Belkin Connect Pro Thunderbolt 4 Dock Review

When it comes to docking stations, Belkin is one of the household names to opt for: it offers options for all needs, from those who just want to slap on a monitor to those who want to hook up a mega desk setup. The Connect Pro Thunderbolt 4 Dock is all about the latter, and it’s a hit? But not completely.

The 12 ports and capabilities are indeed good, with the likes of a dual HDMI output making it a breeze to connect monitors (for Windows), the SD card slot compensating for the normal omission on laptops, and Gigabit Ethernet ensuring fast , sustainable connection. Combine that with a whole lot of USB-A and you have a great all-in-one for all your peripherals.

Moreover, the appearance of this utilitarian monolith is impressive. That aluminum and glossy black aesthetic stands proud on any desk and radiates strength. It looks ready to go, just like your MacBook.

However, that appearance comes at a price. A pricey $299 to be exact. This is a bit disappointing considering two things. First, there are similarly priced options, such as the Ugreen Revodok Max 213 that offer more than this, such as two Thunderbolt 4 downstream ports (although this one doesn’t have HDMI). And secondly, you can find a very similar spec to this in the Pluggable TBT4-UD5that’s half the price.

And finally, if you come here with one of the best MacBooksprepare to be disappointed, as you’ll have to use that one true Thunderbolt 4 port for the second screen – there’s no DisplayLink software solution for this.

This is all about the choices Belkin made to get here. The Connect Pro has found a mix between simple display connectivity and professional-level I/O. If that’s your bag, you’ll love it. If you don’t need that HDMI and want more Thunderbolt-ness, look elsewhere at this price.

Belkin Connect Pro Thunderbolt 4 Dock: Cheat Sheet

What is it? This is a Thunderbolt 4 docking station.
Who is it for? This is perfect for laptop prosumers with mega setups and high-end peripherals to connect.
What is the price? You can find the Belkin Connect Pro for $299. But it is regularly discounted – that is sometimes possible find it for $249.
What ports do you get? On this dock you’ll find an SD card slot, 3.5mm audio jack, USB-C 3.1 Gen 2 and Thunderbolt 4 (upstream) port on the front, along with 2x HDMI 2.0, Thunderbolt 4 (downstream), Gigabit Ethernet, 2x USB-A 3.1 and 2x USB-A 2.0 ports on the back.
Are there any comments about this docking station? For $299 you get a sleek box with plenty of connectivity, but there are some limitations. You can get similar specs in cheaper options, Mac compatibility is very poor, and the addition of only one Thunderbolt 4 downstream socket will disappoint those who need maximum speeds from certain peripherals, such as multiple SSDs.

Belkin Connect Pro Thunderbolt 4 Dock: Specifications

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Price	$299
Dimensions	7.9 x 2.9 x 1.3 inches
Weight	1.7 pounds
Ports (front)	SD card slot, 3.5mm audio jack, USB-C 3.1 Gen 2 and Thunderbolt 4 (upstream) port
Ports (back)	2x HDMI 2.0, Thunderbolt 4 (downstream), Gigabit Ethernet, 2x USB-A 3.1 and 2x USB-A 2.0 ports

Belkin Connect Pro Thunderbolt 4 Dock: the pros

Provided you have the right system for it (more on that later), the Belkin Connect Pro does bring something good to the table.

A whole bunch of ports

Belkin Connect Pro Thunderbolt 4 Dock

(Image credit: Future)

What’s the most important thing you need from a professional docking station? A lot of ports, of course, and Belkin has you covered. The dual HDMI 2.0 may be a choice that takes up a lot of space on the back, but you still get a good I/O variety – from supporting older peripherals with USB-A to Gigabit Ethernet and USB-C for charging a separate device, this can do it all.

And checking the company’s promise with my wattage tester, the claimed 90W power output is true, so it supports silent charging of most laptops in the background while they work.

Pretty tight

Belkin Connect Pro Thunderbolt 4 Dock

(Image credit: Future)

The aluminum casing curves around the outside to give you a sense of confidence in its durability, and although the gloss black front and back are fingerprint magnets, it exudes a premium character.

It looks really nice on your desk, and its low, wide profile allows you to hide it in your setup quite easily. Plus, I’m not entirely sure what kind of witchcraft Belkin is up to here, but while you see many docking stations include a ton of vents to keep cool, this has none and is by far the coolest dock I’ve found. have felt.

Port placement where it matters

Belkin Connect Pro Thunderbolt 4 docking station

(Image credit: Future)

So when it comes to port location, some companies get it wrong. Sometimes you’ll see that certain drives get a bit front-heavy with the I/O, revealing a mess of cables.

Belkin is wise by putting the most used ports on the front, with the aim of keeping things tidy and allowing cable management of the many wires on the back. It certainly helped keep the visible part of my desk a lot less cluttered.

Belkin Connect Pro Thunderbolt 4 Dock: the negatives

Wait before you click buy! While I quite like the Belkin Connect Pro, I know I fall into a certain category with my phone M3 Pro MacBook Pro. If you’re an Apple user (or someone with multiple Thunderbolt 4 accessories), there are a few things you need to know.

Mac support is weird

Belkin Connect Pro Thunderbolt 4 docking station

(Image credit: Future)

Apple is a little weird when it comes to seeing a dock with two HDMI ports. If you are using a Windows computer, please scroll further down as this does not concern you.

I could elaborate on the fact that Macs do not support Multi Stream Transport (MST): a technology that allows a single data stream to carry multiple displays, such as Windows. But simply put, this means that one of the HDMI ports becomes redundant. You’ll need to use that Thunderbolt 4 port and an adapter for the second display.

This is more of a kick in the teeth at Apple (not really at Belkin), but the bit that is about Belkin is that there’s no chance of a DisplayLink-based solution since the dock doesn’t support that software.

I’ll go a step further and say that for me (and many of you reading this) two monitors will be enough. But it does leave a sour taste in my mouth knowing I can’t go any further – plus I’ve lost my only other Thunderbolt 4 port on the back. Speaking of…

Only one Thunderbolt 4 downstream port

Belkin Connect Pro Thunderbolt 4 Dock

(Image credit: Future)

For the price Belkin is asking, you can get a second or even a third Thunderbolt 4 downstream port to support more high-speed accessories. The fact that you only get one for $299 is disappointing.

I’m talking SSDs, streaming decks, music recording devices, and in some cases even external GPUs. If only one of these ports is available, you have to be strategic about what you use, while this is not a factor with the competition.

Belkin Connect Pro Thunderbolt 4 Dock: Verdict

Belkin Connect Pro Thunderbolt 4 docking station

(Image credit: Future)

I wanted to love the Belkin Connect Pro. It looks so cool! But it’s complicated.

Some of this isn’t on Belkin; there are indeed host limitations thanks to Apple’s multi-monitor support decisions. But the final port choices the company has made here may give you some connectivity, but not enough in the Thunderbolt category.

If I had to speak to Belkin now, I’d recommend either taking a more hybrid approach by dropping the second HDMI and giving us a few extra Thunderbolt 4 connections, or giving us the DisplayLink compatibility all users support the triple monitor.