HP Thunderbolt 4 Ultra 280W G6 vs HP 280W G4 Dock Comparison 2026

HP 280W G6 vs G4: the short version

HP has two high-power Thunderbolt workstation docks that look similar on a spec sheet but serve slightly different buyers. The HP Thunderbolt 4 Ultra 280W G6 Dock is the newer workstation model with HP’s G6 business platform, a 1 m combo cable, 2.5 Gb Ethernet, HDMI 2.1, and up to 280W charging for supported HP mobile workstations through the barrel-power branch. The HP Thunderbolt Dock 280W G4 with Combo Cable is the older high-power G4 dock. It uses Thunderbolt 4 too, but its YAML lists up to 230W to supported HP platforms and only 75W for non-HP laptops.

The winner is the HP Thunderbolt 4 Ultra 280W G6 Dock. It is not a universal dock for everyone, and that matters. This is still an HP fleet and workstation product, not a simple MacBook desk dock. But if you are choosing between these two HP combo-cable docks today, the G6 has the stronger factual case: higher score, higher workstation charging ceiling, better warranty, longer cable, HDMI 2.1, better documented high-refresh display support, and the newer HP management stack.

The G4 is not obsolete if it is already deployed in a ZBook environment. It still supports Thunderbolt 4, up to four 4K displays on the right host, 2.5 Gb Ethernet, HP Sure Start, wired vPro behavior, PXE boot, Wake on LAN, and MAC address pass-through. The problem is that the G6 improves the main reasons people buy this class of dock in the first place.

If you are comparing these because you need one dock for a general laptop, step back first. Our USB-C vs Thunderbolt docking station guide explains when Thunderbolt actually matters, and our docking station buying guide is a better starting point for mixed laptop setups.

Quick specs comparison

Charging: the G6 fixes the headline gap

The main reason to buy either dock is workstation charging. A normal Thunderbolt 4 dock is usually capped around 90W to 100W, sometimes a bit higher with newer USB-C EPR designs. That does not cover every mobile workstation under load. HP solves this with a combo cable: Thunderbolt 4 over USB-C plus a 4.5 mm barrel power branch for supported HP workstation laptops.

The G6 has the better charging story. Its YAML lists maxWattage: 280, and the review data says the dock ships with a 330W power adapter. The 280W figure depends on a compatible HP workstation and the barrel connector branch. If you use only the USB-C side, HP’s limits are lower: up to 180W on USB-C PD 3.1 EPR hosts and 100W on non-EPR hosts.

The G4 is also a high-power combo-cable dock, but its YAML lists maxWattage: 230. That is still far beyond a standard office dock, and it is enough for many ZBook class systems. The catch is the non-HP fallback. The G4 YAML lists non-HP laptops at up to 75W over USB-C. That is fine for some thin office laptops, but it is weak for the kind of buyer looking at a 280W dock in the first place.

This is the first clear win for the G6. It has the higher workstation charging ceiling and a more useful USB-C fallback path on paper. Neither dock should be bought for a random ultrabook, but the G6 gives you more room before you hit the power ceiling.

Display support: both are strong, but the G6 has a better high-refresh table

Both docks use native Thunderbolt 4 and DisplayPort output. That is good for latency, image quality, and driver simplicity. It also means neither dock can work magic on a host that lacks enough display bandwidth. The laptop’s DisplayPort version, DSC support, GPU, operating system, and external display limits all still matter.

The G4 already has a serious display spec. Its YAML lists a single 8K display at 60Hz on a DP 1.4 DSC Thunderbolt host, dual 4K at 60Hz, triple 4K at 60Hz, and quad 4K at 60Hz when the host has DP 1.4 with DSC and enough streams. For a dock released in the G4 generation, that is still respectable.

The G6 keeps the same broad ceiling but improves the useful middle. Its YAML lists single 8K at 60Hz, dual 4K at 120Hz, quad 4K at 60Hz, and a specific Mac note for M4 MacBook Pro models: up to two extended displays, one through downstream Thunderbolt 4 and one through HDMI or DisplayPort. That dual 4K 120Hz line is the practical difference for newer desks. A lot of workstation users are not trying to run four monitors. They want two good 4K displays at a smoother refresh rate, or one high-end display plus another monitor.

The physical video outputs also favor the G6 slightly. Both have two DisplayPort 1.4 outputs, one downstream Thunderbolt 4 path, and one USB-C DisplayPort Alt Mode path. The G6 uses HDMI 2.1, while the G4 uses HDMI 2.0. The YAML does not turn that into a blanket promise for every HDMI monitor, so it is better not to overstate it. Still, HDMI 2.1 is the newer and more flexible port.

For Mac users, the answer is more cautious. Both docks are native Thunderbolt and DisplayPort docks. Base Apple Silicon display limits still apply, and the G6 YAML specifically warns that it is not a DisplayLink workaround. If your goal is to bypass Mac display limits, read our best docking stations for dual monitors guide and look at DisplayLink options instead.

Ports: similar layout, newer details on the G6

These docks have the same basic HP business-dock philosophy. You get a host combo cable, display outputs, USB-A, USB-C, Ethernet, and no creative-media extras. Neither YAML lists an SD card reader. Neither YAML lists a 3.5 mm audio jack. If you need those ports, you will add adapters either way.

The G6 YAML lists four USB-C ports and five USB-A ports across two USB-A groups. It also lists two DisplayPort 1.4 outputs, HDMI 2.1, one Thunderbolt 4 video path, one USB-C DisplayPort Alt Mode path, and 2.5 Gb Ethernet. The review text describes a desk-friendly set of ports for HP workstations: enough USB for peripherals, direct display outputs, faster Ethernet, and a downstream Thunderbolt 4 port for a high-bandwidth accessory or monitor path.

