While most would consider docking stations wih thunderbolt 3 capabilities are meant for Macbooks or Macbook Pros, that does not mean they are not compatible for use with iMacs, especially for those who feel the amount of rear ports they have is not enough, or need a more convenient option when it comes to swapping USB devices.
iMacs and iMac Pros are commonly used by professionals who are dealing with many raw formats and data, information being swapped between editors and designers via a storage device all the time. Video editors are going through stacks of SD cards from cameramen and sound guys from a day's worth of recording. Ports that are easily accessed will make the job much easier and less stressful. No one has the stamina to keep standing and swapping out devices from the rear ports.
Here we shortlist three great candidates, suitable for various needs.
Belkin Thunderbolt 3 Express Dock HD
A great beginner docking station for your iMac
From a perspective of simple convenience, this Belkin docking station is a perfect option. A simple and easy way to pull one thunderbolt 3 connection from the rear of your iMac to the front. It is better to use the rear ports for more permanent devices, like large storage devices and other permanent peripherals.
In total we are looking at three USB ports, one spare thunderbolt 3 port (other one is used to connect docking station to your iMac), mic line in, audio out , a spare LAN port and a display port for a second monitor that can deliver up to 4K display.
Belkin products are a bit on the expensive side, but they go through a high level of quality check and their products are specifically designed to work with Apple products. If you are looking for something slightly cheaper, you might want to consider our next docking station for your Apple iMac.
CalDigit TS3 Plus Dock
Photographers and videographers will love this docking station for their iMac.
CalDigit is a fantastic brand and their docking station products are available in most region's online Apple stores. Which shows how confident Apple is when CalDigit docking stations are used with their own products.
For the price, the CalDigit docking station packs a substantial number of ports.
Unlike the Belking docking station, the thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports here are for data only. Of course it hardly matters when you have a display port available for dual monitor capability. And unlike the Belkin, they also have a digital audio output option for you as well. Overall, we think whether you choose the Belkin or the CalDigit, they are both fantastic options as docking stations for your iMac and iMac Pro alike. But if either of these docking stations do not have enough ports to satisfy you, maybe our next and final option will.
TOTU Upgraded Universal USB-C 4K Triple Display Docking Station
Up to three screens on your iMac Pro with this amazing docking station
Unlike Belkin and CalDigit, we are not entirely sure about the origins of TOTU, but their selection of products do seem to be specialised around USB-C and USB docking stations in general. And based on their available time to contact, if you convert their Pacfic time availability, we believe this might be a brand from China, we are assuming of course.
Nonetheless, the reviews of this products from numerous videos on Youtube and reviews have been amazing. This docking station seems to be able to solve one problem most users have on their Apple computers, they require three monitor display for their work.
But the thing is, if you use this docking station with an iMac Pro, you can connect to three more screen for four 4K display screen. This means you would not have to use up all of the thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports at the rear of your iMac Pro, nor would you need to purchase three USB-C to HDMI adapters. You can argue that three adapters would cost much less than this docking station and you would be right. But for a professional editor or designer, the more screens there are, the better.
Thank you so much for reading our 'Best docking stations for Apple iMac and iMac Pro' article and we hope you have a beautiful day ahead.
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