The Brydge ProDock Trio is a rarity amongst Thunderbolt docks, offering a compact vertical MacBook stand alongside a MagSafe phone charger.
All USB-C and Thunderbolt docks I’ve tested have been largely the same as boxes that connect with a bundled cable. They have different ports and different technical specs.
Brydge goes a different route, opting for a new version of its vertical ProDock. Your Mac is physically docked in the device, working in clamshell mode and keeping your desk free and open.
It’s an ideal companion for those who want desk space and use a wireless keyboard and trackpad. While almost perfect, there are a few changes I’d have liked to see after using it the past few weeks.
Here in the studio, I have the Brydge ProDock Trio, one of a group of new docking stations the brand introduced. There is also the ProDock Solo and ProDock Duo.
As the name somewhat implies, one of the big distinguishing factors between the docks is the number of supported displays. The Solo can handle one external display, the Duo can do two, and the Trio can do three.
The other big difference between the three is the interface. The ProDock Solo works via USB-C, while the larger two are both Thunderbolt.
Specifically, the ProDock Duo is a Thunderbolt 4 dock while the Trio is a Thunderbolt 5 dock. You can still use the Trio via Thunderbolt 4, but you can’t reach peak 80 Gbps speeds, triple-output, or 120 Gbps Bandwidth Boost mode.
Brydge ProDock Trio review: The ProDock Trio without a Mac
Other changes include how much power is delivered to your docked Mac (90W versus 140W on the Trio) and the sheer number of ports.
Brydge ProDock Trio review: Easy, painless setup
Compared to other docking stations, the Brydge ProDock does have a bit of a setup. Luckily, it’s not overly involved, and Brydge hooks you up with the sole required tool.
Brydge ProDock Trio review: The sleeve and the dock itself before assembly
When you order your ProDock, it arrives in two boxes. One of the boxes houses the dock, while the other is what Brydge calls the “sleeve,” and is device-specific.
Basically, Brydge created one aluminum dock with all of the electronic components and a series of largely plastic sleeves that fit each of the compatible machines. That way it doesn’t need to make different versions of the dock itself.
Brydge ProDock Trio review: During setup, position the switch correctly
Prior to attaching the sleeve, you need to correctly position the Type-C connector. Slide it to the left for 16-inch MacBook Pros and to the right for MacBook Air and the 14-inch MacBook Pro.
After sliding the plastic sleeve onto the top of the dock, it gets secured by two screws, one on either side of your Mac. Brydge includes a spare set of screws and a small Torx screwdriver in the box.
Brydge ProDock Trio review: Installing the corresponding sleeve
Then you connect it to power. There’s no cable to plug into your Mac, other than slotting it into place.
Brydge ProDock Trio review: Ports a plenty
In total, there are 11 ports available on the ProDock Trio. They’re located on the back, as well as the sides.
Brydge ProDock Trio review: Rear ports of the Brydge ProDock Trio
Ports include:
- (1X) 3.5mm Auxiliary audio port
- (3X) 80Gbps Thunderbolt Type-C
- (1X) USB-C 10Gbps USB 3.1 Gen 2 5.5W
- (3X) USB-A 10Gbps USB 3.1 Gen 2 5.5W
- (1X) 2.5Gbps Ethernet
- (1X) SD 3.0 Card reader
- (1X) Magnetic phone charger
Port selection is always going to be based around use case, and for me, this is almost an ideal collection. If I had my way, I’d swap out some, or all, of the USB-A ports for more USB-C ports.
Brydge ProDock Trio review: Left side USB-C port and SD card reader
One common explanation I hear is that it can cause “confusion” if you have lower-powered USB-C ports next to high-powered ones or Thunderbolt. I don’t think this holds water when Brydge already includes a standard Type-C port on the side with the same watered-down USB-A data specs.
Other criticism comes from users with legacy USB-A devices. Again, it’s fair, but there’s no reason not to swap out aging cables for new Type-C ones.
Brydge ProDock Trio review: Right-side auxiliary audio and USB-A ports
I have no USB-A devices around, which makes these ports useless to me. USB-C is very common in 2026; we need few new USB-A ports, let alone three of them.
On the flip side, I’m thrilled with the three downstream Thunderbolt ports. These ports enable three 4K displays at 144Hz or two 8K displays at 60Hz and 15W of power.
Keep in mind that’s going to be very device-dependent. You aren’t going to connect an M1 MacBook Air and run multiple 8K displays.
Brydge ProDock Trio review: This Thunderbolt 5 dock has three downstream Thunderbolt ports
Every display that I use or test supports USB-C or Thunderbolt. I don’t want or need a bunch of different outputs, like HDMI or DisplayPort, which have limited utility.
