CalDigit TS4 Thunderbolt 4 Dock Review: The Best Mac Dock in 2026
CalDigit TS4 Thunderbolt 4 Dock
The CalDigit TS4 is the ultimate Mac dock. With 18 ports, 98W host charging, dual 6K display support, and full Thunderbolt 4 bandwidth, it turns a MacBook Pro into a genuine desktop workstation. It is the dock we recommend to every power user.
In This Review
🔍 How We Tested
We tested the CalDigit TS4 with a 16-inch MacBook Pro M3 Pro for six weeks. We ran simultaneous transfers from four NVMe drives, drove two 6K Pro Display XDRs, and measured real-world charging speeds and bus bandwidth.
Port Selection: 18 Ports
The CalDigit TS4 sets the standard for port density. You get three Thunderbolt 4 ports (40 Gbps each), five USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 ports, one USB-A 2.0 port, one USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 port, one SD 4.0 card reader, one microSD 4.0 reader, a 3.5mm headphone/mic combo jack, one 2.5Gb Ethernet port, and DisplayPort 1.4 output. Nothing else comes close.
Pros
- 18 ports — most of any Thunderbolt dock
- 98W host charging is fast enough for 16” MacBook Pro
- Dual 6K display support via Thunderbolt 4
- SD 4.0 and microSD 4.0 card readers
- 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet for faster NAS transfers
- Solid aluminum build, runs cool
Cons
- Expensive at $259
- Large vertical footprint (7.5” tall)
- Thunderbolt 4 cable included but only 0.8m
- Power brick is large and heavy
Performance & Bandwidth
Every Thunderbolt 4 port delivers the full 40 Gbps, allowing you to connect two 6K displays and a fast NVMe SSD simultaneously without any bandwidth degradation. In our testing, we simultaneously transferred files to two 2TB Samsung T7 Shield drives and one OWC Envoy Pro FX, all hitting their rated speeds without throttling.
The USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 ports hit 10 Gbps as rated. The 2.5GbE Ethernet consistently delivered 2.3 Gbps in real-world NAS transfers. The SD 4.0 reader maxed out a ProGrade V60 card at 250 MB/s read.
| Spec | Details |
|---|---|
| Thunderbolt 4 ports | 3 (40 Gbps each) |
| USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 | 5 (10 Gbps) |
| Host charging | 98W |
| Display support | Dual 6K via Thunderbolt 4 + 1x 4K via DisplayPort 1.4 |
| Card readers | SD 4.0 + microSD 4.0 |
| Ethernet | 2.5 Gigabit |
| Dimensions | 7.5” tall, 3.5” wide, 3” deep |
Display Support
The TS4 supports two 6K displays simultaneously via Thunderbolt 4 (e.g., two Apple Pro Display XDRs), one 4K display via the DisplayPort 1.4 output, or up to 8K output from a single connection. This is possible because the dock passes the full Thunderbolt 4 video bandwidth directly to the Mac without compression.
Charging
The 98W USB-C Power Delivery output on the host connection is enough to fast-charge even the 16-inch MacBook Pro at close to its maximum charging speed. In our tests, the 16-inch MBP charged from 20% to 80% in approximately 55 minutes with the dock.
Final Verdict
The CalDigit TS4 is the best Thunderbolt 4 dock available. For Mac users with a MacBook Pro or MacBook Air who need to connect multiple displays, fast storage, SD cards, and Gigabit Ethernet simultaneously, nothing else delivers this combination at this reliability. Yes, it is $259, but it replaces multiple adapters and a USB hub, making it excellent value.
Where to Buy the CalDigit TS4
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the CalDigit TS4 work with MacBook Air M3?
Yes. The MacBook Air M3 has two Thunderbolt 3 ports (compatible with TB4 cables and docks). The TS4 works fully, though you get TB3 bandwidth from the Air's ports rather than full TB4. All 18 ports function, and 98W charging will fast-charge the Air.
CalDigit TS4 vs OWC Thunderbolt Go Dock — which is better?
Both are excellent. The TS4 wins on port count (18 vs. 11) and charging wattage (98W vs. 60W). The OWC is smaller and cheaper ($199). For power users, the TS4 is the better choice. For lighter setups, the OWC offers better value.
Can I use two 4K monitors at 60Hz with the CalDigit TS4?
Yes — easily. The TS4 supports dual 4K@60Hz displays via Thunderbolt 4, and can simultaneously drive a third 4K display via the DisplayPort 1.4 output on M3 Pro and M3 Max MacBook Pros.
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