Dell WD22TB4 Thunderbolt 4 Dock: ports, power and who it suits

The Dell WD22TB4 is a Thunderbolt 4 docking station that turns one cable from your laptop into a full desk setup: displays, network, storage, keyboard and charging. Dell designed it for people who move a laptop between a desk and everywhere else and want to plug in once and get on with work.

One cable, many connections

A dock like this replaces a tangle of adapters. The laptop connects to the dock with a single Thunderbolt cable, and everything plugged into the dock becomes available to the laptop. Dell says the WD22TB4 offers the most ports of its Thunderbolt 4 docks, and that it can drive multiple 4K displays alongside Thunderbolt peripherals.

The port line-up

Dell lists the following connections:

• 2 x Thunderbolt 4 ports
• 1 x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2
• 1 x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 with PowerShare
• 2 x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1
• 2 x DisplayPort 1.4
• 1 x HDMI 2.0
• 1 x USB-C multifunction DisplayPort
• 1 x Gigabit Ethernet (RJ45)

PowerShare is a feature that typically lets a USB port keep charging a phone or other device even when the laptop is asleep or off, depending on the laptop and its settings. The wired Ethernet port gives a steadier connection than Wi-Fi for video calls and large transfers.

What 40 Gb/s means in practice

Dell quotes a data transfer rate of 40 Gb/s, which is the Thunderbolt 4 link speed. That is the shared capacity between the laptop and the dock, not a speed for each port. It matters most for fast external drives and for carrying several display signals at once. Everyday devices such as keyboards and mice use a tiny fraction of it.

Power and charging

The dock ships with a 180W power adapter and accepts 120/230 V AC at 50/60 Hz, so it works with mains power in different regions. Dell mentions SuperBoost technologies for fast charging. How much power actually reaches your laptop depends on the laptop's own charging design, so a machine that needs more than the dock can supply may charge slowly or not at all under load.

A modular design

Dell describes the dock as modular, with swappable modules for easy upgrades. The idea is that a future module could change the port set without replacing the whole dock. Check Dell's documentation for which modules exist and how they are fitted.

Who it suits

It suits anyone running a laptop with Thunderbolt 4 or compatible USB-C connections who wants a multi-display desk. The listing states it is for Windows 10 and Windows 11. Users on other systems should check Dell's compatibility information first.

What to check before you buy

• Laptop connection: confirm your laptop has a Thunderbolt 4 or Thunderbolt 3 port, or a compatible USB-C port, and read the manual for dock support.
• Displays: count the monitors you plan to use, check their resolution and refresh rate, and see how many your laptop can drive.
• Power: compare your laptop's charging requirement with the dock's output.
• Operating system: the listing names Windows 10 and 11.
• Cables: check which cables are in the box and whether you need extra display cables.
• Desk space: the dock weighs about 1.4 lb (0.6 kg); confirm where it will sit and how long the cables need to be.

The short version

• A Thunderbolt 4 dock from Dell, model WD22TB4, with a 180W power adapter.
• Two Thunderbolt 4 ports, USB-C and USB-A ports, two DisplayPort 1.4, HDMI 2.0 and Gigabit Ethernet.
• 40 Gb/s data transfer, with PowerShare and SuperBoost charging features.
• Modular, with swappable modules for upgrades.
• Listed for Windows 10 and Windows 11.

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