Kensington SD5560T Review 2026 - Specs, Pros & Cons

Name: Kensington SD5560T Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C Dual 4K Hybrid Docking Station
Brand: Kensington
SKU: K37010NA

The Kensington SD5560T is a compact Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C hybrid dock for desks where one laptop may have Thunderbolt and another may only have USB-C with DisplayPort Alt Mode. On a Thunderbolt 3 or Thunderbolt 4 host, it runs at up to 40Gbps and supports one or two 4K@60Hz external displays through HDMI 2.0 plus the downstream Thunderbolt 3 port. On a USB-C Alt Mode host, it falls back to a lower bandwidth USB-C path and supports a single HDMI monitor: 4K@30Hz on DP 1.2 HBR2 hosts or 4K@60Hz on DP 1.4 HBR3 hosts. The port layout is simpler than Kensington's larger SD5600T. You get two front USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 ports, four USB-A ports, Gigabit Ethernet, a 3.5mm combo audio jack, one HDMI 2.0 output, and one downstream Thunderbolt 3 port. There are no SD or microSD card readers. Kensington includes a 0.8m passive Thunderbolt 3 cable and a 180W power supply, with up to 96W host charging through the upstream port. Kensington now marks the SD5560T as out of stock and points buyers to a replacement SKU, so this is not the obvious first choice at full price. It still makes sense when discounted if you need a driverless dock that can handle both Thunderbolt laptops and regular USB-C Alt Mode laptops. The important catch is the USB-C fallback: it is useful, but it is not the same as the Thunderbolt experience. USB-C users get one external display, not dual 4K, and the downstream Thunderbolt 3 port drops to USB 2.0 without video or daisy chaining.

Pros & Cons

What We Like

Hybrid Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C Alt Mode support makes it useful across mixed laptop fleets
96W host charging handles most business laptops from one cable
Dual 4K@60Hz output works on Thunderbolt hosts through HDMI plus downstream Thunderbolt
Driverless native video avoids DisplayLink software and protected-video limitations
Three-year limited warranty is stronger than many compact docking stations
Horizontal and vertical placement options help on crowded desks

What Could Be Better

USB-C Alt Mode hosts are limited to one HDMI display
Workaround: Use a Thunderbolt 3, Thunderbolt 4, or USB4 host for dual 4K@60Hz. If your laptop is USB-C only, expect one external HDMI monitor.
No SD or microSD card reader
Workaround: Use a small USB card reader, or choose the SD5600T or SD5780T if media slots matter.
Gigabit Ethernet is slower than newer docks with 2.5GbE
Workaround: Choose a newer Thunderbolt 4 dock such as the SD5780T if faster wired networking matters.
Downstream Thunderbolt 3 port loses video and daisy-chain features on USB-C Alt Mode hosts
Workaround: Treat the downstream Thunderbolt port as a real display or daisy-chain port only when the host is Thunderbolt.
Official Kensington page marks the product as out of stock and points to a replacement SKU
Workaround: Buy only if the retailer price is meaningfully below newer SD57xx and SD58xx alternatives, and check return terms before purchase.

Display Support

Max Displays: 2

1 display (Single 4K@60Hz through HDMI 2.0 or the downstream Thunderbolt 3 port on Thunderbolt hosts. USB-C Alt Mode HBR3 hosts support one 4K@60Hz display through HDMI.)

3840x2160 @ 60Hz

2 displays (Dual 4K@60Hz on Thunderbolt 3 or Thunderbolt 4 hosts using HDMI 2.0 plus the downstream Thunderbolt 3 port. Base Apple Silicon MacBooks remain limited by the Mac model's native display support.)

3840x2160 @ 60Hz

1 display (Single 4K@30Hz through HDMI on USB-C Alt Mode HBR2 / DP 1.2 hosts.)

3840x2160 @ 30Hz

Ports & Connectivity

USB Ports

1x USB-C 3.2 20W

1x USB-C 3.2 7.5W

1x USB-A 3.2 4.5W

3x USB-A 3.2 4.5W

Video Outputs

1x HDMI 2.0

1x Thunderbolt 3

Network

1x Ethernet (1 Gbps)

