Tip: These are the two fastest ways to switch between iPhone apps
We all switch back and forth between apps every day. But did you know there are two separate methods that are fastest? Here’s how you can switch between iPhone (and iPad) apps faster than ever. more…

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iPhone 16 Pro Max vs Pixel 9 Pro XL camera shootout sees iPhone win
An iPhone 16 Pro Max vs Pixel 9 Pro XL camera shootout carried out in a variety of indoor and outdoor lighting conditions has seen the iPhone declared the winner, albeit by a relatively slim margin. You might not get that impression when you first start reading the piece, as Google’s flagship Android smartphone takes an early lead … more…

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Wolfs becomes most-watched film on Apple TV+
"Wolfs" becomes most-watched film on Apple TV+, topping other crowd pleasers like "The Instigators." So who needs a big theatrical release? (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)

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Have you made the upgrade to iOS 18 yet? [Poll]
My favorite iPhone 16 accessories:

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Months after a terrible app launch, Sonos promises it'll do better
After its summer iPhone app update fiasco, and a series of mostly-broken promises to fix it, Sonos is again trying to win back shaken customer confidence.The updated and ill-fated Sonos app update.Sonos hasn't had the best 2024, because of its ham-fisted approach to overhauling its app. After multiple apologies, the smart speaker maker is making a bigger statement, this time trying to convince users that it will move forward with its customers in mind.The whole affair started in April with the announcement of its overhauled iOS controller app arriving on May 7. The app redesign aimed to streamline the experience of accessing content, paring down the home screen and removing tabs in favor of a single page approach. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Get all the great apps in Adobe Creative Cloud at a huge discount
Gain access to more than 20 popular creative apps, including Photoshop, Illustrator and Premiere Pro, with this Adobe Creative Cloud discount. (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)

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Halide-maker Lux reviews iPhone 16 Pro camera: ‘Tremendous’
As a photographer, Sebastiaan de With focuses on reviewing the iPhone 16 Pro as if it were purely a camera. So he set off once more to go… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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Apple continues work on all-glass MacBook with virtual keyboard and trackpad
Apple famously dispensed with a physical keyboard when it revolutionized the smartphone market, and the company’s long-term goal appears to be to do the same for laptops. A succession of patents have revealed Apple’s work on an all-screen MacBook with a virtual trackpad and keyboard, and a new continuation patent published yesterday shows that this project is still very much alive … more…

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Mujjo’s fine leather case dresses up and protects iPhone 16 Pro [Review] ★★★★☆
Our hands-on Mujjo leather iPhone case review finds the case protects iPhone 16 Pro well -- and with an undeniable touch of class. (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)

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Apple Intelligence will drive iPhone 16 sales but isn't a major factor yet
Investment bank JP Morgan analysts say that Apple Intelligence is not yet drawing iPhone users to upgrade, and demand for iPhone 16 Pro models is weaker than it was with the iPhone 15 Pro range.Apple Intelligence on an iPhoneIn April 2024, JP Morgan dropped its Apple stock price to $210 because it believed that Apple Intelligence would drive iPhone 17 sales rather than iPhone 16 ones. Then in May 2024 it raised the stock price to $245 specifically on the strength of Apple's announcement of Apple Intelligence.Now having conducted a user survey and monitored sales of the iPhone 16 range, the company is taking up a position in the middle. JP Morgan now believes that Apple Intelligence will drive up sales of the iPhone 16 range — but not yet. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Deep dive into the iPhone 16 Pro cameras finds much to love despite some flaws
If there’s anyone who knows a thing or two about iPhone photography, it’s Sebastiaan de With, co-founder of the developer behind the Halide app. In an incredibly deep dive into the iPhone 16 Pro cameras, he finds much to love – and a few flaws. While his experience of comparing many iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro images mirrored mine – like for like, it’s hard to spot any differences – he still had a lot of positive things to say … more…

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The iPhone SE 4 will bring back the notch, kill the home button
Macworld Just weeks after the release of the iPhone 16, thoughts are already turning to the more affordable smartphone Apple plans to unveil early next year. In many ways this will be a far more interesting and radical launch. The iPhone SE is updated less frequently than the flagship models at the top of the iPhone range: the three models so far have arrived in 2016, 2020, and 2022, with the 4th-gen SE expected to debut in spring 2025. For this reason, it might be expected that these rarer events would be more substantive, but that wasn’t the case with the 3rd-gen SE, which was, in fact a disappointment. So Apple owes us big for the 4th-gen model–and it might actually deliver. The expectation is that we’re about to get a long-overdue design revamp, away from the iPhone 8 chassis used for the last two models and into something resembling a modern smartphone. Incredibly, it might leap all the way forward to an iPhone 16 shell, according to credible sources. And with the 9th-gen iPad discontinued earlier this year, this would represent the end of the home button that was once such an iconic element of Apple’s mobile products. It’s been the consensus among pundits for some time that the 4th-gen SE will be a major step forward for the line, but Bloomberg leaker king Mark Gurman adds credibility and some additional detail to the rumors. Basing his pronouncements on the testimony of “people with knowledge of the matter… who asked not to be identified because the plans aren’t public,” Gurman claims the next model is codenamed V59 and is intended to help Apple compete with low-end Android phones in China. On the design front, Gurman suggests the new SE will use an iPhone 14 rather than an iPhone 16 shell. This would still be a significant step forward from the antiquated iPhone 8 chassis, of course, but would mean the inclusion of a notch: no Dynamic Island for SE buyers, unfortunately. But it did always seem ambitious that the SE would so closely match a flagship phone that will be only six months old when it comes out. Particularly as the 4th-gen SE will support one of the 16-series iPhones’ marquee features: Apple Intelligence. That likely means it will have an A18 processor with 8GB of RAM, one of the requirements for Apple Intelligence. As I’ve written elsewhere, this might just make it the perfect Apple Intelligence device, and it certainly suggests we can expect a state-of-the-art processor and respectable complement of RAM. In the past, the iPhone SE has offered up-to-date tech specs within an older design, and its appeal varied according to the precise age of that design: a chassis that will be 30 months old by next spring feels like a sensible compromise. For all the latest news and rumors, check our iPhone SE 2025 superguide.

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Mokibo Fusion Keyboard for iPad Pro
Macworld At a glanceExpert's Rating Pros Competitive price. Firm keyboard with large, comfortable keys. Works with a variety of mobile devices and operating systems. Cons No physical trackpad. Virtual trackpad feels a bit awkward. No charging cable included. Our Verdict The virtual trackpad feature isn’t entirely successful, but the Fusion Keyboard gets the basics right, with a firm, comfortable keyboard and cover at a competitive price. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Price When Reviewed$160 (currently reduced to $119.90) 11-inch iPad Pro; $175 (currently reduced to $139.90) 12.9-inch iPad Pro Best Prices Today: Mokibo Fusion Keyboard For iPad Pro Retailer Price Mokibo $119.90 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket There are several versions of Mokibo’s Fusion keyboard available, including one that’s designed for Windows and Android devices, but it also makes a couple of models that are specifically designed for use with iPads. The company’s website refers to these as the Fusion Keyboard For iPad Pro 11-inch and 12.9-inch, but they may also work with other models as well – for instance, the 12.9-inch Fusion Keyboard that we review here seemed to fit my new 13-inch iPad Air with no problems. Unfortunately, the information on Mokibo’s website is often vague and unclear, so you should pay close attention to the compatibility list that is provided for each version of the keyboard. A good example is the fact that the iPad version of the Fusion Keyboard acts as both a keyboard and a wrap-around cover – something that is barely mentioned in the product description. That’s a shame, as the Fusion Keyboard is actually well designed, and certainly more affordable than many rival keyboards from companies such as Logitech and Apple itself. Read our roundup of the best keyboards for iPad. It’s currently only available with U.S. or Korean keyboard layouts, and the models shown on Mokibo’s website are only in black, although the company tells us that there’s a white model coming soon as well. The 12.9-inch model that we tested weighs 665g (or 495g for the 11-inch model) and measures just 9.4mm thick when the case is folded over the keyboard, although that will be thicker when your iPad is inside the case. It’s sturdily built, despite the relatively low price, and the outer layers of the keyboard and case are made of a polyurethane-based artificial leather that feels soft and smooth, and is easy to wipe off if you spill your coffee. Unlike some iPad keyboards that draw power from the iPad itself, the Fusion Keyboard has its own built-in battery that lasts for around 60 hours on a fuill charge (although there’s no charging cable included, so you’ll need to provide that yourself). There’s no physical trackpad, but that leaves room for a spacious keyboard, with large keys that feel firm and responsive when typing. There’s a large space bar as well – although this is split into two parts, with a Smart button sitting in the middle, which can be used to perform a mouse-click. There’s also a row of Function keys running along the top of the keyboard, with controls such as a Home key, volume adjustment and F7 for taking screenshots. It’s also possible to pair the Fusion Keyboard with up to three different devices, and there’s a Function key that can be used to switch between operating systems – including macOS, iPadOS, Windows and Android – so that the various controls work as you’d expect for each operating system. However, the Fusion Keyboard’s most unusual feature isn’t immediately visible. As we’ve mentioned, the keyboard doesn’t include a trackpad – at least, not a conventional physical trackpad, as you’d find on some of Apple’s Magic Keyboards, or the Logitech Combo. It does, however, have a special sensor that sits beneath the keyboard and can detect the movement of your fingers. If you skim your fingers lightly over the surface of the keyboard – rather than actually pressing down on the keys – this sensor can follow the movement of your fingers and act like a kind of virtual trackpad. This is a bit of a mixed blessing, though. The virtual trackpad works quite well for basic gestures, such as simply moving the cursor around on screen, or using two fingers to scroll up and down through documents and web pages (and one nice touch is that it’s even possible to change the position of the virtual trackpad for left-handed and right-handed users). However, more complex gestures can be quite fiddly, and it’s odd that the commonly-used pinch-to-zoom gesture doesn’t seem to be supported on either the iPad or Android devices (although the manual does state that pinch-to-zoom works on Macs and Windows). Should you buy ? It’s tempting to suggest that people who want a trackpad should just buy a keyboard that has a conventional trackpad already built into it. However, keyboards with trackpads do tend to be fairly expensive, so the Fusion Keyboard can still provide a well-built keyboard and case at a competitive price – even if you don’t use the virtual trackpad feature very often.

