CalDigit TS3 Plus Thunderbolt 3 Dock [Review]: About as good as it gets

Thunderbolt 3 is the speedy information transfer standard that uses a USB-C form factor to evangelize upwardly to 40Gbps transfer speeds and 100W charging. Thanks to the versatility of this standard ― you tin can utilise it to connect dual monitors one minute and apply it the next to charge your laptop ― it's becoming more mutual on modernistic Ultrabooks. Information technology'south a necessary unifying step that volition eventually cut out a lot of other protocols, but in that location are a couple of problems to fence with. Your peripherals, similar your monitor, keyboard, and mouse, aren't likely all using Thunderbolt 3 (or even USB-C), and your laptop doesn't likely have enough ports to connect all your devices at your workstation.

The solution is a Thunderbolt 3 docking station. Ideally, you want a broad and plentiful port option, and you want something that can power and charge your laptop. The CalDigit TS3 Plus I have here seems to bank check the boxes at commencement glance, but how well does it perform and is it right for your home or office?

Thunderbolt 3 dock

CalDigit TS3 Plus

Starts at most $250

Bottom line: With 15 ports, great operation, and a small footprint, the TS3 Plus is about the all-time Thunderbolt 3 dock you can purchase today.

Pros

• 15 total ports.
• Small-scale footprint.
• Super operation.
• Decent warranty and back up.

Cons

• 0.5 meter cable might be too short for some setups.
• Some might miss HDMI.

What you'll love almost the CalDigit TS3 Plus

Most popular Thunderbolt 3 docks have a narrow rectangular shape that admittedly looks good, though they take up more room on your desk and tin't stand vertically. Non here. It's kind of shocking how compact the TS3 Plus is when you pull it out of the box, with a boxy pattern that lets you lot stand it up. It has enough weight and an anti-slip pad on the bottom to proceed it from shifting effectually too much, and in that location are optional prophylactic feet you tin can press on if you'd similar it to sit horizontally. The corrugated surface hides dirt and smudges, and its aluminum structure feels durable. If something goes wrong, yous can take advantage of lifetime support or the ane-year warranty (which can be doubled if you buy from CalDigit).

Category	Spec
Ports	Five USB-A 3.1, 2 USB-C 3.1, DisplayPort i.2, Two Thunderbolt 3, Ethernet, S/PDIF, SD card reader (SD 4.0 UHS-2), 3.five mm audio in/out
Max display resolution	5,120 x 2,880 @ 60Hz (Thunderbolt 3), 4,096 x ii,160 @ 60Hz (DisplayPort)
Power commitment	Upward to 85W (to laptop)
Dimensions	v.15 in ten ane.57 in x 3.87 in (131 mm x 40 mm x 98.44 mm)
Weight	one.04 pounds (0.47 kg)

Y'all plug the Thunderbolt three cable into your PC, plug the ability cable into the dock, and you're ready to go. This dock is bursting with ports, and over the grade of my testing I didn't meet a scenario where I was unplugging something merely to make room for some other device. Five USB-A 3.1 ports offer data transfer and charging, though they don't seem to be withal when I tested with my Plugable USB-C voltage and amperage meter. The front port and the top four rear ports delivered 5V and 1.5A (seven.5W) of charging, while the bottom rear port didn't seem to go over 5V and 0.5A (2.5W). The front and back USB-C ports likewise charged at 7.5W.

Testing SD reader performance with my crumbling UHS-I bill of fare, I saw 46.68 MB/s read and eleven.74 MB/southward write speeds. Keep in listen the that TS3 Plus supports the UHS-2 interface, so a newer card should achieve higher speeds. I did not have an external USB-C or Thunderbolt three solid-state drive (SSD) to test with; instead, I tested each of the USB-A ports with my Seagate 1TB external hard bulldoze (using a USB-A 3.0 interface) and came back with an average sequential read speed of 139.7 MB/s and write speed of 128.three MB/s. Testing with the drive plugged direct into my laptop, read speeds were slightly faster and write speeds were the same.

