Expert’s Ranking
Professionals
- Downstream Thunderbolt 3 port
- Vertical orientation, no stand essential
Negatives
- Just a solitary DisplayPort link
Our Verdict
CalDigit’s Thunderbolt Station 3 Additionally has been a common dock for numerous decades, but the emphasis on an external Thunderbolt port helps make this less interesting for PCs, unless you have invested in Thunderbolt-powered displays.
Finest Charges These days: CalDigit Thunderbolt Station 3 As well as (CalDigit TS3 In addition)
CalDigit’s Thunderbolt Station 3 As well as is one of the most well-known Thunderbolt 3 docks accessible, and it’s effortless to see why: a place-saving vertical orientation, 87W charging, gobs of available ports, niceties like a S/PDIF optical relationship and an additional Thunderbolt port for daisy-chaining products.
It’s this more Thunderbolt port that’s a bit of a challenge for PCs. Apple bought its own Thunderbolt Exhibit starting in 2011, and the further Thunderbolt port feels really considerably built for connecting to it. (A second Thunderbolt port connects to the Laptop through the involved cable.) Personal computer shows tend to use HDMI or DisplayPort connections, and immediately pushed Thunderbolt displays are rarer.
Be aware: This assessment is component of our roundup of the finest Thunderbolt docks. Got there for acquiring information, solution comparisons, and recommendations.
You can drive a solitary exterior display right from the dock, however, as there’s a single crafted-in DisplayPort 1.2 connection. To travel two external 4K/60 displays that use DisplayPort or HDMI connections, you’d require to spend in a independent USB-C dongle (or another Thunderbolt dock—a prohibitively high-priced alternative) and join it to the downstream Thunderbolt dock.
The TS3 As well as also includes one particular total-sized SD (SD 4. UHS-II) card reader, the S/PDIF port, gigabit ethernet, and two 3.5mm audio jacks—one in, a single out. Five USB Kind A ports are also incorporated (all 5Gbps USB 3.1 Gen 1) and two USB-C ports (1 5Gbps port, and just one 10Gbps port). You can cost a smartphone from possibly the front-mounted USB-A port or the rear USB-C port, as both of those supply 7.5W of electrical power.
Mark Hachman / IDG
The TS3 Moreover measures 5.15 x 3.87 x 1.57 inches, and weighs 1.04 lbs .. Nevertheless it lacks a supporting stand, it rests simply in a vertical place, which is a definite plus in phrases of conserving room. CalDigit also contains small rubber toes for positioning the aluminum dock in a horizontal orientation.
We applied an added USB-C dongle to empower a next HDMI display, which worked, although the connection dropped momentarily on the two shows when actively playing again video clip on each displays and transferring files. Otherwise, substantial-bandwidth video playback went effortlessly. The external audio jack also did not function at first, but did on a subsequent try. CalDigit’s TS3 Furthermore hardly warmed underneath load.
Whilst we’ve previously mentioned the CalDigit Thunderbolt Station 3 Plus among the most effective Thunderbolt docks, it is also true that a number of dock producers now compete incredibly effectively in opposition to it. For Mac consumers, this CalDigit dock may be a good option. For Computer system users, we think there are now far better options.
