ZDNET’s key takeaways
- Kensington’s new SD5000T5 EQ Docking Station goes on sale on September 21 for $400.
- It is one of the first devices to support the Thunderbolt 5 standard, meaning it supports charging speeds of up to 140W and can send a video signal out to three 4K displays.
- The device’s bulk and high cost may turn people away.
Back in September 2023, Intel announced the next generation of the Thunderbolt connectivity standard: the aptly named Thunderbolt 5. The company promised that updated hardware would support quick data transfer speeds and lightning-fast power delivery.
Also: The best laptop docking stations you can buy
It’s been a year since then, and we’re finally starting to see devices supporting the standard. One of the best gadgets out there is Kensington’s new SD5000TS Thunderbolt 5 Triple 4K Docking Station<!–>. It’s a mouthful of a name, but the moniker fits – the machine can do a lot. It’s a docking station with all the hardware and software features to turn a laptop into a proper desktop PC setup.
Also: This 11-in-1 docking station instally decluttered my desk and is 44% off
I plugged in a dead laptop to see how fast the port can charge. The battery charged to 50% in about 45 minutes.
The other ports are downstream ports meant for transferring data. They can still charge laptops and other devices, albeit more slowly.
As I already mentioned, the docking station can also send a video signal out to three 4K displays. I own two high-resolution monitors, so I can only confirm that Kensington’s device supported them without issue. Using my laptop as a source, I played a 4K YouTube livestream on one screen and a 4K movie on the other. The image quality on both displays was equally good.
Also: This 12-in-1 Thunderbolt dock has a surpsrise power feature for Windows users
For fast file transfers, you’ll want to use the two USB-A ports on the back because they can reach speeds up to 10Gbps. I sent a 10GB Google Takeout file from the laptop to my main desktop via the dock. The process only took a few seconds. The Ethernet port offers 25Gbps, although I had trouble setting it up properly.
ZDNET’s buying advice
Kensington’s SD5000TS will be available from September 21 for $400<!–>. It is rather expensive, although I would argue it is worth the price. The docking station is quite useful for people who prefer using a laptop. That said, your computer must either be running Windows 11 or macOS 14.5 as the docking station does not support older devices.
If that’s a dealbreaker, we also recommend the CalDigit TS4–>. It’s even more expensive, but it supports the older Thunderbolt 4 standard and comes highly recommended. A great but cheaper option is the Baseus 10-in-1 Docking Station.
