Best Docking Stations and Hubs for MacBook Air (M1–M5)
Most MacBook Air dock mistakes come from one fact: the chip, not the dock, decides how many monitors you can run. An M1 or M2 Air drives one external display natively. An M3 Air drives two only with the lid closed. M4 and M5 Airs drive two with the lid open.
So start with your chip (Apple menu → About This Mac), then pick from the list below.
We earn a commission if you buy through our links, at no cost to you. It never changes the order. Specs come from manufacturer and Apple documentation; we have not hands-on tested these units. How we pick.
1. Best overall desk dock
CalDigit TS4 Thunderbolt 4 Dock
CalDigit model TS4 · Thunderbolt dock
One Thunderbolt cable charges the Air (up to 98W, more than any Air needs), carries your monitor and connects 8 USB ports, 2.5Gb Ethernet and an SD reader. On an M4/M5 Air, the DisplayPort plus a downstream Thunderbolt port give you the two monitors Apple supports.
- Works with
- Thunderbolt 4 / 3, USB4
- Monitors
- DisplayPort 1.4 + 2 downstream Thunderbolt 4 ports
- Charging
- Up to 98W
- Ports
- 5× USB-A 10Gbps, 3× USB-C 10Gbps, 2.5GbE, SD/microSD, audio
Best for: A one-cable desk: charge, monitors, wired network and every peripheral.
Watch out: How many monitors work is set by your laptop chip, not by the dock.
Specs from CalDigit — TS4 interfaces and power (checked 2026-10-27).
2. Best for two or three monitors on M1/M2
Anker Prime Docking Station (14-in-1, Triple Display, DisplayLink)
Anker model A83B3 · DisplayLink dock
A DisplayLink dock adds monitors beyond Apple’s one-display limit on M1 and M2 Airs: one DisplayPort and two HDMI outputs, up to 140W charging, 2.5Gb Ethernet and card readers. Requires Anker’s free DisplayLink app.
- Works with
- USB-C 10Gbps; macOS 13.5+ with DisplayLink Manager
- Monitors
- 3 monitors: 1 DisplayPort + 2 HDMI (4K per HDMI per Anker’s FAQ)
- Charging
- Up to 140W (laptop must support PD 3.1)
- Ports
- 3× USB-C (2 at 10Gbps), 3× USB-A, 2.5GbE, SD, microSD, audio
Best for: Two or three monitors on an M1 or M2 MacBook Air, plus enough charging for a 16-inch Pro.
Watch out: Needs the DisplayLink app and Screen Recording permission on macOS. Anker’s spec table and FAQ disagree on HDMI resolution (8K30 vs 4K); plan on 4K.
Specs from Anker US — Prime Docking Station A83B3 specifications and FAQ, Anker Support — docks for M-series MacBooks (checked 2026-10-30).
3. Best value for one 4K monitor
Anker 555 USB-C Hub (8-in-1)
Anker model A8383 · USB-C hub
A single 4K screen at 60Hz, two fast 10Gbps USB-A ports, Ethernet and card readers. Ideal for M1/M2 Airs, which only support one external display anyway.
- Works with
- USB-C with DisplayPort Alt Mode
- Monitors
- 1 HDMI, up to 4K 60Hz
- Charging
- Up to 85W (100W charger in)
- Ports
- 2× USB-A 10Gbps, 1× USB-C 10Gbps data, Gigabit Ethernet, SD, microSD
Best for: One 4K monitor at a smooth 60Hz plus fast USB storage on a small budget.
Watch out: Only one display output. Charger not included.
Specs from Anker US — A8383 specifications (checked 2026-10-27).
4. Best for travel and SD cards
Anker 341 USB-C Hub (7-in-1)
Anker model A8346 · USB-C hub
Pocket-size, with SD and microSD readers and 85W pass-through charging. Its HDMI tops out at 4K 30Hz, which is fine for presentations but not for all-day desk work.
- Works with
- USB-C with PD and DisplayPort Alt Mode
- Monitors
- 1 HDMI, up to 4K 30Hz
- Charging
- Up to 85W (needs 100W charger)
- Ports
- 2× USB-A 5Gbps, 1× USB-C data, SD + microSD (UHS-I)
Best for: Photographers and travelers who need card readers in a pocket-size hub.
Watch out: 4K is capped at 30Hz. Anker lists the USB-C data speed as both 480Mbps and 5Gbps.
Specs from Anker US — A8346 specifications, Anker Support — A8346 (checked 2026-10-27).
5. Best alternative Thunderbolt dock
OWC 11-Port Thunderbolt Dock
OWC model OWCTB4DOCK · Thunderbolt dock
Up to 96W charging, Ethernet, SD and audio, with three downstream Thunderbolt ports for USB-C or Thunderbolt monitors.
- Works with
- Thunderbolt 4 / 3
- Monitors
- Via 3 downstream Thunderbolt 4 ports
- Charging
- Up to 96W
- Ports
- 3× Thunderbolt 4, 4× USB, Gigabit Ethernet, SD, audio
Best for: A full desk dock alternative to the TS4 with Ethernet, SD and audio built in.
Watch out: Monitors connect through Thunderbolt/USB-C, so HDMI screens need an adapter.
Specs from OWC — 11-Port Thunderbolt Dock (checked 2026-10-27).
M1 and M2 MacBook Air: one external display
Apple’s tech specs for the M1 (2020) and M2 (2022) MacBook Air list support for one external display at up to 6K 60Hz. A dock with two video ports does not change that. Plugging in a second monitor will either mirror or stay black.
For a single monitor, the Anker 555 is the best value. For a one-cable desk with charging and wired network, get the CalDigit TS4.
Running two monitors on an M1 or M2 Air requires a DisplayLink dock, such as the Anker Prime DL7400 or Plugable UD-6950PDZ. A DisplayLink chip compresses video over USB, and a free app on your Mac draws the extra screens. The trade-offs: no HDCP-protected video and slight latency, so it suits office work better than gaming. See our full guide to dual-monitor docks for M1 and M2.
M3 MacBook Air: two displays, lid closed only
Apple supports a second external display on the M3 Air only with the lid closed, on power, with an external keyboard and mouse, on macOS Sonoma 14.3 or later. Open the lid and the second display goes dark.
Any of the Thunderbolt docks above works for this clamshell setup.
M4 and M5 MacBook Air: two displays with the lid open
Apple’s current limit for the M4 and M5 Air is two external displays alongside the built-in screen. Closing the lid does not add a third.
The CalDigit TS4 is the simplest way to use both: one monitor on its DisplayPort, the other on a downstream Thunderbolt port (USB-C monitor or a USB-C-to-DisplayPort/HDMI cable).
Skip this: Anker 565 for two different screens on a Mac
Anker states that on MacBooks the 565’s two display outputs show the same content. It is a good hub for Windows laptops, but not for an extended two-screen Mac desk.
Frequently asked questions
Can a MacBook Air M2 run two monitors?
Not natively. Apple lists one external display for the M2 MacBook Air (2022). Two or three monitors need a DisplayLink dock such as the Anker Prime DL7400, plus its free DisplayLink app.
Does closing the lid let an M4 MacBook Air use more monitors?
No. Apple says closing the lid does not increase the number of external displays on M4 and M5 MacBook Air models; the limit is two.
Will these docks charge a MacBook Air?
Yes, all four picks pass power through: the hubs up to 85W (with a 100W charger plugged in), the TS4 up to 98W and the OWC dock up to 96W. That is more than any MacBook Air draws.