CalDigit Thunderbolt 4 review: the ultimate dock for your laptop?

With all the ports and plenty of power, this CalDigit dock truly delivers.

5 Star Rating
CalDigit Thunderbolt 4 dock on desk
(Image: © Tom May)

Our Verdict

With 18 ports, the ability to charge devices independently, and the option of sending 98W to your host laptop, this is the best docking station for laptops today, period. It also boasts stylish looks, feels solid and robust, and has been designed ergonomically for a desk setup. So while it's not great for travel, and isn't cheap, overall there's no better alternative on the market today.

For

  • 18 ports
  • Stylish looks
  • Ergonomic design
  • 98W power delivery
  • Charges devices independently

Against

  • Overkill for most people
  • Requires separate power supply
  • Big and heavy
  • Hefty power brick
  • Lacks HDMI

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CalDigit Thunderbolt 4 review: Key specs

Dimensions: 5.55 x 1.65 x 4.46 inches (141 x 42 x 113mm)
Weight: 1.41 pounds (0.64kg)
Operating system: Windows 10/11, macOS 11.4+
Ports: 3x Thunderbolt 4 (one host), 3x USB-C (10Gbps), 5x USB-A (10Gbps), DisplayPort 1.4, 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet, 3.5mm combo in/out, 3.5mm out, 3.5mm in, SD card reader (UHS-II), microSD card reader (UHS-II), Kensington lock slot
Max video resolution: 8K or dual 4K @ 60Hz
Power delivery: Up to 96W for host laptop, up to 20W for front USB-C, up to 7.5W for other USB-C and USB-A ports

Generally in life, you get what you pay for. Which means that broadly speaking, if you spend a lot of money on a laptop, it'll be better than a cheap one. In a few areas, though, this isn't always the case. And one of these is connectivity. 

The Verdict
10

out of 10

CalDigit TS4 Thunderbolt 4 Dock

With 18 ports, the ability to charge devices independently, and the option of sending 98W to your host laptop, this is the best docking station for laptops today, period. It also boasts stylish looks, feels solid and robust, and has been designed ergonomically for a desk setup. So while it's not great for travel, and isn't cheap, overall there's no better alternative on the market today.

Tom May

Tom May is an award-winning journalist and editor specialising in design, photography and technology. Author of the Amazon #1 bestseller Great TED Talks: Creativity, published by Pavilion Books, Tom was previously editor of Professional Photography magazine, associate editor at Creative Bloq, and deputy editor at net magazine. Today, he is a regular contributor to Creative Bloq and its sister sites Digital Camera World, T3.com and Tech Radar. He also writes for Creative Boom and works on content marketing projects. 

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