I would kind of like another dock roundup video in which you go into usage of a dock with both TB3, TB4, and USB w/ displayport & USB-PD devices. As an IT professional AND a tech enthusiast, I still have no idea if any of the docks I looked at would work without trying them ... so I gave up. I feel like a large number of IT professionals are now in the situation of using one dock for multiple use cases (work laptops, family laptops, personal gaming laptop, ...) so seeing someone make that setup work would be amazing!
Well, if you want to know whether a thunderbolt 4 dock would work on PCs or other devices with only thunderbolt 3 or just USB c (and PD), then yes. I can personally say that the docks are backwards compatible. I bought a Club 3D CSV-1580 for my Thunderbolt 3 laptop and it can charge it, power my USB c/dp display (and pass through its USB 3 type A ports) as well as support other USB C devices (I don't have any other thunderbolt devices to test it with though). But even when I attach my phone to it, which is just USB c, no thunderbolt whatsoever, it can still charge it and pass on USB devices. Specifically, my pixel 4xl doesn't support display out, so my screen doesn't light up, but the USB ports in the display do still function! So in conclusion, the docks are backwards compatible and offer all the functionality the host device is capable of delivering.
Amazon is great for this kind of thing. It took me 4 tries to get a thunderbolt dock that worked well but thanks to the powers of DaddyBezos I could just send back 3 somewhat expensive docks without anybody batting an eye
It's kinda hard, especially when you have a Mac. I couldn't get my (expensive) USB-C dock to work with both Thunderbolt 4K@60 & HDMI 2K@120 at the same time, even if on paper it should be able to do it. All I could get was a duplicated image on both screens (with an M1 Pro, which should be able to drive both _I think_). I ended up connecting one of the displays with USB-C directly to the laptop. I also have my wireless mouse & keyboard, Kanto TUKs and FiiO K3 connected to a KVM switch, THEN connected to the hub, so I can switch my sound setup / keyboard / mouse easily between my laptop and my desktop. I guess I have a complicated setup / use case, but there's suprisingly not much content on dongle / hub hell in the top TH-cam tech channels.
It's hard to even find stock on these things. I kind of resisted buying TB docks until this generation. I've been using the CalDigit TB4 Element Hub at work and the OWC TB4 Thunderbolt Dock at home and honestly? They've been completely flawless. I know that earlier generations of TB docks could be problematic, but it seems like the TB4 generation has finally ironed out the issues.
My TB4 docks allow me to use both my PC and Mac laptops with a whole bunch of external peripherals with one cable that also charges. I like that TB4 hubs and docks generally have far more USB-C connectivity and more TB ports and aren't just limited to a bunch of legacy ports, so I have a dock that will age gracefully, whereas I felt like a lot of earlier docks were only there to interface with older devices and wouldn't work as well with newer peripherals that use newer ports.
@@bamzilla1616 GaN charging? They obviously already have the power delivery circuitry figured out internally. My 200W 4 port charger from Volta just came in the other day and it is TINY. They could easily add just a centimeter to each of the dimensions and that would be more than enough space to add an internal power supply - WITH a standard C13 cable.
The fees for an integrated power supply device is way more than the fees involved with an external brick. It is orders of magnitude different. Making sure it follows all the AC electrical rules and laws.$$$$$$ Vs Making sure it follows all low voltage DC electrical rules and laws. $$$
I bought the TS3 like 2 years ago and it's still going strong, literally have every port used and it runs perfectly and it charges my laptop, probably one of the best buying decisions I've made for my home setup.
Yep same here. I bought a TS3 Plus in late 2019 when I purchased my 2019 Intel 13 inch MacBook Pro, and that dock is so useful for it. I have every port occupied on mine too. The only thing I wish this new TS4 had is the digital optical cable, because I use that to connect to my HiFi speaker system. I’ll hold onto my TS3 Plus for as long as I can for that very reason.
@@christianscrogins663 Oh didn’t realize it didn’t have the Toslink connection, same here use it for my DAC really wish they hadn’t removed it although not thinking of upgrading, TS3 still running strong although if needed I can do USB to Toslink converter.
@shortcircuit will 4 Cal Digit TB4 docks work with a Macbook Pro? Just trying to see what the ultimate amount of connectivity would be? Seems like a cool video to do. Why would you want to do this? Lets say you want your own wired Raid backup + a couple monitors + a bunch of other TB4 or USB peripherals.
I got one two weeks ago and love it, the best new feature for me isn't the increased bandwidth or the extra ports, its the lock slot! I work in a large office and my colleagues seem to think it's ok to borrow any and all IT equipment
Around 4:30 of the video I started to cry. You are the first person to solve my problem with buying a docking station without hdmi slots. I have gaming monitors that only use hdmi. I had no idea I could buy this docking station and get the cable hdmi connection cable I needed for those monitors Thank you
I swear, these people know when I am looking for the things I need and like in fraction of a second you see a new Ltt/Short circuit video about that product.
Really wish these were even remotely cost effective. The cost of these made me want to trade my Razer Blade in for a desktop. (which I'm actually doing soon now) They're price comparable with thunderbolt external GPU docks lol
@@shawndiaz7528 The point is that even the best ones on the market are simply docks. The components do not justify the price they demand. But they must be selling I guess? I'll continue to use workarounds because these things are so expensive.
@@hivetyrant7 You said they're bad quality for the price but then said the price is bad for just a dock. They're the best quality docking station. You don't like the price (which is fine) that doesn't make them bad quality lol
I legitimately received my replacement TS4 from Caldigit just hours ago. They admittedly are having issues with them and the M1 Max laptops. My 16" was having issues where the dock wasn't letting my Mac stay asleep, the ethernet port on the dock would be non responsive after the Mac sleeps requiring a reboot to get going. Also, it seemed that the two ports that sleep when the Mac sleeps were also staying awake, keeping my mechanical keyboard and stream deck XL awake. In fact the only way I was ever able to get my Mac to sleep is if I changed the power settings, (yes, I tried covering the optical sensor on my mouse). And most bothersome, it will not allow 60hz on my second display. I have a Samsung 55” 4k UN55TU8500 TV and a
Thank you for airing your concerns. It sounds like a lot of this is rooted in a known behavior we're working to address, concerning some unexpected behavior occurring on M1 macOS devices when going to sleep. Our Engineering team is actively working to correct this behavior. You can find more details and some temporary workarounds right here: www.caldigit.com/thunderbolt-dock-sleep-mode-related-issues-under-macos-12/
There’s a very long thread on the Macrumors forum about Mac users, particularly those with M1 chips, having problems with the TS4. Essentially CalDigit blame Apple for how they’ve implemented thunderbolt in macOS, so I’m not sure there will be a solution anytime soon.