The G4 YAML lists two USB-C entries, four USB-A ports, two DisplayPort 1.4 outputs, HDMI 2.0, one Thunderbolt 4 video path, one USB-C DisplayPort Alt Mode path, and RJ45 Ethernet with both 1 Gbps and 2.5 Gbps listed. It does not look sparse, especially for a business dock. The difference is that the G6 moves the workstation dock forward with more USB-C presence, HDMI 2.1, and the newer HP G6 platform.

For people who want a dock with card readers, front audio, and a less enterprise-heavy design, neither HP dock is the obvious pick. Something like the CalDigit TS4 is a cleaner general-purpose Thunderbolt 4 dock. These HP models are about power, fleet management, and workstation desk wiring.

Compatibility and manageability: HP fleets first

The compatibility caveats matter more here than they do on most dock comparisons. These are not generic consumer docks with a simple “works with anything” pitch.

The G6 YAML lists Windows 10 and 11, macOS Sonoma, Ubuntu 22.04 LTS with a 5.15 kernel, and ChromeOS M133 or later. It also says HP Quick Connect, Wake on LAN, MAC address pass-through, firmware behavior, and other manageability features depend on supported HP commercial PCs and host firmware. HP does not provide Ethernet and audio drivers on Mac PCs, according to the driver notes in the YAML.

The G4 YAML lists Windows 10 and 11-era support, macOS, Ubuntu 20.04 LTS with a 5.14 kernel, and ChromeOS M101. Its known incompatibilities are direct: non-HP laptops get limited charging and management features, USB-C hosts without Thunderbolt bandwidth get reduced display capability, and base Apple Silicon MacBooks keep their native external display limits.

The G6 wins here because it is newer and better aligned with current HP platform support. The YAML names HP Quick Connect, HP Sure Start, Poly Lens, CMSL and WMI management hooks, PXE boot, Wake on LAN, MAC address pass-through, and wired vPro behavior on compatible Intel vPro Thunderbolt hosts. The G4 also has serious enterprise features, including HP Sure Start, wired vPro, PXE boot, Wake on LAN, and MAC address pass-through. But if you are buying for a current HP commercial fleet, the G6 is the dock that better matches the newer platform stack.

Cable and desk setup: the extra length helps

The cable difference looks small until you place the dock on a real desk. The G6 YAML lists a 1 m combo cable. The G4 YAML lists a 0.8 m combo cable. Twenty centimeters is not a revolution, but with a combo cable that carries both USB-C Thunderbolt and barrel power, it can decide whether the dock sits where you want it or where the cable allows it.

Both docks have the same basic caution: the cable is specialized. The G6 YAML explicitly warns that the replacement cable is specialized and that HP warns against third-party USB-C cable substitutions. The G4 YAML says the combo host cable is not as simple to replace as a generic Thunderbolt cable. Treat both cables carefully, avoid tight bends around the split, and do not assume any random USB-C cable can stand in for the HP assembly.

The G6 still gets the edge. It is longer, and the product verdict calls the cube body easier to place than older HP workstation dock setups. For a desk that already has two monitors, Ethernet, power, and a workstation on one side, that extra routing room matters.

Warranty and score: the boring numbers favor the G6 too

The YAML scores are close but not tied. The G6 scores 8.0. The G4 scores 7.6. That gap matches the spec story: the G6 is not a totally different class of product, but it is the better version of the HP workstation-dock idea.

Warranty is a bigger split. The G6 YAML lists a 36-month limited warranty. The G4 YAML lists a 12-month limited warranty. For a dock aimed at businesses and workstations, that is a meaningful difference. A high-power docking station is not a cheap throwaway accessory, and the buyer is often deploying it with expensive laptops. Longer warranty coverage is a practical advantage.

The G4 can still be a value play if pricing is far lower or if your company already standardized on it. The comparison file should not pretend otherwise. But with no live price field in the G4 YAML and no MSRP in either of these two files except what related reviews may show elsewhere, the safe verdict comes from specs, score, and warranty rather than pricing guesses.

Verdict: buy the G6 unless the G4 is already the fleet standard

The HP Thunderbolt 4 Ultra 280W G6 Dock is the better choice between these two HP workstation docks. It wins on the facts that matter most: 280W workstation charging versus 230W, a stronger USB-C fallback path, dual 4K 120Hz support in the YAML, HDMI 2.1, longer combo cable, 36-month warranty, and a higher 8.0 score.

Choose the HP Thunderbolt 4 Ultra 280W G6 Dock if:

• You have a supported HP ZBook or HP workstation that can use the 280W barrel-power path
• You want the newer HP G6 management stack for a commercial fleet
• You need the best documented dual-display mode, especially dual 4K at 120Hz on compatible hosts
• You want HDMI 2.1 rather than HDMI 2.0
• You value the longer 1 m combo cable and 36-month warranty
• You are buying new and the G6 is within budget

Choose the HP Thunderbolt Dock 280W G4 with Combo Cable if:

• Your organization already uses G4 docks and compatibility is proven
• Your HP workstation fits the G4’s 230W supported-platform charging limit
• You find the G4 at a much lower price than the G6
• You only need dual 4K at 60Hz or quad 4K at 60Hz on a tested DP 1.4 DSC host
• Your IT deployment already depends on the G4’s firmware and support process

For most new buyers, the G6 is the cleaner recommendation. The G4 is still a capable HP workstation dock, but it now feels like the older fleet option. If you are not tied to HP workstation charging, compare both against broader Thunderbolt options in our best Thunderbolt 4 docking stations list before buying.