Kensington LD5400T Thunderbolt 3 Dock with K-Fob Smart Lock

Thunderbolt 3 is always a hot topic around here as not only is the tech surrounding the interface growing at a rapid rate now, but it is about to become standard now that Intel has released it royalty-free into the community of developers, and it will be natively integrated with the new USB 4.0 interface when it releases. It has a lot going for it right now. It is the fastest interface connection at this time, allowing for daisy-chaining and multi-port access from a single tiny little input.

Not only is TB3 popular with consumers, but it is a hit with the commercial and enterprise side of things all the same. Today we get talk about one solution that spans all markets (although mostly enterprise/commercial), with Kensington’s Thunderbolt 3 Universal Dual 4K Dock with K-Fob Smart Lock (that’s a mouth full).

This dock is a bit of a larger one since it has a lot going for it. It is large and it is heavy, making a firm impression that it is built to last, as well as to take some abuse if need be. This also means it is meant to be located in a static location and not moved around much (it isn’t a travel dock).

It is mostly centered around commercial use, where it would be not only connected to, but also securing a laptop that either multiple users may have access to, or the owner simply is concerned about theft in general. So it has two purposes.

Purpose #1: A Thunderbolt 3 Dock

Clearly, it’s main touted function is to be a TB3 dock for your laptop. Like any TB3 dock, it connects to your laptop’s TB3 port. Yes, this means your laptop does have to have TB3 support, and an available port, for this to work with it.

It then uses that port to break out into multiple functions to cover your peripherals, monitors, networking and so on. The backside contains all of the connections both in and out, including the TB3 run that goes in between itself and the laptop.

Starting left to right (as you can see in the above image), you get:

• 1x gigabit ethernet port
• 1x 3.5mm headphones/headset output (supporting both audio and microphone)
• 4x USB 3.0 ports
• Kensington laptop lock hole for connecting a normal lock to
• 2x Thunderbolt 3 ports
  • One to your laptop, the other for additional daisied peripherals (up to 5 devices)
  • The peripheral port can also act as a normal USB-C port directly or anywhere down the daisied line.
  • Supports up to 2 monitors at 4K resolution, or a single 5K monitor
• 1x DisplayPort (full-size)

Other than that, you have a DC input for the provided plug for wall power. So, as you’d expect to find with a TB3 hub, it comes with all the necessities for bringing all of your devices and monitors to your laptop with, using a single cable running from the laptop itself.

As mentioned, the TB3 throughput port supports monitors within the chain of devices, and can output signal for up to 2 monitors, as highs as 4K resolution. This means that includes any resolution below that as well (ie, 2 monitors at 1080p). It can also output to a single 5K monitor, like LG’s UltraFine 5K IPS LED Monitor, although this also requires use of the DisplayPort in the mix. However, that’s all you get (just one). Every TB3 dock we have tested is limited to a single 5K output at most, so there is nothing new with this limitation. We put it up against a few monitors in general, resolutions ranging between 1080p and 4K, and it seemed to deliver nicely. It is important to note when you are using a TB3 dock or connection, that the monitors have to support DP via TB3 else they may not work. For everything else, you can always come out of the actual DisplayPort and adapt as needed for a single monitor.

The throughput TB3 port can also function as a USB-C port for devices that support USB-C but not Thunderbolt. However, it would be wise to do so if no TB3 devices are being used for that port, or you use the USB-C device last in the chain. This way you can maximize data throughput as well as compatibility.

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Everything else seems to work as expected, including a strong network connection and USB connectivity.

The Kensington lock connection is for when you don’t care to permanently bolt the dock down (which we will get to in a moment).

Purpose #2: Security

This dock attaches to the paired laptop and secures it from walking away by multiple means. So it not only breaks out all of your connections using TB3, but it makes sure that laptop stays where it is meant to be at all times.

It uses two arms (each side of the laptop) that slide in and lock into the fold of the hinge area. It uses key fobs called “K-Fobs” to unlock the arms to allow you to remove the laptop when needed. Most useful when you do choose to bolt this to a surface, but secures it either way. There is a tray that slides underneath the laptop that has two screw holes that can be used to fasten it to a surface (ie, desk, table, etc). That way it isn’t possible for anyone to get any leverage when it comes to trying to slide the laptop out in any way. However, it will try it’s best to do the same even if it isn’t bolted down (although we feel the bolting down option would absolutely work best).

However, if you choose not to bolt it down, that is what the Kensington lock connection on the back of the hub is for. So you can use a normal laptop lock (Kensington has the industrial standard for this, right in their pocket) So you have a lock between the laptop and the dock, and then the dock also comes with its own, so that you can secure the dock with a lock to a desk or other surface (assuming you have a leg or something to wrap it around).

Again though, we would advise screwing/bolting it to a surface for best results. It would be the most secure setup and you won’t have all these wired locks running all over.  A much cleaner setup.

At first, we didn’t think the locking arms were going to be much. Before opening the box, we had assumed that it was going to be simple plastic arms on a manual ratcheted track or something similar to that effect. Something that could easily be pried open maybe. That wasn’t the case though, as these arms are actually motorized, highlighting one of the reasons (besides build quality in general) that this dock weighs quite a bit.

It is initially matched to the K-Fobs that come with the unit. Right out of the box, it is meant for a single-user scenario. You would insert the laptop, and then manually slide the arms into locked position. Then, to open the arms, you would tap one of the K-Fobs (it comes with two so that you have a backup) to the outer face of the right arm. Within 1.5 seconds, the arms will disengage with a motor, letting go of the laptop. Pretty neat!

