@@MotorsportsX We offered pre-orders and back-order purchases with our previous dock, the Element Hub, and it was a bit of a disaster with how much demand there was versus how much we could produce.
For a while now, I've been looking for a Thunderbolt dock, and this is the first one that ticked all my boxes. It clearly seems like the goal was to make the best dock possible, without skimping on anything. Ordered one today.
Welcome to the club! If there's ever anything we can help with at all, don't hesitate to reach out. I'm active on most social media platforms, and our support team is always happy to help too. Our support team's email is Support@CalDigit.com
I have two CalDigit TS3+ docks and I love them. They've worked great for years as docks for both Apple and PC laptops. You guys have upped your game even more with this TS4 - it looks awesome!
No shade, but I think most other Thunderbolt docks re-used the board designs from Intel's original Thunderbolt 4 dock, which has that weird host port inexplicably on the front.
@@CalDigitHQ Thank you for explaining this! Was wondering why. Having a dock is such a good opportunity to cleanup all the cables on the desk. However, all those docks have a piggy tail in the front, lol, so awkward!
Really solid overview and explanation Jerry. Appreciate that you included answers to all the 'what if' questions as well. Saved me a lot of time too. This is my dock.
That's fair. We found that 2.5 GbE is a good compromise between increasing speed and keeping down costs. The fact is that most consumers aren't even going to be taking advantage of 2.5 GbE, let alone 10 gig.
@@CalDigitHQ I am among the few that would pay for such a TS4 Pro version with 10 GbE (I edit video directly on my NAS) but I understand that there is likely a broader audience for the 2.5 + the heat dispersion and cost. But I currently have the OWC version + a thunderbolt/10 GbE adapter and will buy the first offering that has the connections like the TS4 + 10 GbE in a heartbeat 🤞🏻
@@flashforum939 We hear you. A lot of 10GbE heads have come out to express similar sentiments, and I use 10GbE at home for the same reason as you. It's definitely a possibility, and something that I personally advocate for at our company. I'm sure we'll get 10GbE in our docks eventually (and CF Express too). Thank you again for your feedback, it helps improve our products!
@@CalDigitHQ ^ I also edit off a server. 10gb would make me get rid of an adapter. And I plug in my blackmagic device for monitoring which would plug into the thunderbolt port. Effectively meaning I only have one cable. So add one more person to the list advocating for 10gb. I’d pay an extra $50-$100 for it.
It would be nice. However with 2 available thunderbolt ports you have the option to connect a tb audio interface. Depending which one it could be both a dac and amp or just act as a dac and then you plug the amp to it.
I can totally see the need for a good DAC for professional use. However, with so many chips and components for handling so many ports and power, it’s hard to keep the sounds clean and keep the price reasonable. I would opt for a separate device personally.
Did anyone else contact caldigit and ask if they were making a 96w ts dock? I did 2 years ago when I got my 16” MacBook Pro. I’ve been holding out on getting a dock using a thunderbolt 2 dock with an adapter in hopes they would. They’ve finally done it!! It’s better than I hoped! Glad I waited. Maybe I’ll win one that would be incredible!
This is a mighty dock. Might have considered this over the element if it was out when I got the element. Anyway, I have a 2.5GBe adapter plugged into the element along with 2 4k 60 displays and a Universal Audio Apollo, mouse and keyboard and it all runs fine.
Sounds like you're using the Element Hub the perfect way, adding all the stuff you need, with none of the fluff. When you're ready for more, the TS4 and Element Hub can always be used together at the same time.
Very good Caldigit! I’m not sure if I will upgrade but I really like your love to the detail and perfection. If I need a new one then definitely one from you.
Aw man, a few days after I bought version 3 this drops 😥 I couldn't find any good options with faster than gigabit ethernet so ended up biting the bullet and getting the 3 so can't really justify buying the new version even if the faster network would be awesome
One Word, 9 letters... BRILLIANT ! How clever, output to the Reciever/Amplifier (or crummy speakertjes), and the Host port at the backside, so i kan hide all the cablework under the Bureau, but if i put a headphone into the front output, i don't have to cut of the output to the receiver, so the misses can soundly sleep without scaring her when i forget the soundsystem after i engage my Sennheiser ANC. No more "why did you not react on my bedroomfloor banging", why o why don't all other manufactorers thinks this kind of KISS solutions to the pragmatic end? Okay, it's a pitty we lost the Optical output, and well i would be way more happy if it was a 10Ggbe to the Qnap, but i would be very happy if i would now invest a little to much, and trade the TS4 for a TS4+ later (with the 10/20 gbe / QSFP+ port via the *second host port* and SPDIF output at the back) which would end all my Autistic Magic Thinking into REALITY :-) When oh when will it be available in Europe for an acceptable pricepoint? It's Merket based so i understand your pricepoint, but well "Its amazing, John" a 2 in 1 Acer Spin for 330€ is very weird to my computable HI-programming :-)
We're still not producing units as quickly as we'd like, but we're not taking pre-orders and I believe we're not doing back-orders right now either. In any case, we're expecting this to be a hot commodity, so get your hands on it while you can!
