The Anker 575 is a USB-C (DisplayPort Alt Mode) docking station — not Thunderbolt — delivering 85W of host charging, triple-display output, gigabit Ethernet, and SD readers. Despite not being Thunderbolt, it is one of the most popular and reliable docks in the Framework community for both FW13 and FW16, including on Linux.
The Anker 778 (model A83A9) is a 12-in-1 Thunderbolt 4 docking station delivering 100W of host charging, a downstream TB4 port, dual DisplayPort and HDMI 2.1 outputs, and gigabit Ethernet. A community member reports it "much more reliable" than a Dell WD19TB on a Framework 16, running three monitors without issue.
The Anker Apex 12-in-1 Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station delivers 90W of host charging and a wide selection of ports in a compact, cool-running enclosure. Community members report it working great on Windows and Fedora with reliable power delivery and peripheral connectivity.
The Anker Prime Thunderbolt 5 Dock (model A83B5) is a Thunderbolt 5 docking station that delivers 140W of host charging, two Thunderbolt 5 downstream ports, and up to 120Gbps of aggregate data bandwidth, alongside 2.5GbE Ethernet, SD/TF card readers, and a choice of HDMI 2.1 or DisplayPort 2.1 output. It is confirmed working with the Framework Laptop 16, where it runs at Thunderbolt 4-equivalent speeds over the FW16's USB4 host ports.
The CalDigit TS3 Plus is a legacy Thunderbolt 3 docking station providing 87W of host charging, 2.5GbE Ethernet, an optical S/PDIF output, and 15 ports in total. It remains a solid, affordable choice (especially used) for single-monitor Framework setups.
The CalDigit TS4 is a high-end Thunderbolt 4 docking station providing 98W of host charging, 2.5GbE Ethernet, dual 4K/6K or single 8K display support, SD/microSD readers, and an extensive set of USB ports. It is one of the most frequently recommended docks in the Framework community and is confirmed working nearly perfectly across multiple Framework laptops.
The Dell Pro Thunderbolt 5 Smart Dock (model SD25TB5, Dell part 210-BRQS) is a Thunderbolt 5 docking station delivering up to 240W of power delivery to non-Dell systems, 2.5GbE Ethernet, dual DisplayPort 2.1, HDMI 2.1, and 4K@240Hz display support. It is confirmed working with the Framework Laptop 16, with 240W charging, 2.5GbE networking, and a 4K@240Hz display all reporting no issues.
The Dell WD22TB4 is a Thunderbolt 4 docking station providing up to 130W of host charging and DisplayPort MST for reliable multi-monitor output. A community member reports that after the Framework 13 BIOS 3.05 update it "just works" — including the dock's normally Dell-proprietary power button, which now powers on the Framework.
Summary
The Lenovo Thunderbolt 5 Smart Dock 7500 (model 40BA0265US) is a Thunderbolt 5 docking station offering 120Gbps bandwidth, dual DisplayPort 2.1 plus HDMI 2.1 output, 2.5GbE Ethernet, and PD 3.1 power delivery up to 180W to the host (a 265W charger is included). It can drive up to three 8K@60Hz displays plus a 4K@60Hz display, and is confirmed working "perfectly" with the Framework Laptop 16 on Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2, charging the FW16 at 180W.
The Low-Profile Ethernet Expansion Card is an ongoing community effort to design a gigabit Ethernet expansion card that fits within the standard Framework expansion card height — roughly 6.8 mm — without protruding below the laptop. Started by ExplodingWaffle in November 2021, the project has had contributions from multiple community members across 87 posts spanning over four years, and remains an active area of development as of early 2026.
The Minisforum DEG2 is a dual-mode open-frame eGPU dock that connects a desktop graphics card over either Thunderbolt 5 or a native OCuLink (PCIe 4.0 x4) link, selected via a hardware switch. It uses an Intel JHL9480 Thunderbolt 5 controller and adds a downstream Thunderbolt 5 port, 2.5GbE Ethernet, and an M.2 2280 slot. It is the Thunderbolt 5 successor to the Minisforum DEG1, which is OCuLink-only.
The OWC 14-Port Thunderbolt 3 Dock (OWCTB3DK14PSG) provides 85W of host charging, dual Thunderbolt 3 ports, a mini DisplayPort 1.2 output, five USB-A ports, gigabit Ethernet, and SD/microSD readers. A community member reports it working reliably on Pop OS 22.04 driving dual 1440p monitors, and noted it delivered close to its claimed power output.
The Plugable TBT4-UDZ is a Thunderbolt 4 docking station delivering up to 96W of host charging. It is driver-less (no DisplayLink) and, importantly, uses a single display output rather than DisplayPort MST — which Plugable explicitly recommends for AMD/Linux stability.
The Plugable TBT5-AI is a Thunderbolt 5 eGPU enclosure marketed for local AI inference, pairing an 850W ATX 3.1 power supply (80+ Gold, 600W dedicated to the GPU) with a PCIe 4.0 x4 slot and a built-in Thunderbolt 5 dock. It provides 96W host charging, a downstream Thunderbolt 5 port, 10Gbps USB-A/C ports, and 2.5GbE Ethernet. It is TAA compliant and supports Thunderbolt 5, Thunderbolt 4, and USB4 (eGPU-capable) Windows 11 hosts with Intel 11th-gen+ or AMD Zen 4+ CPUs.
The Sonnet Breakaway Box 850 T5 (model GPU-850T5) is a Thunderbolt 5 eGPU enclosure built around an Intel JHL9580 controller, pairing an 850W power supply with support for triple-wide graphics cards and a built-in Thunderbolt 5 dock. It delivers 80Gbps bi-directional bandwidth, 100W of host charging, and downstream connectivity including 5GbE Ethernet. It is the Thunderbolt 5 successor to the Sonnet Breakaway Box 750ex (TB3/4, 750W), and works with Thunderbolt 5, Thunderbolt 4, and USB4 Windows 11 laptops.