The best docks for a MacBook Air with two monitors
Your chip decides the answer. M4, M5 and lid-closed M3 can drive two monitors natively through the right dock. M1 and M2 need a DisplayLink dock for the second one.
Researched, not hands-on tested
Picks in brief
- M4, M5, or M3 with the lid closed: Plugable TBT-UDM, two 4K 60Hz HDMI monitors with no driver.
- M1 or M2: Plugable UD-ULTC4K, extra monitors through DisplayLink Manager.
- One monitor, small bag: CalDigit SOHO Dock.
- Many ports, two monitors not confirmed for M2 to M5: CalDigit TS4.
Every score here is research-based: we read each maker's and Apple's documentation and applied a published rubric. We did not buy, borrow or test these products. The product art is our own illustration of documented port types, not a photo.
Best overall
Plugable TBT-UDM
8.9/10 Very good
Researched, not hands-on tested
Why we picked it
It is the only dock we reviewed whose maker states two extended displays on every M4 and M5 Mac and on M3 with the lid closed, at up to 4K 60Hz each over HDMI. It needs no driver and offers 100W to the Mac. Plugable is also clear that base M1 and M2 get one display, which is Apple's limit.
Pros
- Two 4K 60Hz HDMI monitors documented on M4, M5 and lid-closed M3.
- No driver; not DisplayLink.
- 100W host charging and a downstream Thunderbolt 4 port.
Cons
- HDMI outputs stop at 4K 60Hz.
- One monitor only on M1 and M2.
- Best for
- M4 or M5 Air, or M3 used with the lid closed, with two HDMI monitors.
- Skip if
- You have an M1 or M2, or want two monitors above 4K 60Hz.
Best for M1 and M2 (DisplayLink)
Plugable UD-ULTC4K
7.4/10 Good
Researched, not hands-on tested
Why we picked it
A base M1 or M2 Air runs one external display natively, and no Thunderbolt dock changes that. DisplayLink screens sit outside that count. Plugable documents that this dock connects three displays even when the computer supports only one on its own, and lists M1, M2, M3 and M4, with DisplayLink Manager installed.
Pros
- Documented way past the one-monitor limit on M1 and M2.
- Up to three 4K 60Hz monitors, HDMI or DisplayPort.
- 100W charging and Gigabit Ethernet.
Cons
- Needs DisplayLink Manager with Screen Recording permission.
- No HDCP; M5 not listed.
- Best for
- M1 or M2 Air needing two external monitors, on a Mac where you can install apps.
- Skip if
- Your Mac blocks installs or Screen Recording, or you need protected video on the external monitors.
Best compact (one monitor)
CalDigit SOHO Dock
4.9/10 Limited
Researched, not hands-on tested
Why we picked it
Not every desk needs two monitors through one box. CalDigit documents one monitor at 4K 60Hz on a Mac from this small, bus-powered hub, with up to 90W pass-through charging. On an M4 or M5 Air, a second monitor can take its own cable from the Mac's other port. Its score is low because a second monitor on the hub only mirrors on macOS.
Pros
- 4K 60Hz for one monitor on Mac.
- 93 × 64.3 × 19 mm, 0.09 kg, removable cable.
- Up to 90W pass-through.
Cons
- Two monitors mirror on macOS.
- No Ethernet; charger not included.
- Best for
- A one-monitor desk, travel, or an M4 or M5 Air with the second monitor on its own cable.
- Skip if
- You want two extended monitors through one hub.
Most ports (confirm displays first)
CalDigit TS4
7.1/10 Good
Researched, not hands-on tested
Why we picked it
The TS4 has the most documented ports here, 18, and up to 98W to the Mac. Its manual allows two monitors when the computer's Thunderbolt ports support dual displays, but among MacBook Air chips it names only the original M1, which gets one. M2 to M5 are not named, so its two-monitor score is low. Pick it for ports and charging first.
Pros
- 18 ports, two downstream Thunderbolt 4, 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet.
- Up to 98W host charging.
- Display modes documented per screen in the manual.
Cons
- MacBook Air with M2 to M5 not named by CalDigit.
- DisplayPort works only with active adapters.
- Best for
- Port-heavy desks with one monitor, or M3, M4 and M5 owners who will confirm a two-monitor setup with CalDigit.
- Skip if
- You need written two-monitor support for your MacBook Air chip before buying.
Skip on a Mac
Plugable USBC-11IN1E
4.3/10 Limited
Researched, not hands-on tested
We include this dual-HDMI hub because many hubs like it promise "dual 4K 60Hz". Plugable says that needs DisplayPort 1.4 and MST, and that on a Mac you get one extended display while the second HDMI port mirrors the first. Plugable and Anker both document that macOS does not extend displays over MST. Plugable itself does not recommend this hub for Mac.
How these were scored
Each product gets 0 to 10 on six criteria: Mac compatibility documented (30%), two monitors on MacBook Air (25%), display modes (15%), charging (10%), ports (10%) and software and limits (10%). The overall score is the weighted average, to one decimal. Undocumented features score low by design, so a score measures what the maker has put in writing for a MacBook Air, not build quality or reliability. The full rubric is on How we review.
Comparison table
Every cell comes from the maker's documentation, checked against Apple's limits. On a phone, scroll the table sideways; the row labels stay in place.
| Our pickPlugable TBT-UDM | Plugable UD-ULTC4K | CalDigit TS4 | CalDigit SOHO Dock | Plugable USBC-11IN1E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Role | Best overall | Best for M1 and M2 | Most ports | Best compact | Skip on a Mac |
| Overall score | 8.9 Very good |
7.4 Good |
7.1 Good |
4.9 Limited |
4.3 Limited |
| Connection | Thunderbolt 4 / USB4 | USB-C 10Gbps, DisplayLink | Thunderbolt 4 | USB-C 10Gb/s | USB-C 5Gbps, MST |
| Two monitors on M1 or M2 | No: one display | Yes, with DisplayLink Manager | No: one display | No: second screen mirrors | No: second HDMI mirrors |
| Two monitors on M3 | Lid closed only | Yes, with DisplayLink Manager | Lid closed: not confirmed; M3 not named | No: second screen mirrors | No: second HDMI mirrors |
| Two monitors on M4 or M5 | Yes: two 4K 60Hz HDMI | M4 yes; M5 not listed | Not confirmed; M4 and M5 not named | One through the hub; second needs its own cable | No: second HDMI mirrors |
| Max display mode | 2 × 4K 60Hz, or 1 × 6K | 3 × 4K 60Hz | 2 × 4K 60Hz, or 1 × 6K 60Hz, on Macs CalDigit names | 1 × 4K 60Hz extended | 1 × 4K 60Hz extended |
| Host charging | 100W (96W certified) | 100W (96W to host) | 98W | 90W pass-through | 92W pass-through |
| Software needed | None | DisplayLink Manager | Optional utility | Not stated | None |
| Maker page | View on Plugable | View on Plugable | View on CalDigit | View on CalDigit | View on Plugable |
Researched, not hands-on tested Prices change, so we do not list them. Check the current price on each maker's page.