This hurts 😭. I just bought my third Thunderbolt 4 dock. I would have waited if I knew. Pretty sure this beats the competition on total power and ports.
Looks like an awesome piece of kit! Do you have any documentation with the specific chipsets used listed? I’d love to know which ethernet chipset is in use (and possibly the audio and usb ones too!)
The Dock looks great. But the charger is just *sigh* and the footprint is almost larger than the dock itself. Really wish they had used GaN technology to make the charger much more compact.
Our engineering team is aware of and has experimented with alternative power technologies, but they aren't ready to make the change yet. Definitely could happen in the future!
I have 10 non powered external drives (for photo storage) and wish to know whether I can safely piggyback 1 or 2 hubs to the dock (when editing photo's) without impairing performance of the main dock.
What I want in a TB dock is an m.2 socket, a 2.5” sata bay, and expanded connectivity. BUT! As I’ve experienced with my Qwiizlab dock, I want a dock that won’t literally destroy my drives and make them read-only, and I want it to be able to send full power to any/all ports at any given time.
Goodluck! We might dabble more in external storage hookups, but from your experience, do you blame us for being a little hesitant? As far as changing power profiles on ports, I'm not sure that's currently possible with Thunderbolt. I believe Thunderbolt provisions for all the power it could possibly need up front, and it is always ready to provide that power as necessary.
We'd love to include 10GbE, but man it gets hot! (and it's expensive!) Have you seen our Connect 10G for reference? All that does is convert Thunderbolt to 10GbE and it is a chunky boy to dissipate all the heat it generates.
Very nice! Placed an order to replace my TS3+. I am wondering why we don't see USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (20Gb/s) though? I have a SanDisk Extreme Pro capable of it, but haven't been able to find a way to realize that speed on any portable Mac.
USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 just didn't get enough market traction before USB 4 came out and made it obsolete. It's in that weird place where USB 4 isn't inherently backwards compatible with it, but with how few devices there are on the specification, it doesn't make sense to go out of our way to officially support it.
By the way, how dual 6k 60Hz displays can be supported? *Single* 6k 60Hz display has 6000 * 3300 = 20 MP(mega pixels), which should consume 20M * 30(bits per pixel) * 60(Hz) = 36gbps. This is nearly the same as 40gbps, which thunderbolt 4 connections offer.
Good question! It works via compression technologies built into the monitor that the computer also has to support. Basically, if a monitor supports High-Bit Rate 2 (HBR2) and Display Stream Compression (DSC), it's eligible for up to 6k60hz support. The most notable example is the Apple Pro Display XDR. Right now, I think the only computer that supports all of this is the M1 Pro or Max MacBook Pro, but others will likely be coming to market.
Hello, i have a intel macbookpro 18 sonoma and i sidecar my ipad pro 2021 m1 to it and i use it for recordings. I want to try this with obs and streaming and i am wondering if the ts4 is the best option for me or the ts3. I want also the ethernet to be as good as possible like you are describing here and also i need the jack 3.5 for my ipad so i can get full potential of my wired headset. Will it work? The ts4 connected to my ipadpro and then sidecar to my macbook pro?
The TS4 supports sidecar! I believe the TS3 Plus does as well, but I am not 100% sure. I tried testing it and was running into a separate error with the entirety of sidecar. The TS4 will have 2.5GbE, while the TS3 Plus has 1GbE. If you can take advantage of the faster ethernet speed, the TS4 would be the better fit. Otherwise, both are a great choice and should meet your needs.
@@CalDigitHQ I think TS4 is exactly what i need if i am able to sidecar with it. Also with much better Ethernet and close to price it would probably be the best choice for me, i guess I’ll have to give it a try and see, thank you for responding!
