Thunderbolt docks are the backbone of a modern MacBook-powered workstation. They allow for a clean, one-cable setup while providing ample ports.
The iVanky FusionDock Ultra aims to take things to the extreme, packing an absurd number of ports and promising enough bandwidth to handle just about anything you throw at it. Find out what makes the iVanky FusionDock Ultra so special in our review.
iVanky FusionDock Ultra review
Thunderbolt 5 and its 120Gbps bandwidth enable more powerful docks that pack even more ports than before. The CalDigit TS5 Plus and the Ugreen Thunderbolt 5 Maxidok are two great examples of this. They pack 17-20 ports and can handle all the power-hungry accessories and devices you possibly need.
But if your needs are even more demanding, there’s the iVanky FusionDock Ultra. It uses not one but two Thunderbolt 5 ports on your Mac to provide access to a whopping 26 ports. It’s a one-of-a-kind dock that can handle everything you throw at it.
A one-of-a-kind Thunderbolt 5 dock for Mac with dual controllers, quad-display support and a plethora of ports.
- A staggering 26 ports!
- Dual controllers
- Quad-display support
- Runs warm despite dual fans
- Expensive
Table of contents: iVanky FusionDock Ultra review
- Hardware and design
- Compatibility and support
- Connectivity
- Performance
- Pricing and warranty
- Conclusion
Hardware and design
The FusionDock Ultra features an understated design that fits right into a professional desk setup. There are no flashy logos, LED lights or other design elements. The matte-finished aluminum body looks premium, though I wish the color hue matched that of the Mac.
A key highlight of the FusionDock Ultra is its floating design. There’s an outer chassis, with the main heart of the docking station sitting inside a recessed area featuring a subtle accent border. From a distance, it appears that the inner section is floating.
Beyond aesthetics, iVanky claims the floating design helps with cooling by improving airflow. More on the dock’s cooling later.
Photo: Rajesh Pandey/Cult of Mac
The front of the FusionDock Ultra is packed with ports. They are all neatly arranged and labeled, though. The USB-C ports are grouped logically, while the SD and microSD card slots and headphone jack sit off to one side for quick access. Likewise, the back is equally packed but well organized.
Like almost every other Thunderbolt dock, there’s no integrated power supply here. Yet, iVanky’s Ultra dock is on the larger side, which is understandable given the array of ports and hardware it packs.
The bundled 240W power supply features a relatively manageable size. That’s largely down to its 240W power output, not any clever design from iVanky.
Compatibility and support
Photo: Rajesh Pandey/Cult of Mac
Since the FusionDock Ultra is a Thunderbolt 5 dock, you must use it with a Mac featuring Thunderbolt 5 connectivity. More importantly, it only works with Macs. Windows PCs are not supported.
iVanky claims the FusionDock Ultra can drive quad monitors simultaneously. However, this requires a compatible Mac, with only the recent Max-powered Macs being powerful enough to do so.
Connectivity
Photo: Rajesh Pandey/Cult of Mac
Most Thunderbolt 5 docks on the market offer anywhere between 15 to 20 ports. The iVanky FusionDock Ultra is a step ahead of them, offering a whopping 26 (!), including four downstream Thunderbolt ports. You can use almost all ports on the dock simultaneously without any issues.
Below is the list of connectivity options in the iVanky FusionDock Ultra:
Front ports:
- 2 × USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 — up to 10Gbps | 1.5A | 7.5W charging
- 6 × USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 (data) — up to 10Gbps
- 1 × USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 (charging + data) — up to 10Gbps | 45W power output
- 1 × 3.5mm audio combo jack
- 1 × microSD card slot (SD 4.0)
- 1 × SD card slot (SD 4.0)
- 1 × LED indicator
Rear ports:
- 2 × USB-C (host/upstream) — 80/120Gbps | up to 140W charging
- 4 × USB-C (downstream) — 80/120Gbps | 15W power output per port
- 1 × USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 — up to 10Gbps
- 2 × USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 — up to 10Gbps | 1.5A | 7.5W charging each
- 1 × DisplayPort 2.1 | 8K 60Hz
- 1 × HDMI 2.0 | 4K 60Hz
- 1 × 10GbE Ethernet
- 1 × S/PDIF (digital audio out)
- 1 × 3.5mm audio in (rear)
- 1 × 3.5mm audio out (rear)
- 1 × DC power input
- 1 × Kensington security slot
So, how does the iVanky FusionDock Ultra offer so many ports? Unlike other Thunderbolt docks, the FusionDock Ultra uses two Thunderbolt 5 ports on your Mac. That provides it with double the bandwidth of other docks.
To manage the dual-cable setup, iVanky bundles dual Thunderbolt 5 cables with magnetic connectors that snap together or split apart based on your Mac’s port layout.