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Microsoft Office 2024 for Mac without subscriptions is now available
A new standalone release of Microsoft Office 2024 for macOS is available, giving users an alternative to paying for a Microsoft 365 subscription.Microsoft Office 2024Standalone versions of Microsoft Office are an occasional release, giving users permanent access to the productivity suite for a one-time purchase. On Monday, Microsoft introduced its newest version for Mac and PC.Microsoft Office 2024 provides what Microsoft refers to as "locked-in-time versions" of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, and Outlook. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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iOS 18.0.1 coming soon with iPhone and iPad bug fixes [Update]
Update October 2, 2024: The release of iOS 18.0.1 is imminent. The information was shared on social media by a private account with a strong track record. The account has previously shared details about upcoming iOS software updates on multiple different occasions. According to the account, iOS 18.0.1 will have the build number 22A3370. Apple is now testing iOS 18.0.1, according to 9to5Mac analytics. This update will likely include fixes for a few different bugs that iPhone and iPad users have reported experiencing. It comes two and a half weeks after the release of iOS 18 for iPhone users. more…

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These mind-blowing charts show how much the iPhone’s battery life has improved
Macworld Premium smartphone manufacturers have been steadily improving battery life for years, and Apple is no exception. In fact, if you only look at the improvement of the current iPhones compared to last year’s models, you may not realize just how far they’ve come. The battery in today’s new iPhones lasts several times longer than that of the iPhone X introduced just seven years ago! Fortunately, we have been testing iPhone battery life in the same way since then, so we wanted to illustrate just how much better iPhone battery life has become. iPhone battery life over the years We have tested battery life using the Geekbench 4 battery life test going all the way back to the iPhone 8 and iPhone X. We perform the test the same way each time, setting screen brightness to 200 nits and disabling all notifications and auto-brightness settings. We then run the test with the “dim screen” feature turned off to maintain consistent brightness. The Geekbench 4 battery test runs the Geekbench 4 benchmarks repeatedly on a loop until the battery dies, with a small break between runs. It’s a way to keep the screen active and the processor occupied in a consistent fashion over an extended period. It is, however, a little dated—the more modern Geekbench 5 and Geekbench 6 unfortunately did not include a battery benchmark. Here’s how long each of the regular iPhones lasted during this test. There are two tabs on this chart, one showing battery life (in minutes) and one showing the capacity of the battery (in milliamp hours).

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These mind-blowing charts show how much the iPhone’s battery life has improved
Macworld Premium smartphone manufacturers have been steadily improving battery life for years, and Apple is no exception. In fact, if you only look at the improvement of the current iPhones compared to last year’s models, you may not realize just how far they’ve come. The battery in today’s new iPhones lasts several times longer than that of the iPhone X introduced just seven years ago! Fortunately, we have been testing iPhone battery life in the same way since then, so we wanted to illustrate just how much better iPhone battery life has become. iPhone battery life over the years We have tested battery life using the Geekbench 4 battery life test going all the way back to the iPhone 8 and iPhone X. We perform the test the same way each time, setting screen brightness to 200 nits and disabling all notifications and auto-brightness settings. We then run the test with the “dim screen” feature turned off to maintain consistent brightness. The Geekbench 4 battery test runs the Geekbench 4 benchmarks repeatedly on a loop until the battery dies, with a small break between runs. It’s a way to keep the screen active and the processor occupied in a consistent fashion over an extended period. It is, however, a little dated—the more modern Geekbench 5 and Geekbench 6 unfortunately did not include a battery benchmark. Here’s how long each of the regular iPhones lasted during this test. There are two tabs on this chart, one showing battery life (in minutes) and one showing the capacity of the battery (in milliamp hours).

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Sonos makes seven promises, including boosted warranties; customers seem unimpressed
Sonos has been struggling to regain the trust of its customers after its disastrous launch of a new version of the app. After initially doubling down on the new app, the company’s CEO later apologized for it, and he has now made seven promises about how Sonos will operate going forward. This includes giving all products currently under warranty an additional year of coverage, but customers don’t seem too impressed … more…

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iPhone 16 and 16 Plus review: The phone for everyone creeps into Pro territory
Macworld At a glanceExpert's Rating Pros Camera Control is a boon for users who frequently shoot photos Amazing battery life Great processing and graphics performance Cons Camera Control takes some practice to use to its potential Display refresh rate is still locked to 60Hz No always-on display Our Verdict Almost everything the iPhone 16 does, it does very well. It has all the features most people need every day and a few more that are usually reserved for Apple’s Pro lineup. If you need a bigger display and/or battery, there’s the iPhone 16 Plus. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Price When Reviewed$799 Best Prices Today: Apple iPhone 16 Retailer Price $799 View Deal $829.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Those familiar with Apple’s iPhone lineup understand that the company puts out two sets of phones: one set with “Pro” in the name to denote that they have advanced features not found in the other set of phones, which go by the iPhone name and version number–in this case, it’s the iPhone 16 (and iPhone 16 Plus for the larger screen and battery). Before this release, choosing between the Pro and non-pro iPhones was a bit of a brain twister. The Pro has the fancier camera setup and you could convince yourself you don’t need it, but then you start to look at the other features that the Pros have (Action button, ProMotion, 5x zoom, newer chip). You could start to develop a Fear of Missing Out. With that in mind, there’s very good news with the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus: Some of the major new features Apple introduced are on both the iPhone 16 and the 16 Pro, plus the 16 Pro’s features fill a high-end niche that most people aren’t going to care about. The FOMO is gone, and with the iPhone 16, Apple has a phone that will make a vast majority of its users very happy. This review takes a look at the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus. The only difference between the two is the size; the chip, display technology, buttons, cameras, and just about everything else is the same. When I refer to the iPhone 16, I’m talking about both phones and I call out the iPhone 16 Plus specifically when necessary, such as with the battery. The Action Button makes its way to the non-Pro iPhones, replacing the mute switch. The Action Button makes its way to the non-Pro iPhones, replacing the mute switch.Foundry The Action Button makes its way to the non-Pro iPhones, replacing the mute switch.Foundry Foundry iPhone 16 and 16 Plus: Action Button and Camera Control With the iPhone 15 Pro, Apple introduced the Action button, which replaced the mute switch. It’s still on the iPhone 16 Pro but it’s now on the iPhone 16, too, so there’s one “pro” feature that made its way down the product line. By default, the Action button is set for mute to mimic the previous switch’s behavior, but it can be changed in iOS’s settings to activate Focus, the Camera, the Flashlight, Voice Memo, Shazam, Translate, Magnifier, a Control Center control, a Shortcut you’ve created, an Accessibility feature, or No Action. The Action Button is so easy to appreciate, especially if you’re tired of navigating through iOS to get to a feature or app you constantly use. I set mine to Flashlight and now it’s available at the push of a button instead of having to wake the phone and tap-and-hold the Flashlight icon on the Lock screen or access Control Center. The next time I travel to a non-English speaking country, I’ll set it to Translate and have quick access to the Translate app. If you want the Action button to do more than the provided options, you can create and assign it to a Shortcut–it sounds daunting, but it’s really not. Learn how to use Shortcuts to make the Action Button do more. Camera Control is a good idea, once you get used to it. Camera Control is a good idea, once you get used to it.Foundry Camera Control is a good idea, once you get used to it.Foundry Foundry The new Camera Control button, which is exactly the type of feature Apple usually reserves for Pro model phones, is available on the whole iPhone 16 lineup. This button is placed below the power button on the lower right side, and when holding the iPhone 16 horizontally with the Camera Control on top, its placement is akin to the shutter button on a traditional camera. The button works regardless of how you hold the iPhone 16, but if you’re not comfortable with its placement, you can still use the Action button to launch Camera and you can turn off Camera Control completely–it can’t be reassigned to do a non-camera related task. By default, Camera Control is dedicated to the stock Camera app. You can change the Camera Control setting in the Camera settings so that it opens a third-party camera app such as Halide, Obscura, or Instagram, and it even works with Final Cut Camera. Apple has an API for Camera Control for third-party camera-centric apps, so if you don’t see your favorite app in the settings, be on the lookout for a future app update. Considering how often users access the camera, Camera Control is a great idea, though it has a steep learning curve for figuring out its nuances. For example, press it completely, and then upon release your camera app opens, but it doesn’t snap a picture. But once in the camera, the button acts as a shutter. You can also hold the button down to immediately begin recording a video but you’ll need to keep it pressed the whole time. As soon as you lift your finger, it stops recording. The Camera Capture button does more than shoot; it provides access to options like zoom, exposure, and styles. To get to those options takes a “double light-press” of the button, not a full press, but after a week I’m still mastering the timing and sensitivity of this action. Users can adjust the sensitivity and speed of pressing the button in Accessibility > Camera Control, which I’ve found helpful in getting comfortable with Camera Control. Get all the details on how to adjust the Camera Control button. iPhone 16 and 16 Plus: Camera Apple continues to outfit the non-Pro iPhones with a dual camera system and the iPhone 16 has support for taking spatial photos–that’s why the cameras are now lined up in a row instead of diagonally. The main Fusion camera (as it’s now called) has a 48MP camera that includes support for 2x optical telephoto. Then there’s the 12-megapixel ultrawide camera that’s capable of taking macro shots–yet another feature that was previously only on the iPhone Pro. The iPhone 16 and 16 Plus lack a dedicated telephoto lens. The iPhone 16 and 16 Plus lack a dedicated telephoto lens.Foundry The iPhone 16 and 16 Plus lack a dedicated telephoto lens.Foundry Foundry The iPhone has always taken great pictures and Apple has done nothing here to negatively affect the quality. The new macro ability allows users to find a creative outlet that wasn’t previously available in the non-Pro iPhone. Thankfully, the ultrawide camera is better in low-light situations. A new camera feature throughout the iPhone 16 lineup is the new Photographic Styles, which are basically a bunch of themed presets to give your photo a certain look. I’ve never been into photographic filters or tweaking settings in such a way to make a dramatic, artistic impression, but I like the way Photographic Style has been implemented in the Camera app. It uses an interface that looks like a scatter chart and you move the dot within it to tweak each style. It’s easy to use and previews are instant. Photographic Styles can be used to give your photos an artistic twist. Photographic Styles can be used to give your photos an artistic twist.Foundry Photographic Styles can be used to give your photos an artistic twist.Foundry Foundry The video camera has a new Audio Mix feature on the whole iPhone 16 lineup. It offers three different ways to adjust the audio after you’ve captured the video. For anyone who does even a small amount of editing to recorded videos, Audio Mix provides flexibility for making your content sound how you want it to sound. It feels like a feature that Apple could’ve easily made exclusive to the iPhone 16 Pro, but again, it didn’t. iPhone 16 and 16 Plus: Display The display remains one of the major components separating the iPhone 16 from the 16 Pro. The iPhone 16 uses a display with a 60Hz refresh rate while ProMotion, which offers the ability to automatically adjust the refresh rate to a faster 120Hz when scrolling, remains a Pro feature. As someone who previously used an iPhone 14 Pro Max daily, the difference between the 60Hz and 120Hz rates is noticeable at times, but it’s more about nuance than practicality. There was never a point while using the iPhone 16 to play games, watch videos, web browsing, or any other everyday task where my experience felt lessened because of the 60Hz display. Most of the time I didn’t even notice. The iPhone 16 also lacks an always-on display, so when the phone sits idle or you turn off the display, the display goes dark. In my carrying experience, not having an always-on display didn’t bother me; I could just press the power button or tap the display to see notifications or the time. But when using the iPhone 16 in StandBy mode as a nightstand clock, the display also goes dark and to see the time you have to tap the screen, or trip the phone’s accelerometer by shaking the table or stand, or use Siri. That’s the most annoying part and if you use Standby Mode, consider a Pro model. iPhone 16 and 16 Plus: Performance The iPhones in recent history are more than fast enough for most people. However, Apple continues to improve performance with each new generation. To see how much of an improvement the new A18 offers, we ran a series of benchmarks, starting with Geekbench 6, which offers insight into general, all-around performance. Geekbench 6 CPU benchmark

