to both use one of many two downstream TB5 ports and go away the DP redundant or purchase your self a DisplayPort to USB-C adapter cable.

We fee BenQ’s 4K MA270U and 5K MA270S as two of the most effective shows for Mac, and each lack a DisplayPort however fortunately join through USB-C/Thunderbolt. If you would like a touchscreen show just like the Alogic Readability Fold Contact it calls for a type-C connection. The Maxidok can deal with these displays through both of its TB5 ports however leaves its DisplayPort unused the place a 3rd downstream TB5 port might have sat prepared for motion.

A extra versatile method could be to overlook a devoted video port and embrace a 3rd Thunderbolt port, providing you with the choice to both join utilizing that or add the adapter your monitor calls for.

The Maxidok 10 contains three quick USB-A ports on the entrance for legacy connections however, except for the 2 downstream Thunderbolt ports, has no extra fashionable USB-C ports. With most new units bearing USB-C as a connection, three USB-A and no USB-C appears one other oddity for the Maxidok 10.

The place the Maxidok 17 supplied three audio ports—two on the again at one on the entrance—the Maxidok 10 oddly has none, which is uncommon for a docking station however fairly widespread on Thunderbolt hubs.

The wired community port is Gigabit Ethernet, which stays the usual for workplace networks, though many current docks embrace at a least backward-compatible 2.5Gb Ethernet port. Once more, this shouldn’t be an issue for many customers however it ought to put you off in case your LAN is a quick one.

Simon Jary

Energy points

The Maxidok 10’s energy provide helps as much as 140W, however the most energy to a related laptop computer is 100W, which doesn’t rule out however does drawback customers of the 16-inch MacBook Professional that requires 140W (PD 3.1) for fast-charging.

The downstream TB5 ports can every output energy at 15W. That’s not sufficient energy to fast-charge an iPhone, and the 4.5W USB-A ports supply little energy to related units. One 30W USB-C port on the entrance would have been most popular and most Thunderbolt docks present that or increased.

The Maxidok’s 140W energy provide couldn’t assist all its ports at full pelt (100W+15W+15W+4.5W+4.5W+4.5W) so the wattage going into the laptop computer might probably fluctuate to accommodate different hungry related units. Given the dock’s energy weaknesses, it’s not an awesome alternative of you’ve got demanding units to attach.

The CalDigit Component 5 Thunderbolt 5 Hub and OWC Thunderbolt 5 Hub aren’t any docks however each supply a extra punchy 180W energy provide.

Ugreen

Video choices

That leaves connecting a number of exterior shows because the Maxidok’s major perform. These will more than likely be self-powered so gained’t hassle the dock’s 140W energy provide.

Relying in your Mac’s processor, the 10-port Maxidok can assist a single 8K show at a 60Hz refresh fee or 4K at 240Hz.

A number of show configurations are additionally set on the constraints of the related Mac than the docking station itself. Linked to a Mac with the most recent M5 Max processor it will probably assist two 8K shows at 60Hz. With the M5 Professional, two displays are potential with one 8K/60Hz and one 5K/60Hz.

Each M5 Professional and M5 Max assist as much as three 4K shows at 144Hz every. With the M5 Max you could possibly daisy-chain a fourth show from the third.

M2/M3/M4 Professional/Max assist a single 8K/60Hz show, whereas the M1 Professional/Max is proscribed to a 6K/60Hz. Professional/Max fashions of the M1/M2/M3/M4 can deal with twin 6K/60Hz. For a full matrix of Mac monitor configurations, see under.

Home windows customers profit from that working system supporting Multi-Stream Transport (MST) for DisplayPort and Thunderbolt, and so extra can join to 3 shows utilizing the Maxidok. The utmost decision and refresh fee for a Home windows triple-display setup is 4K at 144Hz.

Ugreen

Semi-fast storage

The Maxidok 10 lacks M.2 NVme SSD discovered on the Ugreen Maxidok 17-in-1 Docking Station. At this value level we wouldn’t have anticipated such a function. You would as a substitute add an exterior SSD enclosure to one of many spare downstream TB5 ports.

The dock does embrace each SD and microSD card readers on the entrance so that you can add your personal transportable storage playing cards. These card readers have a potential 170MBps velocity someplace between the UHS-I (104MBps) and UHS-II (104MBps) card slots often discovered on docking stations. That’s slower than the 250MBps SDXC card slot constructed into Apple’s present MacBook Professional.

