Dell WD19TBS vs Dell WD22TB4 - Thunderbolt 3 vs 4 Dock Comparison 2026

Dell WD19TBS vs Dell WD22TB4: Thunderbolt 3 Meets Thunderbolt 4

The Dell WD19TBS and Dell WD22TB4 represent two generations of Dell’s modular docking station lineup. The WD19TBS launched in February 2021 as a Thunderbolt 3 dock, while the WD22TB4 arrived in May 2022 with Thunderbolt 4 certification. Both share Dell’s signature modular design, 130W ExpressCharge for Dell laptops, and an enterprise-focused feature set. The question most Dell users face is simple: should you upgrade?

The short verdict: The Dell WD22TB4 wins this comparison. It brings Thunderbolt 4 certification, an extra USB port, improved compatibility guarantees, and better future-proofing for roughly $20 more at MSRP. That said, the Dell WD19TBS remains an outstanding value on the used market at $80-120 and delivers nearly identical real-world performance for Dell laptop owners.

If you are still figuring out which connection type suits your needs, our USB-C vs Thunderbolt docking station guide explains the key differences.

Quick Specs Comparison

Design and Build Quality

These two docks are clearly from the same family. Dell kept the same design language and modular architecture across generations.

Dell WD19TBS

The WD19TBS uses Dell’s compact plastic chassis with a professional look suited for corporate desks. At 585g (1.29 lbs) without the power adapter, it is lightweight and portable for a full-featured dock. The modular design means the Thunderbolt 3 host module can be detached and theoretically swapped for an upgraded module. The dock includes a 0.8m Thunderbolt 3 cable and requires an external 180W power adapter.

Dell WD22TB4

The WD22TB4 continues the same design formula at 8.1 x 3.5 x 1.1 inches. The chassis is again primarily plastic, compact, and built for stacking neatly on office desks or fitting into Dell docking stands. The modular host module is now Thunderbolt 4 certified, which Dell has positioned as upgradable to future standards. Build quality is comparable to the WD19TBS - solid, professional, no-nonsense. It also ships with a 0.8m Thunderbolt 4 cable.

Design winner: Tie. Nearly identical build quality, materials, and form factor. Both are functional enterprise docks without aesthetic frills.

Host Connectivity: Thunderbolt 3 vs Thunderbolt 4

The single biggest technical difference between these two docks is the Thunderbolt generation.

What Thunderbolt 4 Adds

Both Thunderbolt 3 and Thunderbolt 4 operate at 40 Gbps, so raw bandwidth is identical. The differences are about certification requirements:

• Mandatory dual 4K@60Hz support: Thunderbolt 4 requires that hosts support at least two 4K displays. With Thunderbolt 3, dual 4K capability depended on the specific laptop’s implementation.
• USB4 compliance: Thunderbolt 4 is based on USB4, ensuring broader compatibility with USB4 and Thunderbolt 4 hosts going forward.
• Wake from sleep: Thunderbolt 4 mandates Intel VT-d based DMA protection and improved wake-from-sleep reliability.
• Minimum PCIe bandwidth: Thunderbolt 4 guarantees at least 32 Gbps PCIe data, while Thunderbolt 3 allowed as low as 16 Gbps on some implementations.

Practical Impact

For most Dell laptop users, the difference is subtle. If your Dell Thunderbolt 3 laptop already handles dual 4K at 60Hz through the WD19TBS, you will see no visual improvement moving to the WD22TB4. The upgrade matters most for future-proofing: as Thunderbolt 4 and USB4 become the standard, the WD22TB4 is guaranteed to play well with newer hardware.

Connectivity winner: Dell WD22TB4. Same bandwidth, better certification, broader compatibility going forward.

Port Comparison

The port layouts are remarkably similar, reflecting Dell’s conservative evolution between generations.

USB Ports

The Dell WD19TBS provides two USB-C 3.2 ports (one with 15W charging) and three USB-A 3.2 ports (one with 5W charging). That totals five USB downstream ports.

The Dell WD22TB4 offers one USB-C 4.0 port (15W), one USB-C 3.2 port, three USB-A 3.2 ports, and one USB-A 2.0 port. That totals six USB downstream ports. The extra USB-A 2.0 port is a minor but welcome addition.

Video Outputs

Both docks feature identical video output configurations: two DisplayPort 1.4 ports and one HDMI 2.0 port. Both support dual 4K@60Hz and single 5K@60Hz. The WD22TB4 adds support for single 8K@30Hz on Windows, though that is a niche use case.

Note that on the WD19TBS, the HDMI and USB-C multifunction DisplayPort are toggled and cannot be used simultaneously. The WD22TB4 does not have this limitation.

