Plugable TBT-UDM review

Verdict

The TBT-UDM is the only dock in our reviews whose maker states, chip by chip, that it runs two 4K 60Hz HDMI monitors on every M4 and M5 Mac and on M3 with the lid closed. It needs no driver and offers 100W to the Mac. On a base M1 or M2 Air it still gives you one external monitor, because that is Apple's limit.

Pros

• Plugable documents dual 4K 60Hz over HDMI on all M4 and M5 Macs, and on M3 with the lid closed.
• No driver or app, and Plugable says it is not a DisplayLink dock.
• 100W host charging (96W certified) from its own power adapter.
• A downstream Thunderbolt 4 port, plus Ethernet, SD and microSD.

Cons

• The HDMI outputs top out at 4K 60Hz, so two 4K 144Hz monitors are out.
• Base M1 and M2 get one external display only.
• One spec section lists Base M4 but not M5, while the feature list says all M4/M5 systems.

Best for

MacBook Air with M4 or M5, or M3 used with the lid closed, driving two HDMI monitors at up to 4K 60Hz.

Skip if

You have an M1 or M2 Air and need two external monitors, or you want both monitors above 4K 60Hz.

View on Plugable

Score breakdown

The overall score is the weighted average of six criteria, each scored 0 to 10 from documentation. See the rubric

1. Mac compatibility documentedWeight 30%9/10

   Names base M1, M2, M3, M4 and M5 behavior and macOS 11 or later. Minus 1: one spec section lists Base M4 but not M5. Source 1

2. Two monitors on MacBook AirWeight 25%7/10

   Two displays on all M4 and M5 systems (2 + 2 points), on M3 only with the lid closed (1), and one display on base M1 and M2 (1 + 1). Source 1

3. Display modesWeight 15%10/10

   Two HDMI outputs at up to 4K 60Hz each, or one display up to 6K on the downstream Thunderbolt port (8K is Windows only). Source 1

4. ChargingWeight 10%10/10

   100W host charging (96W certified) from the dock's own adapter, above Apple's 70W fast-charge figure for M2 and M3 Air. Source 1, Source 5

5. Ports and connectivityWeight 10%10/10

   10 downstream ports: Thunderbolt 4, USB-C, four USB-A, SD, microSD, audio and Gigabit Ethernet. Source 1

6. Software and limitsWeight 10%9/10

   No software or driver needed, and not DisplayLink. macOS 13 or later asks you to approve the accessory. Protected video is not addressed. Source 1

Works with your MacBook Air

Apple's limit comes first: no dock can add native displays. The right-hand column is what this dock gives you within that limit, according to Plugable.

For M3 with the lid closed, Apple also asks for an external keyboard and pointing device, power to the Mac and a set connection order. See the M3 lid-state guide.

Specifications

As published by Plugable. Values in this table are the maker's, not measurements.