ZDNET’s key takeaways
- Kensington’s new SD5000T5 EQ Docking Station goes on sale on September 21 for $400.
- It is likely one of the first gadgets to assist the Thunderbolt 5 commonplace, which means it helps charging speeds of as much as 140W and might ship a video sign out to a few 4K shows.
- The machine’s bulk and excessive price could flip individuals away.
Again in September 2023, Intel introduced the following technology of the Thunderbolt connectivity commonplace: the aptly named Thunderbolt 5. The corporate promised that up to date {hardware} would assist fast knowledge switch speeds and lightning-fast energy supply.
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It has been a 12 months since then, and we’re lastly beginning to see gadgets supporting the usual. Among the best devices out there’s Kensington’s new SD5000TS Thunderbolt 5 Triple 4K Docking Station. It is a mouthful of a reputation, however the moniker matches — the machine can do quite a bit. It is a docking station with all of the {hardware} and software program options to show a laptop computer into a correct desktop PC setup.
The very first thing I seen once I took the machine out of the field was how large it was. It measures 8.9 x 3.8 x 1.6 inches. Folks with small desks could have a tough time discovering a spot for it.
The second factor I seen was the ridges on the top. These fins do extra than simply look cool. They improve the floor quantity for efficient warmth dissipation. Docking stations can get fairly heat, particularly since they sometimes sit on the heart of a pc setup. Decrease temperatures guarantee higher efficiency.
On the back and front are 12 particular person ports, together with the Thunderbolt 5 inputs, a 2.5 Gbps Ethernet port, and a headphone jack. Solely one of many Thunderbolt 5 ports presents 140W energy supply — the enter with the laptop computer and lightning bolt icons above it.
Additionally: This 11-in-1 docking station instally decluttered my desk and is 44% off
I plugged in a useless laptop computer to see how briskly the port can cost. The battery charged to 50% in about 45 minutes.
The opposite ports are downstream ports meant for transferring knowledge. They’ll nonetheless cost laptops and different gadgets, albeit extra slowly.
As I already talked about, the docking station also can ship a video sign out to a few 4K shows. I personal two high-resolution screens, so I can solely affirm that Kensington’s machine supported them with out subject. Utilizing my laptop computer as a supply, I performed a 4K YouTube livestream on one display and a 4K film on the opposite. The picture high quality on each shows was equally good.
Additionally: This 12-in-1 Thunderbolt dock has a surpsrise power feature for Windows users
For quick file transfers, you will wish to use the 2 USB-A ports on the again as a result of they’ll attain speeds as much as 10Gbps. I despatched a 10GB Google Takeout file from the laptop computer to my foremost desktop through the dock. The method solely took a number of seconds. The Ethernet port presents 25Gbps, though I had hassle setting it up correctly.
ZDNET’s shopping for recommendation
Kensington’s SD5000TS can be obtainable from September 21 for $400. It’s somewhat costly, though I’d argue it’s well worth the value. The docking station is kind of helpful for individuals who choose utilizing a laptop computer. That stated, your pc should both be working Home windows 11 or macOS 14.5 because the docking station doesn’t assist older gadgets.
If that is a dealbreaker, we additionally advocate the CalDigit TS4. It is much more costly, but it surely helps the older Thunderbolt 4 commonplace and comes extremely really useful. A fantastic however cheaper possibility is the Baseus 10-in-1 Docking Station.
