Keychron Thunderbolt 5 Dock review: Unusually sensible

A company that’s best known for keyboards makes a strong entry into the high-end dock world.

Keychron is best known for its mechanical keyboards that democratized higher-end customization and functionality . The company expanded that philosophy into mice with similar success . The next desk peripheral in the company's crosshairs is the PC/laptop dock. As more PCs and laptops adopt Thunderbolt 5 at the expense of broader connectivity, the appeal of a single-cable do-it-all expansion is becoming stronger.

Keychron's Thunderbolt 5 Dock is much more capable than its utilitarian name suggests. Yes, it's a dock and it delivers comprehensive connectivity, with a focus on Intel's powerful alternative to the dominant USB 3 interface. That means 80Gbps data transfers (with 120Gbps boost mode), dual 8K monitor support and 140W upstream power delivery — enough to keep most laptops running. The question is, can Keychron's success in the keyboard world translate seamlessly to other areas of productivity?

The Thunderbolt 5 Dock has a total of 14 different connections. On the front of the device, there are three USB 3.2 (Gen 2) ports that support 10Gbps data transfer. Two are type A and one type C. This is an okay start; at least two type C ports would have been my personal preference. There are two SD card slots, one full-size, the other MicroSD, and I'm grateful they're on the front — fumbling around for a card slot hidden on the rear or side is a frustration no one deserves.

To demonstrate this is more than a simple powered USB hub, there's also a 3.5mm jack. There's actually an audio interface inside the dock. It's not as powerful as the one built-in to my Mac or PC, but it does support inline mics for calls and other basic audio input (such as gaming), so you don't even have to plug headphones into your computer directly.

Flip the dock around and you'll find three Thunderbolt 5 ports, one upstream to your PC and two downstream for things like high-speed SSDs. There are two more USB 3.2 (Gen 2) Type A ports plus a 2.5Gb Ethernet port and a Kensington security lock. Let's not forget the two HDMI output ports for those looking for a multi-display setup.

Thunderbolt Dock 5 can support up to four displays simultaneously over both HDMI and Thunderbolt. The reality is a little more complicated. MacOS doesn't natively support multiple displays over HDMI hubs or splitters. If you plug two monitors into the HDMI ports on this hub and connect it to a Mac, your screen will be mirrored on both. You can, however, use one HDMI input, another from the Mac itself and any of the Thunderbolt ports for a true multi-display setup. Windows is a little more flexible here, with dual-HDMI support being more common.

This flexibility does introduce some other considerations. The HDMI outputs are 4K/60Hz max whatever your configuration, so if 8K or higher refresh rates are important to you, you'll be reaching for a Thunderbolt port regardless.