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CalDigit Element Hub vs Plugable TBT4-UDZ: Comparison

CalDigit Element Hub and Plugable TBT4-UDZ separate most on total ports: CalDigit Element Hub at 8, Plugable TBT4-UDZ at 16, 50% in favour of Plugable TBT4-UDZ. Power Delivery splits them by another 40%, again favouring Plugable TBT4-UDZ. They match on 14 other specifications, including host interface, thunderbolt version and host bandwidth.

CalDigit Element Hub (Thunderbolt 4 / 4 Ports / 60W Host Charging / Data-Only / Mac/Windows / ~$100)
CalDigitCalDigit Element Hub
Plugable TBT4-UDZ (16-in-1 / Thunderbolt 4 / Quad Display / 100W PD)
PlugablePlugable TBT4-UDZ

Specs

Specification
CalDigit Element Hub (Thunderbolt 4 / 4 Ports / 60W Host Charging / Data-Only / Mac/Windows / ~$100)
CalDigit Element Hub
Plugable TBT4-UDZ (16-in-1 / Thunderbolt 4 / Quad Display / 100W PD)
Plugable TBT4-UDZ
Host InterfaceThunderbolt 4Thunderbolt 4
Port Configuration1x TB4 host, 3x TB4 downstream 40Gbps, 4x USB-A 10Gbps1x TB4 host, 2x HDMI 2.0, 2x DisplayPort 1.2, 3x USB-A 10Gbps, 2x USB-A 5Gbps, 1x USB-A 2.0, 1x USB-C 10Gbps, 2.5GbE, SD + microSD UHS-II, 3.5mm headset jack
Thunderbolt Version44
Host Bandwidth40 Gbps40 Gbps
Host Cable CaptiveNoNo
Host Cable Length0.8 m1 m
Total Ports8-50%16
Power Delivery60 W-40%100 W
Host Power Delivery60 W-40%100 W
EthernetNoYes
External PSU Wattage150 W135 W
Bus PoweredNoNo
DisplayLink Driver RequiredNoNo
Max Displays Windows24
Max Displays Mac Base11
Max Displays Mac Pro Max22
Max Single Display Resolution8K4K
Max Single Display Refresh60 Hz60 Hz
Max Dual Display Resolution4K4K
Max Dual Display Refresh60 Hz60 Hz
HDMI Port Count02
HDMI VersionNone2.0
DisplayPort Port Count02
DisplayPort VersionNone1.2
Downstream Thunderbolt Port Count30
USB-A Port Count46
Max USB Data Rate10Gbps10Gbps
Ethernet SpeedNone2.5GbE
macOS SupportedYesYes
Windows SupportedYesYes
Weight180 g646 g
BrandCalDigitPlugable
ModelElement HubTBT4-UDZ
Source URLhttps://www.caldigit.com/thunderbolt-4-element-hub/https://plugable.com/products/tbt4-udz

Verdict

CalDigit Element Hub

6 / 10 Expert Rating

A sensible budget entry point into Thunderbolt 4 port expansion, not a dock replacement.

Plugable TBT4-UDZ

8 / 10 Expert Rating

The widest port count in our docking station lineup, with four-display support for fully-loaded desks across Mac and Windows.

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