Targus Thunderbolt 5 Triple Video dock assessment: Beware the catch

Finest Costs Right this moment: Targus Thunderbolt 5 Triple Video Docking Station

Nobody likes to be disillusioned with a purchase order. If you happen to personal a laptop computer with a mainstream Thunderbolt 4 port inside it, I’m afraid you might be.

The Targus Thunderbolt 5 Triple Video Docking Station with 140W EPR Energy Supply (additionally referred to as the DOCK230) is what it says on the field, although this dock has a twist: You may join three shows utilizing the dock’s built-in Thunderbolt ports, or else hook up with a second laptop computer through a know-how referred to as Thunderbolt Share. As a result of Intel requires a selected license to make use of this know-how, it is a uncommon function that Targus has included.

However as I’ll discuss under, the “triple show” function solely works with a Thunderbolt 5 laptop computer, which actually undercuts this dock’s worth.

This Targus dock is an virtually literal brick: It weighs 2.33 kilos, based on Targus, and measures 7 x 3 x 2 inches, fabricated from sturdy aluminum. Some docks, together with Thunderbolt 5 docks, embrace energetic cooling followers to chill the dock itself. This one doesn’t, though there are tiny air vents on the back and front. The entire warmth merely radiates away, with out subject, by way of the whole lot of the dock’s steel building. The dock’s rounded edges aren’t designed to permit it to sit down vertically, although there are small rubber ft to maintain the system steady.

On the entrance of the dock sits two 10Gbps USB-A ports; solely the left-hand one helps charging, and Targus doesn’t specify how a lot energy it supplies. There’s additionally an influence button and three.5mm jack. If the dock is related to a laptop computer through one of many rear ports, the dock is rated to provide 100W to the laptop computer. That leaves 15W of energy to go by way of the one different front-mounted port, which is a USB-C reference to Thunderbolt capabilities. Put one other method, I’d use that port for charging a smartphone, if it’s obtainable, and go away the others alone.

On the rear of the dock are two extra Thunderbolt 5 ports, plus the Thunderbolt connection to the laptop computer. There are two extra 10Gbps USB-A ports, a 2.5Gbps Ethernet connection, energy enter, and a pair of lock slots — each normal and a nano slot.

Targus features a 1-meter passive Thunderbolt 5 cable contained in the field, which is normal.

Targus Thunderbolt 5 Triple Video Docking Station: Options

Thunderbolt 3 and 4 docks have a tendency to construct in both HDMI or DisplayPort show ports, or each. Thunderbolt 5 docks consider in a world the place USB-C/Thunderbolt shows exist, and sometimes embrace USB-C (Thunderbolt 5) outputs as a substitute. In case your show lacks the suitable USB-C port, that may drive you to fork over an extra $20 or so per show for an adapter cable.

Targus classily features a pair of 2-meter Thunderbolt-to-HDMI adapter cables within the field, serving to offset its MSRP. That’s a very nice gesture, and intensely uncommon.

This Targus dock is a Thunderbolt 5 dock, which is one thing just like the 3DTV of the Home windows PC I/O market. On paper, Thunderbolt 5 affords 80Gbps bidirectionally, and 120Gbps in a single path if vital. Sadly, a cussed lack of Thunderbolt 5-compliant Home windows laptops (thanks, Intel) makes Thunderbolt 4 essentially the most cost-effective know-how in the mean time, a minimum of for Home windows customers. Apple Macs run Thunderbolt 5 from the shopper Mac by way of to the show, nevertheless, making this dock a extra acceptable selection for that market.

The issue is that the complexities of your laptop computer’s {hardware} change what this dock can give you. Generally, an up-to-date laptop computer affords you the most effective expertise. However Targus is so involved that it even supplies a prolonged desk of what you possibly can anticipate by platform, particularly regarding the shows that you just’ll be capable to hook up with this dock. Home windows customers actually need concern themselves with simply the highest two tables, however nonetheless — there’s a number of variation. There’s a gotcha in there, too, which I’ll discuss later.

Mark Hachman / Foundry

Do I actually suppose you need to spend $399.99 on a Thunderbolt dock for a Home windows PC when a $250 Thunderbolt 4 dock could be a greater use to your cash? I don’t. However we might be assured that Thunderbolt 5 will ultimately develop into mainstream on Home windows PCs, and overspending now to future-proof your PC stays a viable selection.

This places me in an admitted bind. I’ve had Thunderbolt 5 laptops in place prior to now, with the expectation that they’d develop into ubiquitous in 2026. That’s not the case, and my present Thunderbolt 4 take a look at mattress can’t push this dock to its limits.

With that stated, I can and did run our regular battery of exams, which occurs to incorporate an OWC Envoy Extremely, a manufacturer-supplied Thunderbolt 5 SSD that we are able to use for testing.

The addition of Thunderbolt Share isn’t one thing that many docks provide. Intel requires a particular license to make use of the know-how, which at all times struck me as merely a dumb approach to chase income. In a Thunderbolt Share association, there are two Thunderbolt-equipped laptops and an middleman dock; simply a kind of units should carry a Share license, which this dock does.

Mark Hachman / Foundry

(My late colleague Gordon Mah Ung walked by way of the options of Thunderbolt Share in a video, displaying the way it transfers information in a snap and can be utilized to regulate one other PC.

