Thunderbolt is a super-speed technology first invented by Intel. While it initially used Mini DisplayPort connectors, it now uses USB-C and is, essentially, a super-speed version of it.

Thunderbolt 3 and 4 are part of newer USB standards, but many of us don’t have brand-new ports, like those on recent MacBooks. If you don’t have Thunderbolt on your computer but you do have USB-C, why not check out our guide to the best USB-C docks?

Thunderbolt’s benefit is the amount of data it can throughput – up to 40Gbps with the right cables. So it’s the best technology if you’re often transferring large files onto a compatible Thunderbolt drive. The docks here are all Thunderbolt 4 or 3 compatible but they also have the key benefit of USB-C – you can connect up display, power and data to your laptop and via a single cable.

All of these docks are designed for on-desk use. If you need a more portable hub, check our guide to USB-C hubs.

Corsair’s TBT200 Thunderbolt 4 dock has a definite advantage over rivals in that it’s nicely sleek and can sit neatly under a display without drawing attention to itself.

It also offers plenty of connectivity options on its svelte frame with two USB-C ports, two USB-A, two HDMI and a 3.5mm combo headphone jack. There’s also an SD card reader, too, in addition to a Gigabit Ethernet port.

Indeed, the only disadvantage of the TB2100 is that there’s no USB-A on the front for connecting a USB stick or similar quickly and easily.

The Belkin dock is the best if you have stacks of legacy USB-A gear that you need to connect into your Thunderbolt Mac or PC.

That’s because this fairly compact dock not only has four USB-A ports on the rear but also one on the front in addition to an SD card slot and headphone jack. It also supports 90W upstream charging.

With dual-display support and a host of connections, this is another great option for those who want Thunderbolt 4 to be sure their dock lasts years.

This dock – from Corsair brand Elgato – is great if you have several devices that use the USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 connector – there are 2 x standard USB-C ports on the rear as well as dual Thunderbolt 3 ones, meaning there are plenty of options for newer devices.

Dual USB-A on the front joins SD/micro SD card, Gigabit Ethernet and DisplayPort connectivity, too.

This model takes a powerful approach to portability. It’s a serious choice for pro users and while the dock itself is lightweight, you’ll need to plug it into power.

It boasts an 85W Thunderbolt 4 upstream port (which plugs into your laptop), 3 Thunderbolt 4 downstream ports, and 1 USB-A port. It’ll support a single 8K display or dual 4K ones, too.

Dell’s reputation might be a little dry, but it knows PC peripherals inside out, and this dock is a really impressive one that comes in at a very solid price given how much it offers.

There are plenty of ports, a plethora in fact, along with the rare combination of both HDMI and DisplayPort, which means this could work with multiple machines if your hardware ever changes.