Probably one of thebest laptop docking stationsI’ve reviewed, unless you only have USB4 to connect to it.
The dock isnt available through Chinese vendors, even if the box states it was made in Taiwan.
The alternative options for Thunderbolt 5 are remarkably thin on the ground.
Cable Matters has a Thunderbolt 5 Docking Station that is just as nicely made.
It has a similar port selection and costs $349.99 directly from the makers.
Perhaps it was intended to go on the front, and then something internally didnt work.
Whatever the reason, it was a stupid place to put it.
That makes this more of a hub than an actual dock.
Whats also being avoided is offering any USB-C ports, but all the downlinks can double for this purpose.
Both these are well-specified for charging phones and tablets.
More on that later.
Ive concluded that USB and Thunderbolt docks are in a similar bind.
This is a much better scenario than under TB3 and TB4.
Alternatively, you might also have dual 8K monitors at 60Hz.
Concerningly, Apple still hasnt committed to Thunderbolt 5, which is ironic since this company championed it initially.
Does it make sense to buy this dock for those with TB4 or USB4 ports?
Or, in extreme circumstances, if battery power declines while it is in use.
Considering how much power the ports could output (246.5W), this dock needed an even bigger PSU.
Initially, I tested using the GMKtec K7 Pro, an AMD Ryzen system with USB4.
The results werent wonderful.
Irrespective of the storage attached to the Dock, the performance was downgraded to USB 2.0 levels.
It would see the connected USB drives, but transfer only at 40MB/s.
Kensington SD5000T5 EQ: Final verdict
Testing the performance of this dock in all scenarios proved impossible.
With double the bandwidth over TB4, this is a much more flexible solution.
Thats enough for many gaming systems or mobile workstations.
There are cheaper ways to charge a laptop and connect a monitor that cost considerably less.
But, it is expensive.
