At a look
Professional’s Ranking
Execs
20 top-end ports, together with three Thunderbolt 5
10Gb Ethernet
Iconic case
330W Energy Supply
Our Verdict
Professionals and different energy customers demanding the very top-end will doubtless flock to this premium dock that might be on the high of its recreation for years to come back.
Worth When Reviewed
This worth will present the geolocated pricing textual content for product undefined
Greatest Pricing In the present day
The primary true famous person of the Thunderbolt dock world was the CalDigit Thunderbolt Station 3 (TS3), a compact Thunderbolt 3 powerhouse laptop computer docking station that beat the competitors with superior high-end ports in a fascinating metallic shell.
After enhancements with the TS3 Plus and the leap to Thunderbolt 4 with the TS4, we now arrive on the launch of the TS5 Plus, bringing in super-fast Thunderbolt 5 and a legion of top-end ports together with 10Gb Ethernet and an unbelievable 330W energy provide.
For those who want the last word in MacBook docking stations, the TS5 Plus has nearly all the things you want—certainly in all probability greater than you want. CalDigit additionally sells a cutdown TS5 model with 5 fewer ports for individuals who don’t want to succeed in the summits of energy and port specs.
Design
For the TS5 Plus, CalDigit has saved with the TS3 and TS4’s iconic gunmetal grey aluminum chassis with vented sides and high that has been a favourite for over a decade.
Most laptop computer docking stations sit both vertically or horizontally, however the TS5 Plus is joyful in each orientations, though conserving the dock vertical means all these vents may help preserve the dock’s innards cool.
Standing vertically, it measures 6.1 inches (15.5cm) excessive, 5 inches (12.8cm) deep, and 1.85 inches (4.7cm) vast. It weighs in at 2lbs (0.9kg).
The ports are nicely positioned. The upstream Thunderbolt 5 port that connects to your laptop computer is on the again, not like some rival docks that place it on the entrance, which will increase cable mess in our opinion. Additionally, entrance going through are the 2 card readers and three USB ports together with a 36W USB-C for iPhone or iPad Professional quick charging.
There isn’t a energy button on the TS5 Plus, simply as there wasn’t on any of the older CalDigit docks. Whereas we want the choice to manually cease energy going to the laptop computer battery during times on non-use the dock works in the identical method as Apple’s charger linked to a Mac—if it wants energy it’s going to take it. If it doesn’t want energy it received’t give it.
Simon Jary
The design is engineered to dissipate warmth. If the highest and sides have been flat quite than ridged, the warmth wouldn’t rapidly disperse from the dock. The included rubber toes carry the dock from the desk when laid flat in a horizontal place permitting for air to stream beneath it. Some docks together with followers to scale back warmth, however these add noise, which isn’t best in music or video studio environments the place professional customers want absolute silence.
Specs and options
It’s exceptional that CalDigit has packed 20 ports—together with ten USB—plus a safety slot and energy enter into such a compact shell with out having it look crowded or function awkwardly. All 20 can be utilized concurrently.
All of the ports are clearly labeled, which is appreciated.
One upstream Thunderbolt 5 port (80Gbps, 140W)
Two downstream Thunderbolt 5 ports (80Gbps, 36W)
5 USB-A ports (10Gbps, 7.5W)
4 USB-C ports (10Gbps, 7.5W)
One USB-C port (10Gbps, 36W)
One DisplayPort 2.1
Ethernet (10Gb)
UHS-II SD card reader (312MBps)
UHS-II microSD card reader (312MBps)
3.5mm combo audio jack (entrance)
Two 3.5mm In/Out audio jacks (again)
330W energy provide
Simon Jary
As iconic and handsome because the TS5 Plus is, docking stations are judged principally on the ports and options on supply to the linked laptop computer/desktop/iPad. The TS5 Plus delivers on each single one, and is thus far unmatched by different Thunderbolt 5 docks. After all, the amount of ports could also be greater than you want, and so that you then may think about the less ports on the non-Plus model of the CalDigit TS5 or one other of our suggestions of the most effective Thunderbolt docks for Mac.
This top-of-the-range Thunderbolt 5 dock has two extra ports than the award-winning TS4—and each of those are welcome quick 10Gbps USB-C ports. Basically, we are able to’t get sufficient USB-C ports and the 5 listed below are welcome. There are additionally 5 legacy USB-A ports. Whereas these are additionally speedy at 10Gbps, I do marvel what number of USB-A gadgets an influence person requires as of late.
