Here are the best Black Friday 2024 discounts on Thunderbolt docks and why they’re worth it.
Black Friday deals on Thunderbolt docking stations for your laptop are here, and there are some doozies available!
I’ve been on the hunt for the best Thunderbolt dock deals for several weeks now, and I’m consolidating them on this page for Black Friday. I’ve reviewed docking station deals at major retailers, comparing them to my own extensive, lab reviews of the best Thunderbolt docks and my knowledge of their pricing. Even better, I explain why each deal is worth buying, with an emphasis on getting the most bang for your buck.
Want more? I’ve included a FAQ with more information: how to differentiate between the various standards, the price I’d expect to pay, and more.
Best Black Friday budget Thunderbolt dock deals
- HP Thunderbolt Dock G2, Thunderbolt 3, 100W charging, now $68.90 (14% off at Amazon)
- Kensington USB-C and Thunderbolt Dock, Thunderbolt 3, 100W charging, $109.99 (21% off at Amazon)
- Wavlink USB-C Dual 4K Docking Station, DisplayLink, 100W charging, $87.29 (45% off at Walmart)
- Targus USB-C Docking Station, DisplayLink, 65W charging, now $103.99 (58% off at Amazon)
- Belkin Thunderbolt 3 Dock Core, Thunderbolt 3, 60W charging (unpowered), now $69.99 (65% off at Walmart)
- Belkin Thunderbolt 3 Dock Pro, Thunderbolt 3, 85W charging, now $107.99 (40% off at Amazon)
- Belkin Thunderbolt 3 Dock Plus, Thunderbolt 3, 60W charging, now $88.89 (64% off at Amazon)
- Kensington SD2500T, Thunderbolt 3, 60W charging, now $64.99 (6% off at Amazon)
Best Black Friday premium Thunderbolt dock deals
- Kensington SD5800T Thunderbolt 4/USB4 Dock, Thunderbolt 4, 100W charging, $186.97 (38% off at Amazon)
- Plugable Thunderbolt 4 Dock (TBT4-UDX1), Thunderbolt 4, 100W charging, $183.96 (32% off at Amazon)
- Ugreen Revodok Max 208, Thunderbolt 4, 85W charging, now $159.99 (36% off at Amazon)
- CalDigit TS4 Thunderbolt 4 Dock, Thunderbolt 4, 98W charging, now $379.99 (16% off at Amazon)
- Microsoft Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock, Thunderbolt 4, 96W charging, now $219.99 (28% off at Amazon)
- Lenovo Thunderbolt 3 Dock Gen 2, Thunderbolt 3, 135W charging, now $161.50 (50% off at Amazon)
If $186 isn’t out of your price range, buy the Kensington SD5800T. It’s the best premium Thunderbolt dock available right now, and it’s well under the $299 MSRP — that brings it down to what I’d consider a mainstream price range. Read my SD5800T review: it’s excellent! Cheaper options are listed below. Plugable’s TBT4-UDX1 is also a top choice. Plugable’s dock includes a single HDMI port, plus two upstream Thunderbolt 4 ports, but Plugable includes a Thunderbolt (USB-C) to HDMI adapter right in the box. Both Kensington and Plugable have solid reputations, especially for support.
I think the HP Thunderbolt Dock G2 still represents excellent value for the money, and it’s my favorite deal right now in the budget category. I personally reviewed the HP G4 and it was terrific. Here, the G2 swaps HDMI ports for DisplayPort ports, so if you only have HDMI connections on your displays, you’ll have to buy some $15 DisplayPort-to-HDMI cables. Otherwise, it’s a compact and effective dock for your desk.
The Targus USB-C Docking Station is the only exception to the Thunderbolt category, as it uses the DisplayLink protocol, which I’ve found exceedingly stable for office use but not for games. Wavlink’s USB-C Dual 4K Docking Station is another DisplayLink dock, and for general productivity should be a suburb choice! It supports two 4K displays at 60Hz — the same as a Thunderbolt dock — but for a low, low price. For productivity, both the Targus and Wavlink docks are perfectly fine picks.
I also think you’ll be happy with the Kensington USB-C and Thunderbolt Dock (which is a true Thunderbolt 3 dock, though the name’s a bit confusing.) It has the same caveat as the HP dock above: it sports just one HDMI port plus an upstream Thunderbolt port. If you want to connect it to a display, you’ll need a dongle like the one suggested above. Kensington is one of those manufacturers whose quality has been consistently good in my experience. I’m not including it in my official list of deals, but Amazon’s own Thunderbolt 4 docking station (a hub with three Thunderbolt connections) is $102.99, brand new, and eventually might get an aggressive price drop.
I also like Ugreen hardware, as my review of the slightly more expensive Max 213 dock indicates. The Ugreen Revodok Max 208, which is what’s on sale here, also received a favorable review from our sister site, TechAdvisor. It, too, is a hub, however; you’ll need adapter cables.
So what’s the difference between the Belkin Thunderbolt 3 Dock Core, Pro, and Plus? Ports, mainly. I think that the Core (one HDMI, one DisplayPort) will fit most users the best, followed by the Pro‘s single DisplayPort. (An upstream Thunderbolt port requires a display dongle.) The Plus includes two DisplayPort ports, but Belkin’s had some quality-control issues here on one of the ports — you might get a lemon, you might not.
The Kensington SD2500T is an interesting device — both the “old version” and the new version are on steep discounts. (Kensington sells it for $199.99, so the $66.99 is much more than 6% off.) It does run hot, according to reports, which is why it’s well down my list for a reason. I haven’t tested this device personally. The Kensington SD2480T is even cheaper, at $49.95. Again, users complain that it runs very hot, however.
The CalDigit TS4 works for both Macs and Windows PCs. (Our friends at Macworld loved it per their review.) This CalDigit dock is also a good choice if you’re looking for a more full-featured dock, but it’s definitely pricier. That’s also the reason I’ve included the Surface Dock, which has a good reputation even if I haven’t reviewed it. Ditto for the Lenovo Dock Gen 2.
If you’ve been following our lists of deals, some of these are familiar: They’re solid docks that keep going on sale. And some of the discounts are somewhat deceptive. Last year, the Belkin Thunderbolt 3 Dock Core (a perfectly good travel dock, per my review) was being sold for $100 on a “50 percent discount.” This year, it’s being sold for $69.99 at Walmart (and at Target for the same price). At least at Walmart, the $69.99 price tag is now the “regular price,” not a discount. Still, it’s a steal! Ditto for the Kensington SD2500T, which was $131 last year but now $68.75 at Amazon.
We’ve also reviewed quite a few Thunderbolt docking stations in our list of the best Thunderbolt docks. It’s never a bad idea to skim down that list and see if there’s a price that appeals to you.
