Anker 777 vs Anker 577: Thunderbolt Dock Comparison

Anker 777 vs Anker 577: two older Anker Thunderbolt docks with different priorities

The Anker 777 and Anker 577 are easy to confuse. Both are desktop Thunderbolt docks from Anker, both use a 40 Gbps host link, both include Gigabit Ethernet, audio, card-reader hardware, a short 0.7m cable, and an 18-month limited warranty. Neither requires a DisplayLink driver. Both can handle a practical two-monitor desk when the laptop and cables cooperate.

Their differences matter more than the shared badge. The 777 is the newer Thunderbolt 4 Apex model. It gives a supported Windows Thunderbolt 4 laptop two built-in HDMI ports, 90W host charging, a 20W USB-C charging port, and a possible third display. It also comes with tight compatibility language: Anker frames it as a Windows 10 Intel Evo Thunderbolt 4 dock, excludes Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C-only Windows hosts, and says it is not compatible with M1 MacBooks.

The 577 is the older 13-in-1 Thunderbolt 3 model, originally sold as the PowerExpand Elite. It provides 85W laptop charging, one HDMI output, one downstream Thunderbolt 3 port, four USB-A ports, two USB-C ports, UHS-II SD and microSD readers, and support for Thunderbolt 3 or 4 Windows computers. It still is not a carefree Apple Silicon purchase, but it is less narrowly framed on the Windows side and has the slightly higher score in our product data: 7.5 out of 10 versus 7.2.

The docking station buying guide explains the host-port checks worth making before you buy either model. If your main goal is a pair of external screens, it also helps to compare them with the options in our best docking stations for dual monitors guide.

Quick specs comparison

The table makes the core decision visible. The 777 modernizes the screen and charging side, while the 577 keeps more of the broad peripheral and media-reader layout. The 777 is not automatically the more flexible dock just because it is Thunderbolt 4. Its host support is unusually specific, and its USB-A mix includes two USB 2.0 ports intended for lower-bandwidth equipment.

Host connection and desk setup

Both docks use a 40 Gbps Thunderbolt connection, so the label change from Thunderbolt 3 to Thunderbolt 4 does not create a speed advantage for routine dock traffic by itself. The important difference is the laptop each dock expects.

The Anker 777 requires a Thunderbolt 4 host. Anker lists it as a fit for Windows 10 Thunderbolt 4 laptops on the Intel Evo platform, and its product data explicitly says that Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C-only Windows laptops are unsupported. That makes the 777 a targeted purchase. It can be tidy on the right desk, but it is a poor gamble for a mixed office where people may plug in older Thunderbolt 3 machines or ordinary USB-C laptops.

The Anker 577 requires Thunderbolt, but it accepts either Thunderbolt 3 or Thunderbolt 4 on Windows. That makes it the safer option for a desk built around an older Thunderbolt laptop. It is still not a USB-C dock, so a USB-C port without Thunderbolt will not work. Check for the Thunderbolt capability before ordering rather than assuming a USB-C-shaped port is enough.

Each dock includes a 0.7m cable. That length works when the dock sits close to the laptop, but it constrains a desk with a monitor arm, under-desk cable tray, or tower placed farther away. Both product reviews call out cable placement as something to plan for. The 777 has a 120W power adapter in its setup guidance, while the 577 uses a 180W power adapter. Both need their external power supply connected.

Neither model needs a DisplayLink driver for basic docking. The 777 lists no driver requirement on supported systems, while the 577 is described as native Thunderbolt 3 plug and play on Windows and macOS. Driver-free does not remove the usual need to update laptop firmware, graphics drivers, and display cables when a dock is unstable. The 777 product data specifically notes occasional flicker, black screens, or dropped signal, plus reconnect trouble after sleep or restart. The 577 also lists occasional downstream-display and sleep-wake connection issues.

