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Docking stations are an interesting section of the laptop market. There are a lot of options out there, many of them offering the latest Thunderbolt 5 connectivity with an assortment of older and varied ports.
As the market fills up, laptop docks have to set themselves apart with different sub-features. I’m talking about Thunderbolt Share. A built-in M.2 SSD slot. A standout design (as much as that’s possible with a small chunk of metal).
In the case of Hyper’s HyperDrive Next Thunderbolt 5 dock that I’ve been using for a few weeks, it’s the extra features that I’m most excited about. Let me explain so you know if it’s right for your desk.
This review was made possible thanks to a review sample provided by HyperDrive. It had no input nor saw the contents of this review prior to publication.
Cale Hunt
I’ve been testing docking stations since before the Thunderbolt 3 era, and I have a clear idea of what’s good and what isn’t. I’m here to give you an unbiased look at HyperDrive’s new dock so that you can make the right buying decision.
Where can I buy the HyperDrive Next Thunderbolt 5 dock?
The HyperDrive Next Thunderbolt 5 dock is available at major online retailers, including Amazon and B&H. Although it launched with a $399.99 price tag, it seems like it’s now permanently available at $319.99.
For comparison’s sake, the CalDigit TS5 Plus — currently my favorite Thunderbolt 5 dock on the market — costs almost $800.
Wavlink’s Thunderbolt 5 dock, which I favorably reviewed, costs about $299.99 before frequent discounts (often falling to less than $200), while Kensington’s excellent SD7100T5 EQ Pro costs about $339.
I’d say that Hyper’s HyperDrive Next dock is priced within reason compared to other Thunderbolt 5 hardware, although Wavlink continues to be the best value option out there that I’ve tested.
What sort of ports does the HyperLink Drive have?
Dock design doesn’t usually vary too much, and the HyperDrive Next plays it fairly safe with a chunky aluminum shell and plastic faceplates. I’ve mentioned plenty of times in other reviews that I prefer an all-metal design for added durability and less chance of scratching.
I like the ribbed corners on the aluminum shell. They add a bit of texture to an otherwise sleek exterior, and they help dissipate heat.
The dock works horizontally only, with rubber pads on the bottom to prevent it from slipping. Measuring 7.64 inches (19.4cm) wide and 3.07 inches (7.8cm) deep, it’s thankfully rather compact.
There appear to be some holes drilled for mounting with a bracket, though a permanent setup like that might not be ideal due to the M.2 SSD slot’s location (more on that in a moment).
The front of the dock includes dual USB-A ports at 10Gbps each, a 3.5mm audio combo jack, and a single downstream Thunderbolt 5 port.
What you might think at first glance are SD card readers are merely vents cut out to help the built-in cooling fan. The slots sit below the power button and LED status light.
The back of the dock is where you’ll find two more downstream Thunderbolt 5 ports, an upstream Thunderbolt 5 port for connecting your host laptop, two USB-A (10Gbps) ports, a 2.5Gbps Ethernet jack, dual lock slots, and a 20V power hookup.
The upstream host connection supports device charging at up to 140W, which is enough to keep most laptops without a discrete GPU topped up and ready to go.
At this point, you might be asking where the video outputs are located. Well, you’re looking at them. The HyperDrive Next relies entirely on Thunderbolt 5 for external monitor support.
If you’re using older monitors without USB-C connectivity, you’ll need some adapters that switch the USB-C form factor used by Thunderbolt 5 to HDMI or DisplayPort.
The HyperDrive Next relies entirely on Thunderbolt 5 for external monitor support.
The good news is that Thunderbolt 5 is quite capable of handling video, and the dock allows for up to three 4K external displays, each running at a 60Hz refresh rate. If you’re targeting a high resolution, it’ll go as high as 8K at 144Hz.
It’s worth noting that some other Thunderbolt 5 docks support up to three 4K displays each at 144Hz, so there’s definitely a bit being left behind due to the other features on board.
