Main trade-off
CalDigit TS4
Its 98W host maximum and 15W downstream TB power may leave a separate charger in the setup.
Head-to-head
CalDigit TS4 vs TS5 Plus: Both keep USB-A gear, Plus needs a reason beyond more ports
The short answer
Both docks keep five fast USB-A accessories, so TS5 Plus needs a useful network or power advantage to justify the change. Keep TS4 for a supported older laptop, a 2.5GbE-or-slower network and equipment already served by its 98W charging and video routes. Choose Plus when a compatible modern laptop, ready 10GbE path or higher-power Thunderbolt accessory removes a real limit. Plus excludes USB-C-only and Thunderbolt 3 Windows hosts. More capable hardware can be less suitable for a desk shared with an older work machine.
Before you choose
The reasoning and the trade-offs
A busy desk can have enough ports already
Someone using a webcam, microphone, input receiver and two USB drives already needs five USB-A connections. Both docks provide five fast A sockets. TS5 Plus therefore does not remove another hub from that particular layout, because TS4 already covers the count. Its dual USB controllers and faster host link may matter for a different workload, but the plug count alone proves no speed improvement. If the actual annoyance is reaching a short cable or safely ejecting drives before leaving, replacing the dock may not solve it. Plus is easier to justify when a separate verified limit also exists, such as compatible higher-power charging or a ready 10GbE storage path.
What this is based on
Five named example connections compared with five USB-A sockets on each dock. No assumption that all devices require 10Gb/s or simultaneous saturation. Both have the same direct USB-A count.
Main trade-off
CalDigit TS5 Plus
It excludes TB3 Windows and USB-C-only hosts. Its 10GbE port cannot fix a slower switch, and the Windows driver must be allowed.
CalDigit TS4
- Choose it for
- Your current network and USB accessories already fit TS4, and 98W meets the supported laptop’s needs.
- A supported TB3 Windows laptop or limited USB-C fallback must remain part of the setup. Ethernet is unavailable in USB-C-only fallback.
- Main trade-off
- Its 98W host maximum and 15W downstream TB power may leave a separate charger in the setup.
CalDigit TS5 Plus
- Choose it for
- A supported PD 3.1 laptop genuinely benefits from charging above 98W, or a compatible TB accessory needs more than 15W.
- A 10GbE NAS path is ready, its storage can benefit, and the Windows network driver is permitted.
- Main trade-off
- It excludes TB3 Windows and USB-C-only hosts. Its 10GbE port cannot fix a slower switch, and the Windows driver must be allowed.
About this comparison
CalDigit TS4 vs TS5 Plus for a working home office, fast NAS and demanding laptop. Find the upgrade that changes the day rather than just the specification.
A TS4 owner or new CalDigit shopper may consider the flagship upgrade while retaining the same USB accessories and screens. Both have five fast USB-A ports and direct DisplayPort, so the decision is different from TS4 versus the smaller TS5.
Winner by situation
Start with what you need it to do
Five USB-A accessories are the main requirement
Both provide five fast USB-A sockets. Shared bandwidth still applies.
- CalDigit TS4
- Good
- CalDigit TS5 Plus
- Good
The work laptop is TB3 Windows and must remain supported
Plus explicitly excludes that host type.
- CalDigit TS4
- Better fit
- CalDigit TS5 Plus
- Not suitable
A supported laptop needs charging above 98W
Plus can offer 140W with the right PD 3.1 host. Original chargers may still be needed.
- CalDigit TS4
- Caution
- CalDigit TS5 Plus
- Better fit
The NAS path is already ready for 10GbE
Plus has the matching network port, subject to driver and storage checks.
- CalDigit TS4
- Not suitable
- CalDigit TS5 Plus
- Better fit
What matters in practice
The differences that matter
A busy desk can have enough ports already
Someone using a webcam, microphone, input receiver and two USB drives already needs five USB-A connections. Both docks provide five fast A sockets. TS5 Plus therefore does not remove another hub from that particular layout, because TS4 already covers the count. Its dual USB controllers and faster host link may matter for a different workload, but the plug count alone proves no speed improvement. If the actual annoyance is reaching a short cable or safely ejecting drives before leaving, replacing the dock may not solve it. Plus is easier to justify when a separate verified limit also exists, such as compatible higher-power charging or a ready 10GbE storage path.
How we reached this conclusion
Five named example connections compared with five USB-A sockets on each dock. No assumption that all devices require 10Gb/s or simultaneous saturation. Both have the same direct USB-A count.
One extra charger may cost less inconvenience than an incompatible workday
A new personal laptop may make Plus’s 140W host charging attractive, while an older employer-issued TB3 Windows laptop still needs the same desk during the week. Plus excludes that older host. TS4 documents support, with exact laptop and display checks. In that household, keeping TS4 and using the personal laptop’s original charger when needed can preserve the shared screens and peripherals without making the work computer an exception. Plus becomes a better option after both hosts fall within its support list. The 42W difference is only a maximum-power difference. It does not prove a charging-time improvement or that either laptop accepts the advertised level.
