MBP 16" Compatible Docks with 96W/100W Power

[matram]

"Limited Time Deal" for anyone who's interested at $230.44

I get regular kernel panics with the TS3+ connected to my 16” or my 2016 15”. KP happens when MBP is sleeping even with nothing connected to the TS3+.

So the TS3+ sits on a shelf and is only connected when there is a new release to test if the problem is fixed. So far no luck. I would advice against buying the TS3+.
[automerge]1581150359[/automerge]

Yes. When playing Cities Skylines (a Sim City type game), with 2 monitors connected, youtube playing on 1, the game on no.2 and Safari on the 3rd, the battery goes down to about 85% after 3 hours

Seems you are drawing 5W more than your charger can provide. Have you tried iStat menus to check your power draw and the wattage of your charger?

 

[rustysam]

Has anyone tried the relatively new Philips (346B1C) Monitor? The spec sheet says its delivering 90W which would be a true one cable solution.

Bought & tried, yes 90W.

The monitor is ok (but not more, sound is horrible)

 

[tokanizar]

I get regular kernel panics with the TS3+ connected to my 16” or my 2016 15”. KP happens when MBP is sleeping even with nothing connected to the TS3+.

So the TS3+ sits on a shelf and is only connected when there is a new release to test if the problem is fixed. So far no luck. I would advice against buying the TS3+.

I have had 0 kernel panics with or without connecting to the TS3+. I probably got lucky ?

EDIT: LOL I just got one plugging in the TS3+ dock. I jinxed myself ?

 

[bsbeamer]

Same here with TS3 Plus - none of those reported kernel panics when using with the TS3 Plus or standalone (without the dock). Also installed the firmware update which upped to 87W PD and some other fixes for MBP16,1 apparently.

 

[bsbeamer]

Only posting this because it claims 100W PD via USB-C, but it's through Kickstarter and basically a "preorder" situation. They've made reliable products in the past and have a track record, so maybe a little better than some startups, but it's still Kickstarter.

HyperDrive GEN2: Next Generation USB-C Hub. 2X Speed & Power

4K60Hz Video + 10Gbps USB 3.1 Gen 2 + 300MB/s UHS-II MicroSD/SD + 100W USB-C Power Delivery

www.kickstarter.com

Seems like if you get the 18-port with optional power supply, it would be a single cable solution to MBP16,1 for 100W PD, but that is NOT 100% confirmed.

See FAQ:

Does the 6-port, 12-port and 18-port need to be connected to external power to work?
All 3 models (6-port, 12-port, and 18-port) can be bus-powered by the USB-C device (iPad Pro, MacBook, laptop etc.) and do not require external power to work.

They can also be powered by an external USB-C PD power supply. In the case of the 18-port, there is also an option to use an optional DC power supply. Once externally powered, the hubs will provide power delivery pass through charging to the USB-C device.

You advertise 100W charging but the demo only shows 85W. Why? Will that charge the 16” MacBook Pro?
The Hub takes 15W of power, so the rest goes to the MacBook. It will charge a 16” MacBook Pro.

According to comments:

The DC input port on the 18-port supports 20.5V~21V/5.85A~8.57A/120W~180W
We will have 2 optional PSU for the 18-port.
120W: 20.5V/5.85A
180W: 21V/8.57A
We are still waiting for the PSU supplier to come back from Chinese New Year vacation to confirm PSU costs.

 

[danwells]

The HyperDrive is NOT TB3, but USB-C... That means that all the display ports are mirrored unless you use an unstable MST driver... It's only 10Gbps TOTAL, so one fast drive (NVMe) can eat all the bandwidth, and even without any ridiculously fast peripherals, a lot of combinations will run out of bandwidth.

Display + any ol' SSD + Ethernet will challenge the upstream bandwidth (using only 3 common ports).

You need the 18 port model to get the DC in, and among those 18 ports, you'll find:

2 things that generally don't get counted as ports (the DC power-in port and a phone charging port with NO DATA TRANSFER).