If the dock was USB-C solely and a person needed to attach a USB-A tool, utilizing an adapter provides one other potential layer of latency which for skilled customers might be a difficulty when utilizing audio mixers and related gadgets the place they want a clear connection.
Pushing USB apart, the star of the present is after all the newest Thunderbolt 5 (TB5) knowledge, video and energy connection discovered on the newest Macs. For Mac customers Thunderbolt 4 (TB4) was not a large leap from Thunderbolt 3 (TB3), however the newest customary is a quantum one.
Simon Jary
TB5 doubles knowledge speeds from 40Gbps to bi-directional 80Gbps and as much as 120Gbps in enhance mode for greater show bandwidth, leading to considerably sooner knowledge transfers between gadgets and your Mac.
If you could join excessive efficiency SSDs or RAID gadgets Thunderbolt 5 rewards you with a PCIe efficiency that’s doubled to 64Gbps PCIe 4.0, and the dock helps switch speeds as much as 6,200MBps.
Tremendous Energy Station
Thunderbolt 5 has a mandated greater energy supply (to a linked laptop computer) of at the very least 140W (up from TB4’s minimal 100W) with help for as much as 240W (vs 140W). The TS5 Plus can energy a linked laptop computer at as much as 140W, sufficient to fast-charge a top-end 16-inch MacBook Professional. To realize this, be sure to use the included 1m TB5 cable.
That is essentially the most highly effective docking station we’ve ever examined, with an influence provide pumping out as much as 330W—a full 100W better than the earlier file holder, the identical firm’s TS4. Some competing docks boast loads of highly effective ports however typically an insufficient exterior energy provide.
With ample energy at hand, the wattage going into the laptop computer want by no means fluctuate to accommodate different hungry gadgets.
Every of the USB ports presents 10Gbps knowledge switch and seven.5W of energy besides the front-facing 36W USB-C port. The 2 downstream Thunderbolt 5 ports additionally supply 36W—up from 15W on Thunderbolt 4. That is perhaps the one port that’s overwhelmed by a competitor. Considered one of our favourite TB5 docks, the Sonnet Echo 13 has certainly one of its TB5 ports with a 60W ranking. Its 180W energy provide, although, is lower than offering each the 60W and the 140W PD to the laptop computer, not to mention any energy from the opposite USB ports. With 330W of energy at its disposal, the TS5 Plus received’t run out of juice even when powering as much as all doable 11 linked gadgets at full whack.
There’s no concern of working out of juice with the 330W TS5 Plus’s energy brick—which is fairly good to take a look at, too, though few will in all probability see it tucked beneath your desk.
Simon Jary
Broader bandwidth
From a bandwidth standpoint, all of the USB ports are rated at 10Gbps, alongside the 80Gbps Thunderbolt for the best knowledge wants.
The TS5 Plus is the primary dock with twin USB controllers, in comparison with others that function a single USB controller shared by all of the USB and Thunderbolt ports. There may be one controller for the entrance ports, and one for the ports behind the dock for elevated USB bandwidth. The twin controllers imply that the dock supplies two separate 10Gbps controllers for elevated bandwidth to linked gadgets.
CalDigit
Video choices
For a lot of laptop computer customers, the primary goal of a docking station is to help the working of a number of exterior shows with out utilizing up all of the MacBook’s personal ports.
CalDigit has sacrificed the third downstream Thunderbolt port for a top-end DisplayPort 2.1 video connection. Whereas Thunderbolt makes use of the identical DisplayPort requirements, some customers want a devoted video port and CalDigit has all the time helped them out on this regard.
A 3rd TB5 port may supply extra flexibility because it could possibly be used with a USB-C to DisplayPort adapter cable if required with the identical show help as DisplayPort however function as a extra adaptable port if not. The non-Plus CalDigit TS5 mannequin does ditch DisplayPort for a 3rd TB5 port. If you wish to join an HDMI monitor you will have a USB-C to HDMI adapter anyway or you possibly can use a DisplayPort to HDMI adapter cable to ensure the DP port isn’t wasted.
CalDigit consists of the DisplayPort as a substitute of HDMI as a result of it helps 4K shows at a 144Hz refresh fee on macOS, whereas a Mac particular limitation means no dock through HDMI can get above 4K at 75Hz. Most dock customers will join a monitor, and if there was an additional Thunderbolt 5 port it could get utilized by the monitor anyway. All mid to high-end shows have DisplayPort.
The non-Thunderbolt USB ports of the TS5 Plus received’t work as connectors to displays. For that goal, you’ll want to make use of one of many two downstream TB5 ports.
