The catch
CalDigit TS4
With a 98W host maximum and 15W of downstream TB power, a separate charger may stay in the setup.
Side by side
TS4 vs TS5 Plus from CalDigit: Both take USB-A gear, and Plus needs a better reason than extra ports
Quick verdict
Five fast USB-A accessories fit on either dock, which means the TS5 Plus has to bring a useful network or power benefit to be worth switching. Stay with the TS4 if you have a supported older laptop, a network at 2.5GbE or slower, and gear that its 98W charging and video routes already handle. Move to the Plus when a compatible modern laptop, a ready 10GbE path or a higher-power Thunderbolt accessory takes away a real limit. The Plus does not support USB-C-only or Thunderbolt 3 Windows hosts, so the more capable hardware can be a worse match for a desk you share with an older work machine.
Before you buy
Why, and what it costs you
A crowded desk may already have enough ports
A webcam, a microphone, an input receiver and two USB drives already add up to five USB-A connections. Both docks provide five fast A sockets. TS5 Plus therefore does not get rid of another hub in that particular layout, since TS4 already covers the count. Its dual USB controllers and faster host link may matter for a different workload, but the plug count alone proves no speed improvement. If what bothers you is reaching a short cable, or ejecting drives safely before you leave, replacing the dock may not fix it. Plus is easier to justify when a separate verified limit exists as well, such as compatible higher-power charging or a ready 10GbE storage path.
Where this comes from
Five named example connections set against five USB-A sockets on each dock. Nothing assumes that every device requires 10Gb/s or saturates the link at the same time. Both have the same direct USB-A count.
The catch
CalDigit TS5 Plus
TB3 Windows and USB-C-only hosts are excluded. The 10GbE port cannot fix a slower switch, and the Windows driver has to be allowed.
CalDigit TS4
- Why pick it
- The TS4 already suits your network and USB accessories, and 98W is enough for the supported laptop.
- Your setup has to keep a supported TB3 Windows laptop or a limited USB-C fallback. Remember that USB-C-only fallback has no Ethernet.
- The catch
- With a 98W host maximum and 15W of downstream TB power, a separate charger may stay in the setup.
CalDigit TS5 Plus
- Why pick it
- Charging above 98W would help a supported PD 3.1 laptop, or a compatible TB accessory requires more than 15W.
- You have a 10GbE NAS path in place, the storage behind it can use the speed, and the Windows network driver is permitted.
- The catch
- TB3 Windows and USB-C-only hosts are excluded. The 10GbE port cannot fix a slower switch, and the Windows driver has to be allowed.
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What this page compares
CalDigit TS4 vs TS5 Plus, with a working home office, a fast NAS and a demanding laptop in mind. Look for the upgrade that makes a difference to your day and not only to the spec sheet.
Someone who owns TS4, or a new CalDigit shopper, might consider the flagship upgrade and still keep the same USB accessories and screens. Both have five fast USB-A ports and direct DisplayPort, so this decision differs from TS4 versus the smaller TS5.
Which one fits
Pick the situations that sound like you
The main requirement is five USB-A accessories
Five fast USB-A sockets come on each. Shared bandwidth still applies.
- CalDigit TS4
- Good
- CalDigit TS5 Plus
- Good
The work laptop runs TB3 Windows and has to stay supported
That host type is explicitly excluded by Plus.
- CalDigit TS4
- Better fit
- CalDigit TS5 Plus
- Not suitable
Charging above 98W is needed for a supported laptop
With the right PD 3.1 host, Plus can deliver 140W. Original chargers may still be required.
- CalDigit TS4
- Caution
- CalDigit TS5 Plus
- Better fit
The NAS path is set up for 10GbE already
Plus carries the matching network port, provided driver and storage checks pass.
- CalDigit TS4
- Not suitable
- CalDigit TS5 Plus
- Better fit
In practice
Differences you will notice
A crowded desk may already have enough ports
A webcam, a microphone, an input receiver and two USB drives already add up to five USB-A connections. Both docks provide five fast A sockets. TS5 Plus therefore does not get rid of another hub in that particular layout, since TS4 already covers the count. Its dual USB controllers and faster host link may matter for a different workload, but the plug count alone proves no speed improvement. If what bothers you is reaching a short cable, or ejecting drives safely before you leave, replacing the dock may not fix it. Plus is easier to justify when a separate verified limit exists as well, such as compatible higher-power charging or a ready 10GbE storage path.
How we worked this out
Five named example connections set against five USB-A sockets on each dock. Nothing assumes that every device requires 10Gb/s or saturates the link at the same time. Both have the same direct USB-A count.
One extra charger can be less trouble than a workday that is incompatible
The 140W host charging on Plus may look attractive with a new personal laptop, yet an older employer-issued TB3 Windows laptop still needs the same desk during the week. Plus excludes that older host, while TS4 documents support, subject to exact laptop and display checks. In that household, staying with TS4 and using the personal laptop's original charger when needed can keep the shared screens and peripherals working without making the work computer an exception. Plus becomes the better option once both hosts fall within its support list. The 42W gap is a difference in maximum power and nothing more. It does not prove faster charging, or that either laptop accepts the advertised level.
