The catch
Plugable TBT-UDH2
It has one downstream TB port and a separate power supply. Check its explicit host exclusions against every work or gaming laptop.
Side by side
Plugable TBT-UDH2 vs Anker Prime Thunderbolt 5 docks: Two HDMI cables stay on UDH2, Anker gets rid of the power brick
Quick verdict
Two HDMI cables connect directly on the TBT-UDH2, and the Anker gets rid of the separate power brick. If you have two supported HDMI monitors and a TB drive, or a compatible TB accessory that needs more than 15W, the UDH2 is the pick. If a single fixed HDMI or DP connection plus a TB screen route suits your desk and built-in power matters most, go with the Anker. HDMI and DP on the Anker cannot be used together. The UDH2 does not support TB3, USB-C-only or Windows ARM hosts, or the specified DP-MUX gaming hosts.
Before you buy
Why, and what it costs you
Account for the second HDMI connection before picking the tidier box
For two HDMI monitors and a Thunderbolt drive, UDH2 uses its two fixed outputs and its single downstream TB port. Anker’s HDMI and DP sockets cannot run together, so its DP socket does not give you a second fixed screen at the same time. The second HDMI monitor has to go through a compatible TB-to-HDMI connection, which leaves the other TB port for the drive. On a supported host either dock can handle this desk, but Anker adds a video adapter or cable where UDH2 lets you keep the HDMI cables you already have. Anker can still come out ahead if getting rid of the separate power brick fixes the bigger placement problem. Compare the docks together with the adapter and power supply each one needs.
Where this comes from
Two HDMI screens and one TB-only drive are matched to the exact routes available. Anker’s restriction on simultaneous fixed video stays in place. No claim is made of universal adapter-mode compatibility or an unsupported screen count.
The catch
Anker Prime Thunderbolt 5 A83B5
HDMI and DP cannot be active at the same time. Two HDMI monitors need another compatible video route, and TB accessory power is capped at 15W per port.
Plugable TBT-UDH2
- Why pick it
- Your two HDMI screens can stay on their current cables, and the downstream TB port is still free for a drive.
- With compatible equipment, built-in UHS-II or up to 30W at the TB accessory port saves you an extra reader or power connection.
- The catch
- It has one downstream TB port and a separate power supply. Check its explicit host exclusions against every work or gaming laptop.
Anker Prime Thunderbolt 5 A83B5
- Why pick it
- Built-in power gets rid of an awkward separate adapter, and a single direct fixed video output is enough for what you have planned.
- Two USB-C or TB screens need direct branches, and no TB drive has to plug into the dock as well. Check the native display limits of the host.
- The catch
- HDMI and DP cannot be active at the same time. Two HDMI monitors need another compatible video route, and TB accessory power is capped at 15W per port.
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What this page compares
TBT-UDH2 vs Anker A83B5 for dual HDMI screens, a portable monitor and camera imports. Look at the adapter, power and host limits that can change how the setup works.
Each is a premium TB5 desk dock with 140W host charging and 2.5GbE. They take different approaches to wiring a similar two-screen home office, and they do not aim at unrelated mobile and desktop jobs.
Which one fits
Pick the situations that sound like you
Two HDMI screens and a TB drive ought to stay on simple, direct connections
Anker needs a compatible TB route for the second HDMI screen.
- Plugable TBT-UDH2
- Better fit
- Anker Prime Thunderbolt 5 A83B5
- Caution
Two USB-C-only screens need direct ports, and no TB drive comes into it
Anker has two TB branches, and the host has to support both screens.
- Plugable TBT-UDH2
- Not suitable
- Anker Prime Thunderbolt 5 A83B5
- Better fit
Built-in UHS-II imports come up as a routine requirement
That interface capability is not something Anker’s UHS-I readers provide.
- Plugable TBT-UDH2
- Better fit
- Anker Prime Thunderbolt 5 A83B5
- Caution
Where to put the external power brick is the main problem
Anker has the supply built in, but do not read that as a noise or heat advantage.
- Plugable TBT-UDH2
- Caution
- Anker Prime Thunderbolt 5 A83B5
- Better fit
In practice
Differences you will notice
Account for the second HDMI connection before picking the tidier box
For two HDMI monitors and a Thunderbolt drive, UDH2 uses its two fixed outputs and its single downstream TB port. Anker’s HDMI and DP sockets cannot run together, so its DP socket does not give you a second fixed screen at the same time. The second HDMI monitor has to go through a compatible TB-to-HDMI connection, which leaves the other TB port for the drive. On a supported host either dock can handle this desk, but Anker adds a video adapter or cable where UDH2 lets you keep the HDMI cables you already have. Anker can still come out ahead if getting rid of the separate power brick fixes the bigger placement problem. Compare the docks together with the adapter and power supply each one needs.
How we worked this out
Two HDMI screens and one TB-only drive are matched to the exact routes available. Anker’s restriction on simultaneous fixed video stays in place. No claim is made of universal adapter-mode compatibility or an unsupported screen count.
With two USB-C screens the recommendation flips, unless storage needs a branch as well
When both monitors rely on USB-C or Thunderbolt, Anker can give each one a direct downstream branch, while UDH2 has only one. For that screen arrangement Anker is the easier fit, even though it has fewer usable fixed outputs. Once you add a Thunderbolt-only backup drive, though, both Anker branches are taken. The drive then needs a suitable host port, a chain or a different screen input. If the monitors also accept HDMI, UDH2 can work after all, because moving both screens to HDMI frees its TB port for the drive. That is why you should plan the screens, the storage and the usable input alternatives together instead of choosing by the count of video sockets.
