However, at $259, the TBT100 has a steep entry price which might give many home office workers and gamers pause. But if you can look past the price, the Corsair TBT100 Thunderbolt 3 Dock is an essential piece of tech and the latest addition to our Best USB Type-C hubs page.
Corsair TBT100 Thunderbolt 3 design
Amidst all the glowing RGB lighting from my monitor and keyboard, the TBT100 sits in the middle of the colorful chaos, adding a touch of sophistication. The dark gray aluminum chassis catches all the light, highlighting its good looks. The top of the dock is emblazoned with Corsair’s tri-sail logo while the bottom has four slim feet that give a small boost. I like that the front, back and sides of the dock are made of matte black panels to break up the monotony of all that silver. I’m also a big fan of the rounded corners of the device that lend an edgy modernness to the overall design. It’s definitely a welcome departure from all those boring black plastic bricks. And while the TBT100 looks great in my decidedly gamer-centric setup, the dock would look just as good in a more traditional office setting. At 14.1 ounces, 8.9 x 3.3 x 1 inches, it’s slim and long, but not so much as to be distracting.
Corsair TBT100 Thunderbolt 3 ports
How many ports does the TBT100 have? All. It has all the ports. No, but seriously, this dock has a lot of ports adorning its rather slim chassis. Along the front, you’ve got a USB 3.2 Type-C port, a headset jack and an SD card reader. In the back, there’s a USB 3.1 Type-A input, another USB 3.2 Type-C port, a Thunderbolt 3 port, two full HDMI 2.0 ports, a Gigabit Ethernet port, a Kensington lock slot and the power input.
Corsair TBT100 Thunderbolt 3 performance
To date, I’ve used the TBT100 with the Dell XPS 17, the Apple MacBook Pro M1, the Asus ZenBook UX325EA and a few other laptops powered by either a USB Type-C or Thunderbolt 3 port. The dock has worked seamlessly with each laptop, allowing me to extend my screen to my awaiting Alienware 34 Curved display. Even better, the dock kept the laptops charged. The dock had no problem outputting to the monitor at 3840 x 2160 resolution. I streamed 4K content from Netflix with no sign of lag. If I didn’t have a love of large curved monitors, the TBT100 could have supported two 4K displays at 60 frames per second. But alas, I love what I love. Unfortunately, the Thunderbolt port can’t support a Thunderbolt-powered display as you’ll need its 85W output to power your laptop. In addition to connecting my laptop and display, the TBT100 also powered my Corsair K100 RGB Mechanical Keyboard in all its clicky, colorful glory. I also connected my Razer Kraken Kitten edition headset and the Elgato Stream Deck XL. Everything work without a hitch. If only everything can be as simple.
Bottom line
It’s sleek, it’s stylish, has a ton of ports, and is single-handedly pulling my work/gaming setup together. The Corsair TBT100 Thunderbolt 3 Dock is an unsung hero. It’s not until you’re setup is awash in errant wires that you realize you need a heavy-duty dock to run all of those high-powered goodies. My only real problem with the dock is the price; $259 is a lot to ask from the average consumer, especially when there are far cheaper options. However, most of those docks won’t give you the mix of useful ports as the TBT100, or look half as good doing it. If you’re looking for a premium dock that can handle all your peripherals plus a laptop, the Corsair TBT100 Thunderbolt 3 Dock is the absolute way to go.
