EVERY MODEL OF Mac has a different set of ports depending on its age and form factor. Desktop Macs tend to have more and laptops fewer due to their more compact size but many of us find ourselves in need of extra ports, often ones that our Mac does not already have. Docks have evolved into remarkably powerful devices that not only expand your USB options but also your display output choices, frequently adding Ethernet, memory card readers and more.
Thanks to the Thunderbolt standard, these docks are able not just to power and charge connected USB devices but also fully power your laptop at the same time. This means a single Thunderbolt cable can handle all data and power needs between dock and laptop. While there are some things to watch out for, such as the inability of some M1–series Macs to power more than a single extra display even via a connected dock, or the differences between Thunderbolts 3
