Thunderbolt 5 dock work on 2015 Macbook Pro?

Chuckjazz wrote:

will a new thunderbolt 5 dock work on my macbook pro 2015?

No, it will not. From Other World Computing's blog (emphasis mine):

OWC Rocket Yard Blog – The Simple Guide to Thunderbolt Forwards and Backwards Compatibility

"Like Thunderbolt 4, Thunderbolt 5 devices require a Mac or PC with a USB-C Thunderbolt port. That means Thunderbolt 5 devices cannot be used with Thunderbolt 1 or Thunderbolt 2 host devices."

MacBook Pro 2015 features ThunderBolt-2 ports, which use a different connector. You can adapt them with the very expensive Apple ThunderBolt-3 <-> ThunderBolt-2 adapter and an even more expensive and hard-to-find Thunderbolt-2 cable, but there is no way to increase the speed beyond the Thunderbolt-2 maximum speed of 20 G bits/sec.

To attain Thunderbolt-5 speeds, each and every item in the chain must be a genuine ThunderBolt-5 device. there is no hope of that when the MacBook Pro ports are Thunderbolt-2 ports.

¿What do you hope to accomplish by making that connection?

Chuckjazz wrote:

I had an OMC Thunderbolt 3 Dock, with assorted drives and displays running through it to the MBP. The dock suddenly died yesterday and I wanted to replace it...However, I anticipate getting a new 16” MPB with M5 Pro later this year. Can I get an OMC Thunderbolt 5 Dock now and use it with the current 2015 MBP until I can get the new 16” MBP later? I’m not concerned about maximum speeds until I get the new MBP.

Oh, so you were already using a Thunderbolt 3 dock with your 2015 MacBook Pro? Is it correct to assume that means you already own the necessary Thunderbolt 2 to 3 adapter? Because an OWC (not OMC) Thunderbolt 3 dock (which I still use) would also require a USB-C connection.

The answer to your main question is on the specs page for any dock you consider. In the case of the OWC 11-Port Thunderbolt 5 Dock, if you click through to its specs page and scroll down to the list of supported Macs, you will find that the oldest MacBook Pros that dock supports are the 2018 models. So even if you can make the cables work, your 2015 MacBook Pro is too old for that Thunderbolt 5 dock.

For your current and possible new MacBook Pro, if you are OK not having full Thunderbolt 5 speeds for a while (this is where I am with a fast new M5 Max MacBook Pro but still using my Thunderbolt 3 dock), one option you have is to browse whatever the current sales are at OWC. Currently they have a Thunderbolt 3 dock on sale for $180, it works with Thunderbolt 2, and your 2015 MacBook Pro is listed as compatible as long as you have that Thunderbolt 2 to 3 adapter cable. At that price, which is much lower than new Thunderbolt 5 docks, it might be worth using for a couple years before you finally choose a Thunderbolt 5 dock to move on to.

Links:

OWC Specials page (you can filter by clicking Docks, Docking Stations, and Hubs)

OWC Clearance/Garage Sale page (available products change frequently)

OWC 14-Port Thunderbolt Dock on sale for $179.99

A 2015 MacBook Pro has Thunderbolt 2, not Thunderbolt 3/4/5. MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2015) - Technical Specifications - Apple Support

Apple’s Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter is bidirectional, so some self-powered Thunderbolt 3 devices can work with a Thunderbolt 2 Mac. About the Apple Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter - Apple Support

A Thunderbolt 5 dock is a different question, though. I wouldn’t assume it will work through that adapter. Dock support depends on the manufacturer, and features such as USB ports, displays, Ethernet, and charging may not work at all over a Thunderbolt 2 connection.

If you post the exact make and model of the dock, that would help determine whether it supports a Thunderbolt 2 Mac.

The more that US$120 it would take for the adapters and cables to even TRY to get that state-of-the art Thunderbolt-5 dock working (for only a few months) with your old MacBook Pro could probably buy you a more long-lived solution.

What comes to my mind is a USB-C Dock that could be used with a cheap USB-A <-> USB-C adapter today, and still be useable for things far into the future. That could not drive your external display, but the 2015 MacBook Pro has an HDMI output port.