CalDigit’s Thunderbolt Station 4 (TS4) is a dock with 98W of charging power and an impressive array of 18 ports, ideal for Mac setups with extensive connectivity needs.
The dock comes with a price tag of $399.99, reflecting its high-speed data transfer, wide connectivity and powerful charging capabilities. While it may not be the most budget-friendly option on the market, its functionality and convenience make a compelling case for professionals with workloads and complex Mac setups. In this review, we discuss the TS4’s capabilities to help you understand whether its cost is justified and whether it’s a good fit for your specific needs.
The dock includes a 0.8m Thunderbolt 4 cable, two rubber foot strips, a power cord, a 230W power supply and a two-year CalDigit warranty.
Design
The CalDigit TS4 dock has a high-quality, durable aluminum design. Its overall footprint is reasonably compact, measuring 141mm x 42mm x 113mm, meaning it avoids taking up too much space on a desk. If it’s too tall for your desktop, just slide on the included pair of rubber strips for cushioning and tip the dock to its side. The aluminum casing has a ribbed design that gives it a more industrial look and also some extra surface area for effective heat dissipation.
The TS4’s design, despite its compactness, doesn’t compromise on functionality. It has a total of 18 ports that are logically divided between the front and back of the dock. The front has an audio input and output port as well as easily accessible USB-C, USB-A and SD card slots The back, meanwhile, is equipped with the remaining ports, including Thunderbolt 4, USB-C, USB-A, DisplayPort, and Ethernet.
The dock has a large power brick which, while necessary for its functionality, detracts somewhat from the device’s portability and is an important consideration when it comes to cable management.
USB port
The dock has a total of eight USB ports, split between USB-C and USB-A variants. There are three 10Gb/s USB-C ports (two conveniently located on the front and one on the back), providing high-speed data transfer rates and power delivery. The dock has five 10Gb/s USB-A ports to accommodate slightly older hardware. Four of these ports are located on the back of the device and placed on the front for an easy access.
A significant advantage is that the USB ports provide enough power for charging. One of the front USB-C ports delivers 20W, perfect for a MagSafe charger or even a HomePod Mini. The two rear Thunderbolt ports can deliver 15W, while the remaining USB-C and USB-A ports offer 7.5W. This means that even in the absence of a host computer, many ports will continue to supply power to your device, effectively turning the TS4 into a handy charging station.
SD card slot
Two slots accommodate both full-size SD and microSD cards with UHS-II support, ensuring adequate data transfer rates for photographers or videographers. The placement of these slots on the front of the TS4 is another thoughtful touch, enabling easy access and quick card swapping.
It’s worth noting that these slots are UHS-II and not the latest UHS-III specification, which means they won’t offer the absolute highest transfer speeds available on the market for users of UHS-III cards. Even so, UHS-II is still fast enough for most users.
Display support
CalDigit TS4 offers extensive support for external displays, a feature that is especially valuable for professionals who require multiple monitors for their workflow. The dock supports two screens up to 6K, 60Hz when connected via the Thunderbolt 4 port, offering plenty of screen real estate. Furthermore, if your requirements are focused on refresh rate, the TS4 can support up to 240Hz at a 1440p resolution. This makes it a perfect fit for graphic designers, video editors, and others who need a high-resolution multi-monitor Mac setup.
In addition to the Thunderbolt 4 port, the TS4 also has a DisplayPort 1.4 port. DisplayPort 1.4 supports higher resolutions and refresh rates, as well as features like HDR, making it an excellent choice for wider displays. However, an HDMI port is noticeably missing from the device, which could be a drawback for those who rely on HDMI for their display setup, such as those using small OLED TVs as monitors.
Ethernet
A 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet port promises significantly faster data transfer rates than standard Gigabit Ethernet, providing solid performance. When using the CalDigit TS4, the Ethernet port provided exceptional performance, delivering the highest speeds observed from the router, even when the other selections of ports were practically maxed-out.
Audio
The CalDigit TS4 Thunderbolt Dock is equipped with three audio ports, including a 3.5mm audio in port, a 3.5mm audio out port and a 3.5mm combo jack. This trio of audio ports allows for versatile use cases by meeting both input and output needs.
The front 3.5mm combo port is particularly convenient for quickly connecting headphones. Separate 3.5mm audio input and output ports provide greater flexibility, perfect for individual microphones and speakers. For example, you can connect an external microphone for better voice capture quality during video calls or audio recordings. The dedicated output port lets you connect speakers without having to unplug your headphones frequently.
During testing, the CalDigit TS4’s audio ports delivered clear and high-quality sound with no noticeable distortion or noise interference. Ease of access and audio signal quality make these ports a great feature for multiple audio connection options in their Thunderbolt dock.
final thought
Overall, the CalDigit TS4 offers best-in-class connectivity as a Thunderbolt dock with an extremely versatile selection of ports. With its convenient port placement, charging capabilities and discreet design, it’s an ideal choice for those looking for multiple connectivity options. The ability to connect a single Thunderbolt cable to a MacBook and instantly activate two external displays and connect more than a dozen peripherals and even charge devices whether a computer is connected is extremely useful.
While its massive power supply and omission of an HDMI port may be off-putting to some users, it still offers a variety of features that make it a strong contender in the market. It’s easy to recommend the TS4 to any Mac user looking to level-up their setup and meet a wider range of connectivity needs.
How to buy
The CalDigit Thunderbolt Station 4 is available for purchase directly from CalDigit’s website, as well as from other online retailers such as Amazon. The price at the time of writing is $399.99, although prices may vary depending on retailers and ongoing promotions or sales.
Note: CalDigit provided MacRumors with a Thunderbolt Station 4 for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.
