OWC Unveils Thunderbolt 5 Dock with 11 Ports, Built for Creatives and Power Users

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by Darryl Lara

posted Wednesday, June 4, 2025 at 11:33 AM EDT

OWC Thunderbolt 5 Dock on white.

If you’ve ever felt restricted by the limited number of Thunderbolt ports on your MacBook or desktop Mac, the latest offering from Other World Computing (OWC) may be just what you need. The company has officially introduced the OWC Thunderbolt 5 Dock, a feature-rich hub that consolidates 11 different ports into a single Thunderbolt 5 connection, streamlining modern and legacy workflows alike. It’s particularly appealing to photographers, videographers, and power users still running on older Mac models that lack the port variety needed for professional creative setups.

The new dock is built with both professional creators and tech-savvy users in mind, providing a streamlined solution that simplifies connectivity while boosting productivity. Thanks to the raw performance of Thunderbolt 5, the dock enables ultra-fast data transfers, high-speed external storage, advanced display support, and device charging — all through one connection.

OWC designed the dock to be highly compatible, capable of connecting everything from vintage peripherals to the latest Thunderbolt 5 SSDs, and it works seamlessly with Mac, PC, iPad, Chromebook, and even tablet devices. Whether you’re editing 8K video, transferring massive RAW photo libraries, or setting up a clutter-free workstation, this dock is positioned as a one-stop upgrade.Physically, the OWC Thunderbolt 5 Dock is neatly laid out with a fanless design, meaning it runs silently — a key feature for editors and audio engineers who demand noise-free environments. On the front panel, you'll find a power button, a Thunderbolt 5 port, a USB 3.2 port, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and an SD/MicroSD card reader combo. Around the back, the dock includes a dedicated power input, a 2.5Gb Ethernet port for high-speed networking, two additional USB 3.2 ports (one 10Gb/s and one 5Gb/s), and three more Thunderbolt 5 ports. Notably, one of those Thunderbolt ports can deliver up to 140W of power — enough to charge high-powered laptops directly through the dock.

OWC Thunderbolt 5 stacked.

OWC emphasizes that the trio of Thunderbolt 5 ports is central to unlocking the full capabilities of the latest Thunderbolt standard, ensuring optimal upstream and downstream speeds for connected devices. The high bandwidth allows for simultaneous usage of multiple high-speed accessories.

For example, a photographer could plug in two CFexpress Type B card readers with an OWC ThunderBlade X12 or an Envoy Ultra SSD, achieving write speeds of over 6000 MB/s. In practice, this translates to significantly faster file backups and transfers, saving professionals valuable time on set or in the studio.

Display support is just as robust. On Windows systems, users can connect up to three 8K HDR displays at 60Hz (with Display Stream Compression enabled) or at 30Hz without it. Mac users can drive up to two 6K Thunderbolt displays. These capabilities make the dock a natural fit for video editors, colorists, and designers who rely on multiple high-resolution monitors for their workflows.

Speaking on the product's release, OWC founder and CEO Larry O’Connor describes the dock as an essential tool designed to meet the evolving needs of creative professionals. “We designed the OWC Thunderbolt 5 Dock to be that one tool you didn’t know you needed… that is, of course, until you use it,” he says. “It gives creatives and professionals the power and flexibility to connect everything they need, without compromise. Whether you’re in the studio, on set, or at your kitchen table, this dock helps you get more done, more easily – and it’s built to grow with you into the future.”

OWC Thunderbolt 5 dock full desk.

Price and Availability

The OWC Thunderbolt 5 Dock will retail for $329 USD and is expected to begin shipping by mid-summer 2025. More information, including technical specifications and availability, can be found on OWC’s official website.