Best early Prime Day deals on Thunderbolt docks and USB-C hubs

While Thunderbolt docks and USB-C hubs are often seen as distinct product categories, they have similarities. Both utilize a USB-C connection from your laptop. However, the distinction lies in how some laptops employ this port: some as a standard USB-C port, while others channel the high-speed Thunderbolt 3 or 4 protocol via the USB-C connector. The standard port typically supports up to 10Gbps of data transfer, which is adequate for USB drives, external storage devices, and possibly an external monitor.

Thunderbolt (either Thunderbolt 3 or Thunderbolt 4) allows for 40Gbps of throughput, designed for high-speed external SSDs and multiple displays. Our roundups of the best USB-C hubs and the best Thunderbolt docks explain further in much greater detail. Thunderbolt 3 and Thunderbolt 4 are close enough that you can save money by buying the older technology that retailers are trying to get rid of. That’s important! Thunderbolt 5, which will deliver 80Gbps, just hasn’t appeared, and that’s a little disappointing.

If you want to connect high-speed peripherals (or just a ton of them) a Thunderbolt dock might be the best bet — especially more than one display. Otherwise, a USB-C hub might work just fine. A Thunderbolt dock definitely is a future-proofed solution though.

USB-C hubs and dongles are relatively cheap, rarely climbing over $60. Thunderbolt docks can cost anywhere from $100 to $300, depending on what features the dock offers.

Usually, the best Prime Day deals on USB-C hubs and dongles are on the more expensive docking stations, not the $20-$50 hubs. Thunderbolt dock deals usually feature older Thunderbolt 3 hardware which is functionally equivalent to the latest gear. It’s like buying a car with 1,000 miles on it for 25% off. That’s not a perfect example, of course, but you get the idea.

Refer to your laptop’s manual to identify the Thunderbolt port, which may be marked with a small lightning bolt icon. However, this symbol might also indicate a charging port. If in doubt, a USB-C dongle or hub is universally compatible with USB-C ports.

USB ports have a long history. USB-C, known for its versatility, replaced USB-A (the thick square port) due to its reversible connector and capability for higher transfer speeds. USB-C ports can support 5Gbps or 10Gbps, similar to standard USB-A ports. However, some USB-C ports are linked to a Thunderbolt chip within your laptop, enabling them to operate at an elevated speed of 40Gbps. While the physical appearance of the connector remains the same, its functionality is what sets it apart.

A 10Gbps USB-C hub offers speed and versatility, connecting to a single 4K (or 1080p) display and offering various ports such as USB-A and SD card slots. Typically, you can connect your laptop’s USB-C power cable directly to the hub if needed.

A 40Gbps Thunderbolt dock, on the other hand, provides greater bandwidth to support additional ports. It stands out in two main ways: it can handle two 4K displays simultaneously, and many docks include a power supply that can charge both your laptop and phone through the Thunderbolt cable that links your laptop to the dock. We still haven’t seen 80Gbps Thunderbolt 5 hardware yet.

If your laptop runs USB4, it won’t “understand” Thunderbolt 3 protocols, I’m told. But otherwise, USB4 and Thunderbolt 4 are functionally the same. Intel refuses to certify non-Intel platforms like AMD’s Ryzen for Thunderbolt, and the new Copilot+ PCs from Microsoft powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite chips are in the same boat.

USB-C hubs work with basically anything with a USB-C port on it. Don’t worry about those at all.

Physically, they use the same USB-C cable. (Well, they have a different logo — one has a “3,” and the other a “4.”) Functionally, they’re almost the same. Thunderbolt 4 was released almost as a patch to Thunderbolt 3, ensuring that everything worked properly. They both run at 40Gbps and connect to the same peripherals. If you own a laptop equipped with Thunderbolt, you can connect to both and basically your experience will be the same.

The kicker? Thunderbolt 3 hardware is older, and retailers want you to buy the latest gear. So as far as deals go, buying Thunderbolt 3 hardware is a real steal.

Usually desktops come chock full of ports, even legacy ones like USB-A. What they don’t always have is a microSD and SD card slot, and a USB-C dock might be a good and cheap way to add this functionality.

Intel has historically struggled to get Thunderbolt into desktop PCs, though, so USB-C may in fact be your only option. There’s really no guarantee that a desktop with have a Thunderbolt port.

Mac users, am I right? While Macs adopted Thunderbolt first, some of the Apple M1 silicon couldn’t keep up with Intel Thunderbolt controllers used by Windows PCs, and the Apple MacOS experience suffered as a result.

If a user complains about a bad Windows experience, sure, that’s worth paying attention to. But a Mac user? Bah. They bought the wrong platform.