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CalDigit TS5 Plus vs Kensington SD5000T5 EQ: Comparison
CalDigit TS5 Plus vs Kensington SD5000T5 EQ ethernet speed compared
Expect a near tie. The closest thing to a difference is ethernet speed, CalDigit TS5 Plus 10GbE against Kensington SD5000T5 EQ 2.5GbE. They differ on usb-a port count too, 5 on the CalDigit TS5 Plus versus 3 on the Kensington SD5000T5 EQ.
CalDigit TS5 Plus vs Kensington SD5000T5 EQ: which one fits your build
Take the CalDigit TS5 Plus for power users who refuse to compromise on port count or bandwidth. It is equally the pick for buyers wanting a dock they can keep for five-plus years without needing to upgrade. Avoid it for buyers on a budget or without a Thunderbolt 5-equipped laptop, the price premium doesn't pay back unless running extreme displays or workloads that need the extra bandwidth today. Take the Kensington SD5000T5 EQ for high-refresh multi-monitor workstation setups and power-hungry laptops needing full-speed charging through the dock. It is the wrong buy for simpler single-display setups where a less expensive dock covers the need just as well. Our rating of the CalDigit TS5 Plus (10/10): best overall Thunderbolt 5 dock, most ports, best charging, dual 8K@60Hz, and 10GbE for buyers who refuse to compromise. Our rating of the Kensington SD5000T5 EQ (9/10): the highest power delivery in our dock lineup paired with genuine triple 4K@144Hz output.
What CalDigit TS5 Plus and Kensington SD5000T5 EQ have in common
The common ground is wider than the gap: host power delivery, ethernet, connection type, host interface and thunderbolt version are identical here. They match on 14 further specifications as well.
CalDigit TS5 Plus vs Kensington SD5000T5 EQ price
The CalDigit TS5 Plus asks 85% more, $500 against $270 for the Kensington SD5000T5 EQ.
Frequently asked questions
Do the CalDigit TS5 Plus and Kensington SD5000T5 EQ differ on port configuration?
Yes. Port Configuration reads 1x TB5 host, 2x TB5 downstream , 5x USB-C... on the CalDigit TS5 Plus versus 11-in-1: 1x TB5 host, 3x TB5 downstream , 3x... on the Kensington SD5000T5 EQ.
Is the Host Bandwidth the same on the CalDigit TS5 Plus and Kensington SD5000T5 EQ?
It is. Both are listed at 80 Gbps, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Brand
- CalDigit TS5 Plus
- CalDigit
- Kensington SD5000T5 EQ
- Kensington
Connection Type
- CalDigit TS5 Plus
- Thunderbolt 5
- Kensington SD5000T5 EQ
- Thunderbolt 5
Host Interface
- CalDigit TS5 Plus
- Thunderbolt 5
- Kensington SD5000T5 EQ
- Thunderbolt 5
Model Number
- CalDigit TS5 Plus
- TS5 Plus
- Kensington SD5000T5 EQ
- SD5000T5 EQ
Port Configuration
- CalDigit TS5 Plus
- 1x TB5 host, 2x TB5 downstream (80Gbps), 5x USB-C 10Gbps, 5x USB-A 10Gbps, DisplayPort 2.1, 10GbE, SD/microSD UHS-II, front/rear 3.5mm audio
- Kensington SD5000T5 EQ
- 11-in-1: 1x TB5 host, 3x TB5 downstream (80Gbps), 3x USB-A 10Gbps, SD + microSD UHS-II, 2.5GbE, 3.5mm combo audio
Thunderbolt Version
- CalDigit TS5 Plus
- 5
- Kensington SD5000T5 EQ
- 5
Host Bandwidth
- CalDigit TS5 Plus
- 80 Gbps
- Kensington SD5000T5 EQ
- 80 Gbps
Max Display Support
- CalDigit TS5 Plus
- Quad 4K
- Kensington SD5000T5 EQ
- Triple 4K@144Hz / Dual 8K@60Hz
Host Power Delivery
- CalDigit TS5 Plus
- 140 W
- Kensington SD5000T5 EQ
- 140 W
Ethernet
- CalDigit TS5 Plus
- Yes
- Kensington SD5000T5 EQ
- Yes
Bus Powered
- CalDigit TS5 Plus
- No
- Kensington SD5000T5 EQ
- No
Video Path
- CalDigit TS5 Plus
- Thunderbolt Native
- Kensington SD5000T5 EQ
- Thunderbolt Native
DisplayLink Driver Required
- CalDigit TS5 Plus
- No
- Kensington SD5000T5 EQ
- No
Max Displays Windows
- CalDigit TS5 Plus
- 3
- Kensington SD5000T5 EQ
- 3
Max Single Display Resolution
- CalDigit TS5 Plus
- 8K
- Kensington SD5000T5 EQ
- 8K
Max Dual Display Resolution
- CalDigit TS5 Plus
- 6K
- Kensington SD5000T5 EQ
- 8K
Max Dual Display Refresh
- CalDigit TS5 Plus
- 120 Hz
- Kensington SD5000T5 EQ
- 60 Hz
HDMI Port Count
- CalDigit TS5 Plus
- 0
- Kensington SD5000T5 EQ
- 0
HDMI Version
- CalDigit TS5 Plus
- None
- Kensington SD5000T5 EQ
- None
DisplayPort Port Count
- CalDigit TS5 Plus
- 1
- Kensington SD5000T5 EQ
- 0
DisplayPort Version
- CalDigit TS5 Plus
- 2.1
- Kensington SD5000T5 EQ
- None
Downstream Thunderbolt Port Count
- CalDigit TS5 Plus
- 2
- Kensington SD5000T5 EQ
- 3
USB-A Port Count
- CalDigit TS5 Plus
- 5
- Kensington SD5000T5 EQ
- 3
Max USB Data Rate
- CalDigit TS5 Plus
- 10Gbps
- Kensington SD5000T5 EQ
- 10Gbps
Offline Charging
- CalDigit TS5 Plus
- Yes
- Kensington SD5000T5 EQ
- Yes
Ethernet Speed
- CalDigit TS5 Plus
- 10GbEBest
- Kensington SD5000T5 EQ
- 2.5GbE
SD Card Slot
- CalDigit TS5 Plus
- UHS-II
- Kensington SD5000T5 EQ
- UHS-II
microSD Card Slot
- CalDigit TS5 Plus
- UHS-II
- Kensington SD5000T5 EQ
- UHS-II
Audio Jack Configuration
- CalDigit TS5 Plus
- Front Combo Plus Rear In And Out
- Kensington SD5000T5 EQ
- Single Combo
macOS Supported
- CalDigit TS5 Plus
- Yes
- Kensington SD5000T5 EQ
- Yes
Windows Supported
- CalDigit TS5 Plus
- Yes
- Kensington SD5000T5 EQ
- Yes
Price
- CalDigit TS5 Plus
- ~$500
- Kensington SD5000T5 EQ
- $269.99 MSRP
Which one should you pick?
Choose CalDigit TS5 Plus if you want the higher host power delivery (140 W vs 140 W).
Choose Kensington SD5000T5 EQ if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.
Price comparison
| Retailer | CalDigit TS5 Plus | Kensington SD5000T5 EQ |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | $500.00 View on Amazon | $269.99 View on Amazon |
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 TS5 Plus
10 / 10 Expert Rating
Best overall Thunderbolt 5 dock, most ports, best charging, dual 8K@60Hz, and 10GbE for buyers who refuse to compromise.
Kensington SD5000T5 EQ
9 / 10 Expert Rating
The highest power delivery in our dock lineup paired with genuine triple 4K@144Hz output.