Why are Thunderbolt docks so hard to find? Blame electric cars

There are only so many chips to go around.

- MARK HACHMAN

Simply testing Thunderbolt docks can be a challenge. But when even the best Thunderbolt docks suddenly vanish from store shelves, it can be like pulling teeth for vendors, retailers, journalists and consumers alike. Unfortunately, it’s not getting better.

Plugable fights on the front lines of the skirmish between rival device makers, trying to find new supplies of key components—and in times of need, the company redesigns its products to take advantage of what’s available. At press time, the Plugable TBT3UDZ is our pick for the best Thunderbolt dock (fave.co/3vtA0BE), and it’s in stock, too.

That’s not always the case. According to Bernie Thompson, the founder and chief technology officer of Plugable, three out of its five highest-selling Thunderbolt docks offering power delivery are sold out. (At PCWorld, we recommend docks not only by performance, but by availability.)

“Basically, every electronics company in the world has been frantically trying to internally redesign their products to switch to chips that are available,” Thompson said in a recent interview. “Tons of chips and tons of products have actually been discontinued over the last few years because the older chips are no longer available.