As a fan of the TS series this is great news! And finally a cleaner and smarter port layout. But why not having two DisplayPort ports directly on the dock, so that you don’t have to use one of those precious TB4 ports for DP?
We appreciate your continued business with us! The biggest factor is that we wanted to offer as much flexibility for as wide a range of users as possible. For users with USB-C monitors, there's no way to convert down to DisplayPort, so those users would be stuck with ports they couldn't possibly ever use. Plus, there's not a whole lot of space for a second DisplayPort.
@@CalDigitHQ There has to be a compromise somewhere. But 2 x DP on a pro dock at this prince point would be preferred. What happens to transfer speeds if a Thunderbolt 4 Element Hub is connected to expand the TS4's TB4 capabilities? Will the speeds still be at full TB4 (doesn't seem likely)?
@@CGW11 No matter what, the entire Thunderbolt connection maxes out at 40Gbps of bandwidth. In terms of individual device data numbers, dual 4k60hz monitors would take up about 20Gbps of bandwidth, or about half of the available data, at all times. In a power user situation like this, it could be very easy to hit the bandwidth cap with just the remaining TB port. But this is mostly speculative and most users aren't pushing that much data through our products at any given time, and almost never for more than short bursts. You can absolutely connect the Element Hub to the TS4 for the purposes you propose, but no matter what, you'll be dealing with that 40Gbps data bandwidth ceiling.
@@CalDigitHQ Thanks for your reply. A bandwidth budget of 40Gbps for each TB4 port on the dock will be plenty for normal usage. When using TS4 with 4 Element hub, users can place less bandwidth demanding devices on that shared lane.
If a port stops working, you should definitely get in touch with our support team! Here are some ways to contact us: Email: Support@CalDigit.com Livechat: caldigit.com/support/
Very nice. How's the optical out on this one? It is my favourite feature on TS3+. I have optical sensing amp (Marantz) which is hooked to the dock. Ma laptop wakes the dock, the dock wakes the amp.
I'm getting a computer that has (3) thunderbolt 4 ports and I have a need for epic connectivity. Is it okay to have TWO TS4's and plug each one into a different TB4 port? I don't know if the added power from the adaptor would be unsafe for the computer. Thank you!
Yes, it's totally safe to plug in multiple power sources to a computer. Modern computers are smart enough to only accept power from one source at a time. Here's a little more detail: In all modern power devices, there's a kind of "handshake" that goes on between charger and the receiving host. They tell each other how much power the host needs, how much the charger can provide, etc. Then they come to an agreement all before any power is sent to the computer. When multiple charging devices are connected, power is only accepted from one at a time, and all other power sources are rejected. Simple as that.
Sorry dumb question but MBP with external monitor and external SSD, can I connect both the SSD and the monitor into this dock and then just a single tb4 cable to MacBook? And plug other peripherals and iPad Pro also into this doc for use/charging simultaneously? And if I plugged Ethernet cable into dock the MacBook will act like it’s hardwired still with the single cable from dock to MacBook?
There's no dumb questions! Yeah, you've pretty much got it! The goal with our docks is to provide a one cable solution to get your laptop connected to power, monitors, external storage, Ethernet, and any peripherals you may use. One caveat that might need mentioning is that the TS4 supports a single host computer at a time, so while you could charge the iPad Pro while you are using the Macbook Pro, you wouldn't be able to copy files between the two devices or control the iPad from a keyboard or mouse if it was plugged into the TS4.
Hi, this seems a great product. I just wanted to ask, can I connect two 4K 60hz monitors with HDMI to USB-C cable to this dock? I have an MBP 16" 2019. Will this dock support MST? Or it can only do mirroring?
Does this docking station works with TB3-compatible host if connected using TB3 optical cable? I have this problem with TB4 element hub which is TB3-compatible but doesn't work with TB3 optical cable. Your support, after investigation, told me that I have to wait until TB4 optical cables are available on the market. Is it the same case here?