Ports and peripheral choices

The port layouts are built for different desks. The 777 is HDMI-forward. It has two HDMI 2.0 outputs, one downstream Thunderbolt 4 port, a 10 Gbps USB-C port that can provide 20W, two 10 Gbps USB-A ports, two USB-A 2.0 ports, Gigabit Ethernet, a UHS-II SD reader, and a 3.5mm combo audio jack.

That two-HDMI layout is the 777’s strongest practical advantage. A supported Windows user with two HDMI monitors can connect both displays without finding adapters for a downstream Thunderbolt port. The 777 still has one downstream Thunderbolt 4 port for high-speed storage, a display adapter, or another Thunderbolt accessory. Its USB-C accessory port is also useful for a phone or tablet because the YAML specifies 10 Gbps data and 20W charging.

The trade-off is in the USB-A array and removable-media support. Two of the 777’s four USB-A ports are USB 2.0. They make sense for a keyboard, mouse, receiver, or other low-bandwidth item, but they are not the ports to choose for fast storage. The 777 also has only an SD reader, not microSD.

The 577 has one HDMI 2.0 output, one downstream Thunderbolt 3 port, two USB-C 3.2 ports, four USB-A 3.1 ports, Gigabit Ethernet, a 3.5mm combo jack, and separate UHS-II SD and microSD readers. One of its USB-C ports supplies 18W, and one USB-A port supplies 7.5W. It has fewer built-in HDMI connections, but more flexibility for USB accessories and for users who move content between full-size SD and microSD cards.

Photographers and people working with action-camera media should care about that difference. The 577’s pair of UHS-II readers avoids a separate microSD adapter. The 777’s UHS-II SD reader is still useful, but the lack of microSD makes the 577 the better media-oriented choice in this exact matchup. For more choices with card readers and different port layouts, start from the docking station reviews.

The 777 wins if built-in dual HDMI is your fixed requirement. The 577 wins if a broader mix of USB-A ports and both card formats will save you accessories every day.

Display support: HDMI convenience versus a third-screen option

Both docks support dual 4K displays at 60Hz, but they reach that result differently. The 777 can run dual 4K at 60Hz through one HDMI port and its downstream Thunderbolt 4 port. On Windows, its two HDMI ports can also be used for dual 4K at 60Hz. That is the cleanest configuration in the pair for a Windows office with two HDMI-only monitors.

The 577 reaches dual 4K at 60Hz through its HDMI 2.0 port plus the downstream Thunderbolt 3 port. If your second display only accepts HDMI, you need a suitable Thunderbolt or USB-C display path rather than a second built-in HDMI socket. It is a little less convenient, although its 5K at 60Hz single-display mode through downstream Thunderbolt 3 may be useful on a compatible setup.

The 777 extends the ceiling to three displays on Windows. Its documented triple-display mode uses both HDMI outputs at 4K and 30Hz plus the downstream Thunderbolt 4 port at 4K and 60Hz. That is a real capability advantage for a desk that needs three screens for static information, chat, email, or dashboards. It is not the right configuration for three 4K screens where smooth 60Hz operation is essential, because the two HDMI outputs fall to 30Hz in that mode.

For a single screen, the 777 lists 8K at 30Hz over its downstream Thunderbolt 4 port on supported Windows hosts. The 577 lists 5K at 60Hz over downstream Thunderbolt 3. These are different trade-offs, not a simple ranking. Choose the mode that matches the panel you own, not the larger number in isolation.

macOS changes the picture. The 777’s two HDMI outputs mirror each other on macOS, so they are not a route to two independent extended displays. Anker also says the 777 does not support M1 MacBooks, including M1 Pro and M1 Max. The 577 is officially supported on Intel MacBooks with Thunderbolt 3, but Anker does not officially support Apple Silicon. Its product data says M-series systems can use charging, peripherals, Ethernet, and a single external display, while dual-display output is not the expected setup.

Neither dock is a simple recommendation for an Apple Silicon multi-monitor desk. The exact Mac chip still controls native display support, and Anker’s own compatibility restrictions are part of the purchase decision. Our USB-C vs Thunderbolt docking stations guide covers why connector shape alone cannot answer those display questions.

