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CalDigit TS4 vs Plugable UD-6950Z: Comparison
CalDigit TS4 and Plugable UD-6950Z separate most on total ports: CalDigit TS4 at 18, Plugable UD-6950Z at 12, 33% in favour of CalDigit TS4. They match on 8 other specifications, including host cable captive, ethernet and bus powered.
Specs
| Specification |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Connection Type | Thunderbolt 4 | USB-C or USB-A (DisplayLink software driver) |
| Port Configuration | 3x TB4 40Gbps, 3x USB-C 10Gbps, 5x USB-A 10Gbps, 2.5GbE, SD/microSD UHS-II, front/rear audio | 1x USB upstream (USB-C and USB-A cables included), 2x HDMI 2.0, 2x DisplayPort 1.2 (DisplayLink), 6x USB-A 5Gbps, 1x GbE, 3.5mm headset jack |
| Thunderbolt Version | 4 | None |
| Max Display Support | Dual 4K | Dual display |
| Max Display Resolution | Dual 4K@60Hz or single 8K@30Hz | Dual 4K@60Hz (DisplayLink) |
| Host Cable Captive | No | No |
| Host Cable Length | 0.8 m | 0.9 m |
| Total Ports | 18 | 12-33% |
| Power Delivery | 98 W | 0 W |
| Host Power Delivery | 98 W | 0 W |
| Ethernet | Yes | Yes |
| External PSU Wattage | 230 W | 40 W |
| Bus Powered | No | No |
| Video Path | Thunderbolt Native | DisplayLink |
| DisplayLink Driver Required | No | Yes |
| Max Displays Windows | 2 | 2 |
| Max Displays Mac Base | 1 | 2 |
| Max Displays Mac Pro Max | 2 | 2 |
| Max Single Display Resolution | 8K | 4K |
| Max Single Display Refresh | 30 Hz | 60 Hz |
| Max Dual Display Resolution | 6K | 4K |
| Max Dual Display Refresh | 60 Hz | 60 Hz |
| HDMI Port Count | 0 | 2 |
| HDMI Version | None | 2.0 |
| DisplayPort Port Count | 1 | 2 |
| DisplayPort Version | 1.4 | 1.2 |
| Downstream Thunderbolt Port Count | 2 | 0 |
| USB-A Port Count | 5 | 6 |
| USB-C Data Port Count | 3 | 0 |
| Max USB Data Rate | 10Gbps | 5Gbps |
| Ethernet Speed | 2.5GbE | 1GbE |
| Audio Jack Configuration | Front Combo Plus Rear In And Out | Single Combo |
| macOS Supported | Yes | Yes |
| Windows Supported | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 640 g | 350 g |
| Brand | CalDigit | Plugable |
| Model | TS4 | UD-6950Z |
| OS Compatibility | Mac, Windows, Chrome | Windows 7-11, macOS 10.14+, ChromeOS 100+ |
| Price | ~$300 | ~$200 |
| Source URL | https://www.caldigit.com/thunderbolt-station-4/ | https://plugable.com/products/ud-6950z |
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.
Plugable UD-6950Z
7 / 10 Expert Rating
The most display-flexible DisplayLink dock here, ideal for triple-monitor setups on older hardware.