At a look
Professional’s Ranking
Professionals
- 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 sport for years to return.
Value When Reviewed
This worth will present the geolocated pricing textual content for product undefined
Finest Pricing At this time
Value When Reviewed
$499.99
Finest Costs At this time: CalDigit Thunderbolt Station 5 Plus (TS5 Plus)
The primary true celebrity 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 an enticing metallic shell.
After enhancements with the TS3 Plus and the bounce 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 unimaginable 330W energy provide.
In case you want the last word in MacBook docking stations, the TS5 Plus has nearly every little thing you want—certainly most likely greater than you want. CalDigit additionally sells a cutdown TS5 model with 5 fewer ports for individuals who don’t want to achieve 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 comfortable in each orientations, though maintaining the dock vertical means all these vents might 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) broad. It weighs in at 2lbs (0.9kg).
The ports are properly positioned. The upstream Thunderbolt 5 port that connects to your laptop computer is on the again, in contrast to some rival docks that place it on the entrance, which will increase cable mess in our opinion. Additionally, entrance dealing with 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 desire the choice to manually cease energy going to the laptop computer battery during times on non-use the dock works in the identical approach as Apple’s charger linked to a Mac—if it wants energy it would 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 reasonably than ridged, the warmth wouldn’t shortly disperse from the dock. The included rubber ft raise the dock from the desk when laid flat in a horizontal place permitting for air to movement below it. Some docks together with followers to scale back warmth, however these add noise, which isn’t excellent in music or video studio environments the place professional customers want absolute silence.
Specs and options
It’s outstanding 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 provide to the linked laptop computer/desktop/iPad. The TS5 Plus delivers on each single one, and is to date unmatched by different Thunderbolt 5 docks. After all, the quantity of ports could also be greater than you want, and so that you then would possibly take into account the less ports on the non-Plus model of the CalDigit TS5 or one other of our suggestions of the greatest 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 here 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 units an influence consumer requires as of late.
If the dock was USB-C solely and a consumer needed to attach a USB-A tool, utilizing an adapter provides one other potential layer of latency which for skilled customers might be a problem when utilizing audio mixers and related units the place they want a clear connection.
Pushing USB apart, the star of the present is after all the most recent Thunderbolt 5 (TB5) knowledge, video and energy connection discovered on the most recent Macs. For Mac customers Thunderbolt 4 (TB4) was not an enormous leap from Thunderbolt 3 (TB3), however the newest normal 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 units and your Mac.
If it’s worthwhile to join excessive efficiency SSDs or RAID units 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 no less than 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 you use the included 1m TB5 cable.
That is essentially the most highly effective docking station we now have ever examined, with an influence provide pumping out as much as 330W—a full 100W higher than the earlier file holder, the identical firm’s TS4. Some competing docks boast loads of highly effective ports however usually 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 units.
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 provide 36W—up from 15W on Thunderbolt 4. That is possibly the one port that’s crushed by a competitor. One in all our favourite TB5 docks, the Sonnet Echo 13 has considered one of its TB5 ports with a 60W ranking. Its 180W energy provide, although, is less 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 units at full whack.
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’s 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 units.
CalDigit
Video choices
For a lot of laptop computer customers, the principle objective 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 desire a devoted video port and CalDigit has at all times helped them out on this regard.
A 3rd TB5 port would possibly provide extra flexibility because it may very well 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 have to a USB-C to HDMI adapter anyway or you can use a DisplayPort to HDMI adapter cable to verify the DP port will not be wasted.
CalDigit consists of the DisplayPort as an alternative of HDMI as a result of it helps 4K shows at a 144Hz refresh charge on macOS, whereas a Mac particular limitation means no dock by way of 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 screens. For that objective, you’ll want to make use of one of many two downstream TB5 ports.
For one show you should 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 primarily based Macs) can join as much as two shows. Base M1/M2/M3 primarily based Macs are restricted to only one exterior monitor attributable to Apple’s personal imposed Thunderbolt limitations. You will get spherical this limitation with a DisplayLink dock, however the TS5 Plus will not be considered one of these—see how you can join multiple 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 charge, with a doable refresh charge of 240Hz for 4K or 500Hz for 1080p HD. As talked about, the above resolutions will depend upon the host pc’s capabilities. For instance, twin 8K 60Hz is barely appropriate 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 charge for a triple-display setup is 4K at 144Hz. Mac customers wanting three or extra shows will once more want to think about 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 nevertheless it does provide each SD and microSD card readers on the entrance so that you can slip out and in your individual transportable storage playing cards.
That is a cheap approach of boosting MacBook storage, which is pricey from Apple when configuring the laptop computer on the level of buy. On the time of writing a 1TB microSD card was priced at below $100, though that was a 104MBps UHS-I velocity 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.
Latest professional docks are together with a 2.5 gigabit Ethernet (2.5GbE) port as normal. 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 no less than a excessive stage of future proofing for when it’s. 10GbE is backwards appropriate all the best way again to Gigabit Ethernet.
The cut-down non-Plus TS5 comes with 2.5GbE.
Simon Jary
Value
Because the top-of-the-range Thunderbolt 5 docking station it’s unsurprisingly not the most affordable possibility 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.
Nevertheless, neither the Sonnet nor OWC can match the CalDigit TS5 Plus on sheer quantity and velocity of ports and highest stage options. Mac energy customers who need the very premium finish will most likely 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 will have to attend to buy one till a higher quantity are produced.
A less expensive Thunderbolt 5 possibility is to think about a hub reasonably than a full dock. CalDigit presents its personal Thunderbolt 5 Ingredient 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 unimaginable 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 already know you might be 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 sport for years to return, and even MacBook customers proudly owning a TB4 machine ought to take into account that is their subsequent dock improve.