The 2.5 GbE port makes this interesting. I have no use for it, personally, but for those who need it, that probably justifies the high price. I also like that the uplink port is in the back, which a lot of TB4 docks have been putting in the front. Although there are only two downstream extra TB4 ports, it's quite nice that there are tons of USB-C 3.2 ports for those of us who don't really need too much USB-A anymore. I'm very happy with my OWC TB4 dock, but this is a very solid option, also.
I just hope that they resolved MANY issues that TS3 Plus had and still has. I personally own a TS3 Plus and even if I like the TS4 options I won't consider it just because of CalDigit attitude to customers problem. Problems with waking up USB-C displays? Users are complaining for few years straight. Weird DP glitches causing monitor to wake up without any reason? Yep, still there.
@@PicklesTheOtt I have personally never had any such issues with my TS3+ that I have left plugged in to my Mac mini for months at a time, with no issues.
I bought one shortly after they came out and I'm using with my MacBook Pro. It is very cool but not temperature wise. Without putting much strain on it (idling really) I just took it's temperature and it is 108F. The enclosure is basically a huge heatsink.
@@HecUnderscore thats like 42c. next time use google, and save everyone elses time. Unless this is a joke that I dont understand because I take sarcasm seriously despite knowing better.
I'm digging it. Happy to see the unified headphone jack on the front. An optical or coaxial audio output to put into a DAC would have been cool. It's super cool that it works with USB-C as well. The TS3 wouldn't work.
Caldigit is the best! I use a ts3 at home. Mostly use it as a home dock to connect to all my devices. I use a usb-C dongle for mobile stuff. But 2.5gb Ethernet is crazy! Glad they did that upgrade!
Worth noting that ALL FIVE of those USB-A ports are 3.2 Gen2 (10gbps). BTW, that laptop might charge over Thunderbolt just because the TB4 spec *requires* that laptops with TB4 can charge over at least one of the ports... so the manufacturer can't claim TB4 support without it.
5:52 Damnit Linus I thought my dock was acting up... damn default win10 device mounting noises. Edit: No actually Damn You Andrew The Editor! You Troll!! XD
These Caldigit TB docks are awesome. I have two of the TB3+ docks and they have been rock solid for years. I can swap between intel Macbook, M1 Macbook and MSI intel laptop without any fuss with just the thunderbolt cable and everything switches over seamlessly and my laptops get charged from the thunderbolt cable. Super convenient. Great job CalDigit! I also love that you can stand these docks up vertically so that they take up very little space on your desk.
@@teamet There is a difference. "Fibonacci sequence" is called a sequence (more than two objects in relation), this case (two rubber feet) is called an order (two objects in relation). Kinda Fkd (also mathematically illiterate) to equate the two, especially to pester someone about their OCD yeah?
USB c, USB 4, and Thunderbolt have gotten so confusing. One thing I learned recently that I think Linus should teach people is that a lot of thunderbolt docks support dual displays but some windows laptops, even though they have thunderbolt 3 (not sure if 4 enforces this) that does not mean they can do dual displays over thunderbolt. Some companies simply don't wire up two displayport connections to their thunderbolt port. It's an optional part of the spec, apparently. Linus did however briefly mention in this video that Apple has a better implementation of thunderbolt than windows machines. Some docks get around this by using displayport technology (use your CPU to drive one of your monitors) but that's not an ideal solution at all.
I can help you there! Asus G14 2022, running through this TS4 Dock. Works amazingly well. I constantly swap back and forth between a MacBook pro and a G14 and it instantly picks up all peripherals, storage drives, capture card, and everything else plugged in almost instantly. It's beautiful
USB 4 support should be near identical to Thunderbolt. Main differences: The Thunderbolt ports on the back get downgraded to USB4 (is it really a downgrade?) the Ethernet port may or may not work. We use a PCIe implementation of Ethernet in the TS4, which is an OPTIONAL specification of USB4. If it's not included on the laptop, no Ethernet, sadly.
Been using a TS3 that I got at the beginning of the pandemic when everyone started working from home full time. It is a beast! I've looked at the TS4, but can't justify the upgrade over what I use it for.
Been running the larger TS4 dock for a couple of months now. Works well with both my Framework and a Macbook Pro 16" (M1P), swapping the input cable to whatever I'm using at the time. Have 2x Mateview 3:2 5k monitors running off the hub via (1x via Displayport, 1x via USB-C), keyboard and mouse (Logitech MX) connected wirelessly via one Logitech wireless dongle. Not used network through it I'll admit, but it's handled everything I've thrown at it. Downside: Was quite pricey. But should last quite a few years....
I use the TS4 for half a year now for my MBP and my Windows Laptop I got from the company I work for and it just works flawlessly. And that’s the most important part of a Dock for me. It has just to work without issues.
Have had the TS4 since launch day. Love it. Haven't used ever port yet but getting close. Only have gigabit fiber at home so not yet benefitting from the 2.5 gig quite yet.
A 2.5 Gbit Internet connection will not increase speed of most services anyway, most of them are restricted to less than one gigabit per customer.. 2.5 Gbit is much more relevant at home when connecting to local NAS etc.
I've had an Element hub since the initial launch and I love it. With my daily driver machine being an original M1 Mac Mini the extra Thunderbolt ports are great as are the USB A. Also doubles as my laptop dock when I work from home since my work laptop has TB4 and my primary monitor is connected via a USB C to Displayport cable. Has been totally worth the price.
Hello Jody! Do you still need to connect the hub to the power supply even though Mac Mini is already connected? Can it work without power adaptor in your case?
Glad you reviewed this! I've been considering it and will be using it between my TB4 lappy and my soon-to-be M2 MacBook Air. Definitely sold on it now 🤘🏼
I don't have an Apple product, or any PC that needs TB, but a family member making music exclusively with Apple products, so this would make a really nice dock for him when he is hooked up at home editing.