The input port

2 USB 2.0 ports uniquely suited to the computing needs of the past

No less than four video ports that all have to mirror each other

Two digital audio ports (presumably mirrored, but I'm not 100% sure), one of which is a very weird standard that mostly went out years ago (Coax is useful, Toslink is rare - I haven't seen anything in YEARS that has Toslink but not coax).

MicroSD and SD card readers counted separately (to be fair, this one is relatively common). Personally, I'd count card readers separately for sure if they are unrelated standards like SD/CF, SD/XQD or SD/CFast. On a product aimed at high-volume photographers (which this is not), one could argue that two independent SD readers count separately, but they'd both have to be capable of taking full-size camera SD cards. Micro SD doesn't count separately on anything that already has SD, because adapters are cheap and common, and Micro SD cards tend to get stuck in a device once and left there.


If I were really counting the ports fairly on the 18-port, I get 8 (discounting the input port, the power adapter, the phone charger and the USB 2.0 ports completely, and counting the four mirrored video ports as one, the two audio ports as one, and the two card readers as one). Another port is not quite fair - the headphone jack, because Macs all have one.

The 18-port model actually has:
Three USB 3.0 (two type A plus one type C)
One video port (with a nice choice of connectors)
Gigabit Ethernet
Digital Audio
Card reader
Headphone jack

Not bad for a USB-C hub, but nowhere near what a real TB3 dock can do...

 

[VArase]

Has anyone found a reputable docking solution that can deliver 96 watts or 100 watts of power for use with the new 16" MBP?

AUKEY CB-C71 (AKA: Unity Link PD III 8-in-1 USB-C Hub with 100W PD)
Warning: Only provides 60W, despite advertising 100W passthrough

There is (as stated on the Amazon page) a firmware update available from Aukey to address the 60W problem, though I've lacked the courage (and gumption) to put it on.

1. All materials are in Chinese
2. It's a Windows updater

That said, even if it cures the 60w problem, since it's a pass-through solution I would expect it to provide (with the Apple supplied charger) a maximum of 96w - 13w or around 83w of power since the Aukey probably absorbs about 13w of power itself for its own functionality.

Even with their new Omnia Gallium nitride chargers (supplying up to 100w expected to be released in Q2 2020) I would therefore only expect 100w - 13w or 87w of pass-through charging.

... and even then, I don't know if you can really count on that Q2 2020 release; I think Aukey is in Shenzhen - at least their open positions advertise as such - and COVID-19 is burning through China with something like 760 million in quarantine lockdown, and though Shenzhen doesn't have it's own infection pool (according the John Hopkin's website) Guangdong does and I believe Shenzhen is on lockdown now and Lord knows when that whole mess will end.

 

[bsbeamer]

The HyperDrive is NOT TB3, but USB-C...

Only posting this because it claims 100W PD via USB-C

 

[VArase]

Has anyone found a reputable docking solution that can deliver 96 watts or 100 watts of power for use with the new 16" MBP?

Making this first post a Wiki so it can be updated with links in the future.

----

AUKEY CB-C71 (AKA: Unity Link PD III 8-in-1 USB-C Hub with 100W PD)
Warning: Only provides 60W, despite advertising 100W passthrough

I never put on the Aukey firmware due to lack of a Windows system - and the firmware updater was a windows updater - but requested a Mac version with english documentation (the docs in the zip file were a Chinese powerpoint document).

Aukey just sent me a replacement CB-C71 and it now claims (according to iStat Menus) to be a 94w charger.

Of course, you're not going to get 94w of pass-through charging because the CB-C71 will steal some juice for itself, but if you've got a CB-C71 and a 16 inch MacBook Pro, you may want to contact Aukey.

Keep in mind they appear to be in Shenzhen so things are a bit dicey there, so try to demonstrate some patience.

 

[mdg1]

The computer pulls a consistent 92-97 watts after it fully heats up. This seems to be a hard limit imposed by the OS - either heat related or power related. It is the same limit with the Dell dock or with the Apple supplied charger in my testing (I tested the power limits previously with the Apple charger, posted on some thread somewhere on this site).

