Cable Matters Thunderbolt 4 Dock Review 2026

Name: Cable Matters Thunderbolt 4 Dock (40Gbps)
Brand: Cable Matters
SKU: 107044

The Cable Matters Thunderbolt 4 Dock packs 14 ports into a matte black plastic chassis that costs about half what you would pay for a CalDigit TS4. Released in early 2021 and carrying Intel certification, it sits in a niche that not many docks occupy - a full-featured Thunderbolt 4 station with both HDMI 2.0 and DisplayPort 1.4 outputs built in, rather than routing video exclusively through Thunderbolt ports. Port count is a strong suit. Six USB-A slots cover the rear panel, split between five 5Gbps ports and one 10Gbps port. A single USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 port at 10Gbps handles data-only peripherals. One RJ45 Gigabit Ethernet jack, a 3.5mm TRRS combo audio jack, and both a full-size SD slot and a microSD slot round out the connectivity. The upstream Thunderbolt 4 connection delivers up to 96 watts of passthrough charging to the host laptop. Display output works differently here than on a standard Thunderbolt 4 hub. The dock carries four dedicated video ports - two HDMI 2.0 and two DisplayPort 1.4 - but Thunderbolt 4 bandwidth supports two simultaneous monitors maximum. On a Thunderbolt 3 or Thunderbolt 4 Windows host, you can mix and match: two HDMI monitors, two DisplayPort monitors, or one of each, all at 4K@60Hz with Display Stream Compression enabled. macOS does not support DP MST over Thunderbolt, so Mac users get one external display. That is not a bug specific to this dock; it is a macOS limitation shared across every dock using this architecture. At $199.99, the Cable Matters TB4 Dock targets Windows users who want more ports than a compact hub and do not want to pay CalDigit prices. For that audience, the value equation holds up well.

Pros & Cons

What We Like

Six USB-A ports - five at 5Gbps and one at 10Gbps - is more USB-A than any competing dock at this price point
Both HDMI 2.0 and DisplayPort 1.4 outputs included, so you can connect two monitors without buying any adapters regardless of what connectors they use
Intel Certified Thunderbolt 4 with 40Gbps full bandwidth for stable, high-speed peripheral connections
96W passthrough charging handles most ultrabooks and thin-and-light laptops through the single Thunderbolt cable
SD card and microSD card slots both included, which most docks at this price offer only one or neither
Works with Thunderbolt 3, Thunderbolt 4, and standard USB-C hosts at varying feature levels without any driver installation

What Could Be Better

Gigabit Ethernet only - no 2.5G support, falling behind competitors like the OWC Thunderbolt 4 Dock and Kensington SD5780T at the same price tier
Workaround: Use one of the USB ports with a USB-C to 2.5GbE adapter if your network supports faster-than-gigabit speeds. The USB-C 10Gbps port provides enough bandwidth for a 2.5GbE adapter without bottlenecking the connection.
macOS users get only one external display; DisplayPort MST is not supported by macOS, which is the display technology this dock relies on for dual monitor output
Workaround: Mac users who need dual displays should look at a dock using native Thunderbolt 4 video outputs, such as the CalDigit TS4 or OWC Thunderbolt 4 Dock, which route display signals through Thunderbolt rather than MST.
One-year warranty is shorter than the two-year coverage offered by CalDigit and OWC
SD and microSD card readers operate at UHS-I speeds, capping out around 104 MB/s rather than the UHS-II speeds (312 MB/s) found in the Razer TB4 Dock Chroma and CalDigit TS4
Workaround: Photographers using UHS-II cards will not get full card performance from this dock. For faster transfers, use a dedicated UHS-II card reader connected to the 10Gbps USB-A or USB-C port.

Display Support

Max Displays: 2

1 display (Single 4K@60Hz via HDMI 2.0 or DisplayPort 1.4. Supported on Thunderbolt 4, Thunderbolt 3, and USB-C hosts.)

3840x2160 @ 60Hz

2 displays (Dual 4K@60Hz on Windows with Thunderbolt 3, Thunderbolt 4, or USB-C hosts using DSC. Mix HDMI and DisplayPort freely. macOS limited to one external display; DP MST is not supported by macOS.)

3840x2160 @ 60Hz

Ports & Connectivity

USB Ports

5x USB-A 3.2

1x USB-A 3.2 10W

1x USB-C 3.2

Video Outputs

2x HDMI 2.0

2x DisplayPort 1.4

Network

1x Ethernet (1 Gbps)

Audio

1x 3.5mm combo

Card Readers

1x SD (UHS-I)

1x microSD (UHS-I)

Full Specifications

General
Manufacturer	Cable Matters
Model	107044
Release Date	2021-03
MSRP	$199.99
Connectivity
Host Connection	Thunderbolt 4
Max Data Rate	40 Gbps
Driver Required	No (native)
Display Output
Max Displays	2
1x Display	3840x2160 @ 60Hz (Single 4K@60Hz via HDMI 2.0 or DisplayPort 1.4. Supported on Thunderbolt 4, Thunderbolt 3, and USB-C hosts.)
2x Display	3840x2160 @ 60Hz (Dual 4K@60Hz on Windows with Thunderbolt 3, Thunderbolt 4, or USB-C hosts using DSC. Mix HDMI and DisplayPort freely. macOS limited to one external display; DP MST is not supported by macOS.)
Ports (11+ total)
USB-A 3.2	5x
USB-A 3.2	1x (10W)
USB-C 3.2	1x
HDMI 2.0	2x
DisplayPort 1.4	2x
Ethernet (RJ45)	1x 1 Gbps
Audio (3.5mm-combo)	1x
SD Card Reader	1x
microSD Card Reader	1x
Power
Power Input	DC-barrel
Laptop Charging	Up to 96W

Compatibility

Windows (10+)

Full support. Dual 4K@60Hz works on Thunderbolt 3, Thunderbolt 4, and USB-C hosts with Display Stream Compression. All 14 ports function normally. No driver installation needed.

macOS (11.0 (Big Sur)+)

Limited display support. Only one external monitor is recognized. All other ports - USB, Ethernet, audio, card readers, and charging - work normally. macOS does not support DisplayPort MST over Thunderbolt or USB-C, which is required for dual monitor output on this dock.

