Key Takeaways
1. Lenovo launched three new docks: ThinkPad Thunderbolt 5 Smart Dock 7500, Thunderbolt 4 Smart Dock 5500, and USB4 Smart Dock 5500 at CES 2025, catering to different budgets.
2. The ThinkPad Thunderbolt 5 Smart Dock 7500 features advanced connectivity with two Thunderbolt 5 ports and supports multiple high-resolution displays.
3. The ThinkPad Thunderbolt 4 Smart Dock 5500 offers a more affordable option with one Thunderbolt 4 port and enhanced USB 3.2 Type-A ports.
4. The ThinkPad USB4 Smart Dock 5500 replaces Thunderbolt 4 with a USB 4 port but maintains essential features like HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 1.4.
5. All docks will be available in October 2025, with varying power delivery capacities: 180 Watts for the Thunderbolt 5 dock and 100 Watts for the USB4 dock.
Lenovo recently introduced a trio of docks to enhance its diverse range of products presented at CES 2025. The ThinkPad Thunderbolt 5 Smart Dock 7500, ThinkPad Thunderbolt 4 Smart Dock 5500, and ThinkPad USB4 Smart Dock 5500 provide various connectivity solutions to fit different budgets.
ThinkPad Thunderbolt 5 Smart Dock 7500
Beginning with the ThinkPad Thunderbolt 5 Smart Dock 7500, this model features two Thunderbolt 5.0 ports, two DisplayPort 2.1 ports, one HDMI 2.1 port, three USB 3.2 Type-A ports, one 2.5 Gbps Ethernet connection, and two USB 3.2 Type-C ports. Its dimensions are 235 mm x 80 mm x 30 mm and it weighs 586 grams. The dock supports the output of three 8K 60 Hz streams and one 4K 60 Hz stream, or alternatively four 4K 120 Hz streams at the same time. The USB-C ports can deliver up to 180 Watts of power through USB PD.
ThinkPad Thunderbolt 4 Smart Dock 5500
Next, the ThinkPad Thunderbolt 4 Smart Dock 5500 reduces some features to save costs. It has one Thunderbolt port instead of two and connects to devices using a single Thunderbolt 4.0 port. The two DisplayPort connections have been lowered to DP 1.4, but it retains the HDMI 2.1 port and the 2.5 Gbps RJ45 Ethernet connection, along with two USB 3.2 Type-C ports. Additionally, it includes four USB 3.2 Type-A ports, which is one more than before.
ThinkPad USB4 Smart Dock 5500
Finally, the ThinkPad USB4 Smart Dock 5500 substitutes the Thunderbolt 4.0 input with a USB 4 port, which is the only USB 4.0 option on this dock. There’s one USB 3.2 Type-C port in the front and another in the back. Two USB 3.2 Type-A ports are also positioned similarly. The RJ45 Ethernet jack has been reduced to 1 Gbps, though the DP 1.4 and HDMI 2.1 ports remain the same. The USB-PD wattage is maintained at 100 Watts.
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