Belkin announces upgraded Thunderbolt Express Dock, adds another $100 to the price

Belkin has today announced a new upgraded version of their Thunderbolt Express Dock – a device which was first unveiled back in September 2011. The most notable upgrades include the replacing of its three USB 2.0 ports with faster USB 3.0 versions, and the addition of an eSata port. While those changes may be welcomed, the new price might not be.

Belkin’s new dock will now cost $399.99 (around £300), which is $100 more than the originally advertised price of $299.99. So what exactly do you get for your money?

Besides the aforementioned USB 3.0 and eSata ports, the Thunderbolt Express Dock has one FireWire 800 port, one Gigabit Ethernet port, two Thunderbolt ports, one audio input port and one audio output port. A MiniDP to HDMI adapter is also included with the device.

Currently, the only alternative to Belkin’s Thunderbolt Express Dock, is the DS1 Thunderbolt docking station from Matrox, which we told you about yesterday. As the DS1 only has the one Thunderbolt port, and no FireWire 800 port, we argued that Belkin’s dock looked the more attractive option. That was before Belkin increased the price of their device, which now means there is a difference of $150 between the two products.

Belkin has also announced a 3ft (1m) Thunderbolt Cable today, which will retail for $44.99. Apple’s own Thunderbolt cable is slightly more expensive at $49.00, but is twice the length. Neither Belkin’s or Matrox’s docks include a Thunderbolt cable.

Will you be buying a Belkin Thunderbolt Express Dock for your Mac?