Linux (kernel 5.4+)

Basic functionality works. USB, Ethernet, and audio are typically recognized. Display output depends on distribution and kernel Thunderbolt support. Not officially supported by Cable Matters.

Known Issues

macOS (any version)

Limited to one external display

USB-C laptops without Thunderbolt or DP Alt Mode

No display output

Apple Silicon MacBook Air (M1, M2, M3 base)

One external display maximum

7.2 /10

Our Verdict

Very Good

At two hundred dollars, the Cable Matters Thunderbolt 4 Dock delivers more physical ports than any comparably priced Thunderbolt 4 dock. Six USB-A ports is a real differentiator - most competing docks at this price stop at three or four. The inclusion of both HDMI and DisplayPort outputs saves you from buying adapters if your monitors use different connectors, which is a small but practical advantage in mixed monitor setups. Performance on Windows is straightforward. Thunderbolt 4 hosts get dual 4K@60Hz across any combination of the four video outputs, USB throughput performs as expected at 5Gbps and 10Gbps respectively, and the dock runs without any software or driver installation. File transfers to a connected NVMe SSD enclosure held steady around 900 MB/s in testing, consistent with Thunderbolt 4 performance. The Gigabit Ethernet is the biggest spec limitation. Competing docks like the OWC Thunderbolt 4 Dock and the Kensington SD5780T both include 2.5 Gbps networking at similar prices, and the difference shows up immediately if you have a fast home or office network. If your ISP plan exceeds 1 Gbps or you run a local NAS, you will want a dock with 2.5GbE. macOS support is genuinely limited. One external display is the hard ceiling. The dock connects fine, charges the MacBook, and passes through all peripherals and Ethernet without issue - but if you bought a MacBook expecting dual monitors from a docking station, this is not the dock to choose. Cable Matters marks this limitation explicitly on the product listing, which is at least honest. The 12-month warranty is shorter than the two-year coverage from CalDigit and OWC. At $199.99 the dock represents strong value for Windows users with multiple monitors, lots of USB-A peripherals, and a 1 Gbps network. Mac users and anyone on a fast Ethernet connection should look elsewhere.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the Cable Matters Thunderbolt 4 Dock work with Mac?

Partially. The dock connects to any Thunderbolt 3 or Thunderbolt 4 MacBook and provides USB ports, Gigabit Ethernet, audio, SD card readers, and 96W charging without issue. Display support is the limitation - macOS does not support DisplayPort MST, which is how this dock drives its video outputs. Only one external monitor will work on Mac. If you need dual display support on a MacBook, look for a dock that uses native Thunderbolt 4 video outputs instead.

How many monitors can I connect to the Cable Matters TB4 Dock?

Two monitors on Windows, one on macOS. The dock has two HDMI 2.0 and two DisplayPort 1.4 outputs - four video ports total - but Thunderbolt 4 bandwidth supports a maximum of two simultaneous displays. On Windows, you can connect two monitors in any combination: both HDMI, both DisplayPort, or one of each, all at up to 4K@60Hz with DSC enabled. macOS restricts dual monitor output via MST, so Mac users are limited to one display regardless of which port they use.

Does the dock work with USB-C laptops that don't have Thunderbolt?

For data and power, yes. USB, Ethernet, audio, and card readers all function with a standard USB-C host. Display output requires that your USB-C port supports DisplayPort Alternate Mode - charge-only or data-only USB-C ports will not output video. With a USB-C host that has DP Alt Mode, dual 4K@60Hz works on Windows using Display Stream Compression, though bandwidth is shared across all connected devices.

Is the Cable Matters Thunderbolt 4 Dock compatible with older Thunderbolt 3 laptops?

Yes. Thunderbolt 4 is backward compatible with Thunderbolt 3. A TB3 laptop connected to this dock gets full 40Gbps data bandwidth, dual 4K@60Hz display output on Windows, and up to 96W charging. Port speeds for USB-A and USB-C peripherals are the same as with a Thunderbolt 4 host. The only thing that changes on a TB3 host is that Thunderbolt 4 specific features like 32Gbps PCIe bandwidth and USB4 certification are a Thunderbolt 4 host exclusive.

What is the difference between this dock and the Cable Matters 16-in-1 Thunderbolt 4 Dock?

The 16-in-1 model (B0BYFC4W51) adds Thunderbolt Share support, 2.5G Ethernet, and supports quad 4K displays on Windows, while this 14-in-1 is limited to dual 4K and 1Gbps Ethernet. The 16-in-1 typically costs $50 to $80 more. If 2.5GbE or Thunderbolt Share is important to your setup, the 16-in-1 is worth the premium. For a straightforward dual-monitor Windows setup with plenty of USB-A ports, this 14-in-1 delivers better value.