At around $330, the Orico Thunderbolt 5 Desktop Workstation adds fast storage, support for multiple displays, and 140W charging to your new Mac. It’s pretty nice, but not perfect.
It was Apple’s choice to switch to (almost) all USB-C ports in 2016. They haven’t really reversed course on this, other than admitting that MagSafe was pretty good, as is native HDMI.
So if you are a regular customer AppleInsider reader, you know there is a dock for everyone. Orico is relatively new to this game, but so far what we’ve seen in the Thunderbolt 5 Dock is pretty solid, with a good price.
Orico Thunderbolt 5 Desktop Workstation Review: Specs
| Product | Orico Thunderbolt 5 Storage Docking Station (14 in 1) |
| Price | About $330 (Orico lists $329.99) |
| Model | ORICO-TB5 |
| Connecting to the guest | 1 x Thunderbolt 5 upstream, 80 Gbps, 140 W power delivery |
| Lightning outside | 2 x Thunderbolt 5 downstream (8K@60Hz, daisy-chain to 6) |
| Built-in storage | M.2 NVMe 2280 slot, up to 8TB (drive not included) |
| Storage speed | Tested up to 6,000 MB/s (PCIe 5.0 support) |
| HDMI | 1 x HDMI, 8K@30Hz only, 4K@60Hz shared |
| DisplayPort | 1 x DisplayPort, 8K at 30Hz only, 4K at 60Hz shared |
| USB-A | 3 USB-A 3.2, 10Gbps |
| USB-C | 1 USB-C 3.2, 10Gbps |
| Ethernet | 2.5GbE (RJ45) |
| Card reader | SD 4.0 and TF 4.0 (simultaneous) |
| Audio | 3.5mm combo jack |
| Maximum views | Up to 5 (subject to Mac limitations) |
| Power adapter | 180W (20V/9A) |
| Material | Aluminum alloy and plastic |
| Weight | 0.85 pounds (384 grams) |
Orico Thunderbolt 5 Desktop Workstation Review: Design
The dock uses an aluminum alloy body with plastic accents. It is compact and lightweight at 0.85 lbs.
It’s built to sit on a desk next to a Mac. The silver finish suits an Apple setup.
The M.2 slot is located inside the case. One unit installs without additional cables.
Orico Thunderbolt 5 Desktop Workstation Review: Front Port View
The problem with all this is that it’s very, very hot. During operation with the SSD, the surface temperature of the drive reaches approximately 111F. This isn’t enough to burn, but it isn’t comfortable to the touch either.
We haven’t had any connectivity issues, but we are concerned about long-term stability. This is strange as we manage to keep the product after the review instead of returning it to the seller, so we will get back to you about this.
Orico Thunderbolt 5 Desktop Workstation Review: Thunderbolt 5 and Mac
A Thunderbolt 5 port connects to the host Mac. It operates at up to 80Gbps, providing up to 140W of power to the host computer. In our tests that’s enough to power a 16-inch MacBook Pro under load and deliver a very small charge to the battery while it’s being hit.
Two more Thunderbolt 5 ports face outward. Connect peripherals or daisy chain up to six devices.
Older Macs still work, but more slowly. A Thunderbolt 4 or 3 Mac drops to its limit, and monitor support will change based on the host and available bandwidth.
The speeds are what you would expect. We didn’t encounter any issues with external peripherals here. There is enough power for external drives and so on. Apple’s SuperDrive is not enough, however.
Orico Thunderbolt 5 desktop workstation: the integrated SSD slot
The main feature of the dock is its internal drive bay. Requires an M.2 NVMe 2280 SSD, which is not provided.
Orico Thunderbolt 5 Desktop Workstation Review: The M.2 Bay
Orico says the slot supports PCIe 5.0 drives. It measured speeds of up to 6000 megabytes per second. We got about 5200 megabytes per second, which is pretty close.
Actual speed is determined by Thunderbolt bandwidth, not the drive. Even so, this is fast storage.
OOrico Thunderbolt 5 Desktop Workstation: Apple Display and Warning
The dock offers several ways to add displays. There is an HDMI port and a DisplayPort.
Each does 8K at 30Hz on its own. Together they drop to 4K at 60Hz.
The two Thunderbolt 5 outputs also handle displays. They achieve 8K at 60Hz or 4K at 240Hz.
Orico lists support for up to five monitors. This is where Mac buyers need to pay attention.
Orico Thunderbolt 5 Desktop Workstation Review: From above, with the power brick.
Apple Silicon limits the number of external display units on a Mac. Base chips support much less than Pro or Max chips.
For example, the MacBook Air M4 only supports two external displays. The five-display figure requires an M4 Max or better.
So check your Mac’s display limit before purchasing it for use on multiple monitors. This is not a DisplayLink dock driver, so you are limited by the host.
Orico Thunderbolt 5 desktop workstation: the rest of the ports
The remaining ports cover daily needs. There are three 10Gbps USB-A ports. A single USB-C data port adds another 10Gbps connection. A 2.5GbE jack handles the wired network.
An SD 4.0 and TF 4.0 reader complete the package. Both can be read at the same time, which is a nice touch.
A 3.5mm combo jack covers the headphones. The included adapter provides 180 watts.
They all work as you think, even if full of I/O. The card readers reach a maximum speed of around 280 megabytes per second each, which is about the same speed as Apple’s offering.
Orico Thunderbolt 5 Desktop Workstation: A storage dock for Thunderbolt 5 Macs
The concept behind the Orico Thunderbolt 5 desktop workstation is as simple as you can imagine. It combines a Thunderbolt 5 hub with fast internal storage.
For a new Mac Studio or MacBook Pro and the current exorbitant prices of Apple’s SSDs, this is useful. One cable adds ports, storage, and 140W charging. Done.
At around $330, it’s well priced compared to big-name rivals. The internal and fast SSD slot is great.
However, with that unit installed, I am very concerned about the heat. Nothing I’ve ever tested has been this warm externally. More on that in a few months.
Orico Thunderbolt 5 Pro Dock
- Built-in M.2 NVMe slot up to 8TB
- Thunderbolt 5 with 140W power output
- Strong number of ports for the price
Dock Orico Thunderbolt 5Cons
- Viewing limits depend on your Mac
- The most powerful Thunderbolt dock we’ve ever tested
- Only one USB-C data port outside of Thunderbolt
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
I want to like the Orico Thunderbolt 5 dock more than I do. It’s a good dock, it has enough ports, it has enough speed, but the outer casing is extremely hot.
As part of my long-term evaluation, beyond the month I’ve already used it, I’ll be keeping an eye on it. If it remains stable, the score will increase. If not, well…
Where to buy the Orico Thunderbolt 5 dock
The Orico Thunderbolt 5 Dock is available on Amazon for a base price of $399.99, with a 20% discount at checkout bringing it to $319.99.