You’ll must obtain the Share software program through a hyperlink Targus supplies within the handbook. I had no points transferring information backwards and forwards and utilizing one laptop computer to regulate one other. Nevertheless, the software program feels considerably dated, and the interface have to be manually refreshed to point out adjustments within the information. That is Intel’s fault, although, and never that of Targus.

Mark Hachman / Foundry

Thunderbolt Share does switch knowledge sooner than an exterior SSD, although not by a lot. I’ll clarify extra, under.

Targus Thunderbolt 5 Triple Video Docking Station: Efficiency

Triple video docking station, huh? Properly, probably not, except you might have a Thunderbolt 5-equipped laptop computer.

The photograph of the handbook earlier was the tipoff: You may solely join three shows if in case you have a Thunderbolt 5 port in your laptop computer — and at a whopping 7680×4320 decision, too. On my TB4 take a look at machine, two shows related stably. However three? Nope, even after making an attempt a wide range of laptops, outdated and new. Many different docking stations assist you to join three shows, even with Thunderbolt 4 ports. Look on our listing of the most effective Thunderbolt docks for these.

In any other case, this Targus dock demonstrated good stability in my time with it, which lasted a number of days. It wasn’t excellent, nevertheless, and certainly one of my two displays misplaced connection about as soon as day by day throughout three days. The dropout was only a second or two, which was noticeable although not notably disruptive.

Take note, nevertheless, that the dearth of Thunderbolt 5 laptops additionally impedes my capability to check. I used to be in a position to borrow a laptop computer from a producer final yr, however bumped into stability points. I examined this dock utilizing a lot of laptops outfitted with Thunderbolt 4 ports as a substitute. It’s merely as much as Intel and AMD to construct in Thunderbolt 5 and USBV2 ports, respectively, to assist allow this market.

From an influence perspective, the dock delivered about 92 watts to my laptop computer whereas beneath load, and 11.9W from a secondary Thunderbolt port. Most units ship a number of watts beneath their rated quantities, so on this regard, the Targus dock is not any completely different than others in its class.

I continued testing based on my Thunderbolt dock testing methodology, which requires me to then look at how effectively the dock transfers knowledge whereas streaming and different duties. With a Thunderbolt 4 docking station, that’s a most of 40Gbps; with a Thunderbolt 5 dock like this one, as much as 80Gbps (and even 120Gbps in some instances) is the utmost. That’s troublesome to attain with out high-speed, high-definition shows. For now, these are extra frequent with the Mac platform, and shows just like the Studio Show XDR, which boasts a 5K decision and 120Hz refresh fee together with a TB5 interface.

Mark Hachman / Foundry

The Targus Thunderbolt 5 Triple Video Docking Station dropped 5 frames out of 10,000, which is completely acceptable. I then related my take a look at 10Gbps SSD to the drive, and measured its efficiency: 140MB/s by itself, and 135MB/s whereas streaming within the background. Each of these are on the high of their class for a Thunderbolt 4 dock.

Thunderbolt 5, nevertheless, opens up a wealth of prospects. For one factor, you possibly can join a Thunderbolt 5 SSD to this dock. Doing so pushed the SSD throughput to 331MB/s, a bit greater than double the efficiency of the primary drive. The Targus dock considerably underperformed different docks I’ve related to the TB5 drive, just like the Razer Thunderbolt 5 Dock Chroma I lately examined. Nevertheless, I examined that dock with a unique laptop computer, one which used a Thunderbolt 5 connection. I’ve to imagine that the sooner interface boosted the throughput.

It’s additionally value noting that a number of Thunderbolt 5 docks additionally both provide an empty inside M.2 slot or provide their very own SSD, as with the Sonnet Echo 13 Thunderbolt 5 dock. The worth soars ($479 at press time) however Sonnet’s built-in SSD pushed efficiency as much as 662MB/s. That’s 4.7 instances the efficiency of the opposite dock for about $70 extra, if lightning-quick exterior storage issues to you.

I additionally copy a folder of information from the SSD to the desktop. That took a standard 1 minute, 8 seconds by itself and 1 minute, 26 seconds whereas streaming, a bit poky. Bear in mind, although, that Thunderbolt Share is an choice, and after I related my take a look at laptop computer to the dock and one other take a look at laptop computer, the file switch took 1 minute, 2 seconds. Does Share pay for itself? No, nevertheless it’s helpful.

Do you have to purchase the Targus Thunderbolt 5 Triple Video Docking Station?

As a Home windows consumer, you’re largely restricted to laptops with Thunderbolt 4 connections. That pushes a Thunderbolt 5 dock — and a pricy one — a bit out of attain for most individuals. The runner-up in my listing of the most effective Thunderbolt docks is a Thunderbolt 5 docking station, nevertheless it’s beneath $300.

Assist for 3 shows, extra adapter cables, and the helpful although nonetheless area of interest Thunderbolt Share know-how definitely justify a little bit of the extra value — effectively, for those who personal a Thunderbolt 5 laptop computer. However for me, this dock is priced too excessive for what it affords to nearly all of Home windows PC customers. I simply suppose that the majority customers will favor one thing a bit extra aligned with their {hardware} and their funds.