Ugreen Revodok Max 213 Thunderbolt Dock evaluation: Mightier than the common hub

Value When Reviewed

$399.99

Greatest Costs In the present day: Ugreen Revodok Max 213 Thunderbolt 13-in-1 Docking Station

$319.99

Trying like an integral a part of a Stealth Bomber, Ugreen’s gunmetal grey Revodok Max 213 Thunderbolt Dock is a mean-looking desktop accent. Constructed for a vertical orientation, it resembles the mighty CalDigit TS4 Docking Station and is priced accordingly. We’ll examine the 2 docks, plus a 3rd contender, later on this evaluation.

The Revodok Max 213 has a formidable vary of high-end ports, beginning with its Thunderbolt 4 connection to your MacBook, two extra TB4 ports and a devoted DisplayPort 1.4 port to attach your essential monitor. It may well help two 4K shows at 60Hz, and boasts super-fast 2.5Gb Ethernet.

Specs and options

The Ugreen Revodok Max 213 Thunderbolt Dock has 13 top-end ports.

• One upstream Thunderbolt 4 port (40Gbps, 90W PD)
• Two downstream Thunderbolt 4 ports (40Gbps, 15W)
• One DisplayPort 1.4 video port (2x 4K at 60Hz)
• Two USB-A ports (10Gbps, 7.5W)
• Two USB-A ports (5Gbps, 7.5W)
• One USB-C port (10Gbps, 20W)
• 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet
• UHS-II SD card reader (312MBps)
• UHS-II MicroSD card reader (312MBps)
• 3.5mm combo audio jack (entrance)
• 180W energy provide

Whereas the Revodok Max 213 has a powerful vary of ports, you will discover docking stations with extra: the Sonnet Echo 20 SuperDock has 19, together with an inside SSD slot. The CalDigit TS4 Dock has 18.

Most of these further ports on the Echo and TS4 are spare USB and a number of audio ports; the Revodok 213 is slightly sparse on USB-C, with only a single port—though that one can cost a linked gadget at 20W, matching the TS4’s front-mounted USB-C and beating the Echo’s 7.5W USB-C ports.

As compared, the TS4 has three 10Gbps USB-C ports (one at 20W). The Echo has 4, though all at 7.5W. Ugreen has extra USB-A ports: two at 10Gbps and two at 5Gbps.

In fact, all three docks additionally present two downstream Sort-C-compatible 40Gbps Thunderbolt 4 ports; every at 15W charging potential. The Revodok’s 180W energy provide is superior to the Echo’s 150W however no match for the TS4’s 230W provide.

Foundry

The Revodok Max 213 can cost a laptop computer at as much as 90W, slightly weaker than the Echo (100W) or TS4 (98W).

It allows you to daisy-chain as much as six Thunderbolt gadgets by way of the 2 downstream Thunderbolt 4 ports—notice that these linked gadgets will share the 40Gbps bandwidth upstream to the laptop computer. You may add reasonably priced moveable storage by way of each the SD and MicroSD 4.0 card readers, each of that are at speedy 312Mbps UHS-II. You may normally purchase a high quality 512GB card for round $30/£40, though storage costs could be unstable so could change.

Should you’re fortunate sufficient to be linked to a super-fast wired community, the two.5 Gigabit Ethernet port places most different docks to disgrace. It’s backward suitable with different speeds of Ethernet, so it’ll work with a normal Gigabit Ethernet community. You may join wired headphones or a microphone by way of the front-mounted 3.5mm audio jack.

If in case you have legacy A/V tools with RCA jacks, you must think about the Echo 20’s two back-positioned proper and left channel line out RCA jacks. The TS4 has 3.5mm jacks each back and front, so speaker cables can be tidier if linked to the again port.

Show help

Moderately than host the attainable three downstream TB4 ports, every dock in contrast right here swaps one for a devoted video port: the Revodok and TS4 go DisplayPort 1.4, whereas the Echo has an HDMI 2.1 port.

These video choices are shut in capabilities, but when your monitor requires HDMI, you’ll want a DisplayPort to HDMI cable with the Ugreen or TS4 docks. The actual potential of that DisplayPort port is Home windows help for a single 8K monitor at 30Hz, however sadly Apple show limitations imply the best Revodok-linked show decision attainable is 4K at 60Hz.

As compared, the TS4 and an M-Sequence Mac can help a single 6K show at 60Hz or 4K at 144Hz but it surely’s additionally restricted to 4K at 60Hz when connecting twin shows.

You may join one other display screen by way of one of many Thunderbolt ports, or two by way of each the downstream Thunderbolt ports—though using that DisplayPort makes extra sense for one display screen. Utilizing Thunderbolt, you’ll want both a USB-C monitor or an adapter cable.

Foundry

Design

This Ugreen Revodok Max 213 docking station seems to be rather a lot just like the CalDigit TS4. Each can lie horizontally or stand vertical to avoid wasting on desk area. There are small rubber ft on one aspect and the vertical backside.

Full marks to Ugreen for positioning the upstream Thunderbolt 4 port on the again, in contrast to many docks that place it messily on the entrance. To be truthful to its closest rivals, each the Echo 20 and TS4 additionally put the host connector on the again.

One factor I prefer to see on a dock is an influence button, so I can rapidly cease the fixed battery charging after I’m away from the laptop computer in a single day. Neither the TS4 nor Echo 20 has an On/Off button.

If shade means rather a lot to you, the three docks we’ve in contrast right here give you selections: the Ugreen in a cool-looking Gunmetal Grey, Sonnet in Black, and CalDigit in Aluminum.

Foundry

Value

The Ugreen Revodok Max 213 docking station prices a somewhat steep $400/£400, which matches the CalDigit TS4’s worth and different Thunderbolt 4 docks corresponding to Kensington’s SD5700T ($370). The Sonnet Echo 20 Thunderbolt 4 SuperDock is $100 much less at $300. (Within the U.Ok. costs are constant on the excessive finish, so U.S. prospects can choose up a cut price with the Echo 20.)

For the additional $100, we do desire the Ugreen and CalDigit docks for seems to be over the Sonnet however keep in mind that the Echo 20 additionally affords a built-in NVMe SSD slot so you possibly can add storage proper throughout the dock, though the SSD card itself isn’t included in that worth.

Verdict

The strong, compact 13-in-1 Ugreen Revodok Max 213 docking station seems to be nice and affords all of the ports most individuals will want. It’s up in opposition to some critical competitors, nevertheless, and its worth is subsequently below the microscope when evaluating it to rivals such because the CalDigit TS4 and Sonnet Echo 20. Learn our roundup of the finest docking stations for Mac for additional shopping for recommendation.

If you wish to connect with a single 6K show, the TS4 affords that larger decision, and in addition a single 4K at 144Hz refresh price. Each are matched in relation to a two exterior shows setup.

Should you can afford it, the Revodok Max 213 is a good and in a position dock that you just’ll be proud to have in your desk.