Amazon’s Prime Day gross sales provide one of many yr’s finest alternatives to attain offers on USB-C hubs and docks and their extra highly effective cousins, Thunderbolt docking stations. All provide necessary, needed methods to develop your laptop computer’s ports and join legacy units like printers and mice.
Officially, Amazon’s Prime Day begins on Tuesday, July 8, and can run by Friday, July 11. But gross sales on USB-C hubs, docks, and Thunderbolt ports will run up till and thru the 4 Amazon Prime Days. Early Prime Day offers are on now, and we’ve begun checking Amazon and its prime opponents for the perfect offers.
I write, take a look at, and advocate the best USB-C hubs and dongles, and do the identical for the best Thunderbolt docks. For the previous a number of years, I’ve been chargeable for looking for out the perfect offers in each classes for Amazon’s Prime Days, Black Friday, and extra. I feel it’s honest to say that you simply’ll discover the perfect USB-C and Thunderbolt docking station offers proper right here.
Below, you’ll discover a record of offers, in addition to a listing of frequently-asked questions explaining what you must search for. This is an fascinating transitional interval! I don’t count on something uncommon when it comes to USB-C hub costs. Thunderbolt docks, nonetheless, are a unique story: Thunderbolt 5 is arriving out there, and older Thunderbolt 3 merchandise (that are nonetheless considerably viable) are being phased out. And sure, there are tariffs, that are presently paused — till day 2 of Amazon’s Prime Day gross sales. At that time, who is aware of?
Best Prime Day offers on Thunderbolt docks
- StarTech USB4/Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station, 98W charging, $248.36 (25% off at Amazon)
- Ugreen Revodok Max 208 8-in-1 Thunderbolt 4 Dock, 85W charging, $169.99 (32% off at Amazon)
- Plugable 16-in-1 Thunderbolt 4 Dock (TBT4-UDZ), 100W charging, $269.95 (16% off at Amazon)
- Microsoft Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock, 96W charging, $199.99 (33% off at Amazon)
- Ugreen Revodok Max 2131 13-in-1 Thunderbolt 5 Dock, 140W charging, $299.99 (25% off at Amazon)
- Kensington SD5700T Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station, 90W charging, $160.78 (27% off at Amazon)
- CalDigit TS4 Thunderbolt 4 Dock: 98W charging, $379.99 (16% off at Amazon)
I worth flexibility in my docking station selections, and proper now StarTech’s dock affords probably the most port flexibility. (I reviewed an earlier StarTech dock, however not this one.) I actually like Ugreen’s {hardware} as effectively, nevertheless it’s extra of a hub, and also you’ll want to purchase show cables that take its USB-C video connections and translate them to HDMI. Those are about $20 per cable.
Weirdly, I nonetheless haven’t reviewed Microsoft’s Surface docking station. But I’ve both used these particular docks or one which’s very related, and I feel you’ll be pleased with each one on this record. Just make certain they provide the ports you want on the worth you need.
I used to be anticipating closeout offers on older Thunderbolt 3 {hardware}, however I haven’t seen them but. Hopefully some pop up throughout Prime Day correct!
Best Prime Day offers on USB-C dongles and hubs
I used to be anticipating all kinds of pre-Prime Day offers…and there actually aren’t. Instead, you’re higher off choosing and selecting from what you want from the record above. There are some offers, and something lower than $20 received’t pressure your pockets.
I’ve reviewed the Baseus Spacemate 11-in-1 dock listed right here, and I reasonably appreciated it, despite the fact that it felt a bit of unnecessarily over-engineered. Note that the value once I reviewed it was $199.99, so the low cost is a bit of deceiving — it’s nearer to half off the preliminary worth. Note that the 11-in-1 provides its personal charger; the 9-in-1 doesn’t. That’s an added value you’ll must pay for.
FAQ
How do I do know whether or not to purchase a USB-C hub or a Thunderbolt docking station?