If I only connect one or two displays, I can still use the surplus Thunderbolt ports for storage, a CFExpress Type-B card reader, my mic, or other peripherals. It’s a great solution, especially if you’re running Apple monitors with only Type-C ports.
That said, I’m not oblivious to those who need additional ports. There are plenty of users who do, and if you need those ports, you’ll need to look at a different dock or possibly an adapter.
This dock here is designed explicitly for MacBook users, not Windows PC users, so I think it’s part of the reason Brydge has leaned into that simplicity as they copy Apple. For me, it works and is preferable, but it may not be the case for you.
Brydge ProDock Trio review: Magnetic phone charger is irksome
Other than those pesky antiquated USB-A ports, my biggest problem with the ProDock Trio is the phone charger. It’s not only that the performance is middling, but it’s wasted potential as well.
Brydge ProDock Trio review: The front of the dock has a phone charger with ports on either side of the back
Compared to the last-generation vertical dock from Brydge, the company has increased the charging speed from 7.5W to 10W. An increase is good, but it’s still not officially MagSafe.
It magnetically holds your phone in place, but 10W is still shy of MagSafe’s original 15W promise and far from the current 25W top speed. I need faster charging speeds on my desk.
Brydge ProDock Trio review: The phone charger is magnetic like MagSafe with 10W of power
If your phone sits at the desk all day, 10W is going to be sufficient. However, if you are moving around or away from your desk at all, you probably want faster speeds.
I also think Brydge should draw inspiration from other MagSafe chargers. Take a look at my Nimble valet charger, for example, which has a flat MagSafe puck that does 15W, but it can be lifted.
Brydge ProDock Trio review: The Nimble valet has an adjustable MagSafe stand that would fit well here on the ProDock Trio
It has a hidden stand that pops up for you to adjust the viewing angle. If something like that were added to the ProDock, it would be amazing.
Your iPhone could go into StandBy mode and highlight any of your preferred widgets. Or, you could use something like ChocLift, which is incredibly helpful.
Brydge ProDock Trio review: iPhone running ChocLift is very handy when docked on your desk, but I wish the stand would lift
If the stand was adjustable, it would be perfect to see all your app icons displayed neatly on ChocLift or StandBy mode with its real-time widgets and Live Activities.
There are a lot of options here, and I think Brydge could have done more to explore them. It feels so much like a missed opportunity for an even more streamlined desk setup, because I still need to provide a dedicated charger.
Brydge ProDock Trio review: More space than ever before
The Brydge ProDock Trio is a fantastic choice. There are no other options for those who want a compact, vertical docking station for their Mac.
Brydge ProDock Trio review: The dock supports both the 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pros as well as the MacBook Air
Furthermore, it has extra features like the magnetic phone charger, even if it’s a bit slow. You won’t find something else that holds your Mac, has solid specs, and looks good.
What may turn out to be the dealbreaker for folks is the lack of an internal SSD compartment. Again, for me, this isn’t a concern.
Brydge ProDock Trio review: I can keep my Mac out of the way and use a repositionable keyboard and trackpad
I use large drives, and a 1TB or 2TB NVMe stick doesn’t move the needle much. With a dock, it’s more feasible to get a 4TB (or most likely much larger) external drive and connect it via Thunderbolt.
A 2TB NVMe module is going to cost probably $400, and it’s going to be very cost-prohibitive. In my video-driven workflow, an external drive is necessary for the sizes I need.
Otherwise, this dock is fantastic. To make it perfect, the next generation needs an adjustable 25W MagSafe puck and an internal SSD bay to knock it out of the park.
Brydge ProDock Trio review: The ProDock Trio docked with a large display
If you want a space-saving solution that gives you the benefits of a stand with the power of a Thunderbolt 5 dock, then the Brydge ProDock Trio is the one to go for. If fewer displays are acceptable, the Duo and Solo are also solid choices with a lower price tag.
Brydge ProDock Trio review: Pros
- Rare, vertical dock to save space
- Works in clamshell mode
- Good array of ports
- Designed for Mac users
- Helpful Magnetic phone charger
- Easy access to ports
- Fits multiple MacBook models
- Supports up to 3 displays
- Fast Thunderbolt 5 data
Brydge ProDock Trio review: Cons
- Some may want different display outputs
- USB-A seem unnecessary
- Phone charger misses full potential
Brydge ProDock Trio rating: 4 out of 5
Where to buy the Brydge ProDock Trio
Grab the Brydge ProDock Solo, the ProDock Duo, or the ProDock Trio from the Brydge website starting at $229. You can save 10% by using promo code BRYDGEAPPLEINSIDER_10 for a limited time.
You can also buy the Brydge docks on Amazon.
