Kensington was one of the first manufacturers to break into the Thunderbolt 4 docking station market in 2021 in the form of the SD5700T and SD5750T docks. These are both still available and are considered some of the best Thunderbolt 4 docking stations around, but buying one or the other can cause some confusion due to compatibility. The Kensington SD5700T was built to handle Windows and macOS devices, while the SD5750T was built Microsoft Surface compatibility. The docks are identical and share the same port selection, and it's not a far reach to assume that some buyers unknowingly picked up the wrong version when shopping. And what about users swapping between Surface and other devices?

Whether Kensington recognized this problem or not, it released an updated SD5780T Thunderbolt 4 dock mid-2022. The SD5780T unifies the two older SD5700T and SD5750T docks with compatibility for Windows, macOS, and Surface devices, as well as upgraded charging capabilities and a slightly different selection of ports. You no longer have to worry about matching compatibility with dock model, there's now a native HDMI 2.1 connection, all USB-A ports are now 3.2 (Gen 2), and the host can get up to 96W of power. This is a great docking station for most professionals and casual users, but is it perfect for your needs? Let's examine what's good and what's not so good about this dock to help you decide.

About this review: Kensington supplied a docking station for review and had no input on the content of this article.

kensington-sd5780t-square-render-01
Kensington SD5780T Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station
$279 $390 Save $111

Kensington's SD5780T Thunderbolt 4 dock delivers 11 total ports, including two downstream Thunderbolt 4, HDMI 2.1, 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet, UHS-II SD card reader, and four USB-A 3.2 (Gen 2). It's wrapped up in an aluminum shell and can be mounted to save space on your desk.

Ports
Thunderbolt 4 (host), two Thunderbolt 4 (downstream), Four USB-A 3.2 (Gen 2), 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet, HDMI 2.1, 3.5mm audio, SD card reader (UHS-II)
USB Power Delivery
Up to 96W (host), 7.5W USB-A (front), 4.5W USB-A (rear)
Power supply included
Yes
Warranty
Three years
Max display res.
Dual 4K@60Hz, 8K@60Hz (DSC)
Pros
  • Up to 96W power delivery to host
  • 11 total ports including HDMI 2.1
  • Compatible with Windows, Surface, and Mac
  • Three-year warranty
  • Can be easily mounted or locked
Cons
  • Plastic faceplates seem cheap
  • Rear USB-A ports cannot charge accessories

Kensington SD5780T: Price and availability

  • Regularly costs about $400 but can be found at a deep discount
  • Availability is reliable across retailers

The SD5780T docking station is available at the official Kensington website, as well as third-party retailers like Amazon and prominent PC manufacturers like Lenovo and Dell. The best price, whether the dock is on sale or not, appears to be from Amazon. It's regularly priced at $390, seems to have dropped regularly to about $310, and, at the time of writing, is down to $285.

PC manufacturer Lenovo offers the dock for $400, and Dell offers the dock for about $442. Stick with Amazon and, if possible, grab it while it's on sale. If you are looking at the full price, know that there are plenty more great docks within that same price range, including the mighty CalDigit TS4.

Kensington SD5780T: Design and connectivity

  • Horizontal design with aluminum shell and plastic faceplates
  • Pre-drilled holes allow for easy mounting
kensington-sd5780t-review-01
Kensington SD5780T

The Kensington SD5780T follows the same design as its recent Thunderbolt 4 siblings. It has a brushed aluminum shell that wraps around the dock and plastic faceplates surrounding the ports. The ends are ribbed for a bit of style and to help with heat dissipation. One end also includes cutouts for Kensington's Standard and Nano lock slots, the go-to solution for most PC manufacturers. You can lock the dock to a desk in a busy office and not worry about it disappearing.

The dock is made for horizontal use and includes small rubber feet on the bottom to help keep it in place on a desk, but Kensington has also included pre-drilled holes in the dock's exterior for bracket mounting. Kensington sells these mounting brackets separately, and you can find them for about $23 at Amazon. Those without a surplus of desk space will certainly be able to make use of this handy accessory.

kensington-sd5780t-review-02

The front of the SD5780T saw its USB-A port get an upgrade to 3.2 (Gen 2) with 10Gbps performance and up to 7.5W of charging power. That's a huge step up and a welcome change from the USB-A 2.0 port on the SD5700T and SD5750T. The front of the dock also includes a UHS-II SD card reader, 3.5mm audio combo jack, Thunderbolt 4 host connection, and a couple of LED indicators to go along with a small power button.

