Interesting option, thanks for the review. I think most of the new docks should have an M2 disk socket. Everyone is trying to save on Apple expensive memory options.
I purchased a CalDigit TS4 Thunderbolt 4 Dock. Back when I purchased my M1 Apple MacBook Air with 8‑core CPU, 7‑core GPU, 16‑core Neural Engine, 16GB unified memory, 2TB SSD storage - $1,999.00 US 3/2020. I knew a some point I would be moving to a newer Apple MacBook. Felt the Thunderbolt 4 option would be compatible with whatever Apple MacBook I purchased. This year I purchased a M4 Apple MacBook Pro - Space Black 14-inch Liquid Retina XDR display 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine 24GB unified memory 1TB SSD storage $ 1,799.00 US. Best Buy 11/25/2024, Gave my M1 Apple MacBook Air to my daughter-in-law to replace the 2017 Apple 21.5 inch iMac I had previously purchased for her. She wanted a laptop,
All the TB5 hubs / docks should support 3 display streams since they’re all built on the same Intel chip, but it’s Apple that doesn’t allow more than two displays to be fed from a single cable. So that third display stream will never make it onto the cable going to the dock because Apple says no. I can get 4 displays from a single port using my TB4 windows machine, through a combo of TB4 and MST. There’s no way to even do 3 with a Mac, without resorting to DisplayLink.
Good call on buying a USB plug-in device to get you the ports you need, rather than dropping double the cash to have it integrated in the dock. I got a UHS-II card reader for like $15 as an add-on for a dock that didn’t come with that. Having multiple USB 3 ports covers a multitude of sins.
Wayne, I think the latest CalDigit TB5 dock does support USB-C displays. I ordered one and will let you know. My hunch is that OWC, Kensington, and CableMatters use the same controller/motherboard inside.
It seems odd to me that the functionality of connecting to a USB display is lost going through the dock. Might be a bug, not sure. we’ll see if CalDigit solved the problem. I do know the USB-C 10Gb/s ports do not support a display, they are specifically labeled “data”. But maybe the TB5 ports will. let me know if you get yours before I get mine !!
Another nice video, thank you. But for me, I’m not buying another dock that doesn’t support 10 G. These nic adapters are getting less and less expensive by the year. For the price of these docks I really want to be future proof beyond 2.5gb as almost all of the recently released network attached storage drives are coming with at least one10G Lan port
think it might be a while for 10GbE ethernet. Would add a lot to the cost and guessing the ethernet port is one of the least used ports buy those that buy these docks. putting them in NAS systems makes a lot of sense, but those are probably still feeding a lot of 1GbE and 2.5 GbE computers on a network. But hopefully some of them realize they need to at least move to 5GbE in the docks.
Wayne I hope you don’t mind me asking the following question related to Thunderbolt. I have a PC with a T4 card. I’m looking for a hub that connects to this with a reasonable length cable so the hub can sit on my desk, the PC is on the floor. I would like an sd card slot in the hub, but realise I could at a card reader at more cost. I would welcome your thoughts.
lots of good hubs and docks for TB4. CalDigit TS4 is a great one, the OWC TB4 dock is also very good. The Caldigit Element TB4 hub is great if you want some extra USB ports, the OWC is cheaper if you mainly need TB4 ports. I’ve never test the Sonnet but have heard good things about it as well. As far as getting it on the desk, OWC and CalDigit make very good 2 meter TB4 cables. If you need one longer than that Apple has a 3 meter active TB4 cable which is terrific, although pricey. I think it’s the only 3 meter cable I’ve seen that is reliable (some amazing tech in the connectors) Did of review of it a while back, and it solved my problem of putting my storage up behind me out of the way.
I might go awesome if they added a few. more USB 10Gb/s ports including a couple of USB-C ones, one of which has 15-20 watts to charge stuff. I think there’s too few ports for the price.
