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This User Manual covers all features, setup, specifications, and troubleshooting for the Satechi Thunderbolt 5 CubeDock™ with SSD Enclosure (ST-DT5CES-US).

In the Box

Thunderbolt 5 CubeDock™ with SSD Enclosure, 180W Power Supply, Thunderbolt 5 Cable, User Manual.

Specifications

Model: ST-DT5CES-US (Silver)
Dimensions: 5" × 5" × 2.04" (12.7 × 12.7 × 5.2 cm)
Weight: 588.9 g

Thunderbolt 5 Ports:
1× Thunderbolt 5 Upstream (Host) — up to 120Gbps, up to 140W host charging
3× Thunderbolt 5 Downstream — up to 80Gbps each, up to 15W PD each, up to 8K/144Hz video output

USB, Audio & Ethernet:
1× USB-C (Front) — up to 10Gbps, 30W charging
1× USB-C (Back) — up to 10Gbps, 7.5W charging
1× USB-A (Front) — up to 10Gbps, 7.5W charging
1× USB-A (Back) — up to 10Gbps, 4.5W charging
1× 3.5mm Audio Jack — input/output
1× 2.5G Ethernet Port

Card Readers:
1× SD Card Reader — UHS-II, up to 312 MB/s
1× microSD Card Reader — UHS-II, up to 312 MB/s

SSD Enclosure:
M.2 NVMe (M-Key) only — PCIe 4×4, up to 64Gbps, up to 8TB
Supported form factors: 2230 / 2242 / 2260 / 2280
Not compatible with SATA SSDs

Power Supply: 180W DC (included)

Parts Reference

The dock’s ports and controls are numbered below to match the diagram.

Parts front and rear views of the Thunderbolt 5 CubeDock™ with SSD Enclosure with 13 labeled components.

1. Power Button with LED — Press to power the dock on/off. White LED on = powered and active. White LED off = PSU unplugged or dock powered off. White LED blinking = fan disconnected or stuck (see Important Notes).
2. 3.5mm Audio Jack (Input/Output) — Front-panel audio jack supporting both headphone output and microphone input.
3. SD and microSD Card Readers (UHS-II, up to 312 MB/s) — Dual card reader slots supporting SD and microSD cards at UHS-II speeds up to 312 MB/s.
4. USB-C Port — 10Gbps / 30W Charging — Front USB-C port for data transfer up to 10Gbps and device charging up to 30W.
5. USB-A Port — 10Gbps / 7.5W Charging — Front USB-A port for data transfer up to 10Gbps and device charging up to 7.5W.
6. DC Port (180W Power Supply) — Connects the included 180W power supply to the dock. Required for operation.
7. Ethernet Port (2.5 Gigabit) — Wired network connection at up to 2.5 GbE. LED indicators: 2.5 GbE = left solid orange / right blinks yellow; 1 GbE = left solid green / right blinks yellow.
8. USB-A Port — 10Gbps / 4.5W Charging — Rear USB-A port for data transfer up to 10Gbps and device charging up to 4.5W.
9. USB-C Port — 10Gbps / 7.5W Charging — Rear USB-C port for data transfer up to 10Gbps and device charging up to 7.5W.
10. Nanosaver Kensington Lock — Nanosaver-compatible security slot for attaching a Kensington lock cable.
11. Thunderbolt 5 Host Port (Up to 120Gbps / 140W to host) — Connect this port to your Thunderbolt 5 computer using the included TB5 cable. Provides up to 120Gbps data bandwidth and delivers up to 140W charging to the connected host.
12. 3× Thunderbolt 5 Downstream Ports (Up to 80Gbps / 15W PD / 8K video each) — Three Thunderbolt 5 downstream ports for additional Thunderbolt/USB4 devices, displays, and accessories. Each port supports up to 80Gbps data, 15W PD, and video output up to 8K/144Hz.
13. M.2 NVMe SSD Enclosure (Up to 64Gbps PCIe 4×4 / Up to 8TB) — Internal M.2 NVMe SSD slot on the side of the dock. Supports M-Key NVMe SSDs in 2230/2242/2260/2280 form factors, PCIe 4×4 speeds up to 64Gbps, and capacities up to 8TB. Not compatible with SATA SSDs.