How we worked this out
140 minus 98 =42W is the maximum host-power difference, set against the explicit TB3 Windows exclusion. It does not model laptop consumption or charge rate.
Faster family-photo backups take more than the network socket on the dock
Before buying Plus, trace the route if copying camera files to a NAS is the delay you want to remove. A 1GbE switch caps the link from either dock to it at 1Gb/s. Likewise, a 2.5GbE NAS connection gives Plus no 10GbE link to that device. The upgrade starts to mean something when the switch or direct NAS route, the network hardware and the storage are ready to exceed the limit of TS4. That is a different purchase from simply wanting more internet speed. On Windows, also check that installing the 10GbE driver is allowed. If the network around the dock stays unchanged, TS4 can remain the right dock, and your money can go to the part of the backup path that limits it.
How we worked this out
Link-ceiling reasoning that takes the minimum supported rate across the dock and the adjacent link. It does not calculate file transfer rate, router performance or internet service speed. Real NAS disks and protocols are still limits.
Option A
CalDigit, TS4-US 500971
CalDigit TS4
The TS4 already suits your network and USB accessories, and 98W is enough for the supported laptop.
- Best for
- The TS4 already suits your network and USB accessories, and 98W is enough for the supported laptop.
Facts we checked
- Existing USB-A collection: Five USB-A 10Gb/s ports
- Host power: 98W maximum
- Downstream TB power: Two ports, up to 15W each
- Network path: 2.5GbE
Option B
CalDigit, TBT5-TS5Plus-US-AMZ
CalDigit TS5 Plus
Charging above 98W would help a supported PD 3.1 laptop, or a compatible TB accessory requires more than 15W.
- Best for
- Charging above 98W would help a supported PD 3.1 laptop, or a compatible TB accessory requires more than 15W.
Facts we checked
- Existing USB-A collection: Five USB-A 10Gb/s ports
- Host power: 140W maximum with compatible PD 3.1 host
- Downstream TB power: Two ports, up to 36W each
- Network path: 10GbE, Windows driver required
Spec by spec
Where they really differ
| Spec | CalDigit TS4 | CalDigit TS5 Plus | In practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Existing USB-A collection | Five USB-A 10Gb/s ports | Five USB-A 10Gb/s ports | Wanting to keep the same five plug-in devices is not an upgrade reason in itself. |
| Host power | 98W maximum | 140W maximum with compatible PD 3.1 host | The full 42W difference is not gained by a laptop that accepts less. |
| Downstream TB power | Two ports, up to 15W each | Two ports, up to 36W each | Compatible device power changes, but the branch count stays the same. |
| Network path | 2.5GbE | 10GbE, Windows driver required | For Plus to fix a transfer bottleneck, the rest of the path has to be faster. |
| Legacy work computer | Includes qualified TB3 Windows and USB-C fallback | Excludes TB3 Windows and USB-C-only hosts | Check a shared desk against the required laptop that is least compatible. |
| Basic Mac dual screens | Native host display limits apply | Native host display limits still apply | A basic M1/M2 Mac laptop gets no second native screen from either. |
Trade-offs
What each pick costs you
With CalDigit TS4
- Look at the real laptop workload before you assume the original charger can stay in a bag.
With CalDigit TS5 Plus
- Budget separately for the network around it or for compatible cables. Both docks already provide five fast USB-A sockets.
Change of plan
When the answer changes
Your current equipment already fits TS4, or an older work host has to stay
Go with CalDigit TS4. Upgrading adds no USB-A sockets and can narrow compatibility.
A verified limit on network or power is getting in the way of your actual routine
Go with CalDigit TS5 Plus. Plus is a useful step up once the equipment connected to it can make use of it.
Decision guide
Before you buy
The aim is a better working setup, not a flagship dock whose capabilities your laptop, network and peripherals cannot use.
What this page can’t tell you
- Nothing here claims a benchmark result, better battery health or time saved. USB ports running at full rate share upstream resources, and native Mac display limits stay the same.
By the numbers
What the data shows
What we found across the docking stations we compare, plus the checked facts behind each finding.
Show the facts and the math
| Product | Needs it meets | Facts we checked | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| CalDigit TS4 |
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| CalDigit TS5 Plus |
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Ready to buy
See today’s price and what owners say
Open either model on Amazon for the current price, customer reviews and delivery options.
CalDigit TS4
The TS4 already suits your network and USB accessories, and 98W is enough for the supported laptop.
Your setup has to keep a supported TB3 Windows laptop or a limited USB-C fallback. Remember that USB-C-only fallback has no Ethernet.
See price & reviews on AmazonCalDigit TS5 Plus
Charging above 98W would help a supported PD 3.1 laptop, or a compatible TB accessory requires more than 15W.
You have a 10GbE NAS path in place, the storage behind it can use the speed, and the Windows network driver is permitted.
See price & reviews on AmazonEach link opens in a new tab.
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