Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.
CalDigit TS4 comes out ahead by a clear margin (4.4 vs 4.9). The gap is mostly about professionals docking a single TB4 laptop into a full workstation — read the strengths below before deciding.
The Anker 553 is the portable pick. $90 hub-format dock for users who don't need 18 ports — adequate for a single laptop dock setup at home + travel. Trade-off is fewer ports and lower display support.
The TS4 is the best-overall TB4 dock. CalDigit's flagship — 18 ports, 98W charging, dual 6K display support. Best for professionals with one TB4 laptop and the need to dock into a full workstation setup.
Cheapest pick. Portable form factor. Fewer ports than CalDigit / OWC / Anker 777.
Most ports. Highest charging. Most expensive. Dual 6K vs lower-tier dual 4K.
| Spec | Anker 553 USB-C Hub | CalDigit TS4 |
|---|---|---|
| Ports | 8 | 18 |
| Power | 85W passthrough | 98W |
| Display | Single 4K | 8K@30 or dual 6K@60 |
| Form | Compact hub | — |
| Ethernet | — | 2.5GbE |
| Thunderbolt | — | 4 (40Gb/s) |