When the GPU is active, at ~20w, the CPU is allocated 45w. It runs around 2.9ghz. When I turn off the external display the CPU is allocated an additional 18-22w and runs at 3.3-3.4ghz. This behavior is consistent using the Dell dock and the Apple supplied charger. It’s either a pre-determined cooling limit or a power limit, either way Apple is limiting the power draw to 92-97 watts, regardless of charger connected in my testing. Pushing the GPU to 30watts (all I could get it up to) pulled another 7-8w away from the CPU forcing it to run around 38 watts and 2.4-2.5ghz.

During the hour long handbrake transcode and playing around with the GPU the system never pulled below 88 watts and never above 97 watts after the initial spike and settle. The first 2 seconds used 140 watts, the following 5 used 120 watts, the following 3 minutes used about 105 watts and then it settled into 92-97 watts. The battery percent, as reported by the OS (so for whatever that’s worth) never dropped from 100% in my hour long test. People who run at full load 24/7, while I think they should have a desktop, may or may not run into problems.

All in all the behavior is consistent with my previous MBP (2016) and my previous Razer blade 15” (8750h, 2070mq). Though razer *never* lets their CPU pull more than 45 watts in high power mode, limited to 35 watts in normal mode.

I’m very pleased with the Dell dock at this point. DP 1.4, full speed downstream thunderbolt port, and 90 watts of power which is sufficient for my needs. If you know you’re going to be running full load 24/7 I’d probably recommend waiting for the 100watt pluggable Titan Ridge dock that was just announced so you don’t have to worry about it.

thanks for the great report.
Tracking after this subject from the beginning - I got to the conclusion that the Dell WD19TB and the HP Thunderbolt Dock G2 are both suitable to charge the MBC 16". Still, the Dell WD19TB is the safer choice as it has been tested with more scenarios.
My only question is there only one model for WD19TB? I saw somewhere that Dell released this model with 2 power options: 180W and 240W
Will be great if you specify the link to the product you use.

 

[rex450se]

thanks for the great report.
Tracking after this subject from the beginning - I got to the conclusion that the Dell WD19TB and the HP Thunderbolt Dock G2 are both suitable to charge the MBC 16". Still, the Dell WD19TB is the safer choice as it has been tested with more scenarios.
My only question is there only one model for WD19TB? I saw somewhere that Dell released this model with 2 power options: 180W and 240W
Will be great if you specify the link to the product you use.

There's a few WD19's but only one WD19TB. And that's the one you want. If you're interested in one, I have an extra one for sale as I switched my home dock to the CalDigit one since I wanted the SDCard reader without another add on. Otherwise they are on sale right now from Dell for $260, about $70 off.

 

[tmorgan4]

I posted a while back about the HP G2 dock. I too am guilty of over-analyzing the minute details when it comes to computers and electronics but I can confidently say I'm 99% happy with this dock. It has a few flaws but overall it's very good (especially when considering the ~$80 price for a good used unit). At this point I don't understand why people are still spending $200+ on a lesser quality dock such as the TS3. If you're on the fence just buy this dock. It works great.

- Latest Intel Titan Ridge Thunderbolt 3 controller (most docks use older controllers)
- 100W charging (with it's own AC adapter, so you can keep your factory charger in a travel bag or whatever)
- Dual 4K monitors at 60Hz (I learned the hard way that lesser quality docks only support single/dual 4k@30Hz which has a really annoying lag)
- If you need more USB capabilities you can plug in another USB hub to the dock
- I used to get kernel panics back in December when waking up from sleep. Something has been fixed because these no longer occur (Running Catalina 10.15.3)
- Updating the firmware requires a Windows OS (running natively, I spent many hours trying to update via a Windows VM without success). This update is likely not necessary unless it's running very old firmware.
- It includes an Ethernet port for those of you wanting to hardwire your network
- The only port I wish it had that's lacking is an optical audio out. This is easily solved with an Airport Express on the network for optical audio connection.

