Ugreen Revodok Max 208 Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station review

Worth When Reviewed

$279.99

Finest Costs Immediately: Ugreen Revodok Max 208 Thunderbolt 4 Dock

$279.99

The Ugreen Revodok Max 208 calls itself a docking station however may very well be higher described as a Thunderbolt 4 hub with added Ethernet—or perhaps a Thunderbolt mini dock.

It should definitely perform nicely as a versatile dock but it surely’s nearer in nature to lots of the hubs now we have examined and reviewed however with one key distinction: the flexibility to hook your laptop computer as much as a wired community with out the necessity for an adapter. See our roundup of the most effective Thunderbolt docking stations and Macworld’s finest docks for Mac for options, and we discover choices later on this evaluation.

As its different ports are all USB or Thunderbolt, while you join an exterior show you will have an adapter if the monitor doesn’t assist a straight USB-C connection.

Specs and options

The Ugreen Revodok Max 208 has 8 ports—not loads for one thing calling itself a full-blown docking station however nonetheless surprisingly versatile.

• Upstream Thunderbolt 4 port (40Gbps, 85W)
• Three downstream Thunderbolt 4 ports (40Gbps, 15W)
• Three USB-A ports (10Gbps)
• Gigabit Ethernet
• 140W energy provide

Eight ports will not be loads for a docking station however loads for a Thunderbolt 4 hub. It might be sufficient for a lot of customers, nevertheless, as these three downstream Thunderbolt 4 ports are quick, highly effective and versatile.

A Thunderbolt 4 port presents fast-data switch, 15W of energy supply and can be utilized to attach on to USB-C screens, storage units and adapters for nearly all the things else, and might daisy-chain Thunderbolt 4 units.

You should use as much as two of those Thunderbolt 4 ports to connect exterior shows.

Your choices are two 4K show at 60Hz (Mac or Home windows) or a single 8K show at 30Hz for Home windows solely. Don’t blame Ugreen, because it’s Apple’s personal limitations that imply you possibly can’t run 8K off a Mac-connected dock.

Plain M1 and M2 Macs (these and not using a Professional or Max processor) are restricted to only one exterior show, though there are workarounds utilizing third-party DisplayLink software program: learn our recommendation on join two or extra shows to an M1 or M2 Mac.

On the entrance of the dock are three quick (10Gbps) USB-A ports for older machine connections, reminiscence sticks and perhaps a mouse and keyboard when you don’t have wi-fi enter units or use the laptop computer’s keyboard and trackpad.

These USB ports don’t have any charging potential, so storage units would require their very own energy provide as none will likely be output from the dock itself, in contrast to with the 15W Thunderbolt ports.

This hub/dock’s particular characteristic is the Gigabit Ethernet port. We haven’t seen this on any Thunderbolt hub, though it’s a mainstay on docking stations. In order for you the speediest community speeds, a wired community is almost at all times sooner and positively extra secure than counting on Wi-Fi.

As a dock it appears to be like gentle on different options, nevertheless, equivalent to a card reader for including reasonably priced moveable storage, and an audio jack for audio system, headphones or a microphone.

Missing these may flip you away from the Revodok Max 208, however when you have no want, then why pay for them?

Many people have wi-fi audio system and earbuds, and use the laptop computer’s webcam as a mic. In case your laptop computer’s storage is okay for you or you’ll be including a quick SSD by way of Thunderbolt and the cloud covers all of your backup, then a card reader is beneficial however not important.

Design

Compact, the Ugreen Revodok Max 208 is somewhat bigger than a Thunderbolt hub.

Product of aluminum with a pleated space, the Revodok Max 208 ought to hold cool.

The Thunderbolt ports are ranged alongside the again of the dock with the Ethernet port. On the entrance, you’ll have quick access to the three USB-A ports and the ability button.

We just like the dock’s energy button, which makes it easy to cease powering your related laptop computer all day and night time with out having to tug out the Thunderbolt connection while you’ll be away from it for a good length.

Worth

At $279.99, the Ugreen Revodok Max 208 isn’t as low cost as a Thunderbolt 4 hub, which begin at round $150 however lack the Ethernet port.

Different thunderbolt docks and hubs

The very best comparability and closest in specs is the $199 Caldigit Thunderbolt 4 Ingredient Hub, which boasts 4 TB4 and 4 of 10Gbps USB-A ports—yet one more USB-A than the $279 Ugreen. You may add an Ethernet adapter to the Ingredient Hub’s additional USB-A port for beneath $20—for instance, utilizing Ugreen’s personal USB 3.0 to Gigabit Ethernet Adapter.

The place the Revodok Max 208 beats the Ingredient Hub is on energy to the laptop computer. Whereas the Caldigit has an analogous total energy provide, it might cost the host laptop computer at solely 60W, in comparison with the Revodok’s 85W that’s nearer to what a 14-inch or bigger laptop computer would require.

As such, we’d advocate the Revodok Mac 208 over the Caldigit Thunderbolt 4 Ingredient Hub in case your laptop computer is 14 inches or bigger. In any other case, avoid wasting money and add an Ethernet adapter to the Caldigit when you want wired Web.

On the identical $199 price ticket because the Caldigit are the Belkin Join Thunderbolt 4 Core Hub and Satechi Thunderbolt 4 Slim Hub Professional, each of which have the identical 4 TB4 ports however only one 10Gbps USB-A, and supply 96W of energy to the laptop computer, so higher decisions for a 16-inch or bigger laptop computer. In case you don’t want a number of USB-A ports these are good choices, though it’s nonetheless tough to see previous the Caldigit hub for port worth.

There are even cheaper Thunderbolt 4 hubs, such because the $130 OWC Thunderbolt Hub, which additionally hosts 4 Thunderbolt 4 ports however just one USB-A. It too loses out to the Ugreen when it comes to energy to the laptop computer (60W vs 85W).

Because it calls itself a docking station, we actually ought to evaluate it to a rival Thunderbolt 4 dock, and right here the Kensington SD5700T Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station presents a compelling various. It too has 4 TB4 and three 10Gbps USB-A ports, but additionally an additional 7.5W however sluggish 480Mbps USB-A port, Gigabit Ethernet, a quick UHS-II SD card reader, and a 3.5mm audio jack. It additionally has a beefier 180W energy provide and might channel 90W of that to the laptop computer.

The SD5700T has a a lot increased $350 retail value however can usually be discovered promoting for $299 and generally for lower than $200 on line. Verify our Kensington SD5700T Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station evaluation for the most effective costs.

Verdict

At first sight, the Ugreen Revodok Max 208 appears to be like underpowered for a full docking station, missing card readers and an audio jack. However its three downstream Thunderbolt 4 ports are highly effective and adaptable, three USB-A ports helpful when you have a bunch of older units or reminiscence sticks, and built-in Ethernet is beneficial for direct community connections.

If yow will discover the Kensington SD5700T cheaper, we’d advocate that fuller docking station, however as a brilliant Thunderbolt 4 hub or mini dock the Revodok Max 208 presents multi-port flexibility.