The deck will easily charge with it, it doesn't need nearly that much power, but why? The deck has no thunderbolt so you'd be buying a very expensive dock when a way cheaper one would actually get you more functionality (ethernet didn't work without thunderbolt in the video)
@@HarryPhillips1453 I was looking at the deck as a possible replacement for my aging laptop running a Ryzen 2500U and no dedicated graphics. I saw on many deck reviews of people having discharge problems hooking up to random type-C hubs that supposedly had power delivery. I took a look at CalDigit's other products and it seems even the SOHO hub has 90W charging at a much lower price.
@@SDPhantomGamer but those other docks that don’t charge the Deck, it’s probably because some driver/QC/USBC shenanigans, not because they lack wattage. You definitely do not need 90 watts to charge the Deck.
@@AlejandroLZuvic If you have a recommendation for something that will work, I'm open for suggestions. I mentioned that the Element at 60W might've been an option as well, but when finding something else in the lineup that's literally a third of the price, whether it's 60W or 90W doesn't really matter. It makes sense to look at the drastically cheaper one, right?
The steam deck would only use 45W and USB-C compatibility. It will work but unless you already have this dock, I definitively would not buy it for the Steam Deck
The Caldigit USB-C Pro Dock is the first Thunderbolt dock (I've had 3) that *mostly* works. Albeit the first one had ethernet problems and caused kernel panics daily on my Mac, after persisting and going through the warranty, the replacement works pretty well! That's not to say it's perfect, for example the Logitech Unifying Receiver drops out regularly if I use it via the dock in MacOS. Instead I have to use a separate USB-C to USB dongle, which is the only way to get the Unifying receiver to work reliably - although I believe this is a Logitech or MacOS problem as many people with thunderbolt docks complain about the same problem.
I actually quite like that Element Hub. Got TB3 on my laptop so I could see me using that, daisy-chaining my Core X to it for eGPU and using the other ports for extra USB-C/normal USB at the back.
Ill say this much. When you did the Caldigit T3 it was not relevant to me. Then fast forward ~2 years and I was in a position to acquire thunderbolt docks for work. I went with the Caldigit after doing a bit of searching. AKA... it's a good sponsorship.
I simply added a 5G usb-c to ethernet adapter on my Element Hub, which outperforms the bigger brothers build-in 2.5G port. No idea why people rarely mention that you can just add a high speed ethernet adapter, such an easy fix if you need a lot of networking speed.
I've had the thunderbolt 4 elements hub for a while now. I have it velcroed under my desk and a 2m thunderbolt 4 cable running to my macbook. It's brilliant. I have 1 cable for my charging, display, mouse and keyboard, 1gigabit internet and microphone. Wouldn't be possible without the dock
8:00 LMAO Linus asking if they know that already, OF COURSE THEY KNOW IT! also Linus saying it taking a product home might be the best sponsor line ever xD
Based on the endorsement of multiple online personas, I have too decided to order a TS4 dock from Caldigit. On the unit I received, screen outputs do not work with any computer using the original DP adapter from Caldigit. Tried reaching out to Caldigit support, calling them, sent multiple emails. It's been a week, and I am still waiting to hear back, the line is not being answered at any time of day. It is probably just a faulty unit that needs replacement. Still, customer support is a part of doing business, and it is not present with Caldigit - maybe not until your name is Linus. Strongly recommend NOT getting Caldigit products unless they work out of the box.
Multiple calls, multiple emails, too much hassle. Bless your soul for having such patience. I wouldn't even bother, I'd just return the product. If i get radio silence, I do a chargeback through the credit card. Done. I have zero patience when it comes to horrible companies and horrible CS. Thanks for your review though, I've been looking for a dock and will be skipping this product! I'm also at 56 seconds into the video when I jumped to the comments, I won't even bother watching the rest of the video lol
That TS4 looks so very close to my Anker Thunderbolt adapter. The power brick provided by Anker is also a beast. The front is exactly the same layout. However, this is taller has a couple more ports in the back, displayport instead of hdmi, and has 2.5gbps port.
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So far a lot of TB4 doscks use the same few designs, so that might be the reason between the similarities.
I’d say it the other way around: man, the Anker Thunderbolt dock looks a lot like the CalDigit TB4. CalDigit is the gold-standard that the rest of the field tries to copy.
I am running this thing with a 15M Corning Optical TB3 cable as well as an Asus Proart (X670E). Mouse and keyboard and a 38" monitor (3840x1600 at 144hz). I have the PC in another room. The only downside is that I have to put PC to sleep instead of shutting it off but otherwise no issues at all. If 100% quiet and less footprint is important to you then consider the investment. You could also try building a very quiet mITX , though you're not going to get the same cooling performance
I bought a TS3 because Linus was so hype for it. It turned out to be a bust. I was cautiously optimistic about the TS4 when it became available. Seeing how hype Linus is for the TS4, well... I don't think I'll be getting one.
@@AlexSTR It repeatedly dropped out. And every time it did, all my USB devices and network connection would fail. Eventually, the front USB ports stopped working completely. It was an expensive lesson to learn that manufacturers will QC products to review channels and leave the rest to the public.
Oh, just bought CalDigit's Element Hub a week ago and now it's featuring on video, Nice. Everything goes well, the only downside I have is it runs a little warm even when not connecting to anything except power and TH4 to computer.
I have a USB-C PRO Dock I use with my Zephyrus G14, and I love it. The only issue I have with it is that it splits the DisplayPort streams internally, eliminating the possibility of using G-Sync.
nice to see these finally in stock - I wanted an element dock when I purchased my m1 macbook air but with supply expectation of 2+ months ended up w/ the anker 5+1 powerexpand (which is a good dock in its own right)
I get why you recommend the 2.5gig port, but as I understand it, every relevant link in the chain needs to be 2.5gig, like internet plan (for downloads), modem, router, network switch, etc for you to actually benefit from the increased speed. I very recently upgraded my networking stuff and opted to stay with mostly regular gigabit because the 2.5gig stuff was often hundreds of dollars more expensive.
Now that is nice. I'm not invested in the Thunderbolt economy (as I've never had nor currently have a Thunderbolt port), but this is the kind of Thunderbolt product I expect.
One thing I learned recently that I think Linus should teach people is that a lot of thunderbolt docks support dual displays but some windows laptops, even though they have thunderbolt 3 (not sure if 4 enforces this) that does not mean they can do dual displays over thunderbolt. Some companies simply don't wire up two displayport connections to their thunderbolt port. It's an optional part of the spec, apparently. Linus did however briefly mention in this video that Apple has a better implementation of thunderbolt than windows machines. Some docks get around this by using displayport technology (use your CPU to drive one of your monitors) but that's not an ideal solution at all.