 

[mdg1]

I posted a while back about the HP G2 dock. I too am guilty of over-analyzing the minute details when it comes to computers and electronics but I can confidently say I'm 99% happy with this dock. It has a few flaws but overall it's very good (especially when considering the ~$80 price for a good used unit). At this point I don't understand why people are still spending $200+ on a lesser quality dock such as the TS3. If you're on the fence just buy this dock. It works great.

- Latest Intel Titan Ridge Thunderbolt 3 controller (most docks use older controllers)
- 100W charging (with it's own AC adapter, so you can keep your factory charger in a travel bag or whatever)
- Dual 4K monitors at 60Hz (I learned the hard way that lesser quality docks only support single/dual 4k@30Hz which has a really annoying lag)
- If you need more USB capabilities you can plug in another USB hub to the dock
- I used to get kernel panics back in December when waking up from sleep. Something has been fixed because these no longer occur (Running Catalina 10.15.3)
- Updating the firmware requires a Windows OS (running natively, I spent many hours trying to update via a Windows VM without success). This update is likely not necessary unless it's running very old firmware.
- It includes an Ethernet port for those of you wanting to hardwire your network
- The only port I wish it had that's lacking is an optical audio out. This is easily solved with an Airport Express on the network for optical audio connection.

In HP store there are 3 models for the Thunderbolt G2:
1. HP Thunderbolt Dock 120W G2
2. HP Thunderbolt Dock 230W G2 w/ Combo Cable
3. HP Thunderbolt Dock 120W G2 with Audio

I think it can contribute if you can share the link to the model you analyzed.
It became very confusing.

 

[tmorgan4]

In HP store there are 3 models for the Thunderbolt G2:
1. HP Thunderbolt Dock 120W G2
2. HP Thunderbolt Dock 230W G2 w/ Combo Cable
3. HP Thunderbolt Dock 120W G2 with Audio

I think it can contribute if you can share the link to the model you analyzed.
It became very confusing.

Good point, it definitely gets confusing! I'm using model #1 (120W G2). Pic included below. Turns out I only paid $63 for mine. There are a ton floating around ebay for anyone looking for a deal. Here's the auction link (no longer active): eBay link

Model #3 includes a small Bang and Olufson speaker/microphone and additional buttons stacked on top of the dock for those wanting an extra speaker or better mic. On the standard 120W G2 the top of the dock is a button that will wake up a HP computer but it does not work on the MBP. With that said I don't know if the call answer/hangup buttons would work on a MBP with the audio version. I've never heard it and don't know if it's worth the money. The speakers in the 16" MBP are pretty incredible for laptop speakers even sitting next to my KEF LS50W office speakers. I'm taking a wild guess but I'd bet the microphone in the audio version is far better than the built in MBP mic so it might be useful for those that spend a lot of time on the phone via FaceTime on their MBP. FYI this audio module can be purchased separately if you decide you want it later. Pic included below.

Based on pictures it appears that #2 (230W w/ combo cable) would also work (it's a combination thunderbolt + extra power plug for high wattage HP workstations) but the connector splits in half to allow only the thunderbolt plug. Oddly it appears the combo cable is easily replaceable however the 120W model's cable does not appear to be removable. There's no reason to specifically buy the 230W version unless:
a) you get a good deal on it
b) you're also using the dock for a PC which could potentially utilize the additional power plug. See pic below.

120W G2 without audio (exactly what I'm using)

120W G2 with audio (note the green ring means it's the audio version)

230W G2 Combo Cable (only cable is shown, note the thunderbolt and round power plug appear to be split)

 

[rex450se]

I posted a while back about the HP G2 dock. I too am guilty of over-analyzing the minute details when it comes to computers and electronics but I can confidently say I'm 99% happy with this dock. It has a few flaws but overall it's very good (especially when considering the ~$80 price for a good used unit). At this point I don't understand why people are still spending $200+ on a lesser quality dock such as the TS3. If you're on the fence just buy this dock. It works great.