There’s one catch, though. If you use a MacBook Pro, you must plug the Thunderbolt 5 cables into the left side, as there’s only one Thunderbolt port on the right. This can be inconvenient for some setups, especially if your desk layout or cable routing favors the right side.
Photo: Rajesh Pandey/Cult of Mac
To handle all the bandwidth, the dock houses dual controllers, ensuring there are no bottlenecks.
From a connectivity perspective, the FusionDock Ultra is a beast. It has enough ports to satisfy even the most demanding users.
My only complaint is that the HDMI port only tops out at 4K 60Hz output. Given the Ultra moniker, iVanky should have at least equipped the dock with an HDMI 2.1 port. Another issue with the SD card slot. It’s not spring-loaded — only the microSD card slot is. More annoyingly, you must insert the SD card upside down, with the gold contact points facing up.
If you have a compatible Mac, the FusionDock Ultra can drive up to four 6K displays at 60Hz or quad 4K displays at 144Hz.
Performance
Photo: Rajesh Pandey/Cult of Mac
To truly push the FusionDock Ultra to its limits, I connected almost every device I could. This included 2x 4K monitors, seven USB devices, and a 2.5Gb Ethernet network.
Hooked up to my M4 Pro Mac mini, iVanky’s Ultra dock handled all the connected devices with ease. Even when I connected it to my M1 Pro MacBook Pro and charged it at full speed, the FusionDock Ultra handled everything I threw at it without getting hot or randomly disconnecting devices.
The front USB-C port supplied a constant 45W of power, even to my iPad Pro and a beefy 20,000mAh power bank.
There’s only one area where the iVanky FusionDock Ultra falls short. Given its “Ultra” branding, it should push more power through its USB-C and Thunderbolt ports. CalDigit’s TS5 Plus beats iVanky’s dock here, as its two rear Thunderbolt ports can supply up to 36W of power to connected devices.
This difference can matter, especially when you use high-powered Thunderbolt 5 SSDs and other accessories. Without enough power, these devices may disconnect under load.
By comparison, the FusionDock Ultra’s downstream USB-C ports supply 15W of power, with one front port supplying 45W. The other USB ports top out at 7.5W.
Photo: Rajesh Pandey/Cult of Mac
I have used Thunderbolt 5 docks with active cooling, and they remain cool to the touch even when pushing heavy loads. The FusionDock Ultra goes a step further, as it uses two fans — one for intake and another for exhaust.
The fans are not audible, even in a silent room, and I couldn’t tell they were running.
Given that there are two fans, I expected the FusionDock Ultra to be cool to the touch even with multiple devices connected. But that was not the case. The top half of the dock gets warm to the touch. Not hot or uncomfortable, but since there are two fans, I expected the FusionDock to stay cooler under load.
Ugreen’s Thunderbolt 5 dock does better here, as its single-fan active cooling system always keeps it cool even under heavy use.
On the plus side, I did not face any random display connectivity issues or crashes when waking up the dock and my Mac from sleep. This is a common issue with most Thunderbolt docks.
Still, the FusionDock Ultra performs better than its closest competitor here, the CalDigit TS5 Plus. The latter always feels hot to the touch.
Pricing and Warranty
Like its specs and features, the FusionDock Ultra lives up to its “Ultra” name with its price tag as well. It costs a whopping $749.99, though it’s usually discounted by $100 to $649.99.
Even then, this makes it the most expensive Thunderbolt 5 dock on the market. If you have the use case for it, though, there’s no option other than the FusionDock Ultra.
iVanky promises a 2-year warranty for the dock.
iVanky FusionDock Ultra Plus review: Conclusion
The iVanky FusionDock Ultra is unapologetically overkill — and that’s exactly its biggest strength. It delivers unmatched port selection and rock-solid stability under heavy loads. Plus, the kind of bandwidth headroom that makes for a true no-compromise desk setup.
But that power comes at a cost. It’s expensive, runs warmer than expected and doesn’t push as much power through its ports as some rivals.
If you don’t already know why you need the FusionDock Ultra, you probably don’t. But if your workflow demands this level of connectivity and performance, nothing else comes close right now.
★★★★★
Buy from: Amazon
A one-of-a-kind Thunderbolt 5 dock for Mac with dual controllers, quad-display support and a plethora of ports.
- A staggering 26 ports!
- Dual controllers
- Quad-display support
- Runs warm despite dual fans
- Expensive
iVanky provided Cult of Mac with a review unit for this article. See our reviews policy, and check out other in-depth reviews of Apple-related items.
Rajesh has been writing about consumer technology for over a decade, with a strong focus on iPhones, Macs and Apple’s ecosystem. He enjoys digging into Apple software updates, hardware changes, and discovering new Mac apps that make work faster and more enjoyable.
