Satechi CubeDock Review: A Thunderbolt 5 Dock That Doubles as an SSD Enclosure

Accessory shaper Satechi released its archetypal Thunderbolt 5 dock earlier this year, debuting the $400 Thunderbolt 5 CubeDock. Satechi's dock combines Thunderbolt 5 connectivity with the accepted ports you expect from a dock, positive other SSD retention acknowledgment to an added SSD enclosure.


Satechi likes to marque things shaped similar the Mac mini, and the CubeDock gives ‌Mac mini‌ vibes. It's 5 inches by 5 inches, and 2 inches thick, identical to the ‌Mac mini‌. It's silver, truthful it matches Apple hardware that comes successful that shade, and it would brace good with a ‌Mac mini‌.

The beforehand of the dock has a 30W/10Gbps USB-C port, a 7.5W/10Gbps USB-A port, a 3.5mm audio jack, and SD and microSD paper slots. I similar the positioning of the paper readers due to the fact that they're casual to get to. I don't usage wired headphones, but if I did, I'd besides admit having that beforehand audio jack. 30W charging for the beforehand USB-C larboard is utile too, due to the fact that 30W is capable to accelerated complaint an iPhone and complaint an iPad oregon MacBook Air.


The backmost has a 2.5Gb Ethernet port, an 80/120Gbps Thunderbolt 5 big larboard to link to a Mac, 3 further 80Gbps Thunderbolt 5 ports (with 15W each for accessories), a 10Gbps 4.5W USB-A port, a 10Gbps 7.5W USB-C port, and a DC larboard for connecting the powerfulness supply. The CubeDock provides 140W for a MacBook,can complaint the 16-inch MacBook Pro astatine the fastest speed.


At the bottommost of the CubeDock, there's a sheet that tin beryllium popped retired to adhd successful up to an 8TB NVMe SSD. It supports 2230, 2242, 2260, and 2280 sizes with transportation speeds of up to 6000MB/s, depending connected the SSD used. The CubeDock has an SSD enclosure, but it does not travel with SSD storage. You request to bargain an interior SSD separately if you privation to usage the enclosure, and SSDs aren't inexpensive close now.


I installed a 2TB SSD successful the slot astatine the bottommost of the CubeDock. There's a integrative screen that comes off, and the SSD plugs successful underneath. It's held successful spot with a screw, but the installation process was a small annoying due to the fact that the screw needs to beryllium positioned earlier the SSD is inserted. Satechi includes a thermal pad, which I added earlier closing it backmost up. My Mac recognized the SSD successful the enclosure conscionable arsenic it would immoderate different SSD I plugged in.


There is simply a instrumentality successful the CubeDock that circulates air, on with vent holes astatine the sides. It has an LED powerfulness fastener connected the front, and it charges with an included 180W powerfulness supply. The powerfulness proviso is not built into the dock and is alternatively an outer brick. Satechi besides includes a Thunderbolt 5 cablegram to link the dock to a Mac.

I don't mostly caput the dependable of fans, but the CubeDock's fans person a subtle physics whine that bothers me. I cognize immoderate radical can't perceive that high-pitched physics noise, but I can, and successful a quiescent room, it's the audio equivalent of having a pebble stuck successful my shoe. I can't perceive the dependable erstwhile the TV is on, erstwhile euphony is playing, oregon erstwhile my AC is running. Anker's Thunderbolt 5 Dock has fans and had a akin noise, but fanless models similar the CalDigit TS5 Plus are silent.

With the fans, the CubeDock doesn't get blazingly hot, but it is lukewarm to the touch. The somesthesia is person to a manus warmer connected a acold time than scorching coffee. I didn't announcement a somesthesia quality investigating with the SSD installed and without it.


The CubeDock supports up to 3 8K displays astatine 60Hz, but Satechi says 8K is constricted to Windows machines. The M5 Pro and M5 Max chips bash enactment 8K displays, but I don't person 1 to trial with.

What I bash person connected manus is simply a 5K Studio Display and a 32-inch 4K 120Hz OLED display, some of which the CubeDock tin grip with nary problem. I plugged successful 2 iPhones to charge, enactment successful an SD card, and connected 2 SSDs, and transferred ample files. I had nary issues with the CubeDock nether this accent test, and everything besides worked during day-to-day testing.

The payment of a dock similar the CubeDock is being capable to plug successful aggregate displays, peripherals, and accessories portion lone having 1 cablegram connected to a Mac. I tin tuck the CubeDock nether a display, way the cables retired the back, and support my table neater with little cablegram clutter. I felt similar the CubeDock had a bully fig of ports for mundane use, and I wasn't missing anything. It has less USB-C and USB-A ports than immoderate different docks that it competes with, but I person fewer capable USB-A devices that adjacent 2 USB-A ports felt similar 1 excessively many.

The Apple silicon spot you person determines the fig of displays that the CubeDock tin thrust implicit a azygous Thunderbolt port. M5 Pro and M5 Max Macs tin thrust 3 displays astatine 6K/60Hz with Satechi's dock. M4 Max, M4 Pro and earlier Pro/Max chips enactment up to 2 outer displays with the CubeDock (up to 6K/60Hz).


Pro/Max Macs tin mostly enactment much than 2 outer displays, but you request to usage much than 1 Thunderbolt port. I person 2 displays connected to an M1 Max with the CubeDock, and a 3rd show plugged into a antithetic Thunderbolt port.

Base M1 and M2 Macs enactment a azygous outer show implicit Thunderbolt, but basal M4 and M5 Macs tin thrust two. The M3 is analyzable due to the fact that an M3 ‌MacBook Air‌ tin enactment 2 displays, but lone successful clamshell mode. It's champion to check Satechi's website for compatibility info to marque definite you tin link what you privation to connect.

Bottom Line

Satechi's dock lets you link aggregate displays, peripherals, and accessories to your Mac with 1 cable, offering casual plug-and-play functionality. The summation of an SSD enclosure helps differentiate the CubeDock from competing products. It puts the ports astir radical request close up front, and hides the remainder distant for table organization.

The CubeDock is 1 of the amended looking options connected the marketplace due to the fact that of however good it matches Apple's aesthetic, and it doesn't tally arsenic blistery arsenic docks without a instrumentality included. Unfortunately, the instrumentality sound tin beryllium distracting for radical who are delicate to definite sounds.

With 2 generations of Thunderbolt 5 Macs present available, there's much crushed to take a Thunderbolt 5 implicit a Thunderbolt 4 dock. Compared to Thunderbolt 4, Thunderbolt 5 offers treble the bandwidth (80Gbps alternatively of 40Gbps) and up to 120Gbps for display-heavy setups.

If you person a newer Mac that supports Thunderbolt 5 and request other ports, a Thunderbolt 5 dock makes the astir sense. If you person an older Mac and are trying to determine betwixt Thunderbolt 4 and Thunderbolt 5, Thunderbolt 5 is the amended prime if you're going to upgrade anytime successful the adjacent mates of years.

How to Buy

The Satechi Thunderbolt 5 CubeDock with SSD Enclosure tin beryllium purchased from the Satechi website oregon from Amazon.com for $399.99.

Note: Satechi provided MacRumors with a CubeDock for the intent of this review. No different compensation was received. MacRumors is an affiliate spouse with Satechi and whitethorn gain commissions connected purchases made done links successful this article.
This article, "Satechi CubeDock Review: A Thunderbolt 5 Dock That Doubles arsenic an SSD Enclosure" archetypal appeared connected MacRumors.com

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