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Latest Microsoft Office for Mac now available without subscription
Two new subscription-free versions of Office for Mac are now available from Microsoft, with Office Home 2024 costing $149.99. For my money, the standalone versions are by far the best value, letting you buy them once and use them as long as you like, only upgrading if you want the latest features … more…

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Ireland plans what to buy first with Apple's $14 billion tax windfall
Now that the EU's ruling on Apple's back taxes in Ireland is final, the country's government says the $14 billion could be "transformational."Apple's European headquarters, located in Cork, Ireland.For a decade, Ireland has sided with Apple against the European Union and worked with it to protest that no laws or regulations were broken. Now that the EU has finally said tough, Apple has to pay up, Ireland is thinking well, what's done is done, and is rubbing its hands.Ireland has good reason to be happy with this result, even if it disagreed with it. For alongside the $14 billion from Apple, the country already had a budget surplus of around $9.2 billion. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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'Wolfs' is the most-watched movie on Apple TV+ ever
Writer/director Jon Watts's "Wolfs," starring Brad Pitt and George Clooney, had the most successful opening weekend of any Apple TV+ movie since the streamer's start in 2019.Brad Pitt and George Clooney in 'Wolfs'"Wolfs" had some mixed fortunes with Apple TV+ with the streamer cutting back its promised theatrical release, but simultaneously green-lighting a sequel. That sequel now seems like a good idea, given the viewing information Apple appears to have given Deadline magazine."When George, Brad and Jon approached us with the idea for Wolfs, it was an easy call," Matt Dentler, Apple Original Films' head of features, told the publication, "a crackling, fun movie starring two Oscar winners who everyone knows are iconic together." Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Future Apple Pencil could detect colors and textures
Apple could be planning a real-world equivalent of the familiar eye-dropper tool in image apps, where a color could be set by an Apple Pencil tapping against it in an existing image.Back in 2019, Apple applied for a patent concerning an Apple Pencil that could include "an on-board display" that showed different colors. In that case, the idea was that a user would see what color pen or brush stroke was about to be applied.Then in 2023, Apple applied for a patent that in hindsight seems like an obvious extension of this. According to the proposals in "Electronic Device With Optical Sensor For Sampling Surfaces," the Pencil tip could sense colors.Now that patent has been granted. Much of it does effectively repeat some of the earlier patent about changing or selecting colors, but now it's more specific. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Best Thunderbolt and USB-C docking stations for your MacBook
Macworld Plug your MacBook in and out of a multi-port docking station to swiftly add devices and external displays to your laptop. We tested a bunch to find the best Thunderbolt and USB-C docks available to owners of the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. Thunderbolt 3, 4, USB4 or USB-C The connectors all look the same (technically known as a “Type-C connector”), but there are significant differences, particularly on data-transfer speed—with USB-C maxing out at 10Gbps (usually 5Gbps) compared to the 40Gbps of Thunderbolt 3 and 4. More like Thunderbolt than USB-C, USB4 can be either 20Gbps or 40Gbps. That extra bandwidth allows not just for faster data transfer but higher frame rates to external displays, plus some other smart benefits. Of Apple’s current laptop range, the M1/M2/M3 MacBook Air and 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro feature two ports that Apple specifies as “Thunderbolt / USB 4” ports, while the 14in and 16in M1/M2/M3 Pro or M1/M2/M3 Max MacBook Pro models come with three Thunderbolt 4 (TB4) ports. Ignore Apple’s dual designation of non-4 Thunderbolt and USB4—it just means that the ports don’t certify as pure Thunderbolt 4, and that shouldn’t worry most users except for the number of external displays each supports. Apple’s older 12in MacBook features one 5Gbps Gen 1 USB-C port, while the later Intel MacBook Air (2018 and later) and MacBook Pro (from 2016) boast either two or four 40Gbps Thunderbolt 3 ports. If your MacBook is equipped with Thunderbolt 4, then you really should buy a TB4 dock if you need more ports than those 14/16in laptops already possess. USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 docks will work as Thunderbolt 4 is backwards compatible. Indeed, buying a Thunderbolt 4 dock is a wise decision for everyone, based on future-proofing even for owners of Thunderbolt 3 (TB3) Macs. That said, there are still some great—and often more affordable—TB3 and USB-C docks available, and most Apple users won’t see much difference between TB3 and TB4—the Thunderbolt 4 standard was mainly about getting Windows laptops up to speed, although there are technical benefits for MacBook Pro users, such as smarter daisy-chaining and faster PCI hard-drive connections. For more detail, read our Thunderbolt 4 vs Thunderbolt 3 vs USB4 explainer. We have included some cheaper (non-Thunderbolt) USB-C docks. If you don’t require the ultimate bandwidth for the fastest data transfer and best screen frame rates or resolutions, a USB-C dock might suit your purposes and save you money.  Add external displays to your MacBook If you use your laptop as your principal computer, you would do well to consider attaching at least one larger display to create a hybrid desktop/laptop setup (with a keyboard, mouse and printer all available via a single connection to your MacBook). You can turn that 13in laptop’s screen real-estate into an iMac-sized 27in or even larger monitor by adding an extra display—or connect two or even four large screens to extend your screen across your whole desk. Take a look at our recommended best monitors and displays for Mac. If you want to connect more than one external display to your MacBook without adding third-party software you’ll need a Thunderbolt dock, rather than a USB-C dock—unless you install third-party DisplayLink software. Natively over USB-C, Macs can only connect to one external display in Extended mode (where the screen extends beyond what you can see on the laptop screen, as opposed to Mirrored mode that replicates exactly what you get on the laptop screen) but you’ll get two Extended mode screens over a Thunderbolt connection. While Apple’s MacBooks featuring the company’s own M1/M2/M3 Silicon chip are super speedy compared to the models sporting Intel processors, models with plain (non-Pro or -Max) M1 and M2 and some M3 chips come with an incredible limitation: they don’t support more than one external display in Extended Mode even via their Thunderbolt ports. This limitation means that when using any docking station, M1 and M2 MacBook users cannot extend their desktop over two or more displays, and will be limited to either dual Mirrored displays or one external display—although adding third-party DisplayLink or InstantView software to the Mac and connecting to a dedicated USB-C dock will allow you to add more than one external monitor to an M1, M2 or M3 MacBook. Follow that link for our roundup of the best USB-C DisplayLink docks, and we’ve included our favorite in our roundup below. Apple has fixed this limitation with its latest M3 MacBook Air and Pro models—although it still requires you to close the MacBook’s lid to use a second external display. When using DisplayLink, you can leave the M3 MacBook’s lid open to give you a third (built-in) screen. Thankfully, the superior M1/M2/M3 Pro and M1/M2/M3 Max MacBook Pro models can support multiple displays. Below our list of the best MacBook docking stations, we’ve listed the native external display options for each MacBook. One dock supports up to four 6K displays if you own a Max MacBook Pro. While some docking stations promise support for 8K displays, Macs are limited to 6K support via the dock. Macs with an M2/M3 Pro or M2/M3 Max chip can support an 8K display at 60Hz but only when it is connected via the Mac’s own HDMI port and not any port on the dock. Do I need a docking station? All the latest MacBook Pro models boast a wider range of built-in ports, so lighter users might not need a docking station at all. Below the list of our recommended Mac docks is a detailed look at the ports that each recent MacBook includes as standard. With three TB4 and an HDMI