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TB5 Dock Power Woes: Gaming Laptops Suffer
31 Aug
Summary
- Thunderbolt 5 docks support up to three 4K displays at 144Hz.
- The Kensington TB5 dock only provides 140W of power, insufficient for gaming laptops.
- KonstantCharge keeps peripherals active and charging even without a laptop connected.
Thunderbolt 5 docks are now available, offering support for up to three 4K displays at a rapid 144Hz refresh rate. This represents a substantial leap from Thunderbolt 4's capabilities, which are limited to two 4K displays at 60Hz. New mass-market 6K displays introduced in 2026 also enhance productivity options with TB5.
Kensington's Thunderbolt 5 Triple 4K Docking Station, priced around $300, features a practical design with clearly marked ports. It includes a 10Gbps USB-C port with 30W charging and another with 7.5W, alongside USB-A ports offering 10Gbps throughput. A notable feature is KonstantCharge, which keeps peripheral ports powered and active even when no laptop is connected.
A significant drawback for this dock is its power delivery. While one Thunderbolt 5 port offers 140W to the host laptop, this is insufficient for high-performance gaming laptops that often demand 200W. Despite the 'slow charger' warnings, the test laptop only lost 4% battery over an afternoon. Another minor inconvenience is the close proximity of rear ports, making cable management slightly challenging.
