Thunderbolt Docks in comparison: Elgato, Belkin, Matrox - which one should I use?

Since I've been working on the MacBook Pro retina, I've been toying with buying a Thunderbolt dock for a long time. These small boxes are extremely practical when you have to have various peripherals plugged into the MacBook, but also have to get going with the MacBook at short notice. Usually the big unplugging starts and you think twice about it. For this reason, I often fail to blog on the balcony because I'm just too lazy. :)

The Elgato Thunderbolt 2 Dock keeps your desk tidy (Photo: Elgato).

If you have a Thunderbolt hub - as the small docks are also called - on the MacBook, all of the peripherals such as printer, scanner, external hard drives, speakers, headphones and even network plugs and microphone are plugged into this device and you only have one cable for it Connect the MacBook power supply and a Thunderbolt cable for the hub to the MacBook. This makes things much clearer and tidier. And especially with the MacBook Air, you no longer have the feeling that the cables need more space than the computer itself.

Nice side effect: USB 3.0 for old Macs

There are still Macs that already have a Thunderbolt port, but no USB 3.0 port. For these owners, the purchase of a Thunderbolt dock is definitely worthwhile, because the Mac is "upgraded" to USB 3.0 and you can also plug in the fast and inexpensive USB 3 hard drives in the future. You will clearly notice the difference in speed and you have the other advantages that the TB hubs bring with them.

The back of the Belkin Thunderbolt Dock shows the many connection options (Photo: Belkin).

Which manufacturers and products are there anyway?

The range of Thunderbolt docks has grown significantly recently. Because the devices are slowly but surely becoming cheaper, there is also more demand for Thunderbolt devices and, of course, more providers. During my research, I found the following products and manufacturers that offer such docks:

• Elgato Thunderbolt 2 Dock (Manufacturer site)
• Belkin Thunderbolt 2 Express HD Dock (Manufacturer site)
• OWC Thunderbolt 2 Dock (manufacturer site not found)
• Matrox DS1 (only Thunderbolt 1 and only 1x USB 3.0!) (Manufacturer site)
• CalDigit Thunderbolt Station 2 (Manufacturer site)
• Sonnet Echo 15 Thunderbolt 2 Dock (Manufacturer site)
• Akitio Thunder Dock (Manufacturer site)

You can already see that the selection has become quite large. In my opinion, the Matrox DS1 will no longer be available because it only supports Thunderbolt 1st generation. Akitio Thunder Dock does not run with Boot Camp. From CalDigit you can currently only order the old version with Thunderbolt in Germany. And OWC can only be ordered in a US shop with delivery to Germany. These points were all knockout criteria for me, so that's only for me Sonnet, Elgato and Belkin were shortlisted.

Common questions about Thunderbolt Docks

Belkins Thunderbolt Dock in everyday use (Photo: Belkin).

I always read the same questions in various forums and comments in test reports. So that these are clarified right away, I have put together a short list (with the appropriate answers!):

• Can I use a Thunderbolt 2 Dock on my Mac if it only supports Thunderbolt 1?
  Yes, you can, because Thunderbolt 2 is backwards compatible. So you can confidently use the new docks that support Thunderbolt 2. If you ever get a new Mac, you are definitely up to date.
• Can you also plug the MagSafe connector into the Thunderbolt dock?
  No. The Thunderbolt port only supplies power, but cannot take it in to charge the MacBook. For this reason, you always have the charging cable on your MacBook. In order for the battery to last longer, however, you should only work with battery power every now and then.
• Does the Thunderbolt hub charge the MacBook's battery when it's plugged in?
  No. As described above, the Thunderbolt port does not deliver any power to the computer. The charging
• Can I still connect three monitors to my MacBook Pro Late 2013 despite the connection?
  Yes, that should work. The docks all have one HDMI and a Thunderbolt port that can be used for monitors. You can also use a free Thunderbolt port on the Mac for an external monitor. Make three together.
• Can you use the docks with Boot Camp and Windows 8.1?
  I couldn't find information on this from all manufacturers. The Akitio Thunder Dock definitely has a "does not work" on the website. The green light is given at Elgato and Belkin. Both the manufacturer and Apple wrote that it works. However, under Windows you have to install the USB 3.0 and Ethernet drivers provided by the manufacturer.
• Does the Apple Superdrive work on the USB interface?
  You know from the Superdrive that it is with USB hubs like to bitch and want to hang directly on the Mac. At the Elgato Thunderbolt hub you will find the notice that you can install the Elgato system extension must for the Superdrive from Apple to do its job at the dock.

Comparison between Sonnet, Elgato and Belkin

If you look at the docks of the above manufacturers in comparison, it is noticeable that the Sonnet Echo 15 Dock clearly stands out from the solutions of the other providers, because it not only has a Bluray player (read only!) But also a place for a storage medium built in for the TimeMachine backup. That sounds very practical, but it not only affects the price, which is almost twice as high as Elgato and Belkin, but also the size, because the dock is quite a block. And if you like it a bit more bulky and expensive, you can even buy the Sonnet Echo 15+ Pro - there is even a Bluray burner inside and you have an additional slot for a 2,5 inch SSD / HD.