port, a MacBook with a Max chip could connect to up to four external displays without the need for a dock, although such a power user would likely require extra Thunderbolt ports for other devices to make up for using all the laptop ports for multiple monitors. See below our list of recommended docking stations for more detail on the external display options with each recent MacBook. All docks come with a bunch of USB ports: some old-school USB-A and newer, more capable USB-C. MacBook Pros also have an SD card reader. Although this is rated as UHS-II (312MBps), Apple has pegged it back at 250MBps, so for the fastest speeds (and a microSD slot if you need one), a dock will likely be a better choice for memory-card use if it is rated at UHS-II rather than UHS-I (104MBps). MacBooks also lack wired Internet access via a Gigabit Ethernet port, so if you want to escape flaky Wi-Fi, buy a dock with at least Gigabit Ethernet, although you could add a Thunderbolt-to-Ethernet adapter if you have a spare TB port. Some later docks include faster 2.5Gb Ethernet but you’ll need a 2.5GbE router or other device to get the benefit. As Gigabit Ethernet’s speed is 1Gbps, a cheaper 5Gbps USB-C to Ethernet adapter will work just as well. Dock or hub? If you just need a few extra ports, a USB-C hub or Thunderbolt 4 hub might be your best choice—see our roundup of the best USB-C and Thunderbolt hubs for Mac. However, if you require a bunch of fast ports including Gigabit (or faster) Ethernet and multiple video ports plus more powerful charging capability, then look for a full dock that fulfills your needs, and you are in exactly the right place to discover which dock is best for your and you MacBook. USB-C and Thunderbolt speeds Foundry Foundry Foundry Thunderbolt vs USB-C dock compatibility Plain USB-C runs at either 5Gbps or 10Gbps, while Thunderbolt (TB3 and TB4) hits speeds of 40Gbps. You can hook up a Thunderbolt laptop to a USB-C dock but you won’t access the faster speeds unless you buy a true Thunderbolt dock. (By the way, Thunderbolt 5, offering 80Gbps, won’t be seen on a Mac until well into 2024.) • USB and Thunderbolt speeds explained USB PD: Power Delivery for your laptop Look out for a dock with USB PD. The PD stands for Power Delivery.  Charging the laptop: The M1/M2/M3 MacBook Air requires a PD charger with at least 30W power, but you can fast-charge an M2 Air with a charger rated at over 70W. You’ll need 67W for the 13-inch MacBook Pro and 14-inch MBP (with 8-, 10- or 11-core CPU), 96W for 14-inch MBP (with 12-core CPU), and 96W (preferably 140W) for the 16-inch MBP. The older 15in MacBook Pro requires a 87W PD charger. An 85W/96W MacBook Pro can be charged by a 30W or 60W charger, but slower than it would be with its native charger. A larger MacBook with a heavy workload might start fading even while being charges on a lower wattage. If you own a larger MacBook Pro, buy a dock with a PD (Power Delivery) potential of at least 85W if you can. Portable hubs are usually rated at a lower power such as 60W. USB PD 3.0 maxes at 100W, while USB PD 3.1 can support up to 240W of power. The 16-inch MacBook Pro requires 140W to fast-charge via its MagSafe 3 cable, so owners of that laptop should look for a PD 3.1 charger. If you just need a spare charger, we’ve tested the best MacBook chargers for you. Dock, hub or dongle: Whole lotta ports You need one (“upstream”) Thunderbolt or USB-C port for connecting to and charging your laptop (although the 14/16in MacBooks can also power via the MagSafe port), and likely at least another (“downstream”) to attach further devices (hard drives, external display, and others). There are many inexpensive USB-C dongles/hubs that let you add more devices to a MacBook (see our roundup of the best USB-C adapters for Macs) or a Thunderbolt hub offering a few extra ports might be all your need, but for maximum flexibility check out a docking station that takes care of all your extra port requirements, and allows you to simply attach it to your laptop with just one cable when you get to the office or come home. Here we concentrate on Thunderbolt docks, but also include cheaper USB-C docks—which Thunderbolt MacBooks can use, but at the cost of reduced bandwidth and display limitations. We’ve also included our favorite Thunderbolt hubs for smaller and cheaper alternatives. For more non-Thunderbolt USB-C-only docks check out Tech Advisor’s roundup of the best USB-C docking stations for laptops. Tech Advisor also reviews all the available Thunderbolt 4 docks. Docks aren’t just for MacBooks. Mac mini (2018 and later) and iMac (2017 and later) owners may also consider expanding their ports with a Thunderbolt docking station. The inclusion of an SD or microSD card reader isn’t just for camera buffs. It’s a convenient and affordable way to add storage to your laptop setup. We found a 512GB Samsung Evo microSD card on Amazon for around $100 in the US and under £100 in the UK. That’s a very cheap way of adding half a terabyte of portable storage. For more details read up on our best microSD cards. Some of the docks reviewed below include an integrated SSD enclosure that lets you add up to 8TB of fast storage to your connected MacBook. Sonnet Echo 20 Thunderbolt 4 SuperDock – Best Thunderbolt 4 dock for Macs Pros Thunderbolt 4 19 ports Built-in speedy SSD enclosure 100W PD laptop charging 2.5Gb Ethernet Price When Reviewed: $299.99 Best Prices Today: $299.99 at Amazon$299.99 at Sonnet Type: 40Gbps Thunderbolt 4 Dock Ports: 19 Power: 100W PD 3.0; 150W max External displays: 2x 4K at 60Hz or 1x 6K at 60Hz Boasting an impressive 19 top-rated ports, Thunderbolt 4 certified and with a bonus internal SSD storage feature, the Sonnet Echo 20 Thunderbolt SuperDock offers remarkable value for money. It has the most ports and equals the fastest ports seen in the market. Its nearest competitor is the excellent Caldigit TS4, reviewed below. Sonnet clearly targeted the TS4 and the specs are remarkably similar—but the cheaper Echo 20 has a useful SSD enclosure that means you can add up to 8TB of internal storage via the dock. If you don’t need this feature and prefer DisplayPort to HDMI, or you need the most powerful ports on offer, the TS4 is still a great contender, although it costs a fair amount more. The Satechi Dual Dock Stand, reviewed below, is a cheaper non-Thunderbolt option if the idea of an integrated SSD enclosure is appealing. Even if your MacBook is Thunderbolt 3, as a Thunderbolt 4 dock the Echo 20 is backwards compatible and will work with your next laptop when it’s time to upgrade. While you can use Thunderbolt ports to add external displays, Sonnet has swapped one of the downstream TB4 ports for a dedicated HDMI port. You can add up to two 4K displays at 60Hz or a single 6K screen at 60Hz. Unless your second display can connect directly with its USB-C port, you’ll need a USB-C-to-DisplayPort or HDMI adapter cable to connect to one of the downstream TB4 ports. If you have the right router, you can take advantage of super-fast wired Internet access with the Echo 20’s 2.5GbE Gigabit Ethernet—2.5x faster than standard Gigabit Ethernet, with which it also works on standard networks. One Thunderbolt 4 upstream port (40Gbps, 100W PD) Two Thunderbolt 4 downstream ports (40Gbps, 15W) Up to two external displays (4K at 60Hz) HDMI 2.1 port  Four USB-C ports (10Gbps, 7.5W) Four USB-A ports (10Gbps, 7.5W) SD Card Reader (SD 4.0 UHS-II, 312MBps) 2.5GbE Gigabit Ethernet port 3.5mm Combo Audio In/Out port (front) Two (right and left channels) line out RCA jacks (back) 3.5mm microphone jack (back) 150W power supply Read our full Sonnet Echo 20 Thunderbolt 4 SuperDock review Satechi Dual Dock Stand – Best USB-C dock for Macs Pros 9 ports Built-in speedy SSD enclosure 100W PD laptop charging Zero-footprint docking station Cons USB-C not Thunderbolt USB ports can’t charge devices No card reader Requires USB-C charger Price When Reviewed: $149.95 Best Prices Today: $149.95 at Satechi$149.99 at Amazon$149.99 at B&H Type: 10Gbps USB-C Dock Ports: 19 Power: 100W PD 3.0; 150W max External displays: 2x 4K at 60Hz or 1x 6K at 60Hz Another dock with an SSD enclosure is the Satechi Dual Dock Stand that doubles up as an open-MacBook stand that raises the keyboard to a more comfortable angle.. Unlike the Thunderbolt 4 Sonnet Echo 20, reviewed above, this is a USB-C dock with a 10Gbps rather than 40Gbps bandwidth, but it’s significantly cheaper as a result. The MSRP of the Satechi Dual Dock Stand is $150, which is a very reasonable price for a dual 4K 60Hz USB-C docking station. With one DisplayPort 1.4 and two HDMI 2.0 ports, you can connect up to two 4K displays in Extended mode at a decent 60Hz refresh rate. The Echo 20 has just one video port. Although that port is the superior HDMI 2.1, you have to add