@@CalDigitHQ Awesome! Just wondering if this configuration been tested? I tried with another TB4 dock and although both displays worked, the 5k would not be recognized at full 5k resolution - it would display as a 4k monitor. Just confirming that both are recognized at native panel resolution. Thanks! I was waiting for your reply and now my delivery time from Amazon increased by 2 weeks.. 🙁
@@tonyrodriguezyt Sorry! The TS4 is selling like hot cakes! Amazon's estimate sounds right, we're expecting it to be back in stock in the next couple weeks over there. Okay, so my math might not be 100% accurate. The uncompressed limit of what the TS4 can support is dual 4k60hz. I was thinking back to our TS3 Plus, which also supported up to a 5k monitor, but in that configuration it was just the single 5k monitor. So the real answer is maybe and it depends. Here's a bit more of a break down for you so you can figure out for yourself. In ideal conditions, the TS4 can support up to dual 6k 60hz monitors. For this to work, the host computer and any monitor above 4k60hz need to support both Display Stream Compression (DSC) and High Bitrate 2 (HBR2). The easiest example to point to is the M1 Max Macbook Pro 16" and dual Apple Pro Display XDR monitors, but other setups should be compatible.
So happy to see a Thunderbolt dock with so many 10Gb USB ports, multi-gig ethernet, and 98w charging! What happens if this dock is used on an older version of Mac OS? I want to remain on Mojave for work software I use. If it works OK with Mojave this could replace my OWC Thunderbolt 3 Pro dock. I'd give up its 10Gb Ethernet to lose the limited 5Gb USB ports, 60w charging, and fan noise.
I also used OWC Thunderbolt 3 Pro dock in the past but I didn't like the fan noise and wanted to have 10 Gbps ports too but still wanted to have 10Gbe ethernet as well. Finally I got the setup made of CallDigit Thunderbolt 4 Element Hub + QNAP QNA-T310G1S adapter connected to it. Keep in mind that despite the fact Element Hub is TB3-compatible, it doesn't work with TB3 optical cables (TB4 optical cable is required but such a product is not available on the market yet), but works with TB3 copper cables.
I have two identical monitors that support both HDMI and display port. What is the correct way to hook this dock up so that it would allow the dual extended monitors?
You would want to connect one monitor with a direct DisplayPort connection. The second monitor would need some kind of USB-C adapter. Either a USB-C to HDMI adapter or USB-C to DisplayPort adapter would work. We generally find that USB-C to DisplayPort adapters work better in general, so that is what I would recommend, but either will do.
is it gonna be fine if I use the tb3 2m cable from my cal digit ts3 plus on the ts4 dock? only reason is my tb3 cable is 2m long so I can have more options when placing the dock. Thanks!
Yes, 2m Thunderbolt 3 cables should work fine on Thunderbolt 4 docks. The only thing is that the dock won't be able to charge the computer, as long Thunderbolt 3 cables aren't capable of carrying power.
I have the TS3+. Is the support for USB-C software or hardware based? My new work laptop (Surface Laptop) doesn't have thunderbolt so I've had to get a different dock. It'd be amazing if I could switch back to my TS3+.
@@johnmcclung4736 It doesn't really have an effect. Bandwidth is more data related, while power is, well power. On all Thunderbolt 4 docks, USB connections funnel down into a single 10Gbps USB hub. It is possible to saturate that connection.
Sleep/Wake issues are addressed. Some Ethernet behaviors are corrected, but we are looking into releasing an additional update specifically addressing some other Ethernet behaviors we've seen.
This is awesome. Sadly I have no use for something like this anymore. I originally bought the ts3+ for my gigabyte aero. Was disappointed after doing my own research and finding out gigabyte didn't implement dual display via the thunderbolt. Kinda the whole reason why I bout the dock. Since then that laptop died and I built a ryzen pc. Sadly my x570 mb doesn't support thunderbolt so I gotta sell the ts3+ now. The ts4 would work with my type c but honestly don't need it atm.
We get it. I have a desktop solution at home as well, so no real need for a Thunderbolt dock. I've been thinking of installing a Thunderbolt 4 PCIe card in the future to have more flexibility, though! ;)
I am seeing it available right now and it has been in and out of stock the past week. Our UK team is staggering stock drops so there's more chances to get it. Keep your eyes peeled and check in throughout the day. shop.caldigit.com/uk/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=214
Hi, love you videos. I just purchased the TS4 (Should have it later this week). Is it possible to connect 1 macbook pro M1 Max and a PC (Windows 11) simultanously to the same screen (TV LG Oled C1 48 in) via HDMI 2.1 connectors on TV: Thank you
What would happen if you connect the Macbook Pro to Studio Display main Thunderbolt port and connect the caldigit TS4 USB C thunderbolt 96W port to secondary Studio Display port ? Can that create any issues ? or does the caldigit not provide power if not needed?