If you have situation where you would have multiple docks spread about, like in a cyber café, you can assign K-Fobs as well. You can make sure certain units respond to certain K-Fobs or make sure they all respond to the same exact one. The K-Fobs are numbered with a serial, so you know which one you are using at any given time. To assign a K-Fob to a unit, you would tap the right arm while it is in unlocked position. The LED will change to show that it worked and you can then slide the arms closed. Now only that K-Fob will open that unit. Now you can go around to all of them (or certain ones) and do the same to pair that K-Fob to those as well. You can then take it further with multiple K-Fobs if you like, so you can assign user access while an admin maintains complete access.

It weighs just over 7 lbs, so you can get an idea from that how solid it is built, and ready to hug your laptop and never let it go without your knowledge of it. It supposed laptops between the sizes of 11 and 15 inches, covering just about every standard laptop, both Windows, Mac, Chromebook, etc. We tested it uses a few modern 15.3 inch models. We found with the full 15.3 inch size, you kind of have to wiggle it into the arms a little before you can lock it into place. The arms don’t always slide outwards enough to simply slide it right out every time. However, we didn’t get any feeling that it was going to fail at protecting the laptop from theft. If someone tried to rip the laptop out of its arms, they would damage the laptop before they could every get it loose. Hopefully a thief would realize it before taking things that far (and of course, hopefully you never run into a thief to begin with, of course).

So you can see how unique this product is. Maybe it would be best marketed as a laptop security lock/station with built-in Thunderbolt 3 hub. Either way, it has its own corner of the market with little to no competition whatsoever. It is also pricey. TB3 is typically pricey to begin with, and a fancy locking station without any competition is only going to affect it all the more. Thankfully it seems to do good at both!

It comes with every power cable you could ask for, so one product to rule them all, no matter where your business or purpose is in the world. So if you do make use of this in your travels, you can rest easily knowing it will work wherever you take it (assuming you remember to bring the different cables).

It also comes with a USB cable (Type-A to Type-A), the Thunderbolt 3 cable to go between the dock and your laptop, and the mentioned lock for the dock to a surface (if not bolting it down), as well as the two K-Fobs (matched as a single user).

Finally, they also include free software that can be used for registering users to K-Fobs and keeping track of everything with, just in case you do want to create a complicated multi-user environment using these.

Our Conclusion

This is a very interesting dock solution that really makes the word “dock” live up to its function. The laptop truly does “dock” to the unit, and then you have all of your connections on the back. It gives you just about everything you could need in a dock, and it is built so very well. At first, you may think it is a HUGE dock for a laptop, but being that it is a full security station as well, the size makes it look pretty compact when bolted to a surface. It’s….expensive! We had to base our decisions based on commercial/enterprise usage since the average consumer wouldn’t have a clue on how they would make use of something like this unless they leave their laptop around a lot, but even then they would most likely opt for a normal wire lock. However, when it comes to professional use of something like this, it can be incredibly handy. No codes to remember, and no need for multiple keys lying all over. Not only that, but you are never limited to ONE key since you can assign any K-Fob to a unit before locking it. A very interesting unit indeed. Again, a bit expensive. Even for business-use, if you have a need for a ton of them (ie, cyber café), that order is going to get pretty expensive, really quick. You better match them to some pretty expensive laptop to get your full value out of them.

*Average price is based on the time this article was published

Additional Resources:

Official product page (Kensington.com): Click here

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Specifications:

• Connection Technology: Thunderbolt 3 (Cross Platform Compatibility)
• Additional Screen Outputs: 2
• Video Ports: DisplayPort, USB-C
• Maximum Resolution: 4K
• Power Delivery: 85W
• Operating System(s): macOS, Windows
• Number of USB Ports: 5 (4x 3.0, 1x USB-C through TB3 port)
• USB Fast Charging: No
• Docking Station Family: The Innovator
• DockWorks: Yes
• Best For: Thunderbolt 3 Laptops, Ultrabooks and Monitors that support up to 4K
• Compatibility: Windows 10, macOS 10.13 or above
• USB 3.0 Ports: 4 x USB 3.0 Ports (back) supporting 5V/0.9A
• Audio: 1 x 3.5mm Combo Microphone & Headphone Port (rear)
• Data Transfer Speeds: Supports up to 40Gbps data transfer speed
• Ethernet Speed (Mbps): 1000, 100, 10
• Maximum Resolution Supported: Single Monitor: 5K (5120 x 2880 @ 60Hz), Dual Monitors: 4K (4096 x 2160 @ 60 Hz)
• Mounting Option: Optional – permanently secure using the desktop mounting holes
• Plug & Play: No need for drivers or downloads
• Security Slot Compatibility: Product includes tethered security cable and optional built-in Kensington Security Slot
• System Requirements: Only compatible with laptops equipped with Thunderbolt 3 ports; not backwards compatible with Thunderbolt 1 or 2
• USB-C Power Delivery: Supports USB-C PD 2.0 (85W of laptop charging)
• Video Output: Optional Secondary Monitor via USB-C video adapter, 1 x DisplayPort v1.2
• 4K Support: Yes
• Daisy Chaining: Daisy chains up to 5 additional Thunderbolt 3 devices

Are you a manufacturer or distributor that would like us to test something out for review? Contact us and we can let you know where to send the product and we will try it out.

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