Satechi‘s US$149.99 Dual Dock Stand, a docking station with a NVMe SSD Enclosure, is now my favorite MacBook Pro accessory. It not only serves as a stand for my 16-inch laptop, but also makes it easy to have more storage available within paying Apple’s exorbitant SSD upgrade pricing.
The Dual Dock Stand connects to a MacBook Pro via an included adjustable connector with dual 7.5-inch USB-C ports (so your computer will need two left-side USB-C ports). Both connectors must be used simultaneously for the dock to function properly, although they can be separated to expand compatibility to host devices other than Macs.
The Dual Dock Stand provides a plethora of connectivity options, including multiple HDMI ports, USB-A ports, and USB-C data ports, along with an Ethernet port, DisplayPort, and USB-C power port. What’s more, the Dual Dock Stand packs two HDMI ports and one DisplayPort; these provide options for expanding screen capacity at 4K/60Hz resolution.
With the ability to connect up to two monitors in extended mode (but, alas, limited to one external monitor for Mac M1/M2 systems), users have the option to utilize two HDMI ports or a combination of one DisplayPort and one HDMI connection, allowing for a more personalized setup. (A card reader slot would have been nice, but you can’t have everything I guess.)
While boosting performance, the Dual Dock Stand provides continuous power for Mac laptops with a USB-C power port (input), delivering a strong 75W power delivery to stay charged throughout the workday. Running power through the Dual Dock’s USB-C PD port is optional but is recommended for optimum performance.
As Satechi explains, since the dock is “bus-powered” when attempting large file transfers (or using more than two ports on the dock) you should use passthrough charging to keep your host device powered.
But let’s back up to the display features. The USB-C Ports on the Dock don’t support video output. To utilize the display, you can connect external monitors to either the HDMI or DisplayPorts on the dock.
As mentioned earlier, when using an M1/M2 MacBook, only one external monitor will work. The Dual Dock doesn’t support the InstantView software. For M1/M2 Pro/Max MacBooks, you can use up to two external monitors.
The standout feature of the Dual Dock Stand for me is that the Dual Dock Stand incorporates an SSD Enclosure, located at the bottom, which supports both NVMe and SATA SSDs. This compact storage solution lets you add external storage capable of reaching speeds of up to 10Gbps. Installing a SSD is relatively simple thanks to an included screw and screwdriver.
The Dual Dock Docking Station supports both M.2 SATA and NVMe Solid State Drives drives in sizes 2242/2260/2280, such as M.2 NVMe/SATA PCIe M key, PCIe B&M key SSD. Note that there’s a TB max and that the stand isn’t compatible with SSDs with heat sinks or double sided drives.
You’ll have to buy the SSD separately. Amazon is selling NVME SSDs for around $64 (1TB), $119 (2TB), and or $249 (4TB) as I wrote this review, but prices change quickly.
Finally, the Dual Dock Stand provides an elevated angle that offers an inclined view of the display. This added elevation is helps dissipate heat via strategically placed vents.
Satechi’s Dual Dock Stand combines a lot of stand and docking features for a reasonable price in a design that doesn’t take up much desktop real estate. It’s also reasonably portable when you need to take it with you on the road. It ticks almost all the boxes that I look for in a product like this.
Apple World Today rating (out of 5 stars): ★★★★★