The LG gram 15Z980 I used to test Ethernet (the dock also worked flawlessly with Dell and Lenovo laptops) came with a USB-C to Ethernet adapter that I idea was handy, though upward against the dock at that place's no contest. With LG's adapter I was getting nearly 94.10Mbps downwards and 16.06Mbps up, but with the TS3 Plus I hit 177.4Mbps downwards and 18.75Mbps upward. That'southward virtually as fast as my net gets, simply the dock should realistically allow much higher speeds.

1 characteristic that actually sets this dock apart is the 85W Thunderbolt 3 laptop charging. Yes, the dock comes with a beefy power adapter, but information technology can sit below your desk while you power and charge simply about any of your compatible laptops while also easily handling your peripherals. The DisplayPort can handle a 4K display at 60Hz, and a second 4K display can exist added if you use the second Thunderbolt iii port (which takes total reward of 4x PCIe lanes). 5K, yous say? The Thunderbolt 3 port should handle a single display at that resolution and keep a 60Hz refresh rate.

What yous'll detest almost the CalDigit TS3 Plus

There's not much to dislike nearly the TS3 Plus, though there are some minor points to consider. If you're merely looking for a dock to charge multiple USB-A peripherals, you lot can no doubt find something far cheaper that delivers as proficient or better ability delivery. The TS3 Plus is no slouch, merely at $250, that's about $50 per USB-A port.

DisplayPort is slowly taking over from HDMI, but a lot of people ― myself included ― are still using displays with the older standard. You can still hook things upward by purchasing a DisplayPort to HDMI adapter, only you and then have to worry near the compatibility and quality of the actress hardware. It's not a huge deal, but there are plenty of shoddy adapters on the market of which you should be wary.

Finally, the Thunderbolt 3 cable that connects the dock to your laptop can be had in either 0.5 meters or 2 meters. I have the 0.5 meter cable, and I can meet how information technology might be too short for some with a big setup. The solution is of form to either keep your laptop shut to your dock or to buy the longer cable, though you're paying about $thirty actress for the added length.

CalDigit TS3 Plus bottom line

After spending about ii weeks with the TS3 Plus on my desk-bound, I don't see how I tin go dorsum to the myriad hubs and adapters I have lying around my office. My needs are admittedly not as intense as some professionals, but information technology handled everything I threw at it with ease. I'thousand getting faster Ethernet, an easy connection to my external monitor, plenty of USB-A ports that can charge my peripherals, and an SD card reader for quick transfer of my photos. If I had the hardware, I could also connect my speakers with the South/PDIF port, and I could also accept a pretty sweet dual-4K brandish setup (one tin dream).

As for the cost, it looks equally though you can continue to save $100 off the regular price of $350 (for the 0.five-meter cablevision option). These docks are currently sold out at CalDigit and Amazon, but a third shipment is expected to be released belatedly April. Whether or non the price will render to $350 at that point is unclear. My suggestion? Put in an club while the dock remains at the discounted price and don't look back.

Run across at CalDigit

We may earn a commission for purchases using our links. Learn more.

Oh Dear

New report reveals Microsoft's future AR strategy; HoloLens 3 is dead

Business Insider has today published a follow-upwardly report with more details about Microsoft'southward canceled HoloLens 3 augmented reality headset. The partnership with Samsung is said to include a headset with a set of screens inside, powered by a Samsung phone in your pocket.

Keeping it affordable

Review: Surface Laptop SE is the new standard for K-8 Windows PCs

Starting at simply $250, Microsoft's first foray into affordable laptops for the education market is a winner. With a gorgeous design, excellent thermals, and a fantastic typing feel, Microsoft would do right to sell this directly to consumers as well. Allow's just hope Intel tin can make a amend CPU.

Heir-apparent's guide

These are the best Netgear routers available now

Love Netgear and want to amend your home internet? We've rounded upwardly the best routers available now, whether you're looking to game, set up a mesh network, or just savour lag-free internet in your home.

Source: https://www.windowscentral.com/caldigit-ts3-plus

Posted by: trantrive1970.blogspot.com

Share this post