USB-C hubs and Thunderbolt docks use the identical bodily USB-C connection. A USB-C port (and USB-C hub or dongle) use a fundamental 10Gbps connection, whereas a Thunderbolt port will increase the throughput to 40Gbps. Ideally, you must see a small “lightning bolt” icon sign a Thunderbolt port, whereas an unmarked port could also be only a generic USB-C port.
Manufacturers, although, aren’t pressured to label their ports. Your finest wager is to haul out your laptop computer’s handbook and examine.
Thunderbolt docks will solely work with a Thunderbolt connection. You should purchase a USB-C hub or dongle and join it to a Thunderbolt port, however it can solely run on the 10Gbps pace.
Why ought to I purchase a USB-C hub or Thunderbolt docking station?
Laptops have typically begun changing the entire legacy ports (the boxy USB-A plug, HDMI, SD card slots, and extra) with generic USB-C ports. That’s advantageous, however what when you have a wired printer or mouse or exterior SSD? You’ll want to attach it to your laptop computer, and also you would possibly want the correct bodily port connector.
If you might have a quick exterior SSD or onerous drive, the exterior throughput will definitely enable you to get probably the most out of your peripheral. And if you wish to join a number of shows, you’ll want a USB-C hub (and ideally a docking station) with assist for 2 show connectors.
USB-C hubs, dongles, and docking stations: what’s the distinction?
I take advantage of hubs and dongles interchangeably to explain the small units that grasp off your USB-C port with a brief cable. A docking station is usually massive and heavy sufficient that it’s going to stay in your desk. Virtually all Thunderbolt units are massive sufficient to be thought of docking stations.
You should purchase USB-C docking stations that lack Thunderbolt connections, however these are a bit rarer. A docking station additionally normally features a charger so you need to use it as an alternative of your laptop computer charger.
My laptop computer has USB4, not Thunderbolt. Can I take advantage of a Thunderbolt dock?
USB4 and Thunderbolt 4 are functionally the identical. Intel refuses to certify non-Intel platforms like AMD’s Ryzen for Thunderbolt, and the brand new Copilot+ PCs from Microsoft powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite chips are in the identical boat.
USB-C hubs work with mainly something with a USB-C port on it. Don’t fear about these in any respect.
How do I do know whether or not to purchase Thunderbolt 3, 4, or 5?
Thunderbolt is backwards-compatible, so you’ll be able to personal a laptop computer with Thunderbolt 4 and join it to a Thunderbolt 4 or Thunderbolt 3 dock with out fear. It’s not forward-compatible, nonetheless. While Thunderbolt 3 and Thunderbolt 4 each switch 40Gbps, you’re in all probability finest to play it protected and match the specs of your port to the specs of the system.
How will tariffs have an effect on the costs of Thunderbolt docks and USB-C hubs throughout Prime Day gross sales?
This is the large wild card. The United States has paused its reciprocal tariffs on international items till July 9, the second day of Amazon’s Prime Day offers. At that time, it’s anybody’s guess what’s going to occur.
Many hubs and docks are made in China, which has been a first-rate tariff goal for this administration. On the opposite hand, dock makers like Plugable have particularly instructed me that they’ve moved manufacturing out of China, too. But think about: CalDigit announced its TS4 docking station in 2022 for $359.95. Its present record worth: $449.95, and it’s “on sale” at Amazon for $379.
There’s in all probability one certain reply to keep away from tariffs: purchase early to keep away from paying the potential for further import tax.
Some of those docks have had unhealthy opinions on buying websites. Why?
While Macs adopted Thunderbolt first, among the Apple M1 silicon couldn’t sustain with Intel Thunderbolt controllers utilized by Windows PCs, and the Apple MacOS expertise suffered because of this. If you see a unfavorable remark, attempt to decide if it’s a Windows consumer making it. The expertise could also be completely totally different.
Are the perfect Thunderbolt dock and USB-C dongle offers at Amazon?
Historically, sure. I examine different websites, however over the previous few years Amazon has persistently provided the perfect offers on these two product classes. Thats not all the time the case; Best Buy, for instance, is usually very aggressive in Chromebooks.