How we worked this out
Two direct USB-C displays use up both of Anker’s TB branches, and UDH2 has one. Optional HDMI inputs change the topology. It is not assumed that every monitor supports a reverse adapter or that every TB chain works.
Camera imports can bring in a second accessory right when the desk is getting full
A parent or hobbyist might import camera footage at the same desk that handles work calls and phone charging. With UDH2’s UHS-II readers, a compatible fast-card workflow can stay inside the dock. Anker’s UHS-I readers may leave an external UHS-II reader in the picture if that higher interface capability matters to you. The gap vanishes with a UHS-I card, or when the destination drive is already the limiting part of the transfer. UDH2 also supplies up to 30W from its TB accessory port, against Anker’s 15W per TB port, which can count for an explicitly compatible powered peripheral. Treat these as separate workflow checks and not as proof that UDH2 imports files faster in every setup.
How we worked this out
Built-in UHS classes are weighed against a desk that is already busy. Reader capability depends on the card and the destination. The exact downstream power maximums are separate from host power and do not on their own establish peripheral compatibility.
Option A
Plugable, TBT-UDH2
Plugable TBT-UDH2
Your two HDMI screens can stay on their current cables, and the downstream TB port is still free for a drive.
- Best for
- Your two HDMI screens can stay on their current cables, and the downstream TB port is still free for a drive.
Facts we checked
- Two HDMI monitors: Two direct HDMI 2.1 outputs
- Downstream TB: One TB5 port, up to 30W
- Card import: UHS-II SD and microSD
- Power supply: Separate supply
Option B
Anker, A83B5
Anker Prime Thunderbolt 5 A83B5
Built-in power gets rid of an awkward separate adapter, and a single direct fixed video output is enough for what you have planned.
- Best for
- Built-in power gets rid of an awkward separate adapter, and a single direct fixed video output is enough for what you have planned.
Facts we checked
- Two HDMI monitors: One HDMI output, alternative to DP
- Downstream TB: Two TB5 ports, up to 15W each
- Card import: UHS-I SD and microSD
- Power supply: Integrated supply
Spec by spec
Where they really differ
| Spec | Plugable TBT-UDH2 | Anker Prime Thunderbolt 5 A83B5 | In practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Two HDMI monitors | Two direct HDMI 2.1 outputs | One HDMI output, alternative to DP | Anker has to use a supported TB video route to reach the second HDMI screen. |
| Downstream TB | One TB5 port, up to 30W | Two TB5 ports, up to 15W each | Anker’s branch count suits two USB-C screens, but an accessory that needs more power can tip things toward UDH2. |
| Card import | UHS-II SD and microSD | UHS-I SD and microSD | Whether this difference matters comes down to the camera card and the destination drive. |
| Power supply | Separate supply | Integrated supply | Either dock offers up to 140W of host power. What differs is the desk-placement problem. |
| Network | 2.5GbE | 2.5GbE | A slow switch or NAS bottleneck stays in place with either dock. |
| Host support | Supported TB5/TB4/USB4, with explicit ARM and DP-MUX exclusions | Supported TB5/TB4/USB4 (TB3 unsupported) | Go by the exact host and OS. The shape of the socket does not settle it. |
Trade-offs
What each pick costs you
With Plugable TBT-UDH2
- Its single TB branch cannot connect two USB-C-only monitors directly. Do not assume a reverse HDMI cable will fix that.
With Anker Prime Thunderbolt 5 A83B5
- The second HDMI screen needs a compatible TB-to-HDMI connection. Its card readers are UHS-I, which means a UHS-II import workflow may still require another reader.
Change of plan
When the answer changes
The real setup has two HDMI screens and fast camera cards
Go with Plugable TBT-UDH2. UDH2 can handle both jobs within the connections intended for them.
Two USB-C screens or built-in power count for more than the direct HDMI pair
Go with Anker Prime Thunderbolt 5 A83B5. Anker’s layout can suit that desk once storage and power limits have been checked.
Decision guide
Before you buy
Fewer things around the desk is the goal, but a tidy dock is not worth paying for if every use of the second screen needs another adapter.
What this page can’t tell you
- Nothing here shows a measured advantage in transfer, frame rate, charging time or noise. Native display limits specific to the host still apply, and neither dock is treated as a hardware KVM.
By the numbers
What the data shows
What we found across the docking stations we compare, plus the checked facts behind each finding.
Show the facts and the math
| Product | Needs it meets | Facts we checked | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plugable TBT-UDH2 |
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| |
| Anker Prime Thunderbolt 5 A83B5 |
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Ready to buy
See today’s price and what owners say
Open either model on Amazon for the current price, customer reviews and delivery options.
Plugable TBT-UDH2
Your two HDMI screens can stay on their current cables, and the downstream TB port is still free for a drive.
With compatible equipment, built-in UHS-II or up to 30W at the TB accessory port saves you an extra reader or power connection.
See price & reviews on AmazonAnker Prime Thunderbolt 5 A83B5
Built-in power gets rid of an awkward separate adapter, and a single direct fixed video output is enough for what you have planned.
Two USB-C or TB screens need direct branches, and no TB drive has to plug into the dock as well. Check the native display limits of the host.
See price & reviews on AmazonEach link opens in a new tab.
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