- Best Displays For Mac Mini 2018 Review
- Best Displays For Mac Mini 2018 Ram
- Mac Mini 2018 Rumors
- Best Screen For Mac Mini 2018
- Best Displays For Mac Pro
- Mac Mini 2018 Release
- Best Displays For Mac Mini 2018 Memory
In this article, we have created a list of the best monitors for Mac mini 2018. For some background, the 2018 Mac mini is now available worldwide. And Apple is expecting to ship 5 million Mac mini units during this year’s holiday shopping season. Already got a monitor (and keyboard and mouse) you can use? Then it's worth considering the Mac mini, and right here we've got the best Black Friday 2018 deals on the system going.
Your guide
Nick Guy
After more than 25 hours of research and hands-on testing 13 Thunderbolt 3 docks with more than $7,000 worth of high-end gear, we think CalDigit’s TS3 Plus is still the best choice for Mac or PC owners need to connect multiple displays, USB-A input devices, and high-speed storage. It has more useful ports than most models, it can charge even the most powerful laptops at full speed, and it takes up little room on a desk.
Our pick
CalDigit TS3 Plus
The most USB-A ports, plus USB-C ports and an SD card slot; it can charge a 15-inch MacBook Pro at full speed.
Buying Options
The TS3 Plus has the most useful array of connections we found: two Thunderbolt 3 ports, five USB-A ports, two USB-C ports (one USB 3.1 Gen 1, one USB 3.1 Gen 2) an SD card slot, a DisplayPort connector (which works with HDMI via an inexpensive adapter), Gigabit Ethernet, audio-in and -out jacks, and an S/PDIF jack for digital optical audio—the last one a rarity in these devices. And while most docks have a horizontal orientation, you can also position the TS3 Plus vertically to minimize its footprint. All current Apple laptops and desktops except the 12-inch MacBook, and the Mac Pro have Thunderbolt 3 ports, as do a lot of newer PCs, such as our top ultrabook picks; check your computer’s manual. Most people don't need a Thunderbolt 3 dock, though; you can get almost all of the same functionality, minus a few USB-A ports, the audio jacks, and the second Thunderbolt 3 port, from a much cheaper USB-C hub or dock. But if you do need a the extra bandwidth of Thunderbolt 3, the CalDigit has the best combination of ports and form factor we've yet found.
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Runner-up
Cable Matters Thunderbolt 3 Docking Station with 60 W Power Delivery
This dock has as many USB-A ports (five) as the CalDigit TS3 Plus, and it's cheaper, but it lacks USB-C ports, takes up more desk space, and has a lower charging output.
Buying Options
Promise Technology Thunderbolt 3 Dock TD-300
It has the same ports and power output as the Cable Matters dock—in fact, it's nearly identical. Buy whichever one is cheaper.
Buying Options
*At the time of publishing, the price was $255.
Cable Matters’s Thunderbolt 3 Docking Station with 60W Power Delivery and Promise Technology’s Thunderbolt 3 Dock TD-300 are identical docks, and either is a great option if you’re looking to spend a little less and you don’t need USB-C ports. Each has the same number of USB-A ports as our pick as well as an SD-card slot, though each provides only 60 watts for laptop charging—though enough to charge a 13-inch MacBook Pro at full speed, a 15-inch Pro will charge more slowly. These docks also have to be positioned horizontally, so they take up more room on a desk. We think most people who truly need a Thunderbolt 3 dock are better off spending more for the CalDigit model’s USB-C ports, extra power, and smaller footprint, but these two are the next best options if the CalDigit is unavailable. Their prices have fluctuated, so go with whichever is cheapest.
Also great
HP Thunderbolt Dock 120W G2
Two USB-C ports and a second DisplayPort output make this less expensive model worth considering if you don’t need a card reader or as many USB-A ports.
Buying Options
*At the time of publishing, the price was $241.
In addition to a middle-of-the-road three USB-A ports, the HP Thunderbolt Dock 120W G2 adds a second USB-C port, making it more useful if you have more modern accessories and don't need access to as many older devices at once. It also includes two DisplayPort connectors, meaning you can connect two displays at the same time without taking up your Thunderbolt 3 port. We like its small cube shape and its low price.
Everything we recommend
Our pick
Best Displays For Mac Mini 2018 Review
CalDigit TS3 Plus
The most USB-A ports, plus USB-C ports and an SD card slot; it can charge a 15-inch MacBook Pro at full speed.
Buying Options
Runner-up
Cable Matters Thunderbolt 3 Docking Station with 60 W Power Delivery
This dock has as many USB-A ports (five) as the CalDigit TS3 Plus, and it's cheaper, but it lacks USB-C ports, takes up more desk space, and has a lower charging output.
Best Displays For Mac Mini 2018 Ram
Buying Options
Promise Technology Thunderbolt 3 Dock TD-300
It has the same ports and power output as the Cable Matters dock—in fact, it's nearly identical. Buy whichever one is cheaper.
Buying Options
*At the time of publishing, the price was $255.
Also great
HP Thunderbolt Dock 120W G2
Mac Mini 2018 Rumors
Two USB-C ports and a second DisplayPort output make this less expensive model worth considering if you don’t need a card reader or as many USB-A ports.
Buying Options
Best Screen For Mac Mini 2018
*At the time of publishing, the price was $241.
The research
Why you should trust us
I was the accessories editor at iLounge for a little more than three years and have been covering accessories at Wirecutter for a little longer than that. During my tenure, I’ve reviewed more than 1,000 iOS and Mac products, including numerous docking stations over several iterations of this guide.
Who needs this
Best Displays For Mac Pro
If you have a computer with a Thunderbolt 3 port and want to connect several peripherals—displays, drives, printers, and such—a Thunderbolt dock lets you do it all with a single cable. If you use a laptop as your main computer and regularly move that laptop to and from a desk with multiple peripherals, you can leave all of those accessories plugged into the dock so when you sit down at your desk, you can simply plug your Thunderbolt cable into the laptop to connect everything instantly.
A Thunderbolt dock is also useful if your Thunderbolt-equipped computer—laptop or desktop—doesn’t have enough ports and connections, or if those connections are inconveniently located. You can run a single Thunderbolt cable from the computer to the dock and put the dock somewhere more accessible.
Mac Mini 2018 Release
Thunderbolt docks are ideal for creative professionals and other people who demand a lot from their computers, including the fastest possible transfer speeds and the widest port selection. Most people, however, will be just as well-served by a much less expensive USB-C dock. These docks use the same connector and can do almost all the same things, but don’t support Thunderbolt 3 transfer speeds and don’t usually include the same quantity or variety of ports.
Best Displays For Mac Mini 2018 Memory
The Best USB-C Hubs and Docks
The Vava VA-UC006 USB-C Hub is the best way to connect a bunch of things, including your charger, to your USB-C computer at once.