Am I understanding correctly that you want the connection chain to be: MBP - Studio Display - TS4? You can do that, but the TS4 will be working in USB-C mode when your computer can handle Thunderbolt. Power will also not be passed along. I'd suggest you connect MBP - TS4 - Studio Display. If your computer is Apple Silicon with Pro, Max, or Ultra chip, you can plug in both Studio Displays into the TS4.
This dock could be the perfect solution to my problem. However, I have a question with connecting this dock to a windows PC. I switch between a MacBook Pro and a desktop PC very often. So I am planning to use a dock to keep the peripherals, audio, and video inputs in one place to switch between the two systems. I am wondering if the dock will work if the host port is connected to a USB 3.2 gen 2 type C port on a PC. I don’t expect to use the dock for video output on the PC side, but will the dock still function as a USB hub? If yes, is there any speed limitation when using the dock over a USB C port?
Yes! The TS4 works with a USB 3.2 gen 2 type-C host. The dock will operate in a USB mode instead of Thunderbolt, meaning that the Thunderbolt ports on the TS4 would operate as USB 3.2 gen 2 ports, so any Thunderbolt peripherals would be incompatible. I believe one monitor would still be supported in this configuration, but otherwise everything else should still work well.
What does "up to 98W" mean? My wife has a 2020 M1 MacBook Air that ideally would receive 30-35W. My concern is, 98W will damage the charging port or battery. Thoughts?
The "up to" means that the TS4 can change how much power it supplies based on the computer's needs. Modern computers are smart enough to limit incoming power sources when needed. Here is what will happen: Your computer will tell the TS4 how much power it needs, the 30-35W. The TS4 will agree to supply that amount of power and will shift how much it provides as the computer's needs change. Basically, don't worry about it! The computer and the dock know what they're doing and can work together perfectly fine.
Of course. Both of your suggestions would work great. You only need the active adapter when you want to convert the DisplayPort to another standard, like HDMI or DVI.
Love my TS3+. For me it's always been the gold standard for TB3 docking stations, and it works flawlessly with my Intel-based MBP. Two weeks ago I found out out the hard way it doesn't connect at all to the Surface Book 3 I got for work though (I'm an idiot and didn't look this up beforehand). This looks like the solution for me (and like you planned this whole thing out haha), but I still got one question: the spec sheet on your website says the TS4 connects to one 4k60Hz display via USB-C. Is there a hard limitation to one display via USB-C or could a dual display setup still when connecting 1 x UW1080p + 1 x 1080p displays?
Is it possible to use a MacBook Pro 14“ with m1 pro processor with a dual monitor setup when each monitor has a resolution of 1440p an a refresh rate of 165hz?
Great product, But can it export dual monitor with high resolution & refresh rate? For example a 4k 160hz monitor and 2k 170hz monitor, can it handle these two monitor?
Conventionally, the TS4 can individually support up to 240hz at 1440p (or 2k) and at 4k it can support up to 144hz. This is roughly cut in half when both monitors are being used at the same time, with 1440p being supported up to 144hz and 4k being supported up to 60hz. Depending on your particular monitor and computer setup, the TS4 can reach much higher resolution/ refresh rate, up to dual 6k60hz monitors. Please provide your monitor and computer configuration and I'll be happy to take a closer look.
Hi@@CalDigitHQ , Thanks for reply, my current set up is laptop Asus Zephyrus M16 with i9 11900H and RTX 3070, this laptop have 1 thunderbolt 4 and my monitor is TUF Gaming VG27AQL1A with 2k 170HZ (OC), I want to bought 1 more monitor which is another VG27AQL1A, Can this TS4 can handle 2 monitors and still have 170HZ refresh rate?
@@jacky1996vip Thanks for the additional info. We haven't tested with this particular monitor, but you'll likely be able to reach up to 144hz with two of these monitors. I've heard of some cases where users were able to get dual 160hz, but that is pushing the limit already. 170hz could be possible, but again, we haven't tested a setup similar enough to say definitively. If you do end up trying it out, let us know so we can add it to our knowledge base!
I have a MacBook Pro M1 Max.. Using a TS3+ now..thinking of getting daisy-chaining a CalDigit Element..OR sell the TS3+ and get this TS4..any pros/cons of going either direction? Thoughts here? Thanks!
