Is this Thunderbolt 3 Dock right for your office?

If you are a MacBookuser, then there is a positive chance that you will ever need a USB hub or dock. A lot MacBooks only have a limited number of ports and even if you have the most expensive ones MacBook Pro we can imagine that you still need extra ports. The offer is in USB hub and dock for your MacBook is great We have already tested a few copies in recent years and the OWC Thunderbolt 3 Dock with 14 ports is one of the most extensive that we have tried.

Text, review and photos: Benjamin Kuijten (@BenjaminRK). The test was conducted in May 2023 and describes the current situation. The dockcase model tested was the regular Explorer Edition version and was available from the manufacturer.

OWC Thunderbolt 3 Dock with 14 ports in a nutshell

Here are the main features of the OWC Thunderbolt 3 Dock with 14 ports:

• Large self-powered Thunderbolt dock
• Available in silver and space gray, with black top
• 14 different ports
• Front: microSD slot, SD card slot, headphone jack, USB-A (USB 3.1 Gen 1), USB-C (USB 3.1 Gen 2)
• Back: 4x usb-a (USB 3.1 Gen 1), S/PDIF Digital Audio Output, Gigabit Ethernet, 2x Thunderbolt 3 usb-c (85W PD), mini DisplayPort, power connection
• No HDMI port
• Dimensions: 2.5 x 8.9 x 23 centimeters
• Weight: 500 grams
• Price: approx € 239,-

What immediately stands out about the Thunderbolt 3 Dock is that it is on the large and quite heavy side. We don’t think it’s a problem, since this dock is mainly designed for your desk in your (home) office. The dock also has its own power cable, which has a fairly large power block attached to it. That’s not entirely unusual for these docks, but the power block in this OWC Thunderbolt 3 dock is almost as big as the dock itself. If you want to neatly hide all cables, this can present a bit of a challenge with some setup.

The design of the dock also looks nice, thanks to the aluminum finish all around. There is a silver and space gray variant, which fits well with most MacBooks. The head is made of shiny black plexiglass and we are less fond of that, because it is a bit sensitive to scratches and quickly looks a bit dirty. But more important than the design is of course the characteristics of this dock.

For professional users, the dock offers almost all the ports you need. Most ports also have very positive features. For example, the five USB-A ports are of the USB 3.1 Gen 1 specification and two of them have a high current reserve. What we regret is that this dock only has one regular USB-C port (USB 3.1 Gen 2) and two Thunderbolt 3 ports. We would have preferred to give up one USB-A port for an extra USB-C port, since more and more devices are making the switch to USB-C and this connection is more future proof.

Showcase capabilities with the OWC Thunderbolt 3 Dock

If you use an external screen with a Thunderbolt display, connect it to one of the two Thunderbolt 3 ports on the back. Then use the other Thunderbolt 3 port to connect your MacBook. This also means that you immediately lose both Thunderbolt 3 ports on the back. And due to the lack of an HDMI connection, it also means that in most cases you can only use an external screen. One of the ways to make this possible is to connect another screen directly to the MacBook itself or to use the mini DisplayPort. But we find that a bit less accessible.

In our test, we could find with the available ports and it has everything we need, but for those looking for something more future-proof with more USB-C ports or more diversity with HDMI, for example, you can be better. cut and center alternative. Also note that this OWC Thunderbolt 3 Dock does not have the most updated features, as it was already released in 2020.

The integrated Thunderbolt 3 port with Power Delivery can provide up to 85W of power to your MacBook. As a result, you only need one cable from the dock to your MacBook, so that everything is connected in one go and your MacBook is charged. The necessary cable is included as standard, which is a nice extra. Another point of caution is that 85W is not high enough for all models of MacBooks to charge it at full speed.

Conclusion OWC Thunderbolt 3 Dock with 14 review ports

This OWC Thunderbolt 3 Dock offers enough options for most people in terms of port diversity, but those looking for something more future-proof may want to look elsewhere. For example, we lack HDMI and would prefer to exchange a USB-A port for USB-C or Thunderbolt 3. But if you still live in a world with many USB-A accessories (such as charging cables, iPhone stands or printer). ), you can port these will come in handy. In 2023, we find this Thunderbolt dock a bit lacking in some aspects, as it no longer has the most up-to-date performance. Depending on your needs, this dock can be a positive choice, but there are better alternatives for this money.

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The best USB hub and docking station for your MacBook

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