Belkin’s newly-unveiled multiport adapter uses Thunderbolt 3, not just USB-C, and can drive two 4K monitors at 60 Hz. But that’s just the start, as the Dock Core can also transfer data over a USB-C connection at up to 40 Gbps. Plus it includes Gigabit Ethernet, a pair of USB-A ports, audio in/out, and more.
It’s designed to be part of high-performance mobile office, as it does not need a second power source.
Plenty of ports to go around
The hub includes an HDMI 2.0 port and a DisplayPort 1.4 port. These can be used to attach a Mac or Windows computer to two monitors, but they’ll have to use two different connectors. When used individually, the ports can drive a single 5K monitor at 60Hz or an 8K display at 30Hz.
The Belkin Thunderbolt 3 Dock Core includes a USB-C PD port for 40Gbps data transfers. Or connect this to a power supply to recharge the laptop at up to 60W.
There’s a USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 port for communicating with legacy devices at up to 10 Gbps. And there’s a slower USB-A 2.0 port.
An Ethernet port offers a reliable, hardwired network connection. And there are Audio In/Out ports for microphone and speaker support.
Belkin Thunderbolt 3 Dock Core is a single-cable solution
The new Dock Core is 4.0 inches square and 1.2 inches thick, making it portable enough to be used on the road.
“Belkin’s Thunderbolt 3 docks and adapters are perfect for remote workers, be it from the home, an RV beach vacation or a hotel room,” said Jon Roepke, director of product management, Belkin. “With one cable from the laptop, these docks are a clutter-free alternative to a tangled nest of cables on the desktop or dining room table now serving as an office.”
The Belkin Thunderbolt 3 Dock Core launches in July for $169.99. And it’s not alone — it joins the Dock Pro ($299.99), Dock Plus ($249.99) and the Dock Mini ($139.99) in Belkin’s line of Thunderbolt 3 accessories.
Or rival Anker makes its own Thunderbolt 3 hub. The PowerExpand Elite has no less that 13 ports, but it has to be plugged into external power to function.
Ed Hardy has been writing full-time about tech for 25 years, and using it for much longer than that. His intro to Apple was a Macintosh Classic II (which he still has), but now he uses a 13-inch iPad Pro as his primary computer. He’s written for NotebookReview, TabletPCReview, and Brighthand, as well as other sites.
