Though it lacks a supporting stand, it rested easily in a vertical position. CalDigit includes small rubber feet for positioning the aluminum dock in an horizontal orientation. Port selection includes: two Thunderbolt 3 ports one from the laptop, and one for an external connection , and a single DisplayPort 1. These are still rare in the Windows world.
Daisy-chaining the Thunderbolt port to enable a second monitor worked fine, though the connection dropped momentarily on both displays when playing back video on both displays and transferring files. Otherwise, high-bandwidth video playback went completely smoothly. Hubs mix and match different port types, and different form factors.
Pay attention to our ratings, prices, and the quirks of each to find an option that fits your specific needs. A shortish 5. Our test laptop began unexpectedly reporting glitches, however, including visual errors on both displays and the inability of the laptop to read USB drives or connect to a USB mouse—until we discovered that the power cable had worked loose.
We tested the dock on a second Thunderbolt-powered laptop and received the same result. Heat was never an issue. Like its smaller sibling, this is a specialty dock is designed for those who have invested in Thunderbolt displays and other Thunderbolt devices. There are no external display connections besides the Thunderbolt interface. The Dock measures 7. The included Thunderbolt 4 cable measures about 2. The Dock supports DisplayPort 1. OWC says that the Dock supplies up to 90W for charging the host laptop.
The Dock remained absolutely cool to the touch under load. Two laptops, both with USB-C ports, and both with lightning-bolt symbols. Which laptop offers Thunderbolt? The top one, though it can be difficult to tell. Consulting the manufacturing specifications is your safest bet.
Thunderbolt ports are supposed to have a small lightning-bolt icon to identify them. But some laptop makers use a similar lightning-bolt icon to indicate that a USB-C port can be used for charging your phone, and not for Thunderbolt. One significant difference between Thunderbolt and USB is the former's rigorous certification process.
USB certification is somewhat chaotic and uncertain. For example, figuring out whether a USB-C cable supports high-power charging or the fastest data rates can involve some guesswork.
That's all guaranteed with Thunderbolt. The thousandth Thunderbolt-certified device has just been approved. Another tailwind for Thunderbolt is the falling price premium for peripherals compared to earlier Thunderbolt products. More people will benefit from Thunderbolt's top speeds as devices like 4K monitors become cheaper.
Intel continues its investment in Thunderbolt. That's good news for PC makers like Lenovo, which would like smoother Microsoft Windows support, lower power consumption, faster speeds and support for more monitors. Thunderbolt can handle two 4K displays. Intel isn't detailing its Thunderbolt plans for the moment. But Intel's Ziller says the company will make Thunderbolt faster and easier to use. Be respectful, keep it civil and stay on topic.
We delete comments that violate our policy , which we encourage you to read. USB-C had emerged as the newest USB connector, complemented by an updated and powerful USB cable that could provide up to 15 watts of power for devices far more than older standards and up to watts for charging compatible laptops or similar devices.
It was a considerable change for both USB and the future of many standard computer connections. Thunderbolt 3 ditched the old Mini DisplayPort connector and switched to a USB-C connector, combining the two technologies into one particularly-robust hybrid. Thunderbolt technology originally began in the late s as an Intel project called Light Peak, which was intended to add optical data transfer to traditional data transfer used with computer peripherals principally, combining wire and fiber optics.
Engineers soon found that their prototypes with standard copper wiring were already achieving the results Intel wanted but at a much lower cost. This new product was then released as Thunderbolt in the early s and at first available only on Apple devices, designed to be a potent and flexible connection.
Compared to the often brand-specific cables floating around back then, this was an impressive creation suitable for many purposes. It was particularly promising for designers or engineers who were using laptops but still needed high-powered connections to external storage, high-resolution displays, and similar accessories.
When testing the connection on dual Asus monitors using the provided Thunderbolt 4 connection, it easily turned a laptop into a three-monitor desktop setup. There was no lag, stutters, or hiccups when booting up Halo 4 on Xbox Game Pass for PC , and this was all done while the dock quickly charged a smartphone. Laptops from notable brands are already starting to drip-feed impressive devices fitted with Thunderbolt 4 connectivity, which can be a perk for users who will benefit from upgraded video output and external connectivity.
In the meantime, a majority of us can stick with our Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C-compatible PC peripherals until the upgraded interface becomes commonplace.
When more of the best laptops start adopting it, who knows, we may not even notice the gradual transition. Laptop Mag.
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