The Sonnet Echo 15 Thunderbolt Dock is equipped with proper interfaces, but is too expensive for my budget and has too many bells and whistles. I'm looking for something more elegant.

Since I don't watch Blurays on my Mac and I don't need another external TimeMachine hard drive, I was more likely to compare Elgato and Belkin. The Sonnet Dock was neglected in my decision, although it might be interesting for someone who is still looking for a Bluray player and a TimeMachine record.

Elgato and Belkin: What They Can or Can't Do ...

There isn't really much difference between the two Elgato and Belkin docks. Both support HDMI 1.4b and can work with 4K monitors (at 30 Hz). Both have NO FireWire800 port and NO eSATA ports, NO USB 2.0 ports and NO DVI output.

Otherwise, both Thunderbolt docks have the same features:

• 2x Thunderbolt 2 ports
• 3x USB 3.0 ports
• 1x Gigabit Ethernet
• 1x HDMI
• 1x Audio-In
• 1x Audio-Out
• 1x Thunderbolt cable

Even the price is almost the same: The Elgato Dock costs with the current research approx. 230 EUR on Amazon and I baked the Belkin Dock costs around EUR 250. Attention: The Belkin article description from Amazon says it would have FW800. This is not correct and has also been confirmed as an error by customers.

Customer ratings, advantages and disadvantages

When two products are so close together, it is ultimately the details that determine the purchase decision. In tests of the USB 3.0 speed, for example, it was found that the Belkin Dock only manages 2,5 Gbit / s here, while the USB 3.0 is normally at 5,0 Gbit / s. This is clearly a point in favor of the Elgato Thunderbolt Dock.

Next, I read through the customer ratings. There were some Belkin users who couldn't get their external monitor to work. According to her, the source of the error was the dock, as the monitor - connected directly to the Mac - worked. The support staff couldn't seem to help either, so the dock was sent back.

The Elgato Dock had problems with the Ethernet connection. Here, some users had the problem that they had to unplug and plug in the network cable when the Mac was in sleep mode or without power. I'm assuming this is a firmware or router problem. Most customers are apparently happy with the device.

Everything out with one click: The Elgato little helper.

Another nice detail is the Elgato utility that can be found in the menu bar. If you have to get going quickly with your MacBook, but still have three external hard drives on the dock, then you usually have to set them all up individually. That slows down unnecessarily - thought Elgato - and has set up an option in the menu bar with which you can eject all devices connected to the dock with one click. Small detail but very practical in everyday life!

My conclusion

Personally, I would use the Elgato Thunderbolt 3.0 Dock because of the speed on the USB 2. The nice side effect is that it is also a little cheaper and can even be delivered immediately at Amazon. If you are more of a Belkin fan, you shouldn't go wrong with the Belkin Dock. For this reason I am listing both here:

Elgato Thunderbolt 2 Dock - approx. 230 EUR

Slightly faster in USB transfer than the Belkin. Otherwise equipment as usual: 3x USB3, 2x Thunderbolt and other connections as mentioned above.

Buy it at Amazon Price includes VAT, plus shipping costs (updated: 14.05.2022 at 01: 50 clock)

Belkin Thunderbolt 2 Express HD Dock - EUR 250

As mentioned, a slightly slower USB 3 speed, but otherwise also equipped with: 3x USB3, 2x Thunderbolt and other connections as mentioned above.

Buy it at Amazon Price includes VAT, plus shipping costs (updated: 14.05.2022 at 01: 50 clock)

The Apple solution - expensive but stylish

For everyone who has been looking for a Thunderbolt Dock that also has a MagSafe connection, I would like to introduce the Apple Thunderbolt Dock with an integrated monitor. It is a bit more expensive than the rest at just under 900 EUR and you only get Thunderbolt 1 support, but there are extras the 27-inch monitor and a MagSafe port to which you can plug your MacBook Pro or MacBook Air. This is how it is charged - as desired - plugged into the dock:

Apple MC914ZM / B Thunderbolt Display 27 inches

In any case, Apple's Thunderbolt display is a very nice monitor. I just think it's a shame that it doesn't have a Thunderbolt 2nd generation and retina resolution yet. But I am sure that Apple will improve this soon!

Buy it at Amazon Price includes VAT, plus shipping costs (updated: 14.05.2022 at 01: 50 clock)

Jen Kleinholz( Founder & Sir Apfelot )

Jens has been running the blog since 2012. He appears as Sir Apfelot for his readers and helps them with problems of a technical nature. In his free time he drives electric unicycles, takes photos (preferably with his iPhone, of course), climbs around in the Hessian mountains or hikes with the family. His articles deal with Apple products, news from the world of drones or solutions for current bugs.

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