Ooooh, now this is interesting. Currently running a MOBO AM-TC2D01S dual USB-C dock on my MBP, but the CalDigit stuff looks really slick. Will be on my shortlist for a next purchase.
@@umran89 one is connected to the MBP directly, however I did not expect the dock to output 144Hz as I thought it's limited to 4k60. I also have a bunch of stuff connected like 5G ethernet adapter via TB and everything runs smoothly without any bottlenecks.
What it use to Display port is Computer Monitor for Mac, Optical cable is Audio, HDMI is TV. Then THUNDERBOLT 4 have transfer power for every major port. But if with the old equipment just to upgrade with a licence dongle is very costly.
When you are buying a TB4 dock, trying to find one that has the right ports for you is a pain. Most of them seem to assume that you are also using TB monitors. Sorry, the MacBook (my wife's) took all my money and no need to replace the existing LG 4k monitors. My understanding, M1Pro and Max will support more than 2 monitors?
Linus said it though? Thunderbolt offers many options to utilize the ports into other things via dongles? It's probably better to have 1 TB port that people can make into anything they want instead of having a DP or HMDI port that some people won't have a use for.
Really the problem I have, or have been asked to help with, we have some Mac only software. I need to run 2-3 different TV outs and a monitor. A mac mini would do fine except that your 4 tb ports are taken up with dongles. I know very few people (or none) running tb monitors because they already have HDMI or DP moniotrs. I run 3 monitors off my dock at work with 2dp and an hdmi.
I've been trying to get a couple of these to use with the corning optical thunderbolt cables to put mine and the wifes PCs in another room. Out of stock everywhere here though.
I like how at the start I was like waitthid a bit more sponsor than normal. Then the 2.5gbs cime sout and Linus takes it for himself and it makes sense.
I would kind of like another dock roundup video in which you go into usage of a dock with both TB3, TB4, and USB w/ displayport & USB-PD devices. As an IT professional AND a tech enthusiast, I still have no idea if any of the docks I looked at would work without trying them ... so I gave up.
I feel like a large number of IT professionals are now in the situation of using one dock for multiple use cases (work laptops, family laptops, personal gaming laptop, ...) so seeing someone make that setup work would be amazing!
Well, if you want to know whether a thunderbolt 4 dock would work on PCs or other devices with only thunderbolt 3 or just USB c (and PD), then yes. I can personally say that the docks are backwards compatible.
I bought a Club 3D CSV-1580 for my Thunderbolt 3 laptop and it can charge it, power my USB c/dp display (and pass through its USB 3 type A ports) as well as support other USB C devices (I don't have any other thunderbolt devices to test it with though).
But even when I attach my phone to it, which is just USB c, no thunderbolt whatsoever, it can still charge it and pass on USB devices. Specifically, my pixel 4xl doesn't support display out, so my screen doesn't light up, but the USB ports in the display do still function!
So in conclusion, the docks are backwards compatible and offer all the functionality the host device is capable of delivering.
Amazon is great for this kind of thing. It took me 4 tries to get a thunderbolt dock that worked well but thanks to the powers of DaddyBezos I could just send back 3 somewhat expensive docks without anybody batting an eye
It's kinda hard, especially when you have a Mac. I couldn't get my (expensive) USB-C dock to work with both Thunderbolt 4K@60 & HDMI 2K@120 at the same time, even if on paper it should be able to do it. All I could get was a duplicated image on both screens (with an M1 Pro, which should be able to drive both _I think_). I ended up connecting one of the displays with USB-C directly to the laptop. I also have my wireless mouse & keyboard, Kanto TUKs and FiiO K3 connected to a KVM switch, THEN connected to the hub, so I can switch my sound setup / keyboard / mouse easily between my laptop and my desktop. I guess I have a complicated setup / use case, but there's suprisingly not much content on dongle / hub hell in the top TH-cam tech channels.
It's hard to even find stock on these things. I kind of resisted buying TB docks until this generation. I've been using the CalDigit TB4 Element Hub at work and the OWC TB4 Thunderbolt Dock at home and honestly? They've been completely flawless. I know that earlier generations of TB docks could be problematic, but it seems like the TB4 generation has finally ironed out the issues.
My TB4 docks allow me to use both my PC and Mac laptops with a whole bunch of external peripherals with one cable that also charges. I like that TB4 hubs and docks generally have far more USB-C connectivity and more TB ports and aren't just limited to a bunch of legacy ports, so I have a dock that will age gracefully, whereas I felt like a lot of earlier docks were only there to interface with older devices and wouldn't work as well with newer peripherals that use newer ports.
Would've been nice if they integrated the powersupply into the dock so that it gets heavier and thus doesn't slide around as much.
Might generate too much heat if integrated. But not a bad idea.
Repair would be hard
The Element Hub already runs warm enough, with powersupply integrated I can't imagine how hot it would be.
@@bamzilla1616 GaN charging? They obviously already have the power delivery circuitry figured out internally. My 200W 4 port charger from Volta just came in the other day and it is TINY. They could easily add just a centimeter to each of the dimensions and that would be more than enough space to add an internal power supply - WITH a standard C13 cable.
The fees for an integrated power supply device is way more than the fees involved with an external brick. It is orders of magnitude different.
Making sure it follows all the AC electrical rules and laws.$$$$$$
Vs
Making sure it follows all low voltage DC electrical rules and laws. $$$
I bought the TS3 like 2 years ago and it's still going strong, literally have every port used and it runs perfectly and it charges my laptop, probably one of the best buying decisions I've made for my home setup.
Yep same here. I bought a TS3 Plus in late 2019 when I purchased my 2019 Intel 13 inch MacBook Pro, and that dock is so useful for it. I have every port occupied on mine too. The only thing I wish this new TS4 had is the digital optical cable, because I use that to connect to my HiFi speaker system. I’ll hold onto my TS3 Plus for as long as I can for that very reason.
@@christianscrogins663 Oh didn’t realize it didn’t have the Toslink connection, same here use it for my DAC really wish they hadn’t removed it although not thinking of upgrading, TS3 still running strong although if needed I can do USB to Toslink converter.
