Razer Thunderbolt 4 Dock Chroma review: For more than just gamers

Price When Reviewed

$329.99

Best Prices Today: Razer Thunderbolt 4 Dock Chroma

$309.99

$309.99

$329.99

$329.99

The Razer Thunderbolt 4 Dock Chroma may be the one Thunderbolt 4 dock available on the market that boasts RGB lighting. But that doesn’t cease it from excelling in different areas, although with a price ticket that’s a bit excessive for our tastes.

As you may count on, the Razer Thunderbolt 4 Dock Chroma trades a little bit of utility for aesthetics. While another docks embody informative labels describing the ports and even their capabilities, Razer’s dock doesn’t. It’s as much as you to learn the guide and decide that there are three 10Gbps USB-A ports, three upstream Thunderbolt 4 ports, a downstream Thunderbolt 4 port, gigabit Ethernet, a 3.5mm audio jack, and an unspecified SD card reader.

And, in fact, the undercarriage RGB lights. After all, it don’t imply a factor if it ain’t obtained that bling, proper?

Further studying: See our roundup of the best Thunderbolt docks to study competing merchandise.

What are the Razer Thunderbolt 4 Dock Chroma’s specs?

Let’s deal with the performance first. Razer’s Thunderbolt 4 Dock options the three upstream Thunderbolt connections, which makes it, considerably weirdly, extra of a dock for the Macintosh market. While we’re seeing increasingly shows embody USB-C inputs, Apple-branded shows emphasize them greater than the broader ecosystem of Windows screens. All which means is that you will have to order some USB-C to Thunderbolt cables to attach the dock to any present shows in your desk. (The linked cables are rated for 4K60 connectivity, which not all cables are.) There’s additionally a 2.62-foot Thunderbolt 4 cable to attach your PC.

Otherwise, the dock contains three 10Gbps USB-A ports, an SD (UHS-II) card reader, gigabit Ethernet, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The 135W energy adapter provides a rated 90W of energy to the laptop computer, which we couldn’t push previous 76.5W in our exams. Each USB-A port produced 2.46W, enough to cost a cellphone, albeit slowly.

Mark Hachman / IDG

For fast-charging a cellphone, you’ll wish to join your cellphone’s USB-C energy cable to the “extra” Thunderbolt port. That port produced 10.86W, sufficient to fast-charge a smartphone. Razer says that the Thunderbolt 4 Dock Chroma is rated for 2 4K shows at 60Hz, which it certainly helps.

Physically, Razer’s dock is made out of a jet-black hunk of metallic, which tends to draw fingerprints readily. Heat received’t be an issue, though the dock does get reasonably heat. Again, nothing is labeled, save for the snake-like Razer brand on the high. (The brand doesn’t gentle up.) The dock is of about common measurement for a Thunderbolt dock, measuring 7.5 inches by 2.9 inches, and about an inch thick. Razer says it weighs about 0.75 kilos.

We usually don’t consider Thunderbolt docks as moveable (except they’re specified as such) however the comparatively small measurement of the related energy brick and dock imply that you may presumably carry it on the street. (The energy brick is definitely smaller than the dock itself.) That’s not at all times the case.

Mark Hachman / IDG

Underneath, although, is the place the magic occurs. If you personal a desktop PC with RGB lighting, you’ll be completely satisfied to know that that Razer’s Dock Chroma has an RGB strip that may cycle by means of the spectrum in a wide range of completely different patterns you could specify, probably coordinating with different Razer {hardware} through the Razer Synapse app. (Synapse doesn’t seem like vital for the dock to function, however the app will load as soon as you put in the dock.)

I already personal a Razer DeathAdder mouse, one of many few lefty gaming mice. Its RGB pulses on and off, and the Synapse app doesn’t enable me to regulate it. With Razer’s Dock Chroma, you may select very sedate patterns through the Synapse app to both very gently cycle by means of the colour spectrum, or choose extra aggressive “wave” or “fire” patterns. You also can create your personal patterns with the associated Chroma software program. Synapse additionally adjusts the quantity of the audio that’s routed by means of the dock’s 3.5mm jack.

Finally, the Synapse app additionally controls the brightness of the RGB lighting — so, sure, you may dim it to zero and successfully flip off the RGB lighting fully.

Mark Hachman / IDG

How does the Razer Thunderbolt 4 Dock Chroma carry out?

Razer’s dock gave me no issues in any respect from a stability standpoint, with no random monitor disconnects. It was merely rock strong. The RGB controls labored as anticipated, and the Chroma software program correctly adjusted the lighting and quantity, too.

Using the PCMark storage benchmark related to an exterior SSD, the Dock Chroma’s obtainable storage throughput was 124.79MB/s, about on par with different docks although a bit slower. The benchmark rating, 817, was additionally slower than different docks produced.

On the opposite hand, my streaming take a look at was rock-solid, with hardly any dropped frames. That take a look at is carried out by itself (streaming a 4K60 video over the dock’s Ethernet jack), and noting any dropped frames. The dock was additionally practically good (4 frames dropped out of 10,000) when streaming video whereas performing the storage take a look at over the identical Thunderbolt connection. That’s indication that you just’ll be capable of switch knowledge within the background whereas utilizing the dock for different duties.

The Razer Thunderbolt 4 Dock Chroma isn’t only a flashy dock geared toward players who’re keen to pay further for some RGB bling — and obtain a poor expertise in return. However, the worth tag ought to offer you pause. For these keen to pay the additional cash, although, the Razer Thunderbolt 4 Dock Chroma definitely earns our endorsement.