- Latest Intel Titan Ridge Thunderbolt 3 controller (most docks use older controllers)
- 100W charging (with it's own AC adapter, so you can keep your factory charger in a travel bag or whatever)
- Dual 4K monitors at 60Hz (I learned the hard way that lesser quality docks only support single/dual 4k@30Hz which has a really annoying lag)
- If you need more USB capabilities you can plug in another USB hub to the dock
- I used to get kernel panics back in December when waking up from sleep. Something has been fixed because these no longer occur (Running Catalina 10.15.3)
- Updating the firmware requires a Windows OS (running natively, I spent many hours trying to update via a Windows VM without success). This update is likely not necessary unless it's running very old firmware.
- It includes an Ethernet port for those of you wanting to hardwire your network
- The only port I wish it had that's lacking is an optical audio out. This is easily solved with an Airport Express on the network for optical audio connection.

Which outputs are you using for your 2 4K monitors?

 

[bsbeamer]

Use caution with those TB3 docks that ship with a specialized cable. SOME only have data over TB3 and limited power. The 100W+ power is either augmented by the “plug” sidecar or that is the only “true” 100W capable source.

Also would specifically ask vendors about MBP16,1 compatibility if investing since the machine has now been out for several months. If they do not “guarantee” 100W PD via single cable to MBP16,1 pre-purchase also ask return policy.

If it doesn’t 100% work with a single straight TB3 cable, personally think the 85/87W solutions are more capable. Can supplement with 96W/100W power into an additional port when necessary (two separate cables).

 

[poematik13]

Sorry, late to this thread. Is CalDigit sticking to their 87w updated TS3+ or is there going to be a new version released that uses the Titan Ridge controller?

Dock uncertainty (along with losing 32bit apps in Catalina) is basically what's holding me from upgrading to a 16" at this time

 

[bsbeamer]

Is CalDigit sticking to their 87w updated TS3+ or is there going to be a new version released that uses the Titan Ridge controller?

As of right now, 87W only with TS3 Plus after firmware update. CalDigit has no announced plans for a new model at this time.

 

[s66]

A Mac can easily handle less power. E.g. I've. Pretty intense load for a 13" MBP I use on the road and power it with a mere 36W adapter.
'If you leave that machine idle it'll even charge off of a 15W supply (just not fast). The USB PD protocol between the power supply and the Mac together with the Mac acting intelligently when not having much power from its supply (and e.g. not charging the battery while under load in such conditions) make it relatively easy on you.
'if you want to go all out: full cpu, full gpu, supplying power to peripherals , charging the Mac's battery itself, etc. Then you'll need the full 100W (USB PD doesn't do more than 100)

 

[mikeleejackson]

Another vote for the HP G2 Thunderbolt Dock. I wanted a simple solution and didn't want to be paying £250-£300 or so for a dock. I took delivery of the HP G2 dock yesterday. I'm running the 2019 16" MacBook Pro. My monitor is the Dell Ultrawide U3818DW.

On a side note, the U3818DW monitor is capable of supplying 100 watts to the MacBook via USB C, the problem was, on a single USB C, the refresh rate was locked to 30Hz.

Hooked up the dock, connected the monitor via Display Port. Under System Reports, the monitor is running at its native 3840x1600 resolution with the 60hz refresh rate. Under Power, it's reporting the full 100-watt delivery and I can also confirm that the ethernet port works and so do all the other USB ports.

 

[tmorgan4]

Which outputs are you using for your 2 4K monitors?

I'm using the DisplayPort output on my 27" LG 4K monitors. The manual on the HP dock specifically mentions that the MBP supports dual monitors but you must use 1x full size DisplayPort and 1x USB-C. I purchased this cable (Amazon DP to USB-C cable) and it's good quality. Displayport can be picky about cables to make sure your cables and monitors support DP 1.2 (I believe) if you need 60Hz refresh rate. It didn't expect it to matter but 30Hz refresh rate has a terrible lag that is nearly unusable even for coding or spreadsheets.

