The Anker 778 Thunderbolt 4 Dock is a versatile docking station designed to enhance connectivity options for laptops, including MacBook Pros. However, its performance with the M4 MacBook Pro may have some limitations and issues.
Connectivity and Features
The Anker 778 dock offers a wide range of ports, including a Thunderbolt 4 upstream port capable of delivering up to 100W of power, a downstream Thunderbolt 4 port, two USB-C ports supporting up to 10Gbps data speeds and 30W charging, two 5Gbps USB-A ports, two 480Mbps USB-A ports, a Gigabit Ethernet port, an HDMI 2.1 port, and two DisplayPort 1.4 ports[1][2][4]. This setup allows users to connect multiple displays and peripherals, making it suitable for creating a desktop-like experience.
Compatibility with M4 MacBook Pro
While the dock supports Thunderbolt 4, which is compatible with newer MacBook Pros, there have been reports of unstable connections with certain models. For instance, users have experienced issues with screen flickering and disconnections when using the dock with M4 Pro MacBook Pros, despite updating firmware and macOS[3]. This suggests that while the dock is technically compatible, there might be specific compatibility issues that need to be addressed.
Display Support
The dock can support up to four displays, but with some limitations. It can connect to one display in 8K resolution or multiple displays in 4K resolution. However, macOS does not support Multi-Stream Transport (MST), which can limit the display configuration options compared to Windows[4]. Users have reported mixed results with display configurations, and it may require some experimentation to achieve the desired setup.
Charging and Power Delivery
The upstream Thunderbolt 4 port can deliver up to 100W of power to the laptop, which is sufficient for most MacBook Pro models. However, if both front USB-C ports are in use, the available power for the laptop is reduced to 65W[1]. This means that users need to manage power consumption carefully if they are using multiple devices simultaneously.
Conclusion
The Anker 778 Thunderbolt 4 Dock offers robust connectivity options and can be a valuable accessory for users seeking to expand their laptop's capabilities. However, users of the M4 MacBook Pro should be aware of potential display connection issues and manage power usage effectively to ensure optimal performance.
Citations:[1] https://www.macrumors.com/review/anker-778-thunderbolt-4-docking-station/
[2] https://www.microcenter.com/product/664584/anker-778-thunderbolt-docking-station
[3] https://discussions.apple.com/thread/255946959
[4] https://www.reddit.com/r/UsbCHardware/comments/15bpxsk/macrumors_review_ankers_778_thunderbolt_4_docking/
[5] https://www.pcworld.com/article/2514596/anker-778-thunderbolt-4-dock-review.html
[6] https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-thunderbolt-dock/
[7] https://www.servethehome.com/anker-778-thunderbolt-4-dock-mini-review/
[8] https://support.anker.com/s/article/Introduction-to-Anker-778-Thunderbolt-Docking-Station-12-in-1-Thunderbolt-4
[9] https://discussions.apple.com/thread/255329289