a second external screen via one of the Thunderbolt ports, which will require an adapter. The SSD enclosure is the star of the show. Placed on the underside of the dock, this is easily accessed and supports both NVMe and SATA SSDs. You need to buy the SSD separately. Amazon is selling NVME SSDs for around $50 (1TB), $80 (2TB) or $300 (4TB). One USB-C port is for passthrough PD power at up to 75W to the laptop, which is enough for all but the 16-inch MacBook Pro at full pelt. Even that model will charge fine—just slower than smaller MacBooks. Note that you will need to connect your own USB-C charger to the dock: check out our recommended MacBook chargers. If you use your MacBook’s own keyboard and desire up to two quality external displays, plus need to increase your base storage with fast SSD drives, the Satechi Dual Dock Stand is a neat, zero-footprint docking station that matches your MacBook for style and adds nine useful ports. Dual-USB-C upstream connector to laptop (10Gbps, 75W PD 3.0) Passthrough power USB-C port Two USB-C (one at 10Gbps, one at 5Gbps) Two USB-A (one at 10Gbps, one at 5Gbps) One DisplayPort 1.4 Two HDMI 2.1 ports Gigabit Ethernet Read our full Satechi Dual Dock Stand review CalDigit TS4 – most powerful Thunderbolt 4 dock Pros Thunderbolt 4 18 ports 98W PD laptop charging 2.5Gb Ethernet 230W power supply Price When Reviewed: $399.95 Best Prices Today: $379.99 at Amazon$399.95 at CalDigit$495.87 at Walmart Type: 40Gbps Thunderbolt 4 Dock Ports: 18 Power: 98W PD 3.0; 230W max External displays: 2x 4K at 60Hz or 1x 6K at 60Hz With 18 top-rated ports and Thunderbolt 4 certified, it’s difficult to look past the Caldigit Thunderbolt Station 4, aka TS4. Yes, it’s expensive, but it’s an ultra-impressive dock. It compares well to the Sonnet Echo 20 with just one fewer port—the Echo 20’s integrated SSD enclosure. For port speeds the TS4 matches the Echo 20, and it boasts the highest power supply that we’ve seen on any dock that we’ve tested—a whopping 230W to be spread among the ports, including a front-mounted 20W USB-C that can fast-charge an iPhone and 98W laptop PD charging. We also love this dock’s flexible vertical or horizontal format. As with the Echo 20, while you can use Thunderbolt ports to add external displays. Caldigit swaps one of the downstream TB4 ports for a dedicated video port—in this case, DisplayPort. You’ll need an adapter if your monitor requires HDMI. You can add up to two 4K displays at 60Hz or a single 6K screen at 60Hz. The TS4 also matches the Echo 20 with super-fast 2.5GbE Gigabit Ethernet–2.5x faster than standard Gigabit Ethernet. One Thunderbolt 4 upstream port (40Gbps, 98W PD) Two Thunderbolt 4 downstream ports (40Gbps, 15W) Up to two external displays (4K at 60Hz) DisplayPort 1.4 port  Five USB-A ports (10Gbps, 7.5W) One USB-C port (10Gbps, 20W) Two USB-C ports (10Gbps, 7.5W) SD Card Reader (SD 4.0 UHS-II, 312MBps) microSD Card Reader (SD 4.0 UHS-II, 312MBps) 2.5GbE Gigabit Ethernet port 3.5mm Combo Audio In/Out port at front 3.5mm Audio In & Out ports at back 230W power supply Read our full Caldigit Thunderbolt Station 4 (TS4) review. Kensington SD5700T Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station – Great choice for 2x 4K displays Pros 11 fast ports 4x Thunderbolt 4 ports 90W PD laptop charging 180W power supply Power button Cons 4.5W USB-A ports Price When Reviewed: $314.99 Best Prices Today: $168.99 at Amazon$168.99 at Best Buy$259.99 at B&H Type: 40Gbps Thunderbolt 4 Dock Ports: 11 Power: 90W PD 3.0; 180W max External displays: 2x 4K at 60Hz or 1x 6K at 30Hz The Kensington SD5700T Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station has everything a dock should have: four TB4 ports, three fast USB-A and one slow one (that at least boasts 7.5W charging power compared to the faster USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 port’s 4.5W), Gigabit Ethernet, SD Card reader, and 3.5mm audio jack. It can supply two external 4K displays at 60Hz or one 6K monitor but at 30Hz rather than 60Hz like the Caldigit TS4, so single-screen gamers should probably look elsewhere. At 180W, the power supply is higher than most docks tested here but not as great as found on the Caldigit TS4. It’s essential if you are powering multiple devices connected to the dock. And the On/Off power button (rare on docks) means you can give the laptop battery’s rest when you’re away. There are useful lights telling you when the dock is powered and when it’s connected. Check out the latest live prices above as this dock is often on sale for less than the listed price and can represent great value for money. • One upstream Thunderbolt 4 port (40Gbps, 90W PD)• Three Thunderbolt 4 downstream ports (40Gbps, 15W)• Three USB-A ports (10Gbps, 4.5W)• One USB-A port (480Mbps, 7.5W)• Gigabit Ethernet • SD Card reader (UHS-II, 312MBps)• 3.5mm audio jack• 180W power supply A variant model, the Kensington SD5780T dock (available in the US only), drops one of the three downstream Thunderbolt 4 ports in favor of an HDMI 2.1 but costs an extra $50. Read our full Kensington SD5700T Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station review. iVanky FusionDock Max 1 – Best Thunderbolt 4 dock for four 6K displays Pros 21 ports Two Thunderbolt 4 chips Up to four 6K displays at 60Hz 2.5 gigabit ethernet Cons Pricey Requires Max processor for four displays Price When Reviewed: $549.99 Best Prices Today: $439.99 at Amazon$549.99 at iVanky Type: 40Gbps Thunderbolt 4 Dock Ports: 21 Power: 96W PD 3.0; 180W max External displays: 4x 6K at 60Hz Packing more ports (a whopping 21 in total) than any equivalent docking station we’ve tested, the iVanky FusionDock Max 1’s dual Thunderbolt 4 chips mark it apart from the competition with not just more but faster connections. No other dock can match it for number of Thunderbolt ports and its ability to host multiple monitors. Packing two Thunderbolt chips gives the FusionDock Max 1 the ability to double up on video-capable ports. Connected to a MacBook Pro with an M1 Max, M2 Max or M3 Max processor it can handle up to four 6K displays at 60Hz using both its Thunderbolt 4 chipsets. It costs more than any other docking station but it’s a unique dual-Thunderbolt 4 system that answers the dreams of multi-screen Mac professionals. It doesn’t work with Intel Macs or even any Windows computer. This is a dock built for the top-end MacBook Pro Max. Macs with Pro rather than Max processors can connect to two 4K displays at 60Hz. While that would lose the display benefit this is still is good choice as you could have up to four 40Gbps downstream Thunderbolt 4 ports at your disposal. Its other ports are plenty and top-end, too. We’re not sure who needs six USB-A ports these days, but they are there and all are rated at 10Gbps. We would have preferred more USB-C than USB-A, but one of the Type C ports included boasts 30W device charging power. On top of all that you get 2.5Gb Ethernet and two fast UHS-II SD card readers. Two upstream Thunderbolt 4 ports (40Gbps, 96W) Four downstream Thunderbolt 4 ports (40Gbps, 15W) Two HDMI 2.0 video ports Six USB-A ports (10Gbps, 7.5W) Two USB-C ports (10Gbps, one at 30W, one at 7.5W) 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet UHS-II SD card reader (312MBps) UHS-II MicroSD card reader (312MBps) 3.5mm combo Audio jack (front) 3.5mm Audio out jack (back) Optical Audio 180W power supply Read our full iVANKY FusionDock Max 1 review Satechi Thunderbolt 4 Multi-Display Docking Station – Best Thunderbolt 4 DisplayLink dock for four 4K displays Pros 11 fast ports Up to 4x 4K at 60Hz displays 6K at 60Hz display 180W power supply Cons U.K. buyers require local plug Price When Reviewed: $299.99 Best Prices Today: $299.99 at Amazon$299.99 at Satechi This affordable Thunderbolt 4 docking station is built for people who require three or four monitors. Using DisplayLink software, it enables M1/M2/M3 Pro MacBook Pro and M3 MacBook Air users to connect up to four 4K displays, and even plain M1/M2 MacBooks—normally limited to just one monitor—will support three external displays. Aside from the mighty iVanky dock reviewed above, it’s the only dock available with three downstream speedy 40Gbps Thunderbolt 4 ports and two HDMI 2.0 ports—all of which can connect to an external display, although four is the maximum. Freely downloadable DisplayLink software is required to make the HDMI ports work. While the $500 iVanky supports four 6K displays, the $299 Satechi can still support four 4K screens at 60Hz. For three displays, you can get one 6K at 60Hz and the other two 4K/60Hz. It lacks spare USB-C ports but the three TB4 ports are backwards compatible, and can each offer 15W power output (although only two at one time). The two USB-A ports are fast but offer little device charging power. The SD card