Razer Thunderbolt 4 Dock Chroma review: Underglow lighting and strong performance make it ideal for gamers

The Razer Thunderbolt 4 Dock Chroma was one of the first TB4 docks to hit the market early 2021, and it set itself apart from the best docking stations with an all-aluminum build, black finish, and customizable underglow RGB lighting. While it's no doubt a top choice for gamers who want to expand their laptop's port selection while also bolstering their desk's light show, it's also a great dock for casual users who want a modern dock with great performance, dual 4K display support, and up to 90W of charging power back to the host laptop.

The Razer Thunderbolt 4 Dock Chroma has been on the market for a couple of years, but it's still a popular option thanks to the unique aesthetic and relevant ports. Is it the right dock for you? Let's take a closer look.

About this review: Razer supplied a Thunderbolt 4 Dock Chroma for review and had no input on the content of this article.

Razer Thunderbolt 4 Dock Chroma: Price and availability

• Stock is becoming harder to find
• Starts around $330 when available

The Razer Thunderbolt 4 Dock Chroma started out as a Razer Store exclusive, but it can now be found at plenty of third-party retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, Newegg, and B&H. The popularity of the dock often leaves it out of stock, though prices remain around the $330 mark when stock is available.

Razer also offers a Thunderbolt 4 dock with a Mercury finish and without Chroma RGB effects. The Mercury option also includes a Kensington lock slot, making it better suited for a professional office setting. The Mercury version is also made to work better with Mac, though both docks will work across platforms. Expect to pay about $320 for the Mercury option if you decide to move away from the Chroma.

Razer Thunderbolt 4 Dock Chroma: Design and connectivity

• Unique underglow Chroma RGB lighting
• Matte black finish, all-metal design

Razer's Thunderbolt 4 Dock Chroma is made to sit horizontally on your desk. It will take up more room than a vertical dock like the CalDigit TS4, but its flat design has a separate purpose; Razer has built RGB lighting into the bottom edges of the dock. The Chroma RGB works with Razer's Synapse app, allowing you to customize patterns and colors as you wish. Have a gaming setup with a ton of existing RGB? Make your dock stand out with a fast-switching pattern. Have a more subdued setup for a professional setting? Go with a more understated static color that can also help you see your dock in the dark. You can also completely disable the lighting.

Unlike some competing docks, the Thunderbolt 4 Dock Chroma doesn't use plastic for the port-surrounding faceplates. The dock's shell is all aluminum, and it has a matte black finish to match many other Razer products. There's a Razer logo on the top, but it's inconspicuous. Aside from the RGB lighting, the bottom of the dock has a thick strip of rubberized padding that helps keep the dock in place on a desk.

Razer positioned most of the ports along the back edge of the dock, reserving the front edge for the host Thunderbolt 4 port, 3.5mm audio jack, and UHS-II SD card reader. Some users prefer the host port to be on the back for easier long-term cable management, while others prefer it on the front for an easier connection. There's ultimately not a performance difference here, and at most you'll have one or two cables (if you use a wired headset) coming out of the front of the dock.

The back of the dock includes three downstream Thunderbolt 4 ports, Gigabit Ethernet, three USB-A 3.2 (Gen 2), and the AC adapter input. Razer decided it would go all-out with Thunderbolt 4 in terms of video support; the Chroma has no native downstream video ports. If you don't have a USB-C monitor that can work with TB4, an adapter will be required. If you need a dock with native video out, something like the Kensington SD5780T with two downstream TB4 and one HDMI 2.1 might be a better choice.

Razer Thunderbolt 4 Dock Chroma: Performance and charging

• Up to 90W charging to the host
• No native downstream video

I've used the Razer Thunderbolt 4 Dock Chroma off and on for a couple of years without issue. I can plug a laptop straight into it and have immediate access to all other connected accessories, including external monitors. The dock can handle up to dual 4K displays, each with a 60Hz refresh rate, and I've also used the dock with all kinds of ultrawide, QHD, and FHD displays. As mentioned, the only drawback is having no native video out, but I was able to connect displays successfully via Thunderbolt 4 and an adapter.

The Razer Thunderbolt 4 Dock Chroma's sleek look and RGB lighting make it a top pick for gamers, but professionals can also take advantage of its strong performance.

Aside from extra displays, the Razer Thunderbolt 4 Dock Chroma handled everything from webcams, keyboards, and mice to SD cards and other external storage. The three 10Gbps USB-A ports can easily handle modern accessories, and I tested up to about 13W of charging power with a phone connected. This is separate from the host charging capabilities which top out at 90W. This isn't quite as high as some of the newer TB4 docks hitting the market — they're commonly reaching up to 96W and beyond — but it's still enough for most laptops excluding particularly power-hungry gaming and design machines.

The dock comes with a 2.62-foot (0.8m) host cable that can be removed. You can use any Thunderbolt cable with the dock, and you won't have to worry about an attached cable getting damaged and putting the entire device out of commission.

Should you buy the Razer Thunderbolt 4 Dock Chroma?

You should buy the Razer Thunderbolt 4 Dock Chroma if ...

• You want a docking station with customizable underglow lighting
• You can spend about $330 on a laptop accessory
• You have a laptop with Thunderbolt 4 or USB4

You should not buy the Razer Thunderbolt 4 Dock Chroma if ...

• You need native downstream HDMI or DisplayPort
• You're setting up a professional workspace (and don't need RGB lighting)
• You're using a laptop without Thunderbolt

Razer's Thunderbolt 4 Dock Chroma is a powerful dock that's especially suited to laptop gamers who want as much RGB as possible in their setup. The flat black finish, all-aluminum build, and overall sleek look will also work with more professional setups, even if you have to subdue the lighting to something static. Just keep in mind there's no lock slot for use in a busy office.

The dock is built well, it performed without issue in my testing, and it's in the same price range as much of the competition. Connecting this dock to a high-end Thunderbolt 4 laptop will land you the best performance, but it will also work with USB4 and Thunderbolt 3, albeit with some diminished capabilities.

There are a couple of drawbacks to make note of. The Dock Chroma has just a one-year warranty, which is less than the more common two- and three-year warranties offered by competing brands. The dock has also become harder to find as of late, due in part to high demand. When you do find a Razer Thunderbolt 4 Dock Chroma for sale, make sure you're not paying more than about $330. Bottom line? Those who want pure downstream Thunderbolt 4 without native video out, who want underglow lighting, and who want something that stands out should love this dock.