I had no problems running one 4K screen and one ultrawide QHD+ screen off the dock, with bandwidth to add more. As mentioned, I’ve been using this dock on my desk, and I never noticed it get overly hot despite multiple monitors, frequent data transfers, and connected accessories.
HyperDrive Next’s additional Thunderbolt 5 features
Aside from the incredible transfer speeds you get from Thunderbolt 5, the extra bandwidth opens up some extra features that I particularly love.
You need a screwdriver to get in, but it’s well worth it, with support for full-size 2280 M.2 sticks all the way down to smaller 2230 drives. You should be able to use up to a 16TB drive in here (who can afford that these days?), doubling the capacity of the other docks I’ve tested.
The other big feature is Intel Thunderbolt Share. It’s a tool that allows Thunderbolt 4 and 5 laptops to communicate directly with each other, easing common transfers and making life with multiple laptops that much easier.
File transfers are super easy, requiring just a drag and a drop.
The catch is that at least one of the laptops in use needs to have official Intel Thunderbolt Share certification, unless you have a dock connected in between with the official badge. That’s where the HyperDrive Next comes in.
You can connect two separate laptops to the dock and control both from one set of peripherals. File transfers are super easy, requiring just a drag and a drop.
What I don’t like about the HyperDrive Next Thunderbolt 5 dock
Depending on how you use your dock, the lack of native video outputs might be a con. However, for others, full Thunderbolt and USB connectivity, paired with an M.2 slot and Thunderbolt Share, might be exactly what’s needed.
The only major issue I experienced has to do with how the dock handles heavy workloads. While testing, I noticed drops in SSD and Ethernet speeds when used simultaneously.
I figured this had something to do with power allotment. A 180W adapter isn’t that big for a dock that can charge a laptop at 140W. Indeed, this does make some of the charging abilities on ports other than the host connection fairly wimpy.
The dock is super convenient thanks to its built-in features.
The other Thunderbolt 5 ports only charge at 15W, and one USB-A port hits 7.5W. The rest sit at a rather low 4.5W.
However, after doing a bit of research, it seems that the Ethernet/SSD limitation is caused by the actual Intel Barlow Ridge chipset that’s used by modern Thunderbolt 5 docks.
So, yes, the dock is super convenient thanks to its built-in features. But you probably won’t get as good of performance as if you had a drive and an Ethernet cable connected separately via Thunderbolt 5 ports. It’s not exactly Hyper’s fault, but it’s well worth noting.
Should you buy the HyperDrive Next Thunderbolt 5 dock?
✅ You should buy this if …
- You want a Thunderbolt 5 dock with a built-in M.2 SSD slot and Thunderbolt Share.
- You have a Thunderbolt 5 laptop that can take advantage of all features (or you plan on buying one soon and can make do with Thunderbolt 4 speeds for the time being).
❌ You should not buy this if …
- You want maximum SSD and Ethernet speeds without requiring any adapters.
- You have three external 4K displays and want to run them all at 144Hz.
Hyper’s HyperDrive Next Thunderbolt 5 dock is a high-end option that actually competes quite well with the competition in terms of pricing and performance.
For example, the Kensington SD7100T5 EQ Pro comes with a built-in M.2 SSD slot, tons of ports (including SD card readers), and 2.5Gb Ethernet. It does not have Thunderbolt Share. It costs about $340.
If you don’t need Thunderbolt Share or a built-in SSD slot, the Wavlink Thunderbolt 5 Thunderlight is probably a better bet, especially at only about $220.
Sitting in between is the HyperDrive Next at about $320, and I’d recommend it to those who want the convenience of external M.2 SSD storage and the ability to quickly share content between two PCs.
Otherwise, I recommend checking out my guide to the best laptop docking stations on the market today for more great options.
Hyper
HyperDrive Next Thunderbolt 5 Dock
The HyperDrive Next Thunderbolt 5 Dock brings a potent combination of a built-in M.2 SSD slot and Thunderbolt Share certification, perfect for busy offices involving multiple PCs. However, its lack of native video output and so-so charging capabilities might have you looking at the competition.
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