I think it comes down to where the ports are located, and if you need the 10Gb/s speed on the 3rd USB port. I don’t like how the Kensington requires the upstream connection to the computer to be on the front. But I don’t like how the CableMatters 7.5 USB port that can charge devices in on the back. To me they both sort of blew it. Personally if I had to choose, I’d go with the cable matters, because the downstream TB5 port on the front has 15 watts and can charge my devices. The Kensington has one as well, but I still just can’t get past having that cable coming out the front to my computer ... I’ve always thought that was really poor design for a dock. The cable matters isalso more compact and I think better looking, and is about $50 cheaper.
" . . . 180W is . . . weak for a dock". Not so, check around docks released in the last two years. Decades ago docks had to deliver more Watts, computers have become faster and more powerful whist consuming less energy thus generating less heat. The Ultralight skinny premium laptops wouldn't be possible otherwise.😀
I guess my logic is that a dock that requires pushing 140 watts to the computer, 15 watts to 3 TB5 ports (another 45 watts), and 10 watts to USB ports, plus uses somewhere between 10 to 20 watts of power itself is a little underpowered. just doing the math. As I mentioned, because it doesn’t have very many ports, should be OK. obviously the computer doesn’t need that 140 watts at all, so easy to scale that back if the demand from other devices is too high.
@@cwaynefox Not all devices attached to a dock draw power. But, devices connect via different ports, so docks generally are quite flexible as to which types of port have charging capability. My current TB4 dock charges a laptop (TB4) and a phone (USB-A), it also connects to a 2.5GbE switch port (RJ45), a 4K HDR monitor (USB-C) and a printer (USB-A). By your logic all recent TB docks are "underpowered".
I really enjoy your straight to the point style. Keep it up!
Appreciate that!
"It just showed up"? I hope it just shows up at my front door.
You lucky! Very nice.
well, just showed up because I bought one. Not lucky enough they send me one to review.
Great work! Thanks so much.
Interesting option, thanks for the review. I think most of the new docks should have an M2 disk socket. Everyone is trying to save on Apple expensive memory options.
This
LOL - at 5:30 I was damn... what is wrong with my computer, had to rewind and double check 🤣
lol. sry about that 😀
I purchased a CalDigit TS4 Thunderbolt 4 Dock. Back when I purchased my M1 Apple MacBook Air with 8‑core CPU, 7‑core GPU, 16‑core Neural Engine, 16GB unified memory, 2TB SSD storage - $1,999.00 US 3/2020. I knew a some point I would be moving to a newer Apple MacBook. Felt the Thunderbolt 4 option would be compatible with whatever Apple MacBook I purchased.
This year I purchased a M4 Apple MacBook Pro - Space Black 14-inch Liquid Retina XDR display 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine 24GB unified memory 1TB SSD storage $ 1,799.00 US. Best Buy 11/25/2024, Gave my M1 Apple MacBook Air to my daughter-in-law to replace the 2017 Apple 21.5 inch iMac I had previously purchased for her. She wanted a laptop,
All the TB5 hubs / docks should support 3 display streams since they’re all built on the same Intel chip, but it’s Apple that doesn’t allow more than two displays to be fed from a single cable. So that third display stream will never make it onto the cable going to the dock because Apple says no.
I can get 4 displays from a single port using my TB4 windows machine, through a combo of TB4 and MST. There’s no way to even do 3 with a Mac, without resorting to DisplayLink.
Good call on buying a USB plug-in device to get you the ports you need, rather than dropping double the cash to have it integrated in the dock. I got a UHS-II card reader for like $15 as an add-on for a dock that didn’t come with that. Having multiple USB 3 ports covers a multitude of sins.
Wayne,
I think the latest CalDigit TB5 dock does support USB-C displays. I ordered one and will let you know. My hunch is that OWC, Kensington, and CableMatters use the same controller/motherboard inside.