@shortcircuit will 4 Cal Digit TB4 docks work with a Macbook Pro? Just trying to see what the ultimate amount of connectivity would be? Seems like a cool video to do. Why would you want to do this? Lets say you want your own wired Raid backup + a couple monitors + a bunch of other TB4 or USB peripherals.
I got one two weeks ago and love it, the best new feature for me isn't the increased bandwidth or the extra ports, its the lock slot! I work in a large office and my colleagues seem to think it's ok to borrow any and all IT equipment
Glad to hear that lock slot is getting some love! It's a simple one, but one our Engineering team is proud of including!
@@CalDigitHQ Given my entirely negative experience with the TS3 I wish someone would come along and steal mine. I won't buy another Caldigit again.
what's lock slot?
@@KevinLin145 A kensington lock slot built into the body of the dock so it can be secured.
@@barryc6231 I'll pay you shipping to send it to me
Around 4:30 of the video I started to cry. You are the first person to solve my problem with buying a docking station without hdmi slots. I have gaming monitors that only use hdmi. I had no idea I could buy this docking station and get the cable hdmi connection cable I needed for those monitors
Thank you
I just bought TS4 couple days ago and now there is a video! Very happy with mine. Excellent device and worth the price in my opinion.
Does it still work?
@@HieuTran-vr8jh yeah, use it every day. Why would it stop working?
I swear, these people know when I am looking for the things I need and like in fraction of a second you see a new Ltt/Short circuit video about that product.
Really wish these were even remotely cost effective. The cost of these made me want to trade my Razer Blade in for a desktop. (which I'm actually doing soon now) They're price comparable with thunderbolt external GPU docks lol
And they are shit quality for the price
@@elorrambasdo5233 I don't know what you mean by that they're literally the best ones on the market
@@shawndiaz7528 The point is that even the best ones on the market are simply docks. The components do not justify the price they demand. But they must be selling I guess? I'll continue to use workarounds because these things are so expensive.
@@hivetyrant7 You said they're bad quality for the price but then said the price is bad for just a dock. They're the best quality docking station. You don't like the price (which is fine) that doesn't make them bad quality lol
Honestly for me as a m1 MacBook user, it's just easier to buy a m1 Mac mini if I really wanted something stationary with the prices of these docks
OGs will remember the title of this video as "I stole it"
Yeah fr
Still is
That's still the title?
@@lilv728 gotta wait.
@@SRC267 yeah his manipulating youtube algorithm so he can feed his kids, his wife and also his boyfriend.
I use the TS3 every damn day and this thing refuses to fail. Big fan of caldigit.
Big fan of you!
I legitimately received my replacement TS4 from Caldigit just hours ago. They admittedly are having issues with them and the M1 Max laptops. My 16" was having issues where the dock wasn't letting my Mac stay asleep, the ethernet port on the dock would be non responsive after the Mac sleeps requiring a reboot to get going. Also, it seemed that the two ports that sleep when the Mac sleeps were also staying awake, keeping my mechanical keyboard and stream deck XL awake. In fact the only way I was ever able to get my Mac to sleep is if I changed the power settings, (yes, I tried covering the optical sensor on my mouse). And most bothersome, it will not allow 60hz on my second display. I have a Samsung 55” 4k UN55TU8500 TV and a
And a what? AND A WHAT DON’T LEAVE US HANGING!
@@AlejandroLZuvic the laptop they're typing on died cuz the Mac didn't charge through dock or idk haha
And did the replacement make any difference? My M1 Max has the same issues with it. Can work around it but it can be annoying at times.
Thank you for airing your concerns. It sounds like a lot of this is rooted in a known behavior we're working to address, concerning some unexpected behavior occurring on M1 macOS devices when going to sleep. Our Engineering team is actively working to correct this behavior. You can find more details and some temporary workarounds right here: www.caldigit.com/thunderbolt-dock-sleep-mode-related-issues-under-macos-12/
There’s a very long thread on the Macrumors forum about Mac users, particularly those with M1 chips, having problems with the TS4. Essentially CalDigit blame Apple for how they’ve implemented thunderbolt in macOS, so I’m not sure there will be a solution anytime soon.
It's great to see the UK 🇬🇧 links for the products in the description 😀 thanks LTT 😊
Very true, it was super useful to click that link and see it's a product that is wayyyyy over my budget.
@@Vomitguy yes it's a shame that they cost alot, still good that LTT are thinking of their UK audience 😀
This is am impressive bit of kit. I love the range of products on this channel.
The 2.5 GbE port makes this interesting. I have no use for it, personally, but for those who need it, that probably justifies the high price. I also like that the uplink port is in the back, which a lot of TB4 docks have been putting in the front. Although there are only two downstream extra TB4 ports, it's quite nice that there are tons of USB-C 3.2 ports for those of us who don't really need too much USB-A anymore. I'm very happy with my OWC TB4 dock, but this is a very solid option, also.
I just hope that they resolved MANY issues that TS3 Plus had and still has. I personally own a TS3 Plus and even if I like the TS4 options I won't consider it just because of CalDigit attitude to customers problem. Problems with waking up USB-C displays? Users are complaining for few years straight. Weird DP glitches causing monitor to wake up without any reason? Yep, still there.
@Agnez lol
okay norway mountain man
Don't forget the TS3 requiring periodic power cycling, otherwise you get random disconnects.
@@PicklesTheOtt I have personally never had any such issues with my TS3+ that I have left plugged in to my Mac mini for months at a time, with no issues.
Lots of bad reviews on Amazon EU with Mac and iMac users, reporting crashes with sleep mode...
My guess is the Silicone feet strips are to keep the hub from scratching surfaces the hub may be sitting on. Not for keeping it from sliding around.
It costs as much as a basic PC too. Still, it's a cool dock.
I bought one shortly after they came out and I'm using with my MacBook Pro. It is very cool but not temperature wise. Without putting much strain on it (idling really) I just took it's temperature and it is 108F. The enclosure is basically a huge heatsink.
@@DevilsHandyman i dont speak fahrenheight
@@HecUnderscore thats like 42c. next time use google, and save everyone elses time. Unless this is a joke that I dont understand because I take sarcasm seriously despite knowing better.
@@HecUnderscore 315.3722K
Those things are always overpriced since their customers are mostly businesses
I'm digging it. Happy to see the unified headphone jack on the front. An optical or coaxial audio output to put into a DAC would have been cool.
It's super cool that it works with USB-C as well. The TS3 wouldn't work.
