04-07-2025
Plugable's New 140W Thunderbolt 5 Docking Station Starts Shipping
The new Plugable TBT-UDT3 Thunderbolt 5 docking station supports speeds up to 120Gbps with Bandwidth ... More Boost.
Computing brand Plugable recently unveiled its first-ever Thunderbolt 5 docking station. The TBT-UDT3 uses Intel's new Thunderbolt 5 technology with a bandwidth boost up to 120Gbps, a considerable leap from Thunderbolt 4's 40Gbps of bandwidth. Aimed at power users like IT professionals and content creators who may be using the new Mac mini M4 Pro, which features Thunderbolt 5 ports.
There aren't many Thunderbolt 5 docks on sale at the moment, although Anker recently revealed the new Prime Thunderbolt 5 docking station. However, we're likely to see many more Thunderbolt 5 docks appearing in the coming months as more computer brands take up the new standard.
140W Of Charging Power
Plugable's new 11-in-1 docking station includes three Thunderbolt 5 downstream ports and a muscular 140W of power for host charging. Other features include a 2.5Gbps Ethernet port, dual 8K display support, SD and microSD card readers, three 10Gbps USB-A ports and a 3.5mm audio combo jack that rounds out a low-latency I/O suite.
The Plugable TBT-UDT3 Thunderbolt 5 docking station can support two 8K displays with a refresh rate ... More of 120Hz.
'With Thunderbolt 5's 120Gbps of potential bandwidth, the TBT-UDT3 is a productivity enabler,' says Bernie Thompson, the founder and CTO of Plugable.
Ben Hacker, the general manager of Intel's client connectivity division, adds: 'Thunderbolt 5 introduces a new level of performance and connectivity. We're excited to partner with Plugable to bring their first Thunderbolt 5 docking station to market. Their commitment to delivering cutting-edge solutions ensures users can fully harness the power of Thunderbolt 5.'
So, whether you're connecting to a Mac mini M4 Pro with dual Apple Thunderbolt displays, or you want to access super-fast Thunderbolt 5 storage, the TBT-UDT3 has enough power to handle the extra performance that Thunderbolt 5 can deliver.
As well as being compatible with the new Thunderbolt 5 standard, the new docking station can also handle Thunderbolt 4 and USB4 with stable connectivity, broad compatibility and high-speed data access.
The new TBT-UDT3 is a pure Thunderbolt 5 docking station with three downstream ports.
Intel's Latest Thunderbolt Chip
The compact Plugable TBT-UDT3 is housed in a sturdy metal case and built around Intel's JHL9580 Thunderbolt 5 controller with support for up to 120Gbps of downstream bandwidth when using Bandwidth Boost. The three Thunderbolt 5 downstream ports also provide 15W device charging as well as display connectivity.
With its 140W of host power via USB-C Power Delivery 3.1, the docking station can also support two external displays with resolutions up to 8K with a 120Hz refresh rate, depending on system and adapter configuration.
A 2.5Gbps Ethernet port provides high-speed network access, while the onboard SD and microSD UHS-II card readers are there for photographers and videographers. The three USB-A ports share a bandwidth of up to 10Gbps and the 3.5mm audio combo jack can handle audio input and output for a headset or separate headphones and mic.
The TBT-UDT3 also supports Thunderbolt Share software, which PC users can download to unlock a powerful set of tools specifically developed for Windows users. The new software can be used to transfer files securely between two PCs at Thunderbolt speeds. Each computer can be controlled from a single monitor, keyboard and mouse. They can even share audio and storage.
The TBT-UDT3 docking station is shipping in North America now and is available directly from Plugable and Amazon for $299.95 in conjunction with a 15% coupon. The TBT-UDT3 is also backed by Plugable's support team and customer-first 2-year warranty.