Both are good options, and it really depends on your individual needs. The TS4 has a 2.5 gigabit ethernet port, more 10Gbps USB ports, and higher charging. If any of those are must-haves in an upgrade, the TS4 is the way to go. Both the Element Hub and TS4 adds at least one extra Thunderbolt port, and supports higher resolution monitors. If that's more in line with your needs, getting just the Element Hub will likely be the more cost-effective solution. If you go this route, make sure your Thunderbolt connection looks like this: Computer > TS3 Plus > Element Hub. The first device in a Thunderbolt chain is what provides power to the computer, so it's best for the TS3 Plus to come first here.
The requirement is one Thunderbolt port, to connect to the host device. The maximum allowed is four ports. We opted to include 3 instead of the 4 allowed ports because of the included DisplayPort. Most users will be connecting at least one external monitor, which can be connected to the TS4 either via Thunderbolt or the included DisplayPort. Having the dedicated video option instead of another Thunderbolt port allows greater flexibility for users and may eliminate the need for some users to get additional video adapters.
I have 2 HDMI monitors(4k ultra wide) can I connect them using one HDMI to DisplayPort cable and HDMI to usb C with my MacBook Pro with M1 Pro? Is there a problem with that?
It will depend more on your monitors. If your monitors and computer support DSC and HBR2 or 3, they should work. The conversions you propose will work, but if connecting DP to HDMI on our dock, you must use an Active DisplayPort to HDMI adapter or cable. Otherwise, everything you suggested should work.
Good question! Thunderbolt and USB-C both have built-in options to provision for DisplayPort, which results in a more simple and reliable display solution than building more complexity to offer HDMI.
None of our products natively support 3 external monitors. This isn't possible with Thunderbolt's built-in hardware. The only way to get around this limitation is with a tech called DisplayLink. Any dock advertising support for 3 monitors or more uses this, and you can add DisplayLink to our products or anything else with a DisplayLink USB adapter!
@@CalDigitHQ interesting ok - yes i have been struggling to find a dock to support three 4k monitors, i have your caldigit tb4, do i call tech support to get someone to assist with what i need to get that to do the 3 monitors with the displaylink adapter? thanks
@@costanza9872 I'm not sure about that dock. Looks like there's 4 monitor ports, so maybe they are using DisplayLink. YOu'll have to ask Dell about that.
DisplayLink is always an option with the use of a third party adapter, but we do not officially support it in any capacity due to the extra strain it may put on computers.
Awesome. Does this mean you’ve fixed the DisplayPort issue on the TS3 Plus? I hope so because for those of us who have the issue, it makes the dock nearly useless.
@@CalDigitHQ the issue where the MacBook doesn’t wake when connected to the dock. There are tons of examples of folks having this problem. A quick google will find them. I’ve created a support case and been basically told “it’s apple’s problem. You’ll have to live with it”
@@bobbyball8903 This is a behavior that we are working with Apple to resolve. The source of the behavior seems to be with macOS' graphics drivers, as we're able to replicate the behavior across other company's Thunderbolt products. We recommend that you keep your macOS up to date, as that is the most likely vector for a fix.
@@CalDigitHQ so that tells me if I buy this new dock I’ll have exactly the same issue? If it’s graphics drivers is it limited to a specific built in or discrete graphics card? Or maybe architecture (e.g x86 vs. M1)?
It really depends on the load. Our dev team is able to drain an M1 MacBook Pro 16" with its 140W power supply plugged in under synthetic loads. Granted, it takes several hours for it to drain to empty, and it's similar, albeit a bit faster to drain to empty with the TS4. In virtually all use-cases, the TS4 will provide adequate charging for the 140W MacBook Pro. If you are keeping the computer pegged at 100% CPU usage overnight, I can't guarantee the TS4 will work well for that, but almost anything short of that will be compatible with the TS4.
Not via hardware. Thunderbolt 4 allows for a max of 2 monitors. If a third monitor is absolutely necessary, you could use a DisplayLink adapter to achieve support, but DisplayLink uses software to push their monitors, which can have adverse effects, so we do not officially support it.
For the people that have it, have y’all had any issues getting dual 4K displays to work at 60hz? I can only get the display Port monitor to work at 60hz. The other monitor connected through usb c only works at 30hz. I’ve tried single monitor through usb c and it still only gets me 30hz. I’ve tried tb3, tb4 and usb c cables. When I connect it through the element hub it works fine through the tb port. I don’t know what it could be. It worked fine on my ts3+ and the computer I’m using is 2017 mb pro.
