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There are many reasons why ThinkPad Thunderbolt 3 dock gen 2 stands as one of the best Thunderbolt 3 docks in the market. It is fast, powerful, and offers seamless connectivity to your favorite peripheral all day.
The dock is best for Thinkpad mobile workstations and boasts an excellent port selection. It also focuses on solving the double cable issue in most mobile workstations.
Taking a Deep Insight Into the ThinkPad Thunderbolt 3 Dock Gen 2
TB3 Docking technology
Lenovo’s first docking station uses the TB3 (Thunderbolt 3) docking technology. Thus, you no longer need to worry about mechanical docks or separate connectors for your workstation.
This technology also ensures that the docks are compatible with all the connected machines. So, with one dock, you’re good to go.
The Double cable availability
Lenovo has specifically developed a double cable idea for this standard device. This means that both ends of the cables will sport a connector—one for the TB3 and the other for power.
So, you need not buy separate cables to simultaneously ensure a power supply and connection to the docking station. Well, that’s not it, as the cable is designed quite amazingly to facilitate the accurate position of the ports.
There are times when this single cable may seem insubstantial( due to power delivery issues). Still, many find it better than using separate wires for the same process.
Availability of Ports
This dock is a sure winner in terms of port selection. Besides, the user can power the system by simply tapping the power button at the top.
You don’t need to open the lid to establish the connection. Plug in the cable and tap the power button.
Speaking of the ports, the front plate has three ports:
• USB 3.1 Type-A port
• USB 3.1 Type C port
• Headphone jack
On the left side, you will find the Kensington lock port. Discussing the Back part of the dock, you will find the majority of ports like:
• 230W input for the pass-through power connection
• 65W input for the power for the dock itself
• Power/TB3 output with a special cable
• 4x USB 3.1 Type-A ports
• Ethernet
• 2x DisplayPort
• 2x HDMI
Power availability for Mobile workstations
It’s a known fact that Mobile workstations demand more power than standard laptops (Ultrabooks). The ThinkPad P1 and ThinkPad X1 Extreme require a 135W power adapter, while the ThinkPad P52 demands a 170W power adapter.
Similarly, the ThinkPad P72 demands a substantial 230W power adapter. Now, here are the most significant downsides of this TB3-supported dock. The Thunderbolt 3 power delivery standard facilitates a maximum output of 100W via the established TB3 connection. As a result, the docks cannot deliver the required power to Mobile Workstations while utilizing a single TB3 connection.
Let’s say you use a standard ThinkPad Thunderbolt dock that can be easily used with the ThinkPad P52. This is the standard TB3 dock. So, if you establish a connection with a TB3 cable to the ThinkPad P52, you will not get the required power to the notebook.
Even though all the other functions, such as displays, will work, the notebook will still be without power. So, you need to bring a separate power cable in case the notebook’s battery is thoroughly exhausted.
This further means you must bring two connected cables (not a single cable) for the given mobile workstation when using the TB3 docks. So, the decision you must make here concerns the compatibility and power output from this TB3 dock.
Bottom-line for Thinkpad Thunderbolt 3 dock gen 2
If you recently bought a mobile workstation from Lenovo, we highly recommend using this ThinkPad Thunderbolt 3 dock gen 2. In addition to uninterrupted performance, it will be easy to establish a connection between the devices.
Although this dock may cost a bit more, its port selection and other features make it worth the price.
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