There are many reasons why ThinkPad Thunderbolt 3 dock gen 2 stands as one of the best Thunderbolt 3 docks in the market. It’s fast and powerful and provides seamless connectivity to your peripheral all day.

This dock is ideal for Thinkpad mobile workstations. It also offers a wide range of ports. This device also addresses the double-cable problem that most mobile workstations have.

Let’s take a deeper look at the ThinkPad Thunderbolt 3 dock generation 2

TB3 Docking technology

This docking station is the first to use the TB3 (Thunderbolt 3) docking tech. You don’t have to worry about separate connectors or mechanical docks for your workstation anymore.

This technology ensures that all connected devices can use the same docks. You only need one dock to get started.

Double cable available

Lenovo has designed a double-cable cable for the standard device. This means that each end of the cable will have a connector, one for the TB3 as well as the other for power.

You don’t need to buy separate cables for the power supply and docking station connection. The cable was designed to precisely position the ports. However, sometimes you might find the single cable too small due to power delivery issues. Many people prefer to use separate cables for the same task.

Ports available

The dock has a wide range of ports and is an obvious winner. The dock can also be powered on by tapping the power button at the top.

To establish the connection, you don’t have to open the lid. Just plug the cable into the power socket and press the power button.
The front plate is equipped with three ports.

* USB 3.1 Type-A port
* USB 3.1 Type C port
* Headphone jack

The Kensington lock port is located on the left. The majority of ports are located in the Back portion of the dock.

*230W input for the pass-through power connector
* 65W input for powering the dock.
* Special cable for power/TB3 output
* 4x USB 3.1 Type-A ports
* Ethernet
DisplayPort: 2x
* 2x HDMI

Mobile workstations require power availability

Mobile workstations use more power than regular laptops (Ultrabooks). This is a well-known fact. The ThinkPad P1 Extreme and ThinkPad X1 Extreme both require a 135W power adapter, while the ThinkPad P52 requires a 170W adapter.

The ThinkPad P72 also requires a large 230W power adapter. This dock is TB3-supported, and this is the worst part. Thunderbolt 3’s power delivery standard allows for a maximum output of 100W through the TB3 connection. Mobile Workstations are not able to receive the power they require from docks that only use one TB3 connection.

Let’s suppose that you have a ThinkPad Thunderbolt dock, which can be used with the ThinkPad P52. The TB3 standard dock is the one you see here. If you connect the ThinkPad P52 with a TB3 connector, the notebook will not receive the power it needs.

The notebook will not be able to power up even though all other functions, such as displays, will still work. In case your notebook’s battery runs out, it is advisable to have a spare power cable.

You will need two cables to connect the TB3 docks to the mobile workstation. The compatibility and power output of the TB3 dock are the key issues.

The bottom line for Thinkpad Thunderbolt3 dock gen 2

This ThinkPad thunderbolt3 dock gen 2 is highly recommended for anyone who recently purchased a mobile workstation by Lenovo. It will not only provide uninterrupted performance but also make it easy to connect the devices.

Although you will have to pay more for this dock, it is well worth the extra cost because of the port selection and other features.