Ugreen is primarily known for its smartphone accessories, but it sells USB-C hubs and Thunderbolt docks. While you will find plenty of USB-C hubs on the market, good Thunderbolt docks with the right set of ports are hard to find. The Ugreen Revodok Max 213 changes that, featuring almost all the connectivity options you will ever need and offering a single-cable solution for your Windows or MacBook Pro setup. This comes at a steep cost of $400, though.
Does Ugreen’s Thunderbolt 4 dock live up to its expensive price tag, or is it all show with specs that aren’t as useful in daily use? Find out in this review.
Ugreen Revodok Max 213 Thunderbolt 4 Dock
The Ugreen Revodok Max 213 is an expensive Thunderbolt 4 dock that packs almost all the ports you will ever need. It also looks and feels premium, ensuring it won’t look out of place on your desk alongside your MacBook Pro or Windows laptop.
- Two front-facing USB-A 3.2 ports
- Versatile ports selection
- 2x Thunderbolt 4 ports for connecting high-bandwidth accessories
- Expensive
- Port markings are difficult to read
- No HDMI port
Price and availability
Expensive
You can buy the Ugreen Revodok Max 213 from Amazon or directly from Ugreen’s website in the US. It retails for $400, which is almost as expensive as some other renowned Thunderbolt 4 docks that pack even more ports.
Note that the dock only works with Windows and Macs and not Chromebooks. So, if you want to buy a Thunderbolt dock for your Chromebook, look elsewhere.
Specifications
- Ports
- 2x Thunderbolt 4 (40Gbps, 15W), 1x DisplayPort 1.4, 1x 2.5Gbps Ethernet, 1x SD & TF 4.0, 1x USB C 3.2 (10Gbps, 20W), 2x USB A 3.2 (10Gbps), 2x USB A 3.0, 1x 3.5mm audio, 1x 180W DC power port
What’s good about the Ugreen Revodok Max 213 Thunderbolt 4 dock?
Almost all the ports you can ask for
Made entirely of metal, the Revodok Max 213 looks and feels premium. If you have a Mac or another premium Windows laptop, the Revodok won’t feel out of place beside it. Ugreen has also neatly integrated the passive cooling vents, ensuring proper ventilation.
It is certainly not the most compact Thunderbolt dock around, though. The Revodok Max 213 is considerably bigger and thicker than the CalDigit TS3 Plus I previously used while offering fewer ports. Still, the size is not a concern, and the dock will easily blend with other accessories and devices on your desk. Compared to the CalDigit TS3 Plus, the Ugreen dock got less hot while powering dual monitors and other accessories on my desk. So, at least that’s a plus of its bigger body.
When you buy a Thunderbolt dock, you want it to have as many ports and connectivity options as possible. The Revodok Max 213 excels here with its wide array of ports, including 2x Thunderbolt 4 and four USB-A ports. Below is a list of the 13 ports you get on the dock:
- 2x Thunderbolt 4
- 1x DisplayPort
- 4x USB-A
- 1x 2.5Gbps Ethernet
- 1x SD card slot
- 1x TF card slot
- 1x 3.5mm jack
The front conveniently houses two USB-A ports with 10Gbps support, one USB-C port, and the SD card slots. All other ports are on the back, ensuring any wire clutter remains hidden. My previous dock, the CalDigit TS3 Plus, only had one USB-A port on the front, which would sometimes be inconvenient. I also found the front TF card slot a boon for my usage, as I don’t have to look for an SD card adapter when transferring footage from my GoPro or car dashcam.
The sole USB-C port at the front supports data transfer speeds of 10Gbps, so transferring large data off my portable Samsung T5 SSD was quick and easy. Even better, it outputs power at 20W, allowing me to frequently use it for charging my Pixel 8 Pro, GoPro, or other USB-C accessories.
In my testing, though, the power output topped out at around 17.6W. Still, this freed up an additional power socket on my desk, which is always welcome, especially when you have as many devices as I do.
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With my M1 Pro MacBook Pro, the Revodox Max 213 allowed for nearly a one-cable plug-and-play solution. By plugging just one Thunderbolt 4 cable into my MacBook, the dock would power dual monitors, external hard disks, and other attached USB accessories. And it would do this while juicing up my MacBook’s battery at up to 80-90W speeds. Note that most MacBook Pro models now need 100-140W of power to fast charge. So, the Revodok Max’s power output can fast charge MacBook Airs but not the Pro models.
While I could not test the 2.5Gbps Ethernet port’s speed, it is a handy option if you have a NAS or other network-attached storage in your office. The dock has a power button, which you can use to turn it off. I have never needed to turn off the dock solely, but it might be handy if your use case demands it.
What’s bad about the Ugreen Revodok Max 213 Thunderbolt 4 dock?
Limited multi-monitor support
I have no issues with the Revodok’s design, with all the ports spaced evenly. But Ugreen should consider tweaking its color scheme. The gunmetal shade looks stealthy, but since it absorbs more light, the port markings are ineligible in most conditions. It won’t matter much in daily use after a few weeks of use, but the company should use a lighter color on its dock or make the port labels brighter for easy readability.
The dock can be used in either landscape or portrait orientation, with rubber feet on both sides. Ideally, they should have been removable. This way, you could remove the feet from the orientation that’s not in use for a cleaner look.
The Revodok Max 213 supports 8K displays but is limited to a 30Hz refresh rate. Plus, it only works with selected Windows laptops. If you have a Mac, depending on your model, the dock can simultaneously run dual 4K monitors at 60Hz, but driving an 8K monitor is not possible. This can also be an issue if you have a 5K monitor and use a Mac, as you can’t run it through the dock.
I would also have liked to see an HDMI port on the Revodok Max 213. It would have made the dock a lot more versatile. One of the monitors in my dual-display setup was hooked up using an HDMI cable, so I had to get a USB-C to DisplayPort cable to work around the Revodok’s lack of an HDMI port.
One odd quirk about the Revodok 213 is its 180W power brick. The DC port accepts 21V power at 8.57A, which is an odd number. So, if the bundled power adapter ever stops working, you might struggle to find an alternative. Ugreen should also have included a slightly longer power cable. I had to make a few adjustments to ensure the cable from the adapter reached the dock on top of my standing desk.
My biggest gripe with the Ugreen Revodok 213 is its steep $400 price. While the dock has almost all the ports you can ask for, this price is still too high. For nearly the same price, you can get the CalDigit TS4, which is among the best Thunderbolt 4 docks. It packs 18 ports — five more than the Revodok 213 — in a more compact design and supports 98W power output. Plus, it supports up to 6K 60Hz monitors with Macs.
Should you buy it?
There’s a lot to like about the Revodok 213. It can act as the hub on your desk, connecting all your accessories and monitors to your MacBook or Windows laptop through a single cable. But this is as long as you don’t intend to power a monitor with a resolution greater than 4K with your Mac. For higher resolutions, you might have to look elsewhere.
Because of its versatility, the Revodok 213 has already replaced my old CalDigit TS3 Plus dock. But for $400, I find the dock too expensive to recommend. If you can get it at a lower price, though, it is worth buying over the competition — so long as you don’t own a Chromebook.
Ugreen Revodok Max 213 Thunderbolt 4 Dock
The Ugreen Revodok Max 213 is a great Thunderbolt 4 dock for your Mac or Windows laptop. It features multiple USB ports, 90W power passthrough, a DisplayPort 1.4, and 8K monitor support.
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