Thin and light laptops are getting more power each year, but they will always miss out on something that bulkier computers have—a healthy number of ports for connecting everything you need. So, if you want to expand your port options without affecting your file transfer speeds, you need a Thunderbolt 4 hub. TheRevodok Max 208gives you that and more, turning your thin-and-light into a peripheral powerhouse.
Ugreen Revodok Max 208 Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station
The Ugreen Revodok Max 208 adds six more USB ports and a physical LAN connection. It’s perfect for adding ports to a thin and light laptop, making it more productive.
Comes in a Massive Box
The Revodok Max 208 is the little brother ofthe Max 213, so it’s smaller and lighter. The 208 weighs 569g and measures 15.4 x 8.6 x 3.5cm. It also has a perfectly rectangular shape, so having the Max 208 on your desk is like putting a little black metallic brick on it.
Aside from the dock, you also get a huge 140-watt power brick with a barrel jack for powering the dock and a Thunderbolt 4 cable for connecting your laptop to it. These three items come in a rather massive box for their sizes, belying the premium price point that the Revodok docks offer.
A Premium Dock on Your Desk
Although the Revodok Max 208 is shaped like a metal slab, it has two long, narrow vents—one in front and another at the back—that dissipate heat while adding a little flair to the dock. It also has a ridged metal power button and an LED indicator light.
Up front, you get three USB-A ports, while the back offers four USB-C ports, an RJ-45 port, and an outlet for plugging in the power barrel jack. It also has four rubber feet, ensuring it won’t slide around on your desk.
Adds Six High-Speed Ports and Gigabit Ethernet to Your Laptop
The USB ports at the back of the Revodok Max 208 are all Thunderbolt 4 ports, meaning they all support up to 40 Gbps of file transfer speeds. However, you can only use the port at the far end of the dock to connect and power your laptop, while all the rest are designed for output.
On the other hand, the USB-A ports in front of the dock can transfer up to 10 Gbps, while the RJ45 LAN port has a transfer speed of up to 1 Gbps. you may also transfer video data using any of the three Thunderbolt 4 ports. If you’re running Windows, you can get as much as 8K@30Hz on a single display or 4K@60Hz with two displays. But if you have a macOS device, you’re limited to 4K@60Hz, whether using one or two displays.
Also, the number of displays you can use with the Revodok Max 208 depends on your system. While most Windows laptops will support up to four external displays, the following Apple laptops will only work with one external display, even if you use the dock: M1 MacBook Air, M2 MacBook Air, M2 MacBook Pro, and the M3 MacBook Pro.
Charge Your Devices While Transferring Data
Aside from transferring data, the Max 208 will also recharge your gear. If you plug it into the appropriate Thunderbolt 4 port, it can quickly recharge your laptop with its 85-watt power output.
However, the other Thunderbolt ports can also output 15 watts, allowing you to juice up your other devices (although rather slowly) while transferring data. We also tested the USB-A ports and found that they could deliver up to 5 watts, so you don’t need external power for low-power devices you plug in.
When we sum the total maximum output of all the ports, the Revodok Max 208 can deliver 145 watts—close enough to the 140-watt capacity of the included power brick.
Will the Revodok Max 208 Work With Your Computer?
The Revodok Max 208 will work with any Thunderbolt 4 device and is backward compatible with Thunderbolt 3. This means the dock will work with any device with Thunderbolt 3 or 4 compatibility.
It also worked with my Samsung Note10+ and my wife’s Z Fold5, transferring video data for my devices with an Alt DP mode. However, it can only support a single external monitor for these non-Thunderbolt devices.
According to Ugreen, the Max 208 is compatible with the following devices: MacBooks with macOS 11.4 or above, Dell XPS, and Microsoft Surface Pro. However, it’s not compatible with the 2018 Mac mini powered by Intel.
What We Missed on the Max 208
Although the Revodok Max 208 gives your laptop seven extra physical connections, we missed out on a couple of ports we expected to see at this price range. For one, the 208 doesn’t have an SD card slot, so we do not recommend this if you frequently work with these external media.
Furthermore, it doesn’t have HDMI or DisplayPort. So, you must rely on a USB-C to HDMI or USB-C to DisplayPort cable or monitors with USB-C plugs.
Should You Buy the Revodok Max 208?
TheRevodok Max 208is an excellent dock for users with thin and light laptops who need more ports than what’s available on their device. At the cost of just one Thunderbolt 3 or 4 port on your laptop, you’ll get 85-watt fast charging, three extra USB-C ports, two of which can output displays, three additional USB-A ports, and an RJ45 jack for a physical internet connection.
You should buy this dock if you have a lot of peripherals, use two or more displays, and prefer the reliability and speed of a LAN connection. For example, you could attach a gigabit ethernet connection, two external displays, and a high-speed external drive at the back while plugging in your mouse and keyboard at the front. This would leave you with an extra USB-A port up front.
However, if you frequently work with removable media (as photographers and videographers do), this won’t work, as you have no place to plug in an SD card. That means you’ll need another hub with an SD card slot, which is a hassle—you’ll be better off investing in a dock with one already built in.
