Head-to-head · Best Thunderbolt 4 Docks

CalDigit TS4 vs Plugable TBT4-UD5

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

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The short answer

CalDigit TS4 comes out ahead by a narrow margin (4.7 vs 4.5). The gap is mostly about Power users building a maxed-out, single-cable desk who want the most ports and charging power and do not mind paying for it. — read the strengths below before deciding.

Higher ratedRanked #1 in Best Thunderbolt 4 Docks

CalDigit TS4

4.7

3 sources1 derived$379.99as of Aug 27

The TS4 is the no-compromise flagship: 18 ports, 98W charging, 2.5GbE and a UHS-II card reader in one driver-free package that reviewers say nothing else matches. TechRadar awarded it a full five stars, Macworld gave it an Editors' Choice and XDA its top 'Best' badge. The only real downsides are the price and the lack of HDMI, but for a maxed-out desk it is the dock to beat.

Strengths

— Class-leading 18 ports, the most of any Thunderbolt 4 dock
— 98W charging to the host through a single Thunderbolt cable
— Native dual-display support plus 2.5GbE networking and UHS-II card reader

Watch-outs

— The most expensive dock here at around $400
— No HDMI ports, so you need DisplayPort cables or adapters
— Only adds a net of one extra Thunderbolt port versus the host

$379.99 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Ranked #2 in Best Thunderbolt 4 Docks

Plugable TBT4-UD5

4.5

3 sources2 derived$200as of Aug 27

The TBT4-UD5 is the value pick in Thunderbolt 4 docking: 13 ports including dual HDMI, 100W host charging and certified 40Gb/s throughput for around $200. XDA scored it 9 out of 10. It has fewer ports than the flagship docks and no downstream Thunderbolt for daisy-chaining, but it covers a normal desk for roughly half their money.

Strengths

— Outstanding value, delivering most of a flagship dock's function for around $200
— Dual HDMI ports built in for single 8K or dual 4K displays
— Thunderbolt certified with reliable 40Gb/s transfer and instant wake

Watch-outs

— Fewer total ports than the CalDigit TS4 or Plugable TBT4-UDZ
— No extra downstream Thunderbolt ports for daisy-chaining drives
— Plastic-heavy build feels less premium than metal rivals

$200 · Buy at plugable.com Full review →

Derived means the reviewer published no score, so one was inferred from their written verdict. Everything else is a number the publisher printed. How we rank.

How they stack up

CalDigit TS4

The most port-dense dock here, beating the Plugable TBT4-UD5, OWC Thunderbolt 4 Dock, Kensington SD5780T and Plugable TBT4-UDZ on sheer connectivity and charging power. The trade-off is price and the absence of HDMI — where the Plugable TBT4-UD5 and Kensington SD5780T include HDMI outputs, the TS4 relies on DisplayPort or its Thunderbolt ports.

Plugable TBT4-UD5

The value alternative to the CalDigit TS4: it gives up some of the TS4's 18-port count and downstream Thunderbolt ports but adds dual HDMI the TS4 lacks, for roughly half the price. It is simpler than the Plugable TBT4-UDZ and Kensington SD5780T but covers the essentials most users need, undercutting the OWC Thunderbolt 4 Dock on price too.

Specs side-by-side

Spec	CalDigit TS4	Plugable TBT4-UD5
Ports	18 total	13 total
Thunderbolt	3x Thunderbolt 4 downstream (40Gb/s)	Thunderbolt 4 (40Gb/s) host
USB	3x USB-C + 5x USB-A (10Gb/s)	4x USB ports
Host Charging	98W Power Delivery	100W (96W certified)
Networking	2.5GbE Ethernet	Gigabit Ethernet
Displays	Single 8K@30Hz or dual 6K@60Hz	Dual 4K@60Hz HDMI or single 8K
Card Reader	SD + microSD (UHS-II)	—
Compatibility	Mac, Windows, Chrome (driver-free)	Windows and Mac
Dimensions	4.46"L x 1.65"W x 5.55"H	8.9"L x 3.3"W x 0.9"H
Wattage	230	96
Certification	—	Thunderbolt 4 / Intel Evo certified

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