Setup

Step 1 — Connect power: Plug the included 180W power supply into the DC port (Port 6) on the back of the dock, then plug the power supply into a wall outlet.
Step 2 — Connect to host: Use the included Thunderbolt 5 cable to connect the Thunderbolt 5 Host Port (Port 11) on the back of the dock to a Thunderbolt 5 port on your computer.
Step 3 — Power on: Press the Power Button (Port 1) on the front of the dock. The white LED will illuminate to confirm the dock is powered and active.
Step 4 — Connect devices: Plug your peripherals, drives, and displays into the appropriate ports. No drivers are required on macOS. Windows may require driver installation for full functionality.

Power Button Indicator Light

The power button on the front of the dock (Port 1) reports status through its white LED.

White LED on: PSU plugged in, power button on.

White LED off: PSU unplugged, power button off.

White LED blinking: Fan disconnected or stuck.

Ethernet Indicator Lights

The two LEDs beside the Ethernet port (Port 7) report the negotiated link speed.

2.5 GbE Speed: Left LED shows solid orange light, right LED blinks yellow.

1 GbE Speed: Left LED shows solid green light, right LED blinks yellow.

Display Output Support

The three Thunderbolt 5 downstream ports (Port 12) support the following display configurations:

Single display: Up to 8K/144Hz (Windows) · Up to 6K/60Hz (macOS)
Dual display: Up to 8K/120Hz each (Windows) · Up to 6K/60Hz each (macOS)
Triple display: Up to 8K/60Hz each (Windows only) · Triple display not supported on macOS

Supported display configurations by operating system.

SSD Installation

The M.2 NVMe SSD Enclosure (Port 13) on the side of the dock accepts M.2 M-Key NVMe SSDs in 2230, 2242, 2260, and 2280 form factors. SATA SSDs are not compatible.

To install an SSD, make sure the dock is powered off and unplugged, then follow these steps.

Step 1. Remove the SSD enclosure cover from the bottom of the dock.

Step 2. Apply the thin thermal pad, removing the protective film from both sides first.

Step 3. Insert the SSD at a slight angle of 35 to 45 degrees and make sure it is fully seated in the PCIe slot. SSD not included.

Step 4. Secure the SSD with the included screwdriver and screw. Do not overtighten.

Step 5. Apply the thick thermal pad on top of the SSD, removing the protective film from both sides first. Skip this step for SSDs that already have a heatsink.

Step 6. Close the enclosure cover by inserting it at an angle, then clicking it into place.

For tested SSD models and recommended specifications, see SSD Installation - Thunderbolt 5 CubeDock™ with SSD Enclosure.

Important Notes

Requires a Thunderbolt 5 host computer: The dock must be connected to a Thunderbolt 5 port to achieve full Thunderbolt 5 speeds. It is compatible with Thunderbolt 4, USB4, and USB-C hosts at lower bandwidth.

White LED blinking indicates a fan issue: If the Power Button LED blinks white, the internal fan may be disconnected or stuck. Power off the dock and contact Satechi Support.

Triple display not supported on macOS: Due to macOS limitations, only one or two external displays are supported simultaneously. Triple display requires a Windows host.

SATA SSDs are not supported: The M.2 SSD enclosure is compatible with NVMe (M-Key) SSDs only. SATA SSDs will not function in this slot.

Always eject the SSD before turning off the dock or unplugging it from your computer.

Make sure the dock is turned off before installing or removing an SSD.

The dock automatically adjusts power based on connected devices. If your computer needs more power, disconnect high-power peripherals.

2.5GbE connection speed can only be achieved if both your ISP and connected devices support 2.5GbE.

Dual display is not supported on Apple M1/M2 processors.