Testing two Thunderbolt 5 docks with M.2 storage — VectoTech V-Core vs Orico TB5

The Thunderbolt 5 market is starting to heat up, as we’re seeing more players enter the increasingly crowded field. We’ve previously looked at docks in the sub-$400 price category, and premium offerings crossing the $600 barrier.

Today, we’re focusing on two new entries in the sub-$400 category: the VectoTech V-Core and the Orico TB5, priced at $349 and $399, respectively. Both offer a wealth of USB and Thunderbolt ports, 2.5 GbE Ethernet, and internal M.2 slots. While their specs look similar on paper, at the end of our testing, there was a clear winner.

VectoTech V-Core

Design of the VectoTech V-Core Thunderbolt 5 Dock

The V-Core has what I’d call a traditional, candybar form factor. It’s meant to sit flat on your desk, unlike chunkier docks that can also operate vertically. At first glance, I thought the V-Core was made of lightweight aluminum. However, it wasn’t until I started fumbling around, trying to figure out how to access the internal M.2 SSD slot, that I discovered the unfortunate truth: the V-Core is constructed almost entirely of plastic. That includes the lower and top chassis, and much of the internal structure.

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It’s a stark departure from every other Thunderbolt dock that I’ve tested, which are made from aluminum to help dissipate heat – which can be intense when a dock is under load. In addition, the top cover wiggled around when snapped into place (it uses a friction fit to attach to the main chassis).

With the top cover removed, you can see an internal cooling fan, which is essential for cooling Thunderbolt 5 docks with internal SSD bays, and a large black aluminum heatsink held in place with two screws. After removing the screws, the heatsink lifts off, revealing an M.2 slot that supports up to an 8TB 2280 SSD. Here’s another nitpick: Instead of using a screw to secure the SSD, VectoTech uses a tiny, spinning plastic retaining clip.

This is a feature that’s handy to have on motherboards when you’re often reaching inside a case, sometimes while the case is vertical. But it makes less sense in a small dock – especially when this particular latch is smaller than we’ve seen on other M.2 mounts. It didn’t inspire much confidence that it would hold the SSD in place, at least not compared to traditional screws. That said, VectoTech offers thermal pads that cover both the top and bottom of your SSD.

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When it comes to ports, the VectoTech V-Core left me scratching my head a bit: There are no native HDMI or DisplayPort ports on the dock. Most Thunderbolt docks include at least one of the two common video ports, so it was disappointing to see this omission here. It’s not the end of the world, however; you can always use an HDMI-to-USB-C or DisplayPort-to-USB-C adapter with the dock (at an additional out-of-pocket cost).

Front

• 1x Thunderbolt 5 upstream (80 Gbps bi-directional, 140W)
• 1x Thunderbolt 5 downstream (80 Gbps bi-directional, 60W)
• 1x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2
• 1x SD UHS-II slot
• 1x audio combo jack

Back

• 2x Thunderbolt 5 downstream (80 Gbps bi-directional, 15W)
• 2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2
• 1x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1
• 1x 2.5 GbE (RJ45) port
• 1x 240W power port

Instead, you’ll find two Thunderbolt 5 ports on the front (one upstream, one downstream), a USB-A port, an SD 4.0 reader (no microSD), and a 3.5 mm headphone jack. Moving to the back, there are three additional USB-A ports, two downstream Thunderbolt 5 ports, and a 2.5 GbE port.

Orico TB5

Design of the Orico TB5 Thunderbolt 5 Desktop Workstation

Unlike the V-Core, the Orico TB5 has a chassis primarily constructed of a single piece of thick aluminum. The outer chassis has an oblong shape, with ventilation cutouts on the right and left sides.

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The front and rear fascias are plastic, and where you’ll find the assortment of ports.