Power delivery and charging small devices

The 777 provides up to 90W to the host laptop, a modest 5W edge over the 577’s 85W. That difference can help a laptop that sits near the edge of the 577’s power budget, but it is not enough on its own to outweigh compatibility or port needs. Both figures are appropriate for many Thunderbolt laptops, and both docks require their external power supplies.

The 777 has a clearer side-device advantage. Its USB-C 3.2 port provides 20W, while the 577 has an 18W USB-C PD port. The 577 also offers 7.5W from one USB-A port. These are small differences, but they matter when the dock also charges a phone, a wireless-accessory case, or a small tablet.

The 577’s 180W adapter gives the dock more input headroom, yet the host maximum is still 85W according to the product YAML. Do not infer a higher laptop charging rate from the power-brick rating. The same rule applies to the 777: use the stated 90W host-delivery figure when comparing it with your laptop’s needs.

Compatibility, support limits, and value

The 577 takes the overall value win because it has a higher product score, a lower MSRP in the product data, and a more broadly usable Thunderbolt requirement on Windows. At $299.99 MSRP versus $349.99 for the 777, it costs less on paper while adding a second USB-C port, more high-speed USB-A ports, and a microSD reader. Its two-monitor limit is enough for the common HDMI-plus-Thunderbolt dual-4K arrangement.

The 777 earns its extra cost only for a specific type of buyer: someone with a supported Windows Thunderbolt 4 laptop, two HDMI displays, and a genuine need for the faster 90W host charge, 20W front USB-C charging, or documented three-display mode. Its 7.2 score reflects the trade-offs in that narrow fit, particularly the restrictive host and Mac language, the USB 2.0 ports, and the reported display-compatibility issue in PCWorld testing cited by the product review.

Both docks have the same 18-month limited warranty. That does not separate them. Neither has official Linux or ChromeOS support in the product data. The 777 excludes those systems directly, and the 577 notes that Anker does not list them as supported even though some Linux users report partial functionality. If you need vendor-backed support for either operating system, look elsewhere rather than treating anecdotal compatibility as a promise.

Verdict: the Anker 577 is the safer all-round pick

The Anker 577 wins this comparison for most people who already have a Thunderbolt laptop. Its 7.5 score is higher than the 777’s 7.2, its MSRP is lower, it accepts Thunderbolt 3 or 4 Windows hosts, and it has a more versatile peripheral set: four USB-A ports at USB 3.1, two USB-C ports, and both UHS-II SD and microSD readers. It remains a good two-monitor dock, with dual 4K at 60Hz available through HDMI plus its downstream Thunderbolt 3 port.

The Anker 777 is the more focused Windows display dock. Its two HDMI 2.0 ports are easier for a dual-HDMI monitor desk, the laptop gets up to 90W, and it can support a documented third screen on Windows. The 20W USB-C port is also better for charging a phone or tablet at the desk. Pick it only after confirming that the laptop is a supported Thunderbolt 4 Windows model and that its tighter Mac and Thunderbolt 3 restrictions will not affect you.

Choose the Anker 577 if:

• Your Windows laptop has Thunderbolt 3 or Thunderbolt 4 and you want the less restrictive host requirement.
• You need dual 4K at 60Hz rather than three displays.
• You want both UHS-II SD and microSD readers.
• You have several USB-A peripherals that benefit from USB 3.1 rather than USB 2.0.
• You prefer the higher product score and lower listed MSRP.

Choose the Anker 777 if:

• You have a supported Windows Thunderbolt 4 laptop on the Intel Evo platform.
• Your desk uses two HDMI monitors and you want both connections built into the dock.
• You need a documented Windows three-display configuration and accept 4K at 30Hz on the two HDMI outputs in that mode.
• Up to 90W host charging and 20W USB-C accessory charging suit your setup.
• You only need an SD reader and can reserve its USB 2.0 ports for low-bandwidth accessories.

For a broader look at the brand’s desktop options, visit our Anker docking station reviews and the homepage.