As a head up to anyone consider installing the beta macOS Catalina 10.15.4 there's a bug that causes one of my monitors to be reduced to 30Hz refresh rate from 60Hz. I filed a bug report but as of this writing it's not fixed so I reverted back to 10.15.3.

 

[gazwas]

Only posting this because it claims 100W PD via USB-C, but it's through Kickstarter and basically a "preorder" situation. They've made reliable products in the past and have a track record, so maybe a little better than some startups, but it's still Kickstarter.

HyperDrive GEN2: Next Generation USB-C Hub. 2X Speed & Power

4K60Hz Video + 10Gbps USB 3.1 Gen 2 + 300MB/s UHS-II MicroSD/SD + 100W USB-C Power Delivery

www.kickstarter.com

Seems like if you get the 18-port with optional power supply, it would be a single cable solution to MBP16,1 for 100W PD, but that is NOT 100% confirmed.

See FAQ:

Does the 6-port, 12-port and 18-port need to be connected to external power to work?
All 3 models (6-port, 12-port, and 18-port) can be bus-powered by the USB-C device (iPad Pro, MacBook, laptop etc.) and do not require external power to work.

They can also be powered by an external USB-C PD power supply. In the case of the 18-port, there is also an option to use an optional DC power supply. Once externally powered, the hubs will provide power delivery pass through charging to the USB-C device.

You advertise 100W charging but the demo only shows 85W. Why? Will that charge the 16” MacBook Pro?
The Hub takes 15W of power, so the rest goes to the MacBook. It will charge a 16” MacBook Pro.

According to comments:

The DC input port on the 18-port supports 20.5V~21V/5.85A~8.57A/120W~180W
We will have 2 optional PSU for the 18-port.
120W: 20.5V/5.85A
180W: 21V/8.57A
We are still waiting for the PSU supplier to come back from Chinese New Year vacation to confirm PSU costs.

The spec of 100W power delivery is extremely misleading. If you read the info page about this dock it actually consists of 85W to charge the computer and 15W (totalling 100W) for peripherals connected to the dock.

 

[bsbeamer]

The spec of 100W power delivery is extremely misleading. If you read the info page about this dock it actually consists of 85W to charge the computer and 15W (totalling 100W) for peripherals connected to the dock.

Again, was ONLY posting because it claimed 100W PD. There is (or at least was) a claim the higher wattage PSU will give "true" 100W PD, but nothing has been confirmed. It's a Kickstarter project. Until it's available via retail channel, everything is subject to change.

 

[gazwas]

Again, was ONLY posting because it claimed 100W PD. There is (or at least was) a claim the higher wattage PSU will give "true" 100W PD, but nothing has been confirmed. It's a Kickstarter project. Until it's available via retail channel, everything is subject to change.

My comment was not a criticism aimed at you, just the misleading headline spec info about this dock having 100W power delivery from the perspective of the 16" MBP......... It doesn't and states that in your link above.

"Proof of Concept
The following single-shot unedited video shows a fully functional HyperDrive GEN2 USB-C Hub supporting 4K60Hz video, 100W Power Delivery (85W to computer, 15W to hub), 10Gb/s USB 3.1 Gen 2 (~1000MB/s), and UHS-II MicroSD/SD (~300MB/s)

HyperDrive GEN2 (left) is capable of 100W Power Delivery (85W to computer, 15W to hub) while the competitor's current 1st generation USB-C hub (right) is only capable of 60W Power Delivery."

 

[bsbeamer]

My comment was not a criticism aimed at you, just the misleading headline spec info about this dock having 100W power delivery from the perspective of the 16" MBP......... It doesn't.

It is the same for many USB-C docking solutions, they take 10W-20W for the dock (and powering peripherals) and then pass through the remainder. If you have a 94W/96W power source (the genuine Apple charger that ships with MBP16,1) you're left with 74W-84W charging.

USB-C docks that have dedicated PSU options are "supposed to be" different. The power source is a brick, not a USB-C cable. With a 180W PSU, in theory it would be possible to get true 100W. This is extremely unlikely with a 120W PSU option, especially with the fuzzy math.