How we reached this conclusion
140 minus 98 =42W maximum host-power difference, crossed with the explicit TB3 Windows exclusion. This does not model laptop consumption or charge rate.
A faster family-photo backup needs more than the dock’s network socket
If copying camera files to a NAS is the delay you want to remove, trace that route before buying Plus. A 1GbE switch caps either dock’s link to it at 1Gb/s. A 2.5GbE NAS connection likewise gives Plus no 10GbE link to that device. The upgrade becomes meaningful when the switch or direct NAS route, network hardware and storage are ready to exceed TS4’s limit. That is a different purchase from simply wanting more internet speed. On Windows, also check whether installing the 10GbE driver is allowed. If the surrounding network stays unchanged, TS4 can remain the right dock while money goes toward the actual limiting part of the backup path.
How we reached this conclusion
Link-ceiling reasoning using minimum supported rate across the dock and adjacent link. Does not calculate file transfer rate, router performance or internet service speed. Real NAS disks and protocols remain limits.
Choice A
CalDigit, TS4-US 500971
CalDigit TS4
Your current network and USB accessories already fit TS4, and 98W meets the supported laptop’s needs.
- Best matched use
- Your current network and USB accessories already fit TS4, and 98W meets the supported laptop’s needs.
Checked facts
- Existing USB-A collection: Five USB-A 10Gb/s ports
- Host power: 98W maximum
- Downstream TB power: Two ports, up to 15W each
- Network path: 2.5GbE
Choice B
CalDigit, TBT5-TS5Plus-US-AMZ
CalDigit TS5 Plus
A supported PD 3.1 laptop genuinely benefits from charging above 98W, or a compatible TB accessory needs more than 15W.
- Best matched use
- A supported PD 3.1 laptop genuinely benefits from charging above 98W, or a compatible TB accessory needs more than 15W.
Checked facts
- Existing USB-A collection: Five USB-A 10Gb/s ports
- Host power: 140W maximum with compatible PD 3.1 host
- Downstream TB power: Two ports, up to 36W each
- Network path: 10GbE, Windows driver required
Meaningful differences
What changes the fit
| What changes | CalDigit TS4 | CalDigit TS5 Plus | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Existing USB-A collection | Five USB-A 10Gb/s ports | Five USB-A 10Gb/s ports | Keeping the same five plug-in devices is not itself an upgrade reason. |
| Host power | 98W maximum | 140W maximum with compatible PD 3.1 host | A laptop that accepts less will not gain the full 42W difference. |
| Downstream TB power | Two ports, up to 15W each | Two ports, up to 36W each | The branch count stays the same while compatible device power changes. |
| Network path | 2.5GbE | 10GbE, Windows driver required | The rest of the path must be faster before Plus solves a transfer bottleneck. |
| Legacy work computer | Includes qualified TB3 Windows and USB-C fallback | Excludes TB3 Windows and USB-C-only hosts | A shared desk has to be checked against its least compatible required laptop. |
| Basic Mac dual screens | Native host display limits apply | Native host display limits still apply | Neither adds a second native screen to a basic M1/M2 Mac laptop. |
What you give up
Every choice has a cost
If you choose CalDigit TS4
- Check the actual laptop workload before assuming the original charger can stay in a bag.
If you choose CalDigit TS5 Plus
- Budget the surrounding network or compatible cables separately. Both docks already provide five fast USB-A sockets.
Recommendation switch
The decision flips if...
The current equipment already fits TS4 or an older work host must stay
Choose CalDigit TS4. The upgrade does not add USB-A sockets and can narrow compatibility.
A verified network or power limit is interrupting the actual routine
Choose CalDigit TS5 Plus. Plus offers a useful step once the connected equipment can use it.
What matters in practice
Before you choose
You want to improve the working setup without buying a flagship dock for capabilities the laptop, network and peripherals cannot use.
What this comparison cannot tell you
- No benchmark, battery-health or time-saving claim is inferred. Full-rate USB ports share upstream resources. Native Mac display limits remain unchanged.
What the facts say
What the comparison shows
Useful conclusions from the current docking stations comparison, followed by the checked facts used to reach them.
See the checked facts and calculation notes
| Product | Needs matched | Checked facts | Source records |
|---|---|---|---|
| CalDigit TS4 |
|
| |
| CalDigit TS5 Plus |
|
|
Ready to choose?
Check the price. Read the owner reviews.
Open either model on Amazon to check the current price, customer reviews and delivery options.
CalDigit TS4
Your current network and USB accessories already fit TS4, and 98W meets the supported laptop’s needs.
A supported TB3 Windows laptop or limited USB-C fallback must remain part of the setup. Ethernet is unavailable in USB-C-only fallback.
See price & reviews on AmazonCalDigit TS5 Plus
A supported PD 3.1 laptop genuinely benefits from charging above 98W, or a compatible TB accessory needs more than 15W.
A 10GbE NAS path is ready, its storage can benefit, and the Windows network driver is permitted.
See price & reviews on AmazonLinks open in a new tab.