Sorry to hear that! It's possible this is a problem with macOS itself. In the Displays section, hold down the "option" key on your keyboard and press "Scaled". This should unlock some additional monitor options and you may be able to up the resolution. Alternatively, we have seen some compatibility hitches with direct USB-C connections. If your monitor has other connection types, like DisplayPort or HDMI, we recommend trying to connect to one of those with an adapter if possible. Beyond this, our support team would be more than happy to help however they can. Here's some contact methods: Email: Support@CalDigit.com Livechat: caldigit.com/support/ Best regards, Dalton from CalDigit
@@CalDigitHQ Hey Dalton, I have tried to see if it gives me additional options on the scaled options for the monitor but it does not give me an option for 60hz. I don’t think I need to buy an additional adapter since everything worked perfectly fine with the two ts3+’s with everything exactly the same. I bought two ts4’s and two element hubs and don’t want to spend additional money to make something work that should work normally with out any adapters
@@enriqueaguilar-andraca3259 I see. We're specifically seeing this direct USB-C behavior happening on the TS4, so it still sounds like it may be related. In any case, our support team would have some more insight for you. Definitely reach out to them!
Thunderbolt 4's specification allows a maximum of two monitors, no way around it from a hardware perspective. Some users implement DisplayLink adapters, which provide additional software driven monitors. There are some drawbacks to this, including increased load on the computer, so we do not officially support it. But it is an option if 3 monitors are absolutely needed and there's no other workaround.
Will it support TWO new Apple Studio Display’s with a new Apple MacBook 14 inch? I don’t want a theoretical answer, I want to know if it has been actually tested.
We have tested with an M1 Max computer regarding this question, but not any other computers. Both the TS4 and Element Hub both support dual 5k Studio Displays.
@@CalDigitHQ Hi there, when you say you have tested it with an "M1 Max Computer" which one are you talking about? The new MacBook PRO16inch M1 MAX? or the base model Mac Studio M1 Max? If you were referring to the MacBook Pro 13inch M1 - (I don't believe they support TWO monitors.) My question is specific to MacBook Pro 14 or 16inch M1 PRO. Considering the 14 and 16 inch M1 PRO are the MOST COMMON of the range, it would be nice to know your device supports them BEFORE spending hundreds of dollars. Thank-you for your reply.
@@gride5153 We tested with an M1 Max MacBook Pro 16" 2021 computer. With this information along with Apple's technical specifications, we can confidently say that any computer with an M1 Pro, Max, or Ultra chipset should be compatible here. While we have not tested specifically, this includes the 14" and 16" M1 Pro MacBook Pros that you reference. There is currently no 13" MacBook Pro that comes with the M1 Pro or Max chip. Looks like you are referring to the standard M1 chip, which supports a single external monitor via Thunderbolt, as you suggested. To re-iterate: M1: Only a single monitor is supported via Thunderbolt M1 Pro, Max, Ultra: At least dual monitor support via Thunderbolt. Supports dual 5k Studio Displays as well as Dual Pro Display XDR 6k Monitors.
Please convince those engineers there’s tons of content creators and professionals who would love this to replace a bunch of their adapters and dongles. Examples: card readers like cfast and cfexpress, as well as 10gb
Hi, Is it supported dual Dell U4021QW? (5120x2160 60Hz 8bit) I use directly connected to HP ZBOOK G3 17 (Quadro M5000m) with dual U4021QW now. Direct connection is using possible my laptop. I wondering about can use dual U4021QW via TS4. Thanks.
It's difficult to say definitively as we have not tested with these monitors. I'm leaning towards No, both of these monitors will not be supported at native resolution on the TS4 at the same time. Without monitors with DSC support, the TS4 can support up to dual 4k60hz monitors at a time. These monitors would be higher bandwidth, so would not be supported. I checked the product listing, and am not seeing anything about DSC support either, so I do not think both will work simultaneously.
On a USB 3.2 Gen 2 connection, you'll be limited to 10Gbps total bandwidth. The on-board Ethernet port will not work. You will also be limited to a single 4k60hz monitor.
We're just offering the one color at this time. It's possible for multiple colors to come in the future, but as we discontinued Silver on the TS3 Plus, I would not count on it.
We favor DisplayPort because it has natural integration with Thunderbolt, meaning there's a more stable and consistent connection with less parts. Win-win!