Satechi Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station review: Slim and strong performance

Most compact notebooks and even the best Chromebooks are woefully lacking in terms of I/O and connectivity ports, even if their internals pack enough bandwidth to support multiple devices connected simultaneously. The solution is a docking station reliant on the USB-C standard, capable of high power delivery and snappy data transfer rates.

Satechi is one among the handful of accessory brands known for reliable docking stations, and its new Thunderbolt 4 model promises to live up to the reputation in a slimmer form factor, with a convenient one-cable connection to your computer. Touted as a successor to last year’s Thunderbolt 4 Dock, this model also features DisplayLink software support for connecting to additional external monitors. Soon after the launch, Satechi sent us a sample, and we’re ever-willing to see if the products are worth your hard-earned cash.

Price and availability

Readily available for a good price

Satechi’s latest addition to the range of docking stations is available on Amazon and Satechi’s web store for $300. The cable from the external power adapter to your wall outlet is detachable, and the brand offers the voice between EU and US plugs at no additional charge. The pricing matches last year’s model exactly, and the dock ships with a rather short 0.5m long USB-C to USB-C cable for hooking up a host device. However, if you plan to tuck the dock out of sight, you can get a longer 1m cable from Satechi for $40 extra.

What’s good about the Satechi Thunderbolt 4 docking station?

Kitted to serve well

With the blessing of Thunderbolt 4, modern notebooks can manage high-speed data transfer, charging, and a stable connection using just one port. Satechi’s new Thunderbolt 4 docking station offers this one-cable convenience while expanding available I/O and adding support for up to four 4K displays. The dock comes securely packaged with minimal plastics and documentation, but you might find the external power brick unwieldy and challenging to hide.

You’ll also notice the dock weighs about as much as an older MacBook Air, which is quite a lot, considering this is barely bigger than a pocket diary. You can blame the weight on an all-aluminum construction with plastic seen only on the front and back. A solitary USB-C cable meant for docking your laptop is included in the box. The side-mounted host device connector port is hard to conflate with the three other Thunderbolt downstream ports on the back. I loved the large rubber feet underneath, which ensure this slim dock doesn’t slide around when you’re plugging or unplugging peripherals.

Speaking of ports, we had no trouble using this dock with a Mac. Display output via USB-C or HDMI and any combination worked seamlessly, as advertised. I don’t have a Chromebook on hand, but hooking this up to a restrictively kitted mini PC running Windows 11 revealed an interesting caveat — you need to manually install DisplayLink drivers. Without that, connected displays don’t register unless the PC is booted and running when you dock it, meaning shutdowns and restarts are a problem.

It’s worth noting that you can connect up to four displays to the Satechi Thunderbolt 4 dock, but this model also supports using a 5K external display for Mac, unlike the Ugreen Revodok we reviewed recently, despite being $100 cheaper. That said, you will need to enable Clamshell mode on M3 Macbooks to use four displays simultaneously. Once set up, display daisy-chaining also works via Thunderbolt, helping minimize cable clutter further.

I thoroughly enjoyed using this new Satechi dock and didn’t experience any noticeable lag, stutter, or intermittent disconnections. HDR also worked when connected to compatible displays. I love how all the ports have white labeling that’s easily legible on the black fascia up front and at the back. This dock even has its own power switch, so you can turn it off without necessarily disconnecting the connected computer. Even if you haven’t upgraded to Thunderbolt display cables, you can use those downstream ports to hook up external SSDs or charge various devices at 15W each.

What’s bad about the Satechi Thunderbolt 4 docking station?

Space heater for your hamster

While Satechi’s latest Thunderbolt 4 display docking station fits nearly every use case with its clean design and flawless functionality, there are a few demerits you should know about. First off, branding for Satechi, DisplayLink, and Thunderbolt 4 is rather in-your-face and garish. Moreover, the product is unsuitable for vertical use, and Satechi doesn’t even provide rubber feet along the shorter sides. The host device connector on the right-hand side further limits how you can place the dock on your desk because the provided USB-C cable is shorter than I would’ve liked.

I also noticed the dock getting really warm to the touch during operation, even when it’s just charging the connected host device. The aluminum enclosure might be the only form of passive heat dissipation available, though. I’m guessing the power delivery circuitry is getting toasty. In any case, I wouldn’t keep anything underneath or above the dock to avoid damage. Satechi should’ve added active cooling.

Unfortunately, the headphone jack has a high noise floor with intermittent but audible static noise when the media isn’t playing. I attribute this issue to the audio circuitry’s proximity to that for power, which would also explain the intermittent noise since power requirements of connected devices tend to fluctuate. This isn’t a dealbreaker, but it is annoying nonetheless.

However, the port arrangement could concern many potential buyers. Satechi doesn’t offer any front-facing USB-C ports, making access to the Thunderbolt downstream ports challenging depending on where you place the dock. Moreover, there aren’t any rear-facing USB-A connectors for hooking up classic PC peripherals like mice and keyboards without sacrificing room for flash drives. Lest I forget, there’s no KVM switch feature because you can only dock one device at a time.

Should you buy Satechi’s Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station?

Don’t settle for anything less

Satechi’s latest product offers fantastic value for anyone seeking an inconspicuous dock that enables running multi-display setups with support for the latest connectivity standards. It is a great accessory for well-ventilated desk spaces that need a sleek and sturdy docking solution. While the external power supply might seem cumbersome, it facilitates easier transportation of the new dock. The addition of DisplayLink support is another noteworthy advantage over last year’s model, which still retails for the same price.

However, if you’re worried about the dock overheating or don’t like the arrangement of ports, Satechi’s Thunderbolt 4 Multimedia Pro Dock overcomes all the limitations we mentioned and even supports vertical mounting. You need to spend an additional $50 for those conveniences and make more room in your backpack if you plan to travel with it. Otherwise, there’s little to dislike about the well-rounded, compact, and reliable package Satechi’s latest dock is.