Caldigit is the best! I use a ts3 at home. Mostly use it as a home dock to connect to all my devices. I use a usb-C dongle for mobile stuff. But 2.5gb Ethernet is crazy! Glad they did that upgrade!
Worth noting that ALL FIVE of those USB-A ports are 3.2 Gen2 (10gbps). BTW, that laptop might charge over Thunderbolt just because the TB4 spec *requires* that laptops with TB4 can charge over at least one of the ports... so the manufacturer can't claim TB4 support without it.
5:52 Damnit Linus I thought my dock was acting up... damn default win10 device mounting noises.
Edit: No actually Damn You Andrew The Editor! You Troll!! XD
Linus: I'm gonna do this to make people mad.
Me: Screaming in frustration every time i see it
@Agnez jaaa sei ruhig
@@ADMINM-ld7vu 🤣🤣🤣
It bothered me a lot more than I thought it would...
These Caldigit TB docks are awesome. I have two of the TB3+ docks and they have been rock solid for years. I can swap between intel Macbook, M1 Macbook and MSI intel laptop without any fuss with just the thunderbolt cable and everything switches over seamlessly and my laptops get charged from the thunderbolt cable. Super convenient. Great job CalDigit! I also love that you can stand these docks up vertically so that they take up very little space on your desk.
2:04 the 2 and 4 spacing actually doesn't bother me. If it was 2 and 5 spacing or 2 and 3 spacing, THAT would bother me.
Fibonacci bothers you?
@@teamet even-odd bothers me.
@@smashed_penguin Same I can't stand it
@@teamet There is a difference. "Fibonacci sequence" is called a sequence (more than two objects in relation), this case (two rubber feet) is called an order (two objects in relation).
Kinda Fkd (also mathematically illiterate) to equate the two, especially to pester someone about their OCD yeah?
I thought it was amazing until I checked the price: $380!!!!!!!!!
Thunderbolt docks are usually expensive. At least the quality ones.
That’s not expensive for the specs
And if you watched to the end he just says the price
Just say you’re broke 💅
@@MrAkatoshnot everyone is above the poverty line my dude
Linus: Why do all my employees steal from work.
Linus: proceeds to steal from work.
if you can't beat 'em, join 'em
That's pretty cool. You should make a video talking about USB 4 on amd
That would be a great idea. Hope Linus test TB3 docks functionality on AMD USB 4 laptops to see if all features are supported
USB c, USB 4, and Thunderbolt have gotten so confusing. One thing I learned recently that I think Linus should teach people is that a lot of thunderbolt docks support dual displays but some windows laptops, even though they have thunderbolt 3 (not sure if 4 enforces this) that does not mean they can do dual displays over thunderbolt. Some companies simply don't wire up two displayport connections to their thunderbolt port. It's an optional part of the spec, apparently. Linus did however briefly mention in this video that Apple has a better implementation of thunderbolt than windows machines. Some docks get around this by using displayport technology (use your CPU to drive one of your monitors) but that's not an ideal solution at all.
I would have loved to see its compatibility with AMD laptops now that they support USB 4.
100%. My Zephyrus G15 would love it.
@@tglascoe1 did those G14/15 and other models receive the USB 4 driver update?
Iirc it wasn't enabled at launch.
Should be do able, got two TB4 ON MY ASUS PROART Motherboard
I can help you there!
Asus G14 2022, running through this TS4 Dock. Works amazingly well. I constantly swap back and forth between a MacBook pro and a G14 and it instantly picks up all peripherals, storage drives, capture card, and everything else plugged in almost instantly. It's beautiful
USB 4 support should be near identical to Thunderbolt.
Main differences: The Thunderbolt ports on the back get downgraded to USB4 (is it really a downgrade?)
the Ethernet port may or may not work. We use a PCIe implementation of Ethernet in the TS4, which is an OPTIONAL specification of USB4. If it's not included on the laptop, no Ethernet, sadly.
Been using a TS3 that I got at the beginning of the pandemic when everyone started working from home full time. It is a beast! I've looked at the TS4, but can't justify the upgrade over what I use it for.
Been running the larger TS4 dock for a couple of months now. Works well with both my Framework and a Macbook Pro 16" (M1P), swapping the input cable to whatever I'm using at the time. Have 2x Mateview 3:2 5k monitors running off the hub via (1x via Displayport, 1x via USB-C), keyboard and mouse (Logitech MX) connected wirelessly via one Logitech wireless dongle. Not used network through it I'll admit, but it's handled everything I've thrown at it. Downside: Was quite pricey. But should last quite a few years....
I use the TS4 for half a year now for my MBP and my Windows Laptop I got from the company I work for and it just works flawlessly. And that’s the most important part of a Dock for me. It has just to work without issues.
Have had the TS4 since launch day. Love it. Haven't used ever port yet but getting close. Only have gigabit fiber at home so not yet benefitting from the 2.5 gig quite yet.
A 2.5 Gbit Internet connection will not increase speed of most services anyway, most of them are restricted to less than one gigabit per customer.. 2.5 Gbit is much more relevant at home when connecting to local NAS etc.
@@AsekiBekovy yeah. The Synology NAS I use only has a 1gig Ethernet port on it so would improve speed but not fully utilize it.
I've had an Element hub since the initial launch and I love it. With my daily driver machine being an original M1 Mac Mini the extra Thunderbolt ports are great as are the USB A. Also doubles as my laptop dock when I work from home since my work laptop has TB4 and my primary monitor is connected via a USB C to Displayport cable. Has been totally worth the price.
Hello Jody! Do you still need to connect the hub to the power supply even though Mac Mini is already connected? Can it work without power adaptor in your case?
@@antonpavlovskyi I just tried it with only the USB C to Display Port cable connected to the hub and no, it doesn't work without the power supply.
@@jodydelauney Thanks for the information!
Goddamn it, the alert tones at 5:53 still had me instinctively jumping even though I _know_ I'm on the Linux side of my dual boot.
Glad you reviewed this! I've been considering it and will be using it between my TB4 lappy and my soon-to-be M2 MacBook Air. Definitely sold on it now 🤘🏼
I don't have an Apple product, or any PC that needs TB, but a family member making music exclusively with Apple products, so this would make a really nice dock for him when he is hooked up at home editing.
I have the TS3 and it is by far the best dock out there. Mounted it under my desk. Super clean look.