It seems odd to me that the functionality of connecting to a USB display is lost going through the dock. Might be a bug, not sure. we’ll see if CalDigit solved the problem. I do know the USB-C 10Gb/s ports do not support a display, they are specifically labeled “data”. But maybe the TB5 ports will. let me know if you get yours before I get mine !!
Another nice video, thank you. But for me, I’m not buying another dock that doesn’t support 10 G. These nic adapters are getting less and less expensive by the year. For the price of these docks I really want to be future proof beyond 2.5gb as almost all of the recently released network attached storage drives are coming with at least one10G Lan port
think it might be a while for 10GbE ethernet. Would add a lot to the cost and guessing the ethernet port is one of the least used ports buy those that buy these docks. putting them in NAS systems makes a lot of sense, but those are probably still feeding a lot of 1GbE and 2.5 GbE computers on a network. But hopefully some of them realize they need to at least move to 5GbE in the docks.
Wayne I hope you don’t mind me asking the following question related to Thunderbolt. I have a PC with a T4 card. I’m looking for a hub that connects to this with a reasonable length cable so the hub can sit on my desk, the PC is on the floor. I would like an sd card slot in the hub, but realise I could at a card reader at more cost. I would welcome your thoughts.
lots of good hubs and docks for TB4. CalDigit TS4 is a great one, the OWC TB4 dock is also very good. The Caldigit Element TB4 hub is great if you want some extra USB ports, the OWC is cheaper if you mainly need TB4 ports. I’ve never test the Sonnet but have heard good things about it as well.
As far as getting it on the desk, OWC and CalDigit make very good 2 meter TB4 cables. If you need one longer than that Apple has a 3 meter active TB4 cable which is terrific, although pricey. I think it’s the only 3 meter cable I’ve seen that is reliable (some amazing tech in the connectors) Did of review of it a while back, and it solved my problem of putting my storage up behind me out of the way.
Many thanks for the info
"Not bad"? How about awesome!!
I might go awesome if they added a few. more USB 10Gb/s ports including a couple of USB-C ones, one of which has 15-20 watts to charge stuff. I think there’s too few ports for the price.
Better than SD5000T5 EQ Kensingston ?
I think it comes down to where the ports are located, and if you need the 10Gb/s speed on the 3rd USB port. I don’t like how the Kensington requires the upstream connection to the computer to be on the front. But I don’t like how the CableMatters 7.5 USB port that can charge devices in on the back. To me they both sort of blew it. Personally if I had to choose, I’d go with the cable matters, because the downstream TB5 port on the front has 15 watts and can charge my devices. The Kensington has one as well, but I still just can’t get past having that cable coming out the front to my computer ... I’ve always thought that was really poor design for a dock. The cable matters isalso more compact and I think better looking, and is about $50 cheaper.
@@cwaynefoxthank you very much, hard to decide which dock to buy for a M4 max MacBook Pro
" . . . 180W is . . . weak for a dock". Not so, check around docks released in the last two years. Decades ago docks had to deliver more Watts, computers have become faster and more powerful whist consuming less energy thus generating less heat. The Ultralight skinny premium laptops wouldn't be possible otherwise.😀
I guess my logic is that a dock that requires pushing 140 watts to the computer, 15 watts to 3 TB5 ports (another 45 watts), and 10 watts to USB ports, plus uses somewhere between 10 to 20 watts of power itself is a little underpowered. just doing the math. As I mentioned, because it doesn’t have very many ports, should be OK. obviously the computer doesn’t need that 140 watts at all, so easy to scale that back if the demand from other devices is too high.
@@cwaynefox
Not all devices attached to a dock draw power. But, devices connect via different ports, so docks generally are quite flexible as to which types of port have charging capability. My current TB4 dock charges a laptop (TB4) and a phone (USB-A), it also connects to a 2.5GbE switch port (RJ45), a 4K HDR monitor (USB-C) and a printer (USB-A).
By your logic all recent TB docks are "underpowered".