Review on 🔌 Cable Matters Aluminum Thunderbolt 3 Dock: DisplayPort, 85W Laptop Charging for Windows PC & MacBook Pro, Not Compatible with USB-C Ports Without The Thunderbolt Logo by Alex Cassanova

The first docking station I received didn't work properly. Everything was connected well, but the monitor kept turning off, disconnecting from the laptop and reconnecting after 5-10 seconds. When it disconnected I got three Windows disconnect beeps and when it reconnected I got four connection beeps. Sometimes it happened by accident and sometimes when I clicked something on the screen. I contacted Cable Matters support and they let me go through the normal driver and firmware update process, but none of that worked. They quickly determined the docking station was defective, sent me a return label, and sent a replacement. When the second device arrived I plugged it in and encountered the same problem. Obviously this was a compatibility issue and not an accidental defect, so I researched online. I couldn't find any specific information on this model of docking station that works with my model of laptop, but I did find out what Lenovo is doing to use this laptop with its own brand of docking stations. This laptop, ThinkPad P1 20MD, consumes 130 watts. . The Thunderbolt 3 architecture is only rated for 100W, and the Cable Matters 107024 dock only has an 85W power supply. Lenovo's proprietary Thunderbolt 3 workstation dock has a dedicated cable that connects to both the laptop's USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 port and the power connector, allowing power to be supplied separately from the Thunderbolt 3 port. With only an 85W power adapter and a limited 100W for Thunderbolt 3, the docking station just couldn't handle the power required by the laptop. When I saw this, I just plugged the laptop power adapter into the laptop and worked non-stop for about three hours. I think when the laptop decided it needed more power, it increased its current draw, which either triggered a self-protection routine in the dock or caused instability in the dock. I'm sad that I have to make two connections to my machine, but I'm glad I have a working system now. In fact, the second connection doesn't add any extra overhead to my setup. I only gave the tech support rating two stars because they were unable to identify the underlying issue. At least they reacted. If you have a laptop that consumes more than 85W power, this docking station is recommended, you need to connect the laptop power adapter in addition to the USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 cable.