If I had TB4 I would upgrade immediately.
I wonder how viable this would be as a Steam Deck dock with the 98W charging capability on the host port. Even the smaller Element supports 60W.
The deck will easily charge with it, it doesn't need nearly that much power, but why? The deck has no thunderbolt so you'd be buying a very expensive dock when a way cheaper one would actually get you more functionality (ethernet didn't work without thunderbolt in the video)
@@HarryPhillips1453 I was looking at the deck as a possible replacement for my aging laptop running a Ryzen 2500U and no dedicated graphics. I saw on many deck reviews of people having discharge problems hooking up to random type-C hubs that supposedly had power delivery. I took a look at CalDigit's other products and it seems even the SOHO hub has 90W charging at a much lower price.
@@SDPhantomGamer but those other docks that don’t charge the Deck, it’s probably because some driver/QC/USBC shenanigans, not because they lack wattage. You definitely do not need 90 watts to charge the Deck.
@@AlejandroLZuvic If you have a recommendation for something that will work, I'm open for suggestions. I mentioned that the Element at 60W might've been an option as well, but when finding something else in the lineup that's literally a third of the price, whether it's 60W or 90W doesn't really matter. It makes sense to look at the drastically cheaper one, right?
The steam deck would only use 45W and USB-C compatibility. It will work but unless you already have this dock, I definitively would not buy it for the Steam Deck
The Caldigit USB-C Pro Dock is the first Thunderbolt dock (I've had 3) that *mostly* works. Albeit the first one had ethernet problems and caused kernel panics daily on my Mac, after persisting and going through the warranty, the replacement works pretty well!
That's not to say it's perfect, for example the Logitech Unifying Receiver drops out regularly if I use it via the dock in MacOS. Instead I have to use a separate USB-C to USB dongle, which is the only way to get the Unifying receiver to work reliably - although I believe this is a Logitech or MacOS problem as many people with thunderbolt docks complain about the same problem.
I'd love to have my setup be a good ultrabook on the go, then an eGPU and a Thunderbolt dock at home to make it a full gaming machine
I have the TS3 and I use it every single day! These are quality units, very well built -- CalDigit knows what they're doing.
I actually quite like that Element Hub. Got TB3 on my laptop so I could see me using that, daisy-chaining my Core X to it for eGPU and using the other ports for extra USB-C/normal USB at the back.
"2.5 Gigabit Ethernet gives 2.5 times the speed of Gigabit Ethernet"
Thanks for the insight, Linus.
Just spot weld it on top of the Mac studio and you finally got decent connectivity on a Mac!
Ill say this much. When you did the Caldigit T3 it was not relevant to me. Then fast forward ~2 years and I was in a position to acquire thunderbolt docks for work. I went with the Caldigit after doing a bit of searching.
AKA... it's a good sponsorship.
I simply added a 5G usb-c to ethernet adapter on my Element Hub, which outperforms the bigger brothers build-in 2.5G port. No idea why people rarely mention that you can just add a high speed ethernet adapter, such an easy fix if you need a lot of networking speed.
I've had the thunderbolt 4 elements hub for a while now. I have it velcroed under my desk and a 2m thunderbolt 4 cable running to my macbook. It's brilliant. I have 1 cable for my charging, display, mouse and keyboard, 1gigabit internet and microphone. Wouldn't be possible without the dock
I get the impression that you steal a lot.
I've had my TS3 for 6+ years now and it's still going strong. Love CalDigit stuff, if only they were back in stock everywhere.
Holy Solar panels, my framework is crying about the amount of high speed ports I'm gonna be able to use
This is exactly what I was thinking lol.
8:00 LMAO Linus asking if they know that already, OF COURSE THEY KNOW IT! also Linus saying it taking a product home might be the best sponsor line ever xD
Based on the endorsement of multiple online personas, I have too decided to order a TS4 dock from Caldigit.
On the unit I received, screen outputs do not work with any computer using the original DP adapter from Caldigit. Tried reaching out to Caldigit support, calling them, sent multiple emails. It's been a week, and I am still waiting to hear back, the line is not being answered at any time of day. It is probably just a faulty unit that needs replacement. Still, customer support is a part of doing business, and it is not present with Caldigit - maybe not until your name is Linus. Strongly recommend NOT getting Caldigit products unless they work out of the box.
Multiple calls, multiple emails, too much hassle. Bless your soul for having such patience. I wouldn't even bother, I'd just return the product. If i get radio silence, I do a chargeback through the credit card. Done. I have zero patience when it comes to horrible companies and horrible CS. Thanks for your review though, I've been looking for a dock and will be skipping this product! I'm also at 56 seconds into the video when I jumped to the comments, I won't even bother watching the rest of the video lol
Not all adapter are created equal. It is a shame that they have poor customer service!
I bought 2 of these adapters and neither one works well. I get monitor blinking, peripherals disconnecting/reconnecting, buggy buggy buggy.
That is one classy bow-tie man. Highlight of the video right there.
Damn, I thought it was a NUC type device from the thumbnail!
Same price unfortunately.
What I love is that caldigit send the display adapters as standard and not just in their sponsorship packs. Love it. :)
For the algorithm 👍🏽
?
Does it work if i replay?
For the culture
For the gamers
@@ShadowScript yes
I ordered one of these and my expected ship date is end of next month. Can’t wait to get it.
I've wanted to buy one for 6 months, theyre never in stock
That TS4 looks so very close to my Anker Thunderbolt adapter. The power brick provided by Anker is also a beast. The front is exactly the same layout. However, this is taller has a couple more ports in the back, displayport instead of hdmi, and has 2.5gbps port.
So far a lot of TB4 doscks use the same few designs, so that might be the reason between the similarities.
I’d say it the other way around: man, the Anker Thunderbolt dock looks a lot like the CalDigit TB4. CalDigit is the gold-standard that the rest of the field tries to copy.
I decided to stick to a USB C hub with my MacBook after realising the cost of a thunderbolt dock.
Was hesitant based on the price, but ended up buying it anyways, from your shared link. Thanks for the great review!
What's with the video title? "I stole it."? Really?
Because he took it home with him
I liked the green note- "Do not touch OBS settings". LOL
The title its tooooo clickbaity, atleast give me little bit context in thumbnail or in the title
Got the TS4 here, really happy with it. 0 issues with a M1 pro
My TS4 gets really hot when charging a 16 inch MacBook Pro. Pretty much the only negative thing I have to say about it.
