If you’re like me and have many peripherals on your desk with wires going everywhere, then you should definitely consider getting the Thunder2 Dock from Akitio.

Before I even get started with the review, I got to give Akitio credits for the unboxing experience. I absolutely love when companies like Akitio take the time and money to design a packaging that will give their customer a memorable unboxing experience.

This is what the Thunder2 Dock looks like. As you can see, it features a beautiful Apple-inspired design with the unibody aluminum. The aluminum makes this device extra durable which is why it’s great to travel with. It’ also great to travel with because of its slim and lightweight design. You would think it would be heavy because of the aluminum shell, but it’s not. In the middle on the top, you get a really cool chrome Akitio logo.

On the front side, you can find the two most important ports of all; The Thunderbolt 2 ports. These ports allow for high transfer speeds of up to 20Gb/s. Because there’s two, you can use them to daisy-chain up to 6 Thunderbolt devices. As we already know, you can use your 4k monitor via the Thunderbolt 2 ports which a definite bonus. I also have to give Akitio a round of applause for including a Thunderbolt 2 cable with the dock. If you didn’t know, Thunderbolt cables aren’t cheap, they cost around 30 bucks a pop. One last feature on the front is the two indicator lights. One indicates if there’s power, and the other indicates if your Thunderbolt 2 ports are connected.

On the left side, you get two eSATA host ports. These ports allow for speeds of up to 6Gb/s.

If you flip it all the way around, you will notice quite a few ports. Starting on the left, you get your standard DC 12v power supply port. Although it would be too good to be true, I wish this dock didn’t require an external power supply for the eSATA and Thunderbolt ports. Thankfully, the FireWire 800 and USB 3.0 ports are bus-powered. If you ask me, FireWire is getting a little old, but it’s definitely nice for Akitio to include it for the people who still use it. Finally, the last two ports are the USB 3.0 ports. One quick note is that you’ll have to install the driver on your computer if you plan on using these. The driver can be installed from Akitio’s website.

Last but not least is the bottom of the dock. There are 4 circular rubber grip pads. I have to say, these get some really good traction.

Conclusion

The Akitio Thunder2 Dock is something I always have. Whether I’m traveling or if I’m at home working, this little dock is always with me. From the packing to the product, Akitio really knows how to make their customers happy. My only complaint on this device is that it can get a little hot when in use. I personally don’t find this to be too big of an issue since it’s not a handheld device. So… who is this for? This is for anyone with a thunderbolt compatible computer. I think Akitio made this more for Mac users since it has the Apple-inspired design, but it will work perfectly with any computer with a Thunderbolt port. All in all, this device is high-quality, beautifully designed, and always works. If you ask me, you can’t go wrong when purchasing the Akitio Thunder2 Dock.

Click here to purchase the Akitio Thunder2 Dock from Amazon for $245.99