Review | Belkin Pro Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station: All ports in one

Until not so long ago, computers – especially desktop ones – had dedicated ports for each component: a special input for the keyboard, another for the monitor, also the mouse, the printer, some flash player or an external hard drive, maps and even a video game controller. Even so, despite the huge offer, it was not always enough: more than once the moment came when an additional device had to be plugged into the PC or Mac, sacrificing one of the inputs to the continuation of the new element.

The good thing is that lately connectors have become universal. Today, aside from devices that pass through HDMI, almost all peripherals and chargers are able to connect, either input or output, through USB-A or USB-C ports. Most of the time, fortunately, there is nothing more to download or install: neither Drivers, software or the like. Almost every time we connect something to the computer, luckily it’s plug in and useas they say: connect and enjoy.

At present, especially if you work or use a personal computer as your main tool, it is known that ports for connecting peripherals are often insufficient. And to connect everything we need (phones, tablets, hard drives, monitors, mice, keyboards, etc.), we have to do some somersaults. Several brands have detected this need and have stepped forward to make life more bearable and comfortable for those of us who have to connect multiple accessories to our beloved machine.

There are dozens of possibilities: dongles which allow a few additional peripherals (a microphone, a hard disk, a video game controller) to be added to the so-called docks —or mega ports—, which essentially function as a super connection hub to use two computers at the same time or several screens. Everything from one place.

One model we tested is the Belkin Pro Thunderbolt 4 , able to do everything and connect everything, as we will see later. The price may be prohibitive for some budgets, but those who create content, are professionals who telecommute with many devices or users who like not to have their hands tied when connecting certain chicks, this is one of the best investments that can perform, both for macOS and Windows. Let’s see why.

• Dimensions : 200 × 73.2 × 33.8mm
• lester : 1.73kg
• ports : 12 (4 USB-A / 1 USB-C / 2 Thunderbolt 4 / 1 Ethernet / 2 HDMI / 1 SD / 1 Audio)
• Power : 90 W (with return for load)
• maximum data transfer : 40 GB/s
• Video output : Thunderbolt 4 / HDMI 2.0
• resolutions : Up to 4K@60Hz (two or more displays) / 8K@30Hz (one display)
• guarantee : two years

When leaving the Dock Right from the box, you can immediately feel the weight of the accessory, which somehow calms anxiety and doubts: the product is unquestionably robust and of premium construction.

With a mix of metal, plastic and glass finishes, the Dock It has up to 12 connection ports, all very well distributed between its rear and front, in an outline of rounded edges and metallic curves. On the desk, it is beautiful, functional and sober. And immediately makes you want to plug things in.

What comes inside? The central unit (model INC006), the AC adapter, the power outlet, an 80 centimeter Thunderbolt 4 cable and the respective start-up and warranty manuals.

Now, beyond its name —Thunderbolt—, the Dock It is able to accept and support any type of connection. Although it’s optimized to accept Thunderbolt 4 connections (with data transfer rates of up to 40 GB per second), it also accepts USB-C, Thunderbolt 3, and other variants.

A very clear example of its potential is the possibility that the Dock to extend the computer image to three different monitors. For example, the USB-C port can support two monitors connected simultaneously, not including the laptop screen. But with a Thunderbolt terminal, the docking station is capable of driving even three external monitors. Not bad at all, especially for those who edit and work on videos.

In eminently practical terms, this Dock It has 12 ports:

• 2 Thunderbolt 4
• 2 HDMI 2.0 (I lacked a 2.1)
• 1 USB-C
• 4 USB-A (two 2.0 and the other 3.2. In my opinion, the first are superfluous and they could all have been 3.2)
• 1 slot for SD cards
• 1 x 3.5″ audio input
• 1 entry for Ethernet cables, always welcome, to have a much more reliable (physical) connection to the Internet.

The latter makes a difference, especially for those who constantly upload and download content: a cable connection changes the experience.

How are each of these ports distributed? On the back, we find the 90W power socket, which will allow —if the event requires it— to power practically any device that needs electricity, whether it is to recharge a mobile phone , a tablet or even another compact laptop. The interesting thing about this feature we will see a few paragraphs later.

Then, in the same part, we have the two HDMI ports, the USB-C input (which allows you to connect video inputs), the Ethernet port, and the four USB-A ports.

In front, we find ourselves on the left with the SD card input, the 3.5″ audio jack, two Thunderbolt / USB-C 3.0 inputs, and one of them with full power. On the right we find an LED indicator and, next to it, the power button.

The interesting thing is therefore to know how to distribute these possibilities, which will of course depend on the needs of the user. In my case, for example, I connected two monitors: one 32 inch (with 4K resolution) and the other 27 inch (full HD), which worked immediately and perfectly, one via Thunderbolt and the other via HDMI.

Then I installed a few high capacity external hard drives, along with headphones and an SD card with music, photos and old files. I used one Thunderbolt connector to “plug everything in” on a computer and the other USB-C (3.1 Gen 2), for fast charging, I connected it to a charger, which I used to power the battery of mobile phones, headphones or even the iPad, and therefore have another screen (too?). Everything was coming together perfectly and going exactly as I wanted it to.

Windows and macOS allow you to easily connect monitors and deploy them in space as you wish in their respective configurations. Flanked by two screens of different sizes and resolutions, and with the laptop in the center (we tested it with a MacBook Pro and an ASUS Zephyrus G14), the truth is that the productive world takes on a new dimension, very attractive and, by the way, highly recommended.

To this we can add all the comfort of having all our peripherals controlled, remotely and working (or charging) as needed, without having to swap cables, kneel down to plug and unplug things, or something. like that. A very good investment.

Although we feel that our workspace is OK, the truth is that the whole experience can become much more efficient if we expand the limited possibilities that a single central unit offers.

Some manufacturers like Lenovo have even started including handy dongles (we have to do that word in Spanish soon) as native accessories for their mobile devices. In this sense, being an external accessory, the possibilities for Mac (from Big Sur) and PC (from Windows 10) are almost endless.

This particular Belkin model is something of today’s connector luxury car. This is also reflected in the price: it is perhaps the most expensive in its range. But the power of connectivity it delivers is such that a simple laptop connected to a screen can be upgraded to a whole charging and connectivity station that maximizes the possibilities of productivity and access.

Note: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

*Prices for products in this item are updated as of April 4, 2023. Values ​​and availability are subject to change.