Another varied selection of ports is located on the back of the dock; Kensington understands what connections are most likely going to remain at least semi-permanently and keeps them turned toward the back of your desk for better cable management. These ports include HDMI 2.1, two downstream Thunderbolt 4, 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet, and another three USB-A 3.2 (Gen 2) ports for more accessories. The SD5780T does require a sizable AC power brick to function, and this should not be considered suitable for travel. The adapter plugs into the back of the dock to keep the cable out of the way.

Kensington SD5780T: Performance and charging

  • Up to 96W charging to the host
  • Compatible with Windows, Surface, and Mac
kensington-sd5780t-review-03

Kensington has, as with most of its high-end docking stations, created a one-stop connectivity hub for your laptop and all of its accessories. The SD5780T has 11 total ports (including the host Thunderbolt 4) connection, and it can provide charging for the host laptop and other devices. The dock is best suited for modern Thunderbolt 4 laptops (which includes USB4 tech), but it will also work with Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C, albeit with diminished capabilities.

The host Thunderbolt 4 port can deliver up to 96W of power to your laptop. That's up from 90W in the SD5700T and SD5750T, making it just a bit better suited for power-hungry devices. The dock also includes two other downstream Thunderbolt 4 ports on the back. Why not three? Kensington swapped one out for HDMI 2.1, making it easier for a lot of people with HDMI monitors to connect natively. The two TB4 ports are otherwise standing by for video out, whether with an adapter or straight to USB-C monitors.

Kensington's SD5780T has the right ports and charging to create a powerful desktop setup for your laptop.

Whereas the front USB-A port on the older docks was using an older 2.0 standard, the new USB-A 3.2 (Gen 2) port can handle faster transfers up to a theoretical 10Gbps limit and charging up to 7.5W. It's joined by three other USB-A 3.2 (Gen 2) ports on the back of the dock, each with 10Gbps speeds. Unfortunately, these three rear USB-A ports cannot be used to charge accessories.

The dock's SD card reader uses the UHS-II standard for improved performance, and I was able to hit about 268MB/s read and 139MB/s write speeds with my UHS-II SD card. Photographers and other professionals dealing with large file sizes and frequent transfers will be able to take advantage. Most Ultrabooks (and just laptops in general) have ditched the Ethernet port, and while Wi-Fi 6E is a strong alternative, having a wired hookup is sometimes required. The SD5780T goes with a 2.5Gbps Ethernet port to handle a blistering wired connection.

Should you buy the Kensington SD5780T?

kensington-sd5780t-review-04

You should buy the Kensington SD5780T if ...

  • You need a native HDMI 2.1 connection for an external monitor
  • You want up to 96W of charging power for the host laptop
  • You'd like to mount your dock to save room on your desk

You should not buy the Kensington SD5780T if ...

  • You want more downstream Thunderbolt 4 ports
  • You don't have a modern laptop with Thunderbolt or USB4
  • You can't find it on sale

Kensington's SD5780T brings a mix of 10 downstream ports that can handle a broad range of accessories, including external monitors, headsets, removable storage, and inputs. Its ability to deliver up to 96W of charging power to the host means it can work with more powerful laptops, though it's a shame that there's just one USB-A port capable of delivering a charge. The dock's horizontal design might irk some users with limited desk space, but pre-drilled holes for an inexpensive bracket (sold separately) can solve this problem. Wider compatibility is also welcome, and you longer have to worry about accidentally buying the wrong model as we saw with the SD5700T and SD5750T.

I love the addition of HDMI 2.1 even though it subtracts one from the total downstream TB4 ports. The majority of users won't need three TB4, and native HDMI is still very common for monitors. And keep in mind that the Kensington SD5700T and SD5750T for Surface are still available if you do need three downstream Thunderbolt 4 ports. The SD5780T's UHS-II card reader makes quick work of large file transfers, and I appreciate that I can power on the dock with just a press without having a host laptop connected.

Each dock comes with a three-year warranty that bests a lot of the competition's offers. That still doesn't quite justify the $400 regular asking price, especially when the monster CalDigit TS4 is available for the same price. However, Amazon seems to be alone in regularly sells the SD5780T at about $310, with frequent drops down to about $280. If you can indeed find the SD5780T at around $300 or less, it's well worth the investment for those looking to create a more permanent workstation.

kensington-sd5780t-square-render-01
Kensington SD5780T Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station
$279 $390 Save $111

The Kensington SD5780T is a high-end Thunderbolt 4 dock with HDMI 2.1, UHS-II SD card reader, and up to 96W of charging power. Its $400 MSRP is a bit steep, but prices seem to be dropping. It's an easy recommendation if you can shop it closer to $300.