Missing From Both

Neither dock includes a 3.5mm audio jack, SD card reader, or microSD card reader. The WD19TBS lost its audio jack (the “S” stands for “streamlined” - Dell’s chip shortage workaround), and Dell did not bring it back for the WD22TB4. If you need wired audio or card readers, you will need USB adapters with either dock.

Networking

Both docks include Gigabit Ethernet (1 Gbps) via RJ45. No difference here.

Port winner: Dell WD22TB4, narrowly. One extra USB-A port, USB4-capable USB-C, no HDMI/USB-C toggle restriction. The differences are small but they all favor the newer model.

Display Support

Both docks deliver the same core display capability for most users.

The WD19TBS has a known issue where some Dell Comet Lake laptops get stuck at dual 4K@30Hz instead of 60Hz. Updating Intel graphics drivers to December 2022 or later resolves this. The WD22TB4 does not have this problem since Thunderbolt 4 mandates consistent dual 4K@60Hz support from the host.

Display winner: Dell WD22TB4. Same practical output, but no 30Hz quirks and 8K@30Hz as a bonus.

Power Delivery

This is one area where the two docks are virtually identical.

Both deliver 130W via Dell ExpressCharge to compatible Dell business laptops and 90W via standard USB-C Power Delivery to non-Dell laptops. The charging experience is the same on both docks - plug in a Dell Latitude, Precision, or XPS and it charges to 80% in about an hour.

Both require external power adapters (180W for the WD19TBS, similar for the WD22TB4). Neither dock draws power from the host laptop.

Power delivery winner: Tie. Identical charging performance.

Compatibility and Software

Windows

Both docks work seamlessly with Windows 10 and later. Dell Command Update handles firmware updates, and Dell Dock Manager provides monitoring and management tools for IT administrators. The WD22TB4 benefits from Dell’s newer firmware stack, which tends to get updates longer.

macOS

Neither dock is officially supported by Dell on macOS. Both work for basic functionality - displays, USB, Ethernet, and 90W charging - but Dell will not troubleshoot Mac-specific issues. The WD22TB4 has a slight compatibility advantage because Thunderbolt 4 provides more standardized behavior on newer Macs.

Known Issues

The WD19TBS has documented issues with dual 4K@30Hz on Comet Lake systems, fan noise during thermal cycling, and occasional post-firmware-update problems. The WD22TB4 has fewer documented issues overall, with only occasional display detection problems on Mac after sleep.

Compatibility winner: Dell WD22TB4. Better firmware support pipeline and fewer documented compatibility quirks.

Pricing and Value

At MSRP, the Dell WD22TB4 costs $319.99 and the WD19TBS was priced at $301.75 - a difference of about $18. But MSRP does not tell the real story in 2026.

The WD19TBS is discontinued and widely available as a renewed or refurbished unit on Amazon and eBay for $80-120. At that price point, it delivers extraordinary value for Dell laptop owners who need dual 4K and 130W charging.

The WD22TB4 is still in production and typically sells for $250-320 depending on the retailer and any active promotions.

So the real decision comes down to: do you want to spend $80-120 for a capable Thunderbolt 3 dock, or $250-320 for its Thunderbolt 4 successor?

Value winner: Dell WD19TBS at used prices, Dell WD22TB4 at new. If budget matters and you have a Thunderbolt 3 laptop, the WD19TBS is one of the best deals in the used dock market.

Verdict: Dell WD22TB4 Wins Overall

The Dell WD22TB4 is the better dock when buying new. Thunderbolt 4 certification, improved compatibility, one extra USB port, no HDMI toggle limitation, and a longer expected firmware support lifecycle make it the smarter investment for $20 more than the WD19TBS’s original MSRP. For Dell laptop users in particular, it remains the natural choice for enterprise and home office setups.

That said, the WD19TBS deserves serious consideration if you are budget-conscious. At $80-120 renewed, it delivers 90% of the WD22TB4’s functionality at a third of the price.

Choose the Dell WD22TB4 if:

• You are buying a new dock and want the latest Thunderbolt 4 standard
• Future-proofing and longer firmware support matter to you
• You want to avoid the 30Hz quirk on older Thunderbolt 3 hosts
• You value the modular upgrade path with the newest module

Choose the Dell WD19TBS if:

• You can find one renewed for $80-120 and want maximum value
• Your current laptop is Thunderbolt 3 and you do not plan to upgrade soon
• You already own one and it works well - no reason to switch
• Budget is the primary decision factor

For more details on each dock individually, read our Dell WD19TBS review and Dell WD22TB4 review. For a broader look at how the WD22TB4 stacks up against non-Dell competitors, see our CalDigit TS4 vs Dell WD22TB4 comparison. And if you are still exploring options, our homepage has the full ranking of every docking station we cover.