Front

• 3x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2
• 1x Thunderbolt 5 downstream (80 Gbps bi-directional, 60W)
• 1x SD UHS-II slot
• 1x microSD UHS-II slot
• 1x audio combo jack

Back

• 1x Thunderbolt 5 upstream (80 Gbps bi-directional, 140W)
• 1x Thunderbolt 5 downstream (80 Gbps bi-directional, 60W)
• 1x HDMI
• 1x DisplayPort
• 1x 2.5 GbE (RJ45) port
• 1x 240W power port

Up front, you’ll find an SD 4.0 slot, a microSD 4.0 slot, three USB-A ports (10 Gbps), one USB-C port (also 10 Gbps), and one Thunderbolt 5 downstream port. On the back, there’s one Thunderbolt 5 upstream port, one Thunderbolt 5 downstream port, one USB-C port, one DisplayPort, one HDMI port, a 2.5 GbE port, and a 3.5mm audio combo jack.

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I was somewhat surprised to see both HDMI and DisplayPort in this relatively compact Thunderbolt 5 dock, but they are welcome additions here. It’s hard to be disappointed with Orico’s choice of ports on the TB5, as there’s a nice balance of USB-A, USB-C, and video outputs.

But my absolute favorite design feature of the TB5 is on its underside. Most Thunderbolt docks that feature an internal SSD slot require you to remove a screw to access the M.2 slot. However, the TB5 uses a magnetic cover that is easily removed with a fingernail, yet strong enough to remain attached when moving the dock around. It’s a small touch, but appreciated when swapping SSDs. The M.2 slot can accommodate 2280 form-factor SSDs.

Testing

Testing the VectoTech V-Core and Orico TB5 Thunderbolt 5 Docks

The lack of native DisplayPort and HDMI ports didn’t hamper my testing with the V-Core. My primary desktop rig uses a 49-inch WQHD monitor with native USB-C support, and it connected to the V-Core without issue at its native 240 Hz refresh rate with a Windows 11 PC and a Mac running macOS 27. I also tested the same monitor using the HDMI-to-USB-C and DisplayPort-to-USB-C adapters that I have on hand. Again, I had no issues with this setup.

The dock itself did get very hot; just as hot as the many aluminum-shelled Thunderbolt 5 docks I’ve tested. Although I didn’t experience any slowdowns or errors after extended use, I do wonder about heat soak with the plastic enclosure over time. The internal fan definitely helps, but it’s a concern that lingers at the back of my mind.

I tested the Orico TB5 across USB-C, DisplayPort, and HDMI connections without any performance issues or hiccups. Like the V-Core, the TB5 also includes an internal cooling fan.

Everything that I threw at both docks worked without issue. I hooked up USB mice and keyboards, my iPhone Air, a 1TB USB-C thumb drive, an Orico Thunderbolt 5 SSD dock, multiple portable USB-C monitors, and a DJI Mini 5 Pro drone. I also tested the 2.5 GbE LAN on both docks on my TP-Link Deco BE63 home network.

Among recent Thunderbolt 5 docks we've tested, the V-Core was at the back of the pack in both sequential read and write speeds (5,371.96 MBps and 4,083.95 MBps, respectively). Orico’s TB5, on the other hand, landed in second place, behind the UGREEN Revodock MaxiDok in sequential reads (5,745.11 MBps), and led the pack in sequential writes (4,335.56 MBps).

When testing the 2.5 GbE LAN on both docks, both maxed out at around 2,300 Mbps using iPerf3, which is right in line with what we would expect after taking into account TCP/IP packet overhead.

Bottom Line

Bottom Line

The VectoTech V-Core and the Orico TB5 are similarly priced and feature a similar form factor, but Orico’s TB5 is by far the superior entry here. For starters, it just feels like a more premium product, with its aluminum enclosure versus the V-Core's plastic. And accessing the internal M.2 slot on the TB5 is much easier, requiring a simple tug on the magnetic access door, versus prying off the plastic cover on the V-Core, removing two screws, and then prying off the internal heatsink.

In other ways that matter to most people, the TB5 includes native DisplayPort and HDMI connections for your monitors. The V-Core is USB only (necessitating a USB-C adapter for most monitors). And finally, while the V-Core was at the back of the pack in storage performance compared to its peers, the TB5 trended near the front.

Right now, the VectoTech V-Core is priced at $349 on Amazon, versus $399 for the Orico TB5. A $50 premium is certainly enough to consider going with the cheaper option. But more and better ports, faster throughput, and a better, more premium design make the Orico worth paying extra for.