For one show you need to use both the DisplayPort or one of many spare downstream Thunderbolt 5 ports.
Mac customers on base M4, M1/M2/M3/M4 Professional, M1/M2/M3/M4 Max, M1/M2/M3 Extremely (and even Intel based mostly Macs) can join as much as two shows. Base M1/M2/M3 based mostly Macs are restricted to only one exterior monitor as a result of Apple’s personal imposed Thunderbolt limitations. You will get spherical this limitation with a DisplayLink dock, however the TS5 Plus isn’t certainly one of these—see the right way to join a couple of monitor to an M1/M2 Mac for extra particulars.
Relying on the show capabilities of your MacBook, the utmost decision is 8K at a 60Hz refresh fee, with a doable refresh fee of 240Hz for 4K or 500Hz for 1080p HD. As talked about, the above resolutions will rely on the host pc’s capabilities. For instance, twin 8K 60Hz is simply suitable on the M4 Max MacBook Professional proper now.
Home windows customers profit from that working system supporting Multi-Stream Transport (MST) for DisplayPort and Thunderbolt, and so can join to a few shows utilizing the TS5 Plus. The utmost decision and refresh fee for a triple-display setup is 4K at 144Hz. Mac customers wanting three or extra shows will once more want to contemplate a high-end DisplayLink dock such because the Plugable Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station (TBT-6950PD) or Satechi Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station with DisplayLink.
CalDigit
Storage
A few of our favored docking stations—such because the Sonnet Echo 13—embody built-in SSD storage in order that the dock itself operated like a really quick exterior disk drive.
The TS5 doesn’t have this function however it does supply each SD and microSD card readers on the entrance so that you can slip out and in your personal moveable storage playing cards.
That is a reasonable method of boosting MacBook storage, which is dear from Apple when configuring the laptop computer on the level of buy. On the time of writing a 1TB microSD card was priced at beneath $100, though that was a 104MBps UHS-I pace card and the TS5 Plus’s readers help as much as 312MBps UHS-II.
That’s sooner than the 250MBps SDXC card slot constructed into Apple’s present MacBook Professional.
CalDigit
Community speeds
Whereas most house and workplace networks are nonetheless rated at the usual 1Gb (Gigabit) Ethernet, extra trendy networks are a lot sooner at 2.5Gb, 5Gb and even 10Gb speeds.
Current professional docks are together with a 2.5 gigabit Ethernet (2.5GbE) port as customary. The CalDigit TS5 Plus goes all the best way to 10GbE. This can be a nice boon in case your community is rated that quick, or at the very least a excessive degree of future proofing for when it’s. 10GbE is backwards suitable all the best way again to Gigabit Ethernet.
The cut-down non-Plus TS5 comes with 2.5GbE.
Simon Jary
Worth
Because the top-of-the-range Thunderbolt 5 docking station it’s unsurprisingly not the most cost effective choice within the relativelt small pool of TB5 docks accessible proper now.
It’s priced at $499.99 within the US, £469.99 within the UK, and €469.99 in Europe.
Compared, the Sonnet Echo 13 prices from $439, which incorporates an built-in 1TB SSD. The OWC Thunderbolt 5 Dock is even cheaper at $329.
Nonetheless, neither the Sonnet nor OWC can match the CalDigit TS5 Plus on sheer quantity and pace of ports and highest degree options. Mac energy customers who need the very premium finish will in all probability not bat an eyelid at paying high greenback for the most effective.
That is borne out by the TS5 Plus promoting out as quickly because it was launched, and you’ll have to attend to buy one till a better quantity are produced.
A less expensive Thunderbolt 5 choice is to contemplate a hub quite than a full dock. CalDigit presents its personal Thunderbolt 5 Factor Hub, with 9 ports together with 4 TB5, for $299 / £249. That will get you Thunderbolt 5 and a few USB ports however no super-fast Ethernet, card readers, or the unbelievable energy output that the TS5 Plus presents.
Do you have to purchase an CalDigit TS5 Plus dock?
There isn’t a docking station accessible now that rivals the CalDigit TS5 Plus for quantity and high quality of ports. Every one is rated as excessive as they go. Apple sells just one model of Thunderbolt dock on its Retailer, and that’s CalDigit—so you’re shopping for high-quality.
Professionals and different energy customers demanding the very top-end will doubtless flock to this premium dock that might be on the high of its recreation for years to come back, and even MacBook customers proudly owning a TB4 machine ought to think about that is their subsequent dock improve.