reader is fast, and will accept MicroSD cards with an adapter. If you want handfuls of USB ports and 2.5Gb Ethernet, there are other docks in your future, but this dock is close to perfect for non-Max M-series users who want multiple monitors. Even Max owners can use this dock to give them four displays and leave their MacBook’s built-in ports free for other devices, as well as save money on the pricier iVanky alternative. One upstream Thunderbolt 4 port (40Gbps, 96W) Three downstream Thunderbolt 4 ports (40Gbps, 15W) Two HDMI 2.0 video ports Two USB-A ports (10Gbps, 4.5W) Gigabit Ethernet UHS-II SD card reader (312MBps) 3.5mm combo Audio jack (front) 180W power supply Read our full Satechi Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station with DisplayLink review CalDigit TS3 Plus – Excellent Thunderbolt 3 dock for Macs Pros 15 ports 87W PD laptop charging Digital audio 180W power supply Cons Thunderbolt 3 not 4 Doesn’t work with USB-C laptops Price When Reviewed: $239.95 Best Prices Today: $209.99 at Amazon$239.99 at Caldigit$299.99 at B&H Type: 40Gbps Thunderbolt 3 Dock Ports: 15 Power: 87W PD 3.0; 180W max External displays: 2x 4K at 60Hz or 1x 5K at 60Hz Caldigit’s TS3 Plus is the granddaddy of Thunderbolt 3 docks. Its compact shape and 15 ports made it our favorite top-end Thunderbolt 3 docking station for its sheer functional flexibility and power at a great price. Other docks boast faster USB ports, but few have seven like the TS3 Plus—except its successor, the TS4, which makes even the TS3 Plus look underpowered. if you can afford the extra, we recommend the TS4. It’s a better choice than the Anker 577 dock as it works with all modern Macs that use M1/M2/M3 chips. The TS3 Plus isn’t unsuitable for non-Thunderbolt laptops—but as most MacBooks have at least TB3, that shouldn’t matter unless you work in a mixed Mac/Windows environment. And while Thunderbolt 4 is the latest connection standard, its top-end benefits won’t be noticed by most MacBook owners as TB3 matches TB4 on data-transfer speed. To add the second external display you will require an HDMI or DisplayPort USB-C video adapter to run from the USB-C port unless you have a USB-C monitor. To avoid this need for an adapter, look for a dock with two video ports.  Both connected displays can run 4K displays at 60Hz. You could also run one 5K display at the same frame rate. The TS3 Plus’s digital audio ports set it apart from most other Thunderbolt docks. It charges your laptop at 87W so makes it a great companion to Apple’s larger MacBook Pro models. This dock is dinky so won’t take up too much space on your desk. Available in Silver and Space Gray, it matches the colors of Apple’s laptops.  One Thunderbolt 3 upstream port (40Gbps, 87W PD) One Thunderbolt 3 downstream port (40Gbps, 15W) DisplayPort 1.2 port  Five USB-A ports (5Gbps, 7.5W) One USB-C (10Gbps) port One USB-C (5Gbps) port SD Card Reader (SD 4.0 UHS-II, 312MBps) Gigabit Ethernet port Front-facing 3.5mm Audio In & Out ports One Digital Optical Audio (S/PDIF) port 180W power supply Read our full CalDigit Thunderbolt Station 3 Plus (TS3 Plus) review Alogic DX3 Triple 4K Display Universal Docking Station – Best USB-C display dock for Macs Pros 12 ports 100W PD laptop charging Triple 5K displays Cons USB-C not Thunderbolt Requires DisplayLink software Price When Reviewed: $299.99 Best Prices Today: $233.34 at Amazon$299.99 at Alogic Type: 10Gbps USB-C Dock Ports: 12 Power: 100W PD 3.0; 135W max External displays: 3x 5K at 60Hz This Alogic DisplayLink docking station is a USB-C rather than Thunderbolt docking station, so lacks the data-transfer bandwidth you’d get from a TB dock. However, with the addition of third-party DisplayLink software, this dock can support up to three external 4K 60Hz displays even on a limited plain M1/M2/M3 MacBook. The video ports are all top-end DP. 1.4. If your monitor is HDMI instead of DisplayPort, you’ll need to add an adapter between dock and display—but you’d need to buy video cables anyway. If HDMI is all you need, consider the Satechi Triple 4K dock. It also packs a bunch of non-display ports, such as three USB-A and a spare downstream USB-C port, plus fast SD and MicroSD card readers and Gigabit Ethernet. It can power the connected laptop at 100W and has a decent 135W external power supply so doesn’t require an extra USB-C charger like many DisplayLink USB-C docks do. For similar options check out our list of the best USB-C DisplayLink docks. The DisplayLink download link is clearly shown in the user manual, and instructions make sense—although you need a magnifying glass to read them! One USB-C port (10Gbps, 100W PD) Three DisplayPort 1.4 port One USB-C (10Gbps) port (7.5W) Three USB-A (5Gbps) ports (one at 7.5W) SD Card Reader (SD 4.0 UHS-II, 312MBps) microSD 4.0 Card Reader (SD 4.0 UHS-II, 312MBps) Gigabit Ethernet port Hybrid 3.5mm audio port 135W power supply A little cheaper, the Alogic DX2 supports two 4K displays at 60Hz and lacks some of the other ports found on the DX3. If you just need two external monitors for your M1/M2/M3 MacBook this may be a cheaper option. Caldigit Thunderbolt 4 and USB4 Element Hub – Best Thunderbolt 4 hub Pros 4x TB4 4x 10Gbps USB-A 150W total power Compact Cons 60W power maybe light for larger laptops Price When Reviewed: $199.95 Best Prices Today: $179.99 at Amazon$199.95 at CalDigit Type: 40Gbps Thunderbolt 4 Hub Ports: 8 Power to laptop: 60W PD 3.0; 150W max External displays: 2x 6K at 60Hz The Caldigit Thunderbolt 4 and USB4 Element Hub isn’t a dock because it doesn’t feature anything other than Thunderbolt and USB ports—no Ethernet, SD card reader or audio port. But it boasts so many top-end Thunderbolt and USB ports that you can customize it to your every desire. There are four TB4 ports (one upstream to your computer placed handily on the side, and three downstream to other devices) and four fast 10Gbps USB-A ports. You can use two of the three downstream TB4 ports to connect directly to USB-C-equipped monitors or HDMI or DisplayPort screens using inexpensive adapters. It can handle two 6K displays at 60Hz or one 6K monitor at the same refresh rate. That still leave you a spare TB4 port and the four USB-A ports to add further devices, such as an adapter for Gigabit Ethernet and/or SD card reader, SSDs, memory sticks and so on as your requirements demand, so there is no port wastage. As a hub rather than a dock, its 60W laptop charger is a little underpowered for larger laptops, but the overall 150W power supply will help with all the hub’s ports. Owners of the 16-inch MacBook Pro will probbaly still reply on the laptop’s own 140W charger via MagSafe. None of the other docks tested here can supply the 140W required for 16in MBP fast-charging so it’s not as big a limitation as first appears. It’s small enough to be portable, but don’t forget that the external power supply will weigh down your travel bag. • One upstream Thunderbolt 4 port (40Gbps, 60W PD)• Three downstream Thunderbolt 4 ports (40Gbps, 15W)• Four USB-A ports (10Gbps, 7.5W)• 150W power supply Read our full Caldigit Thunderbolt 4 and USB4 Element Hub review. OWC Thunderbolt Hub – Best budget Thunderbolt 4 hub Pros Four Thunderbolt 4 ports One fast USB-A port Cons 60W power maybe light for larger laptops Price When Reviewed: $139.99 Best Prices Today: $139.99 at OWCNot Available at AdoramaNot Available at Amazon Type: 40GbpsThunderbolt 4 Hub Ports: 5 Power to laptop: 60W PD 3.0; 110W max External displays: 2x 6K at 60Hz Also a hub rather than a full dock, the OWC Thunderbolt Hub doesn’t match the Caldigit Thunderbolt 4 or even the TB4 Element Hub on its number of old-school USB-A ports, but it is cheaper and offers the same four Thunderbolt 4 ports—one upstream to your computer placed at the front, and three downstream to other devices at the back. You can use two of the three downstream TB4 ports to connect directly to USB-C-equipped monitors or HDMI or DisplayPort screens using inexpensive adapters. It supports dual 6K displays at 60Hz. As with the its rival hub, its 60W laptop charger is underpowered for larger laptops. • One upstream Thunderbolt 4 port (40Gbps, 60W PD)• Three downstream Thunderbolt 4 ports (40Gbps, 15W)• One USB-A port (10Gbps, 7.5W)• 110W power supply Twelve South StayGo – Best portable USB-C dock Pros Portable 85W passthrough charging Cons USB-C not Thunderbolt Support for only one external display Price When Reviewed: $99.99 Best Prices Today: $75 at Amazon$75 at B&H$99.99 at Twelve South Type: 5Gbps USB-C Dock Ports: 8 Power: 85W PD 3.0; requires USB-C charger External displays: 2x 4K at 30Hz It calls itself just a hub but the StayGo USB-C Hub is a little lightweight box of ports that has enough to go to battle with bigger, more expensive laptop docking stations—and is small enough to