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CalDigit TS4 vs OWC Thunderbolt 5 Hub: Comparison
What is the difference between CalDigit TS4 and OWC Thunderbolt 5 Hub?
Host power delivery is where these two genuinely part company, CalDigit TS4 98 W against OWC Thunderbolt 5 Hub 140 W, a 30% lead for OWC Thunderbolt 5 Hub. Add total ports to that, 18 on the CalDigit TS4 versus 5 on the OWC Thunderbolt 5 Hub, and the pattern holds.
Which should you buy, CalDigit TS4 or OWC Thunderbolt 5 Hub?
Take the CalDigit TS4 for most WFH and professional setups wanting the safest, most broadly compatible pick without overthinking requirements. The same goes for MacBook Pro M3/M4 users specifically, since most current MacBook Pro models still use Thunderbolt 4 rather than Thunderbolt 5. It is not the one for buyers with Thunderbolt 5-equipped laptops wanting to use the full available bandwidth, the TS5 Plus is the right choice for that. Take the OWC Thunderbolt 5 Hub for buyers specifically wanting Thunderbolt 5 charging and daisy-chain flexibility at the lowest available Thunderbolt 5 price point. Avoid it for buyers needing maximum total port count or 10GbE networking, the CalDigit TS5 Plus is the right choice for those specific needs. Our rating of the CalDigit TS4 (9/10): best USB-C dock for most WFH setups, 98W charging, dual 4K@60Hz, 18 ports, and flawless Mac/Windows/Chrome compatibility.
CalDigit TS4 vs OWC Thunderbolt 5 Hub price
Cost splits them too. CalDigit TS4 sits at $300, OWC Thunderbolt 5 Hub at $329, 10% more.
What CalDigit TS4 and OWC Thunderbolt 5 Hub have in common
Everything else lines up. Host cable length, bus powered, video path, displaylink driver required and max displays mac pro max read the same on both, so those are not worth weighing. They match on 4 further specifications as well.
Frequently asked questions
Do the CalDigit TS4 and OWC Thunderbolt 5 Hub differ on ethernet?
Yes. Ethernet reads Yes on the CalDigit TS4 versus No on the OWC Thunderbolt 5 Hub.
Is the Max Single Display Resolution the same on the CalDigit TS4 and OWC Thunderbolt 5 Hub?
It is. Both are listed at 8K, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Brand
- CalDigit TS4
- CalDigit
- OWC Thunderbolt 5 Hub
- OWC
Connection Type
- CalDigit TS4
- Thunderbolt 4
- OWC Thunderbolt 5 Hub
- Thunderbolt 5
Host Interface
- CalDigit TS4
- Thunderbolt 4
- OWC Thunderbolt 5 Hub
- Thunderbolt 5
Model Number
- CalDigit TS4
- TS4
- OWC Thunderbolt 5 Hub
- Thunderbolt 5 Hub
Port Configuration
- CalDigit TS4
- 3x TB4 40Gbps, 3x USB-C 10Gbps, 5x USB-A 10Gbps, 2.5GbE, SD/microSD UHS-II, front/rear audio
- OWC Thunderbolt 5 Hub
- 1x TB5 host, 3x TB5 downstream (80Gbps), 1x USB-A 10Gbps
Thunderbolt Version
- CalDigit TS4
- 4
- OWC Thunderbolt 5 Hub
- 5
Host Bandwidth
- CalDigit TS4
- 40 Gbps
- OWC Thunderbolt 5 Hub
- 80 GbpsBest
Max Display Support
- CalDigit TS4
- Dual 4K
- OWC Thunderbolt 5 Hub
- Up to 3 displays (host-dependent; Mac max 2 per port)
Max Display Resolution
- CalDigit TS4
- Dual 4K@60Hz or single 8K@30Hz
- OWC Thunderbolt 5 Hub
- Triple 8K@60Hz or dual 8K@120Hz (TB5 host)
Host Cable Length
- CalDigit TS4
- 0.8 m
- OWC Thunderbolt 5 Hub
- 0.8 m
Total Ports
- CalDigit TS4
- 18Best
- OWC Thunderbolt 5 Hub
- 5-72%
Host Power Delivery
- CalDigit TS4
- 98 W-30%
- OWC Thunderbolt 5 Hub
- 140 W
Ethernet
- CalDigit TS4
- Yes
- OWC Thunderbolt 5 Hub
- No
Bus Powered
- CalDigit TS4
- No
- OWC Thunderbolt 5 Hub
- No
Video Path
- CalDigit TS4
- Thunderbolt Native
- OWC Thunderbolt 5 Hub
- Thunderbolt Native
DisplayLink Driver Required
- CalDigit TS4
- No
- OWC Thunderbolt 5 Hub
- No
Max Displays Windows
- CalDigit TS4
- 2
- OWC Thunderbolt 5 Hub
- 3
Max Displays Mac Pro Max
- CalDigit TS4
- 2
- OWC Thunderbolt 5 Hub
- 2
Max Single Display Resolution
- CalDigit TS4
- 8K
- OWC Thunderbolt 5 Hub
- 8K
Max Dual Display Resolution
- CalDigit TS4
- 6K
- OWC Thunderbolt 5 Hub
- 8K
Max Dual Display Refresh
- CalDigit TS4
- 60 Hz
- OWC Thunderbolt 5 Hub
- 120 Hz
HDMI Port Count
- CalDigit TS4
- 0
- OWC Thunderbolt 5 Hub
- 0
HDMI Version
- CalDigit TS4
- None
- OWC Thunderbolt 5 Hub
- None
DisplayPort Port Count
- CalDigit TS4
- 1
- OWC Thunderbolt 5 Hub
- 0
DisplayPort Version
- CalDigit TS4
- 1.4
- OWC Thunderbolt 5 Hub
- None
Downstream Thunderbolt Port Count
- CalDigit TS4
- 2
- OWC Thunderbolt 5 Hub
- 3
USB-A Port Count
- CalDigit TS4
- 5
- OWC Thunderbolt 5 Hub
- 1
Max USB Data Rate
- CalDigit TS4
- 10Gbps
- OWC Thunderbolt 5 Hub
- 10Gbps
Ethernet Speed
- CalDigit TS4
- 2.5GbE
- OWC Thunderbolt 5 Hub
- None
SD Card Slot
- CalDigit TS4
- UHS-II
- OWC Thunderbolt 5 Hub
- None
Price
- CalDigit TS4
- ~$300
- OWC Thunderbolt 5 Hub
- ~$329
Which one should you pick?
Choose CalDigit TS4 if you want the higher total ports (18 vs 5).
Choose OWC Thunderbolt 5 Hub if you want the higher host power delivery (140 W vs 98 W).
Price comparison
| Retailer | CalDigit TS4 | OWC Thunderbolt 5 Hub |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | $300.00 View on Amazon | $329.00 View on Amazon |
| Newegg | View on Newegg |
Disclaimer: The price and specification of the given product may differ from the actual product. Please confirm on the retailer's website before buying.
Verdict
CalDigit TS4
9 / 10 Expert Rating
Best USB-C dock for most WFH setups, 98W charging, dual 4K@60Hz, 18 ports, and flawless Mac/Windows/Chrome compatibility.
OWC Thunderbolt 5 Hub
8 / 10 Expert Rating
Cheapest Thunderbolt 5 dock, 140W charging and daisy-chain flexibility in a whisper-quiet aluminum build, with fewer ports and only 2.5GbE.