Reminds me of my office and at home office's Anker dock that I use with my work laptop... you could melt butter on it or keep a bun warm. :)
I am running this thing with a 15M Corning Optical TB3 cable as well as an Asus Proart (X670E). Mouse and keyboard and a 38" monitor (3840x1600 at 144hz). I have the PC in another room. The only downside is that I have to put PC to sleep instead of shutting it off but otherwise no issues at all. If 100% quiet and less footprint is important to you then consider the investment. You could also try building a very quiet mITX , though you're not going to get the same cooling performance
first before someone types "auction" jokes
TH-cam recommended this one to me definitely based on the title.
I have been waiting for these to come back in stock for ages in Asia
I bought a TS3 because Linus was so hype for it. It turned out to be a bust. I was cautiously optimistic about the TS4 when it became available. Seeing how hype Linus is for the TS4, well... I don't think I'll be getting one.
How is this helpful? Tell more details why TS3 did not work for you
@@AlexSTR It repeatedly dropped out. And every time it did, all my USB devices and network connection would fail. Eventually, the front USB ports stopped working completely. It was an expensive lesson to learn that manufacturers will QC products to review channels and leave the rest to the public.
Oh, just bought CalDigit's Element Hub a week ago and now it's featuring on video, Nice. Everything goes well, the only downside I have is it runs a little warm even when not connecting to anything except power and TH4 to computer.
Title didn’t age well….
U REALLY GOTTA KNOW YOUR SHLT THIS IS crazy. no cap good work
I have a USB-C PRO Dock I use with my Zephyrus G14, and I love it. The only issue I have with it is that it splits the DisplayPort streams internally, eliminating the possibility of using G-Sync.
nice to see these finally in stock - I wanted an element dock when I purchased my m1 macbook air but with supply expectation of 2+ months ended up w/ the anker 5+1 powerexpand (which is a good dock in its own right)
I get why you recommend the 2.5gig port, but as I understand it, every relevant link in the chain needs to be 2.5gig, like internet plan (for downloads), modem, router, network switch, etc for you to actually benefit from the increased speed. I very recently upgraded my networking stuff and opted to stay with mostly regular gigabit because the 2.5gig stuff was often hundreds of dollars more expensive.
Received it yesterday, really a beast. Macbook pro ultimate accessory.
Funny enough its my b day today so that intro was a good surprise 😄
Now that is nice. I'm not invested in the Thunderbolt economy (as I've never had nor currently have a Thunderbolt port), but this is the kind of Thunderbolt product I expect.
It's so hot when Linus speaks French.
One thing I learned recently that I think Linus should teach people is that a lot of thunderbolt docks support dual displays but some windows laptops, even though they have thunderbolt 3 (not sure if 4 enforces this) that does not mean they can do dual displays over thunderbolt. Some companies simply don't wire up two displayport connections to their thunderbolt port. It's an optional part of the spec, apparently. Linus did however briefly mention in this video that Apple has a better implementation of thunderbolt than windows machines. Some docks get around this by using displayport technology (use your CPU to drive one of your monitors) but that's not an ideal solution at all.
Linus: Normally I wouldn't do a video on a Thunderbolt dock
Also Linus: *Shooting second video featuring a Thunderbolt dock from the same company.*
Linus saying "très intéressant" changed my life
I have the dock generation before that one. It’s awesome. 👏
I have the TS3+ and love it. I purchased a bracket on eBay that lets me bolt it underneath my desk to keep all the cables off my desk.
My skin is actually crawling from the dang strip misplacement. You got me grrrr
Ooooh, now this is interesting. Currently running a MOBO AM-TC2D01S dual USB-C dock on my MBP, but the CalDigit stuff looks really slick. Will be on my shortlist for a next purchase.
I can't unsee those silicon "feet" every time they got in the shot.
Is LTT looking at my search history? I was researching docks this week and this vid comes out.
btw you can run a single 4k 144Hz too off this dock. I have the Element Hub and dual 4k144 screens, both running at full specs off my M1 Max MBP.
Good to know both running at 144hz
@@umran89 one is connected to the MBP directly, however I did not expect the dock to output 144Hz as I thought it's limited to 4k60. I also have a bunch of stuff connected like 5G ethernet adapter via TB and everything runs smoothly without any bottlenecks.
Thanks - was looking to see if this could drive a single 4k display @120hz+, specifically off a m1 max too 🙂.
Been using my TS3 with my 2018 Mac mini for a couple years. It’s great.
Linus getting sponsored: Money to fund LTTstore, backpacks, wages, ...
Linus *after* getting sponsored: ... this for me? :0
What it use to Display port is Computer Monitor for Mac, Optical cable is Audio, HDMI is TV. Then THUNDERBOLT 4 have transfer power for every major port. But if with the old equipment just to upgrade with a licence dongle is very costly.
Linus, for that cardinal sin of placing the rubber unevenly, may your biscuit break and fall in to your morning brew.
that is quite an interesting title for an interesting thunderbolt dock video
We were wondering where our latest palette of docks went... (kidding!)
When you are buying a TB4 dock, trying to find one that has the right ports for you is a pain. Most of them seem to assume that you are also using TB monitors. Sorry, the MacBook (my wife's) took all my money and no need to replace the existing LG 4k monitors. My understanding, M1Pro and Max will support more than 2 monitors?
Linus said it though? Thunderbolt offers many options to utilize the ports into other things via dongles? It's probably better to have 1 TB port that people can make into anything they want instead of having a DP or HMDI port that some people won't have a use for.
M1 pro can connect up to 2 displays at 6k@60hz and m1 max can do 3 displays at up to 6k@60hz and one up to 4K@60hz
Really the problem I have, or have been asked to help with, we have some Mac only software. I need to run 2-3 different TV outs and a monitor. A mac mini would do fine except that your 4 tb ports are taken up with dongles. I know very few people (or none) running tb monitors because they already have HDMI or DP moniotrs. I run 3 monitors off my dock at work with 2dp and an hdmi.
I guess I should've waited. I needed one a few months ago and got an OWC dock.
I've been trying to get a couple of these to use with the corning optical thunderbolt cables to put mine and the wifes PCs in another room. Out of stock everywhere here though.
I like how at the start I was like waitthid a bit more sponsor than normal. Then the 2.5gbs cime sout and Linus takes it for himself and it makes sense.