fit in your pocket and go travelling with you. It boasts three USB-A ports (one at 7.5W), a USB-C port for connecting to the laptop and another for 85W passthrough PD charging, one HDMI port, Gigabit Ethernet and SD/Micro SD card readers. The HDMI port will support a 4K display but at 30Hz rather than 60Hz that you’ll find on more powerful docks. It’s 5Gbps USB-C rather than 40Gbps Thunderbolt but will work with either type of laptop connection. Of course, you’ll lose that full 40Gbps bandwidth and the option of a second external display, and newer USB-C hubs and docks have moved to 10Gbps rather than 5Gbps, but lighter users might not care, and it’s perfect for portability. One USB-C upstream port (5Gbps) One USB-C port (5Gbps) for passthrough 85W PD charging; requires charger One external display (4K at 30Hz) HDMI port (4K at 30Hz) Three USB-A ports (5Gbps; one at 7.5W) Gigabit Ethernet port SD Card Reader (UHS-I, 104MBps) If you don’t need as many extra USB-A ports, Twelve South also offers the cheaper StayGo mini USB-C Hub, which has the USB-C connection to your laptop, 85W passthrough USB-C port and 4K HDMI but just one USB-A port. Read our full Twelve South StayGo USB-C Hub review. CalDigit Thunderbolt 3 mini Dock – Best portable Thunderbolt 3 dock Pros Portable Dual 4K display HDMI ports Cons Thunderbolt 3 not 4 No downstream TB3 port Unpowered Price When Reviewed: From $149.99 Best Prices Today: $149.99 at Adorama$149.99 at Amazon$149.99 at Caldigit Type: 40Gbps Thunderbolt 3 Dock Ports: 18 Power: draws power from laptop External displays: 2x 4K at 60Hz The CalDigit Thunderbolt 3 mini Dock offers full Thunderbolt 40Gbps bandwidth and dual-4K HDMI display support at 60Hz in a lightweight portable form. It connects to the laptop via an integrated TB3 cable. The Mini Dock Dual HDMI features two HDMI ports, plus Gigabit Ethernet and two USB-A: one at 5Gbps (4.5W); one at the much slower 480Mbps (2.5W).  It runs 4K displays at 60Hz in Extended mode—best for high-action movies and gaming. Plainer USB-C docks can handle two 4K displays, but only at 30Hz, and only one Extended. Its downside is a lack of power supply (which it draws from the host laptop), so you’ll need to power your laptop via another port, and the USB ports certainly aren’t for fast-charging purposes. No power supply means it’s super portable but a passthrough power port would have been preferred. Portable USB-C hubs often boast more ports (although just the one external display option) but lack the faster Thunderbolt 3 connection. Bus-powered, so no PD charging Thunderbolt 3 (40Gbps) upstream cable Up to two external displays (4K at 60Hz) Two HDMI 2.0 ports (4K at 60Hz) Two USB-A port (5Gbps & 4.5W, one 480Mbps & 2.5W)  Gigabit Ethernet port Read our full CalDigit Thunderbolt 3 miniDock review Anker 675 USB-C 12-in-1 Docking Station and Monitor Stand – Best dock and monitor stand combo Pros Stylish Stand / 11-port Hub Raises monitor height 5x 10Gbps USB ports Wireless phone charging HDMI 4K at 60Hz 180W total power Cons USB-C not Thunderbolt Price When Reviewed: $199.99 Best Prices Today: $199.99 at Anker$249.99 at Amazon Why not make your MacBook even more powerful and improve your workspace and posture at the same time? This is an able USB-C dock and good-looking monitor stand that you can place your external display on top of and desk-based gear underneath in a boost to create an ergonomic and decluttered workplace. Your MacBook will probably best sit nearby in a closed laptop stand—see our roundup of the best MacBook stands—and connect via USB-C to the dock/stand. The roster of ports is impressive, with four fast (10Gbps) downstream USB ports on the side (two of which can share 45W of device charging power), plus storage card readers and audio jack, as well as the upstream 100W PD USB-C port positioned underneath. Also on the cable-management underside are the HDMI and Gigabit Ethernet ports as well as a low-powered USB-A port (most likely for a wired keyboard or mouse) and the meaty 180W power supply port. On the top there’s a (non-magnetic) Qi wireless charger that you can rest your iPhone or AirPods case on for 7.5W charging. One USB-C upstream port (10Gbps, 100W PD) Two USB-C ports (10Gbps, shared 45W) One external display (4K at 60Hz) HDMI 2.0 port  Three USB-A ports (10Gbps, one at 7.5W) Qi wireless charging pad (10W max, 7.5W iPhone) Gigabit Ethernet port SD Card Reader (SD UHS-I, 104MBps) microSD Card Reader (SD UHS-I, 104MBps) 3.5mm Combo Audio In/Out port 180W power supply Read our full Anker 675 USB-C 12-in-1 Docking Station and Monitor Stand review Ugreen Revodok Max 213 Thunderbolt 13-in-1 Docking Station Pros Thunderbolt 4 13 top-end ports 2.5Gb Ethernet Dedicated DisplayPort 1.4 port 90W PD on 180W power supply Cons Only one USB-C port Expensive Price When Reviewed: $399.99 Best Prices Today: $299.99 at Amazon$399.99 at Ugreen This solid, good-looking dock is aimed against the mighty CalDigit TS4, with a bunch of fast ports and the same vertical or horizontal design—and sadly the same high price. It’s a little bigger than the TS4, reviewed above, but has fewer USB ports. Both support two 4K displays at 60Hz, but the TS4 can handle a single 6K display, while the Revodok Max is limited to 4K even with just one display connected. The TS4 definitely wins on ports and specs, so we’d call the Revodok over-priced. If Ugreen dropped the price this would be a compelling alternative, as it offers just about everything most users need in a robust and pleasant design. One Thunderbolt 4 upstream port (40Gbps, 90W PD) Two Thunderbolt 4 downstream ports (40Gbps, 15W) Up to two external displays (4K at 60Hz) DisplayPort 1.4 port  Two USB-A ports (10Gbps, 7.5W) Two USB-A ports (5Gbps, 7.5W) One USB-C port (10Gbps, 20W) 2.5GbE Gigabit Ethernet port SD Card Reader (SD 4.0 UHS-II, 312MBps) microSD Card Reader (SD 4.0 UHS-II, 312MBps) 3.5mm Combo Audio In/Out port at front 180W power supply Read our full Ugreen Revodok Max 213 Thunderbolt 13-in-1 Docking Station review Anker 577 PowerExpand Elite 13-in-1 Thunderbolt 3 Dock – Best Thunderbolt 3 dock for Intel Macs Pros 13 ports 85W PD laptop charging 18W USB-C Cons Thunderbolt 3 not 4 No support for Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3) Price When Reviewed: $299.99 Best Prices Today: $119.99 at Walmart$229 at Amazon$299.99 at Anker Type: 40Gbps Thunderbolt 3 Dock Ports: 13 Power: 85W PD 3.0; 180W max External displays: 2x 4K at 60Hz or 1x 5K at 60Hz Anker’s 577 PowerExpand Elite 13-in-1 Thunderbolt 3 Dock is a great docking station for Intel-based Thunderbolt and USB-C laptops–with lots of top-rated ports in a compact, good-looking case. Unfortunately, it doesn’t play nicely with the newer M1/M2/M3 MacBooks, which rules out all recent Macs. It is a serious contender for the crown of the best Thunderbolt 3 dock but only for older Intel-based Macs. The Caldigit TS3 Plus boasts one more USB-A port, but the Anker has one faster USB-C port plus the ability to also work with non-Thunderbolt USB-C laptops. All the Power Expand Elite’s ports are top-end: both USB-C ports, for example, are Gen. 2 at 10Gbps, whereas some docks boast just 5Gbps C-type ports. The On/Off button at the front is a nice touch we haven’t seen on many other docks, and there’s really nothing except price to distinguish it from the other recommended docking stations we have tested. It’s a cute compact design with a decent quantity of ports, including two fast USB-C ports as well as two TB3. The only real downside is the lack of support for newer Macs. One Thunderbolt 3 upstream port (40Gbps, 85W PD) One Thunderbolt 3 downstream port (40Gbps, 15W) One HDMI 2.0 port Two USB-C (10Gbps) ports (one at 18W) Four USB-A (5Gbps) ports (one at 7.5W) SD Card Reader (SD 4.0 UHS-II, 312MBps) microSD 4.0 Card Reader (SD 4.0 UHS-II, 312MBps) Gigabit Ethernet port Hybrid 3.5mm audio port 180W power supply Read our full Anker PowerExpand Elite 13-in-1 Thunderbolt 3 Dock review Logi Dock – USB-C dock for remote working and video calls Pros 3x USB-C, 2x USB-A ports 100W PD laptop charging Built-in speakers and noise-cancelling mics Works with Zoom and other video apps Cons USB-C not Thunderbolt Expensive Only one display in Extended mode Price When Reviewed: $199 Best Prices Today: $175.99 at Amazon$175.99 at B&H$187.99 at Best Buy Type: 5Gbps USB-C Hub Ports: 8 Power: 100W PD 3.0; 230W max External displays: 1x 4K at 60Hz There are plenty of docks and hubs that allow you to connect monitors, hard drives and other accessories to your Mac, but the Logi Dock casts its net wider than that. It’s fairly expensive, at $399/£399.99, but it’s designed to provide an all-in-one desktop system for people who do a lot of video-conferencing when working at home or in the office. The compact USB-C dock (3.34-x-6.3-x-5.18 inches) will fit neatly on your desk alongside your Mac’s display. The Logi Dock’s chunky power adaptor means that this is very much a dock that’s designed to stay on your desk the whole time. There’s one USB-C upstream port that is used to connect the Logi Dock to your Mac, and both HDMI and DisplayPort interfaces for external display. Significantly, you can only connect one 4K display if you’re using Extended mode, although you can connect two 4K displays in Mirrored mode. The Logi Dock can work as a speaker for voice and video calls, or you can just listen to some music while you’re working using either the USB-C connection with your Mac, or using Bluetooth to connect to your mobile devices. It sounds pretty good too, with a set of 55mm stereo speakers that deliver a nice firm bass thud on Kate Bush’s Running Up That Hill. You can also use Logitech’s Tune app to link the Logi Dock with conferencing apps such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom, and there’s a set of buttons on the top of the Logi Dock that allow you to quickly mute the mic and turn off the camera. 