If you use a laptop as your sole workstation, then plugging in all of the different cables when you are back at your desk can be quite a hassle, especially now with all of the different dongles you need for the newer MacBook Pros.
Sonnet has released the new Echo™ 11 Thunderbolt™ 3 Dock which uses a single Thunderbolt 3 cable to break out into a number of ports.
- Two Thunderbolt 3
- Five USB 3.0
- One RJ45 (Gigabit Ethernet)
- One HDMI 2.0
- One 3.5 mm combination audio headphone/microphone
- One SD card slot
- One power
With the Echo 11 Dock, you could simply plug in the one Thunderbolt 3 cable and you would be up and running. The dock offers plenty of convenient ports, including five USB 3.0 ports, and an SDHC card reader.
When connecting external monitors, you can connect a single 5K display or up to two 4K displays, one via the Thunderbolt 3 port and the second via HDMI.
The Echo 11 Thunderbolt 3 Dock retails for USD $299.
Alternatives
The LG UltraFine 5K Display connects via a single Thunderbolt 3 cable which also supports 85W of charging power. With three USB-C ports, you could use these to connect other peripherals but don’t forget to add the USB-C dongles. This comes at a cost though, at USD $1,299.95 plus the cost of additional dongles (ethernet & USB-A) but you are also getting a 5K screen.
The LG UltraFine 4K is a more affordable option at USD $699.95 but only delivers 60W of charging power.
Promise TD-300 – USD $249
- Slim design
- 5 x USB 3.0 Ports (One port for mobile device charging)
- HDMI supports 4K@60Hz
- Gigabit Ethernet
- Thunderbolt 3 charging up to 60W
- Combo audio jack
- SD 3.0 card reader
- Thunderbolt 3 cable included
CalDigit TS3+ Plus – USD $249, down from $349
CalDigit TS3 – USD $199 – (Less ports and no optical out compared to Plus version.)
If you only want to run a single monitor and a few peripherals, an easy option is to use a USB Type-C hub. These are quite affordable and can sometimes be cheaper than buying multiple separate dongles.
This Satechi hub retails for USD $89.99 and offers four USB ports, power pass through, SD & Micro SD card reader and ethernet. They also have options with HDMI output. The only caveat here is that you need to either pack the laptop charger with you or buy a second to leave set up.
Are you using a Thunderbolt 3 Dock or hub with multiple monitors? Let us know how you have it all set up in the comments below.