Audio

1x 3.5mm combo

Full Specifications

General
Manufacturer	Kensington
Model	K37010NA
Release Date	2022
MSRP	$269.99
Connectivity
Host Connection	Thunderbolt 3
Max Data Rate	40 Gbps
Driver Required	No (native)
Display Output
Max Displays	2
1x Display	3840x2160 @ 60Hz (Single 4K@60Hz through HDMI 2.0 or the downstream Thunderbolt 3 port on Thunderbolt hosts. USB-C Alt Mode HBR3 hosts support one 4K@60Hz display through HDMI.)
2x Display	3840x2160 @ 60Hz (Dual 4K@60Hz on Thunderbolt 3 or Thunderbolt 4 hosts using HDMI 2.0 plus the downstream Thunderbolt 3 port. Base Apple Silicon MacBooks remain limited by the Mac model's native display support.)
1x Display	3840x2160 @ 30Hz (Single 4K@30Hz through HDMI on USB-C Alt Mode HBR2 / DP 1.2 hosts.)
Ports (8+ total)
USB-C 3.2	1x (20W)
USB-C 3.2	1x (7.5W)
USB-A 3.2	1x (4.5W)
USB-A 3.2	3x (4.5W)
HDMI 2.0	1x
Thunderbolt 3	1x
Ethernet (RJ45)	1x 1 Gbps
Audio (3.5mm-combo)	1x
Power
Power Input	DC-barrel
Laptop Charging	Up to 96W

Compatibility

Windows (10+)

Kensington lists Windows 10 or later. Thunderbolt hosts get 40Gbps bandwidth and dual 4K@60Hz support. USB-C Alt Mode hosts are limited to 10Gbps or 5Gbps data paths and one HDMI display.

macOS (11.0 (Big Sur)+)

Kensington lists macOS 11 or later. Intel Thunderbolt Macs can use the dock natively. Apple Silicon display count depends on the Mac model's native external display support.

ChromeOS (91+)

Kensington lists ChromeOS 91 or above, with display support dependent on the Chromebook's USB-C Alt Mode or Thunderbolt capabilities.

Known Issues

USB-C Alt Mode laptops

Single-display fallback only

USB-C laptops without DisplayPort Alt Mode

No video output

Base Apple Silicon MacBooks

Limited native multi-monitor support

7.1 /10

Our Verdict

Very Good

The Kensington SD5560T is a good fit for a mixed laptop desk that needs native Thunderbolt when available and basic USB-C fallback when it is not. Its 96W charging is strong for a dock this size, the three-year warranty is better than most consumer USB-C hubs, and the port mix covers a normal workstation without resorting to DisplayLink drivers. Its limits are just as clear. The SD5560T has one HDMI output and one downstream Thunderbolt 3 port, so dual monitors depend on a Thunderbolt host and the right cable or USB-C display path for the second screen. USB-C Alt Mode laptops are limited to one HDMI monitor. Base Apple Silicon MacBooks still follow Apple's native one-display limit unless the Mac itself supports more external displays. There is also no card reader, no 2.5GbE, and no DisplayPort connector, so the dock feels older next to the SD5780T and other current Thunderbolt 4 options. Buy it if the price is low and you specifically want a small, driverless hybrid dock with 96W charging and dual 4K on Thunderbolt systems. Skip it if you need two standard HDMI or DisplayPort monitor ports, card readers, faster Ethernet, or predictable multi-monitor support on base M-series MacBooks. For most new buyers, the SD5780T is easier to live with, but the SD5560T still works as a practical discounted Thunderbolt 3 desk dock.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the Kensington SD5560T support dual monitors?

Yes, but only on Thunderbolt hosts. Kensington lists dual 4K@60Hz through HDMI 2.0 plus the downstream Thunderbolt 3 port when the laptop connects over Thunderbolt 3 or Thunderbolt 4. USB-C Alt Mode hosts support one HDMI display.

How much power does the Kensington SD5560T provide to a laptop?

The SD5560T provides up to 96W of USB-C Power Delivery to the host laptop from its 180W external power supply. That is enough for most business laptops, ultrabooks, and many 15 to 16-inch productivity notebooks.

Does the SD5560T require DisplayLink drivers?

No. The SD5560T is a native Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C Alt Mode dock. Normal video, USB, Ethernet, and audio functions do not require DisplayLink. Kensington DockWorks is optional Windows software, not a display driver.

What happens when the SD5560T is connected to a USB-C laptop instead of Thunderbolt?

It falls back to USB-C Alt Mode. You still get charging, USB ports, Ethernet, audio, and one HDMI display, but the data path is slower and the downstream Thunderbolt 3 port drops to USB 2.0 without video or daisy chaining.

Is the Kensington SD5560T better than the SD5600T?

The SD5560T is smaller and simpler, with HDMI plus downstream Thunderbolt video and no card readers. The SD5600T has more video outputs, more USB ports, and SD plus microSD readers, so it is usually the better desk dock if size is not the priority.

Head-to-Head Comparisons

Kensington SD5560T vs SD5780T: Which Kensington Dock Should You Buy?
A practical Kensington SD5560T vs SD5780T comparison for buyers choosing between a Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C hybrid dock and a newer Thunderbolt 4 dock.