Examining the Plugable Thunderbolt 4 & USB4 11-in-1 Dock: Is HDMI 2.1 missing?

The only thing lacking from Plugable's high-end Thunderbolt 4 dock is HDMI 2.1

 KEY TAKEAWAYS

• With three Thunderbolt 4 ports and 96W of approved charging, Plugable's Thunderbolt 4 docking station provides plenty of I/O.

• A significant disadvantage is that display output is limited to 4K60 or 8K30 due to the lack of support for HDMI 2.1.

• For Apple users, the streamlined design, aluminum build, and integrated 1-meter Thunderbolt 4 cable and HDMI adapter make it a practical and visually beautiful option.

The most recent Thunderbolt 4 & USB4 Docking Station from Plugable, an 11-in-1 device, might be a good option for the desk running macOS. With multiple Thunderbolt 4 ports and up to 96W of certified charging power, this docking station caters to the Apple crowd even though it is compatible with Windows. With three Thunderbolt 4 ports and plenty of other I/O ports, this device supports standard monitors up to 4K60 or 8K30 with HDMI 2.0. You can connect two displays, a 2.5G Ethernet, a keyboard and mouse, and an NVMe-based SSD with just one cable. Everything is wonderful, but there is a cost.

To Not Have HDMI 2.1 Is a Big Letdown

Let's start by addressing the negative. With the exception of not supporting HDMI 2.1, Plugable's Thunderbolt 4 dock is a decent fit for a high-end desk configuration. Plugable's most recent Thunderbolt 4 hub only supports 4K60 or 8K30, but other companies are adding dual HDMI 2.1 ports to their docks. Plugable has a USB4 dock with dual HDMI 2.1 ports that can each output 4K120. Considering how many 4K120 monitors are currently available on the market, this is a bit of a letdown. Being restricted to 4K60 may be viewed by many as a significant disadvantage. This disadvantage, however, will be extremely minor if you use a 1440p144 monitor at your desk or just stick to 60Hz at higher resolutions.

Use a single cable to connect everything to your computer—aside from the kitchen sink.

With the exception of the HDMI 2.0, Plugable's Thunderbolt 4 dock has fairly strong I/O as well. First off, compared to other Thunderbolt 4 docks available, this one has a good total of four USB-A 10Gbps ports. This provides you with an ample number of ports to directly connect a mouse, keyboard, printer, and headset to the dock without requiring any additional hardware.

Apart from the USB-A connector on the front, there is a UHS-II SD card slot and a combo audio jack. The host Thunderbolt 4 port connects these, and it can provide up to 96W of certified charging power—enough to charge even the M3 Max 14-inch MacBook Pro. In terms of actual use, though, I still wish the makers of Thunderbolt 4 docks could figure out a way to position the host port at the back, as they did with Thunderbolt 3 docks in the past. For a cleaner setup, it would be far more convenient to have the main plug on the back.

The remaining three USB-A 10Gbps plugs, the 2.5G ethernet, the HDMI 2.0 output, and two additional Thunderbolt 4 ports with a 40Gbps bandwidth and up to 15W of charging power are located around back (where the host port should be). Overall, with the included USB-C to HDMI adapter, this dock does enable you to plug in your entire desk, including two displays. This might be an excellent option if you want to reduce the number of cables in your desk setup.

Apple's Space Gray Computers Go Well With a Sleek Look

Plugable's Thunderbolt 4 dock has an elegant yet subtle overall design. I thought the overall color scheme looked fantastic, and it went really well with my Space Gray M1 Max MacBook Pro. The finned cooling design on the side is a nice touch, and the black front and back match my desk perfectly. If you have a Windows-based setup, it will still look fantastic on your desk, though the color may not match as precisely as it does with Apple computers. Those who own Apple computers are probably going to adore the aesthetic.Since aluminum makes up the majority of the parts, this dock also has a high-quality feel to it. When you plug in your laptop, the dock won't slide around unless you really pull on it because it has a nice weight to it.

A nice touch is the HDMI to USB-C adapter and 1M Thunderbolt 4 cable that are included.

Previously, when I purchased Thunderbolt docks, the included cable was usually only 0.3 meters long, so I had to purchase a separate one every time. Plugable went above and beyond in this regard, which makes sense given the price, by including a 1-meter cable to connect your laptop to.This add-on is incredibly thoughtful and simplifies powering your setup with the docking station right out of the box. A USB-C to HDMI adapter manufactured by Plugable is included in the package along with a high-quality Thunderbolt 4 cable. This eliminates the need for additional purchases by enabling dual displays to be used straight out of the box. Although the dock itself does not have a second HDMI port, this is still preferable to having to purchase an additional adapter.

Is the Plugable Thunderbolt 4 Dock a Good Buy?

 

The Plugable Thunderbolt 4 & USB4 Docking Station is not inexpensive at all, with a list price of $290. Even though there are some Thunderbolt 4 docks available that are more costly, Plugable is unquestionably priced highly. Even with all the ports it has and the 1-meter Thunderbolt 4 cable that comes with it, you're still getting a lot of value for the money.But I would be remiss if I did not point out that you could still choose a dock from Plugable to get dual HDMI 2.1 outputs simultaneously and save about $90.However, you would miss out on all the wonderful features of Thunderbolt 4, such as the two rear 40Gbps ports, if you did this. Therefore, if you require those, this dock is worth the extra $90 over Plugable's USB4 dock, which is less expensive.

Ultimately, even though it is more expensive, Plugable's Thunderbolt 4 docking station has excellent build quality and a lot of input/output.