Anker 778 Thunderbolt Docking Station review

Anker’s newest laptop computer dock doesn’t expressly label itself as “Thunderbolt 4” as a result of it’s backwards suitable with Thunderbolt 3 and USB4 gadgets (and even USB-C laptops), too. However relaxation assured that the Anker 778 Thunderbolt Docking Station may be very a lot a totally licensed full-steam forward 40Gbps Thunderbolt 4 dock.

A tricky, virtually foreboding design reveals this docking station means enterprise. All black, with an virtually brutalist server-rack aesthetic, it stands out among the many competitors.

This Thunderbolt 4 dock is aimed on the Home windows consumer seeking to join a number of exterior shows. It presents only one downstream 40Gbps Thunderbolt 4 (TB4) port however three shows ports (one HDMI and two DisplayPort).

Specs and options

The Anker 778 Thunderbolt Docking Station has 12 ports, one in all which (the upstream 40Gbps Thunderbolt 4 port) is used for the single-cable connection to the pc.

• One upstream Thunderbolt 4 port (40Gbps, 100W)
• One downstream Thunderbolt 4 port (40Gbps, 15W)
• Two DisplayPort 1.4 video ports
• One HDMI 2.1 port
• Two USB-C ports (10Gbps, 30W)
• Two USB-A ports (5Gbps, 4.5W)
• Two USB-A ports (480Mbps, 2.5W)
• Gigabit Ethernet
• 180W energy provide

The inclusion of three show ports reveals who this docking station is aimed toward: customers who wish to add a number of exterior shows to their laptop.

Home windows customers can join as much as 4 4K shows at 60Hz. If you’d like a fewer however increased decision screens you should use that single downstream TB4 port that helps a 6K show at 60Hz.

Mac customers ought to keep away from the Anker 778, nonetheless. Plain M1 and M2 Macs are merely not supported and superior M1/M2 Professional or Max MacBooks can solely have two exterior shows in Mirrored slightly than Prolonged mode utilizing this dock. We’d as a substitute advocate Mac customers seems to the Caldigit TS4 or Kensington SD5700T docking stations.

Mac or Home windows, if you wish to connect quite a few Thunderbolt gadgets, you could be higher off with a dock that boasts three downstream TB4 ports, such because the Kensington SD5700T or the Alogic Thunderbolt 4 Blaze. Or think about a Thunderbolt 4 hub that may lack a lot of the different connectors to focus simply on the 40Gbps ports. See our opinions of the very best Thunderbolt 4 docks and hubs.

As it’s, you’ll be able to daisy-chain as much as six Thunderbolt gadgets to the only real Thunderbolt 4 port on the Anker 778.

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

USB blended bag

There are a complete of six USB ports: two quick 10Gbps USB-C ports that every supply a really beneficiant 30W of device-charging energy; two 5Gbps USB-A ports; and one other two USB-A ports which are rated on the gradual 480Mbps USB 2.0 normal.

Anker expects individuals to make use of the USB 2.0 ports to attach a keyboard and mouse (there’s even icons above them to counsel this), though these are principally wi-fi nowadays.

Not one of the USB-A ports presents any actual device-charging operate (both 4.5W or 2.5W), which appears a missed alternative and isn’t as helpful as a number of the different Thunderbolt 4 docks we’ve got reviewed.

That stated, full marks for the 30W charging capability of the USB-C slots, which is significantly spectacular and beats another dock we’ve got examined.

The upstream TB4 port can cost a linked laptop at as much as 100W, sufficient for many massive laptops.

Wired Web entry is by way of Gigabit Ethernet. Some new docks are boasting 2.5Gb Ethernet however most of us reside inside 1Gb networks, so the Anker 778 suits in nicely as normal if not unimaginable community speeds.

What’s lacking? Regardless of the 11 downstream ports, quite a bit, though the dearth of some ports won’t hassle you.

There aren’t any card reader slots, the place most docks embody both an SD card reader or MicroSD card reader, or each. Such tiny, transportable playing cards might be a good way of including cheap, swappable storage to your system. For those who by no means use them, don’t fear.

There’s additionally no 3.5mm audio port for headphones or mic, which you’ll discover on most competing docks. You possibly can add out and in audio gadgets by way of one of many USB ports and use wi-fi headphones as a substitute.

IDG

Design

The horizontal Anker 778 Thunderbolt Docking Station has a take-no-prisoners look, all black and industrial.

We like that Anker has positioned the upstream Thunderbolt 4 port on one of many sides slightly than on the entrance like most producers do. This hides the trailing cable away out of your desk area, and retains the entrance clear for these two quick, highly effective USB-C ports.

The ability button on the entrance can be appreciated, because it means you might be assured that your laptop computer’s battery isn’t being continuously stored at 100% cost whilst you’re away. With most different docks, you should disconnect the upstream cable to have this peace of thoughts that you’re not doing long-term hurt to the laptop computer’s battery.

On the other facet to the upstream TB4 port is a Kensington safety lock.

Worth

The Anker 778 Thunderbolt Docking Station is priced at $379.99 / £379.99, which is on the high finish of the pricing scale for Thunderbolt 4 docks.

The $299 Plugable Thunderbolt 4 & USB4 Quad Show Docking Station additionally helps 4 4K 60Hz shows and 4 extra ports; though presents no downstream TB4 port in any respect.

Verdict

The economic look shouts energy, and the Anker 778 Thunderbolt Docking Stations lives as much as this with its 12 ports that embody two may, front-facing 10Gbps USB-C ports that may every cost gadgets at as much as 30W.

If you wish to add a number of exterior shows, the dock will assist as much as 4 4K screens at 60Hz—significantly spectacular however costly when in comparison with equally specced docking stations.

The dock lacks any card readers or USB-A charging ports, which could postpone some, however if you happen to can stay with out these, the 778 is a superb dock for including extra screens than anybody actually wants.

Though macOS suitable, we wouldn’t advocate the Anker 778 dock for Mac customers as a consequence of its lack of prolonged show assist for Macs.