Dell’s new Pro Thunderbolt 5 Smart Dock makes a strong case for enterprise adoption, but casual users can do better while spending less

As the newest Thunderbolt technology improves, docking stations that use it are appearing more often. Dell recently launched its Pro Thunderbolt 5 Smart Dock (SD25TB5), designed for demanding users and professionals.

I’ve had the new Dell dock set up at my desk for a few weeks now, and I’m ready to give my thoughts on what it does well and where it could be better compared to other similar products.

We received a review unit from Dell for this evaluation. Dell did not have any influence on the review and hadn’t seen it before it was published.

Plenty of ports, a straightforward design, and massive charging potential

Let’s start by looking at the available ports. The front of the dock has two connections: a USB-A 3.2 port (Gen 2) that supports data transfer speeds up to 10Gbps and can charge devices, and a USB-C 3.2 (Gen 2) port with the same 10Gbps speed.

To keep things tidy, most of the ports are located on the back of the device. You’ll find three USB-A 3.2 (Gen 2) ports that can charge devices, along with a USB-C 3.2 (Gen 2) port that also supports DisplayPort 2.1 for video output.

The laptop also includes two Thunderbolt 5 ports. Dell chose to prioritize bandwidth for the built-in video outputs – HDMI 2.1 and two DisplayPort 2.1 ports – instead of adding a third Thunderbolt port. This design makes it simple to connect multiple monitors without needing extra adapters or dongles.

The back of the device includes a 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet port and a power connector. While a faster 10 Gigabit Ethernet connection would be preferable for the price, it’s good that it’s not limited to the slower 1 Gigabit Ethernet speed.

Like most docks designed for professional use, this one includes security slots on the side – a Kensington lock and a wedge-shaped Noble lock. The opposite side features vents to help keep the internal fan cool.

I’m curious where the Thunderbolt 5 connection on the computer itself is located. This dock unfortunately has a cable permanently attached, which I don’t like. I prefer cables that can be detached because they’re more likely to fail than the dock, and it’s much easier to replace just a cable than the whole docking station.

Dell’s special host cable is necessary because this is the first docking station capable of delivering up to 300W of power to a laptop, and that requires a specific cable type. However, to actually get the full 300W, you need to be using a Dell commercial laptop that supports USB-C Power Delivery 3.1.

Even if you don’t have a Dell computer, this dock can still deliver up to 240W of power – plenty for even the most power-hungry laptops. Plus, it has pre-drilled holes on the bottom, so you can easily mount it to a wall or other surface using a standard VESA bracket, keeping your workspace tidy.

Dell’s dock supports up to four 4K displays each at 120Hz

I was really impressed with the video capabilities of this Dell dock. It can actually power up to four 4K monitors at a smooth 120Hz at the same time. To get that maximum performance, though, you’ll need DP 2.1 or Thunderbolt 5, and a technology called Display Stream Compression – luckily, a lot of professional monitors already include that.

This dock supports up to four 4K screens at 60Hz each when using DisplayPort 1.4 and Display Stream Compression (DSC). Without DSC, it can handle four QHD displays, also at 60Hz. You can always increase the resolution on each screen if you connect fewer displays. The maximum resolution it supports on a single monitor is 8K at 60Hz.

The Dell Pro dock is designed to easily connect to any monitor setup, even complex ones with four monitors, making it perfect for large workstations.

A Pro dock wouldn’t be much without pro-grade management tools

The Dell Pro Thunderbolt 5 Smart Dock is designed for professionals and includes helpful tools for IT departments to manage computers. If you’re using a Dell laptop with an Intel vPro processor, it also supports remote management features via Thunderbolt.

If those features aren’t available, you’ll need to consider options like MAC address passthrough, PXE Boot, Wake-on-LAN, switching from wireless to wired connections, and kernel DMA protection. The good news is that Dell’s management tools let you update and configure the dock from anywhere, without needing physical access.

All wireless connections are protected with the robust WPA-3 encryption standard, using 192-bit security. But security isn’t just digital – the docking station also features physical security measures. It includes hardware-based encryption that’s designed to prevent tampering, and you can even disable individual ports for added protection.

This dock comes with a three-year warranty that can be upgraded to five years, making it a strong choice for businesses. It also works with many operating systems – including Windows 11 & 10, macOS, Ubuntu 24.04, RHEL 9.7, and ChromeOS 141 – so it should easily fit into any existing setup.

Dell Pro Thunderbolt 5 Smart Dock review: My final thoughts

✅You should buy this if …

You already have a Dell laptop with Thunderbolt 5 that can take full advantage of all the dock’s features.
You absolutely need the remote IT management and professional features.
You have a power-hungry laptop that needs up to 240W (non-Dell PCs) or 300W (Dell PCs) of charging.

❌You should not buy this if …

You’re a casual user who won’t make use of the professional management tools.
You want a Thunderbolt 5 dock with a built-in M.2 SSD slot for easy removable storage.
You don’t have a Thunderbolt 5 laptop and don’t plan on upgrading anytime soon.

Dell designed its new Pro Thunderbolt 5 Smart Dock with a specific goal in mind: to work seamlessly with its Thunderbolt 5 laptops, particularly for businesses that need centralized IT control.

Overall, this is a great product. I think businesses that already use Dell computers will be eager to buy this dock, as it will keep their setups current for a long time.

While this product is currently on sale for $484.99 (normally $569.99), and offers a lot of features, I wouldn’t recommend it for most people unless budget isn’t a concern.

While most people will appreciate features like the great screen support and charging, you don’t need to spend a lot to get a good Thunderbolt 5 dock. Many affordable options offer everything you need without extra, unnecessary IT features.

2025-12-07 17:11