Whereas 170MBps is best than 104MBps, it’s one other—presumably cost-cutting—oddity that units the Maxidok 10 aside from different Thunderbolt 5 docks.

Simon Jary

Compact design

The Ugreen Maxidok 10 is a slim and fairly compact horizontal dock, measuring 6.3 x 4.3 x 1.3 inches (160 x 110 x 32mm).

Having fewer ports permits it to be across the similar dimension as a Thunderbolt hub relatively than a bigger dock but supply a wider vary of ports. The CalDigit Component 5 Hub (pictured under) measures 4.5 x 2.8 x 1 inches (114 x 70 x 25mm) however lacks the Maxidok’s Ethernet port and card-reader slots. It does, nonetheless, boast one additional downstream TB5, two USB-C and the identical variety of USB-A ports (7.5W vs 4.5W) because the Maxidok 10.

There’s a energy button on the entrance of the Maxidok 10, which we favor to none (as discovered, or relatively not discovered, on many docks) so it’s potential to manually cease energy going to the laptop computer battery during times of non-use.

Ugreen

Mini dock or tremendous Thunderbolt 5 hub?

With simply ten ports might the Maxidok 10 be higher classed as a Thunderbolt 5 hub, taking into consideration the CalDigit Component 5 Hub has 9?

A dock often has extra various kinds of port than a hub, and no hub boasts the cardboard readers and Ethernet port discovered on the Maxidok 10. If you would like a card reader or wired community entry on a hub, you’ll more than likely want so as to add an adapter or two. With the Maxidok 10, there’s no want for such adapters, though you’ll have to make use of your Mac’s personal headphone port because the Maxidok doesn’t have one.

Nonetheless, the Maxidok 10 has simply two downstream type-C connections: its Thunderbolt 5 ports, certainly one of which you’ll want to make use of if including a second exterior show because it calls for you join to 1 monitor through its one-use DisplayPort. All of the Thunderbolt 5 hubs we’ve examined have three downstream TB ports. Possibly you’d by no means use a headphone/mic jack—during which case it’s no loss. However that paucity of USB-C/Thunderbolt retains attending to me.

CalDigit

When you don’t want the Ethernet or card readers, it is best to think about the $249 CalDigit Component Hub as beforehand described. It has 5 type-C connections and higher type-A, boasts a 180W energy provide and might match the Maxidok on its show configurations. See the Component 5’s ports above; should you want a card reader or Ethernet you possibly can add an adapter to attach higher choices than these discovered on the Maxidok.

When you need extra ports and/or sooner community entry, look to the Maxidok’s higher endowed 17-in-1 sibling or one of many different finest Thunderbolt 5 docks we’ve examined.

There can be individuals for whom the Maxidok 10 is the proper match, however we predict there are different docks or hubs that may do the identical with extra energy and extra versatile connectivity choices.

Value

Ugreen has clearly lower out a few of the higher-end options discovered on different Thunderbolt 5 docking stations and has so stored the value of its Maxidok 10 decrease at $299.99. On the time of scripting this was generously discounted to $249.99.

For a similar record value, each the Plugable TBT-UDT3 dock and the Wavlink Thunderbolt 5 Dock have a beneficiant assortment of ports together with three downstream Thunderbolt 5 ports, 2.5Gb Ethernet and quick 312MBps card readers, an audio port, and no less than the identical variety of USB ports.

When you see it on the cheaper price, $249 appears a fairer value for a mini dock with few ports.

Must you purchase an Ugreen Maxidok 10-in-1 Thunderbolt 5 Docking Station?

The Maxidok 10-in-1 is a good and properly compact docking station if it suits your necessities: your monitor makes use of DisplayPort, the deliberate related units require little energy, and your wired community is primary. Nonetheless, we discover the Maxidok 10’s quite a few oddities perplexing and typically off-putting: the built-in cable relatively than a extra versatile upstream port, the weak energy provide and ports, lack of spare USB-C or audio port, and not-quite-as-fast-as-they-could be card readers.

If it had the third downstream Thunderbolt 5 port as a substitute of DisplayPort I’d just like the Maxidok 10 rather more. I believe its demand that you just hook up with a DisplayLink monitor or simply lose use of 1 port, is an indulgence on a dock with simply 10 ports within the first place.

On the proper value, it could possibly be a rival for the Thunderbolt 5 hubs however as a dock it appears to be like weak in comparison with rivals.