1x USB-C upstream port (5Gbps, 100W) 2x USB-C downstream ports (5Gbps, 4.5W) 1 x USB-C downstream ports (5Gbps, 7.5W) 1x USB-A (5Gbps, 4.5W) 1x USB-A (5Gbps, 7.5W) 1x HDMI 2.0 1x DisplayPort 1.4 2x 55mm speakers (stereo) 6x noise-cancelling microphones 230W power supply Certified for Zoom, MS Teams, Google Meet HyperDrive GEN2 14-Port Thunderbolt 3 Dock Pros 14 ports 85W PD laptop charging Digital audio Cons Thunderbolt 3 not 4 Expensive outside US Price When Reviewed: $349.99 Best Prices Today: $99.99 at Amazon$349.99 at Hyper Type: 40Gbps Thunderbolt 3 Dock Ports: 14 Power: 85W PD 3.0; 180W max External displays: 2x 4K at 60Hz This Titan Ridge (Thunderbolt and USB-C) docking station is bristling with 14 high-performance ports. Its compact form is neat (just like the Caldigit TS4 and TS3 Plus or the Anker PowerExpand Elite), and it can lie either upright or horizontal depending on your needs and preference. There are six USB-A ports in total: four USB-A ports at 5Gbps and a further two at 10Gbps, plus one fast-charging QC 3.0 USB-A port. While the Quick Charge port’s 36W is impressive, iPhone fast-charging requires a USB-C port rather than USB-A as found here. That said, it’s still going to charge a device faster than the 4.5W or 7.5W ports found on many other docks. On top of this is one 10Gbps USB-C port that you’ll need if you want to supplement the DisplayPort for a second external display. You’ll also get more professional-level digital audio ports, as well as the analogue 3.5mm headphone/mic jack at the front. One Thunderbolt 3 upstream port (40Gbps, 85W PD) One Thunderbolt 3 downstream port (40Gbps, 15W) One DisplayPort 1.4 ports (4K at 60Hz) Three USB-A ports (5Gbps, 4.5W) Two USB-A ports (10Gbps, 4.5W) One USB-A port (QC 3.0, 36W) One USB-C port (10Gbps, 7.5W) Gigabit Ethernet port Front-facing 3.5mm Analogue Audio In & Out port One Digital Optical Toslink Audio (S/PDIF) port One Digital Coaxial Audio (S/PDIF) port 180W power supply Read our full HyperDrive GEN2 16-Port Thunderbolt 3 Dock review. OWC Thunderbolt 3 Pro Dock – Best dock for 10Gb Ethernet Pros 11 ports 10Gb Ethernet 6Gbps eSATA port Cons Thunderbolt 3 not 4 60W power maybe light for larger laptops Expensive outside US Price When Reviewed: $379.99 Best Prices Today: $349.99 at Amazon$349.99 at B&H$379.99 at Walmart Type: 40Gbps Thunderbolt 3 Dock Ports: 11 Power: 60W PD 3.0; 150W max External displays: 2x 4K at 60Hz or 1x 5K at 60Hz The OWC Thunderbolt 3 Pro Dock is aimed at digital image professionals and has ultimate performance at its heart. Principally, it features super-fast 10Gb Ethernet rather than the standard 1Gb (Gigabit) connection found on the other docking stations reviewed here. The Caldigit TS4 features 2.5Gb Ethernet. To get the most from this level of Ethernet you need to have compatible network devices. It also features a CFast 2.0 card reader for people still using CompactFlash in its latest version.  There are Thunderbolt docking stations with more ports and beefier chargers, but none have 10Gb Ethernet or CFast 2.0. You can add these to other docks via dedicated adapters, but the Pro Dock has it all built-in, plus a really secure power-supply connection in case it’s used on a pro DIT cart. One Thunderbolt 3 upstream port (40Gbps, 60W PD) One Thunderbolt 3 downstream port (40Gbps, 15W) Up to two external displays (2 x 4K at 60Hz; or 1 x 5K at 60Hz) DisplayPort 1.2 port Three USB-A ports (5Gbps) SD Card Reader (SD 4.0 UHS-II, 312MBps) CFast 2.0 Card Reader 10Gb Ethernet port 6Gbps eSATA port 150W power supply Read our full OWC Thunderbolt 3 Pro Dock review OWC Thunderbolt 3 Dock – ports aplenty Pros 14 ports 85W PD laptop charging Cons Thunderbolt 3 not 4 MiniDP Price When Reviewed: $149.99 Best Prices Today: $149.99 at OWC$163.34 at Amazon Type: 40Gbps Thunderbolt 3 Dock Ports: 14 Power: 85W PD 3.0; 180W max External displays: 2x 4K at 60Hz or 1x 5K at 60Hz OWC’s standard Thunderbolt 3 docking station has a great set of ports, and charges at a top-end 85W—powerful enough for a 15-inch MacBook Pro. 85W will be enough to charge even the 96W 16in MBP pretty fast and certainly not drain even when connected to multiple devices. The five USB-A ports are all 5Gbps, and there’s a 10Gbps Gen 2 USB-C port on the front of the latest 14-port model, which not many Thunderbolt docks have. The curiously old-fashioned choice of Mini DisplayPort over DisplayPort isn’t a technical hurdle but you will require adapters for adding external displays. Other docks have more than one port for external displays, but this one needs adapters to connect to displays—which adds to the overall cost. That aside, the OWC Thunderbolt 3 Dock has everything a dock should have in a slick-looking slim case that will look good in any laptop setup. One Thunderbolt 3 upstream port (40Gbps, 85W PD) One Thunderbolt 3 downstream port (40Gbps) Up to two external displays (2 x 4K at 60Hz; or 1 x 5K at 60Hz) Mini DisplayPort 1.2 port One USB-C port (10Gbps) Five USB-A ports (5Gbps; two at 7.5W) SD Card Reader (SD 4.0 UHS-II, 312MBps) MicroSD Card Reader (SD 4.0 UHS-II, 312MBps) Gigabit Ethernet port Hybrid 3.5mm audio port S/PDIF digital audio output port 180W power supply Which ports are on each MacBook? Apple Apple Apple 13-inch and 15-inch M1/M2/M3 MacBook Air: Two Thunderbolt/USB4 ports and one MagSafe 3 charging port, plus headphone jack 13-inch M1/M2 MacBook Pro: Two Thunderbolt/USB4 ports and one MagSafe 3 charging port, plus headphone jack 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro: Two Thunderbolt/USB4 ports, one HDMI port, one SDXC card slot, plus headphone jack 14-inch M1/M2/M3 Pro or M1/M2/M3 Max MacBook Pro: Three Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports, one HDMI port, one SDXC card slot, plus headphone jack 16-inch M1/M2/M3 Pro or M1/M2/M3 Max MacBook Pro: Three Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports, one HDMI port, one SDXC card slot, plus headphone jack How many external displays can each MacBook support without a dock? M1/M2: One external display with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz. M3: Two external displays, one with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz and one at 5K/60Hz when the MacBook lid is closed. The 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro is still stuck with single-display support at this time until Apple releases a software fix. M1/M2/M3 Pro: Up to two external displays with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz over Thunderbolt, or one external display with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz over Thunderbolt and one external display with up to 4K resolution at 144Hz over HDMI. Or one external display supported at 8K resolution at 60Hz or one external display at 4K resolution at 240Hz over HDMI. M1/M2/M3 Max: Up to four external displays: Up to three external displays with 6K resolution at 60Hz over Thunderbolt and one external display with up to 4K resolution at 144Hz over HDMIUp to three external displays: Up to two external displays with 6K resolution at 60Hz over Thunderbolt and one external display with up to 8K resolution at 60Hz or one external display with 4K resolution at 240Hz over HDMI. Now think about a stand to go alongside the dock These MacBook docking stations look and work great with a laptop stand, and we’ve also tested some MacBook-friendly stands that lack all the extra ports but keep your MacBook/Air/Pro upright and out of the way: further saving valuable desk space, reducing clutter, keeping your laptop cool, and saving it from spills. Read our best MacBook accessories feature for more essential laptop gear.

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