I have been through (easily) 6 USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 hubs and docs in the past year. I swap every morning and evning between two computers one provided by my employer and my own. They are both Thunderbolt 3 MacBook Pros. Nothing has stacked up to meet my needs. Ive tried 'Side Car' style devices like HyperDrive and they cant handle a hard shell computer case like my personal laptop has not to mention the fact that the soldier joints on the connectors wear out over time. Ive tried unpowered dongle style devices like the devices branded by Lenovo, StarTech and Belkin but Some over heated after about 7hrs use (a work day is 8, then add any overtime or side project stuff), some had bad connectivity or detection problems, others had too few ports and eventually wore out their connectors. I realized quickly that HDMI output seemed to be what was causing my monitor detection/connection issues... So it became clear my needs were best thought of as follows:
1. Needs its own power (connection/detection should be faster + better drain for USB peripherals).
2. Needs a detachable Cable (replacing the cable as it gets worn is better than the whole device, both from a cost and waste perspective).
3. Needs to not overheat.
4. Should have TB Daisy chain capability.
5. Must work on Windows.
Nice to have:
1. 'Silent' fan.
2. Visual Indicator (power light).
3. Audio In/Out.
4. SD Card Slot.
This device meets every one of those requirements.
It has its own AC/DC Input for Power, The cable is replaceable (though you MUST use a super high quality (not cheap) cable the MFG sells them but i found the normal Apple one from my AC/DC power brick worked just fine), It gets hot, but doesnt overheat and has a thunderbolt out on the back that seems to work full speed. While it doesn't have a 'silent fan' it surpasses that requirement by simply not needing one, the whole of the aluminum body is itself a heat guide and sync. It has a blue LED Power light as well as front audio ports and SD card slot.
Last 'Must Have' that i took to highlight on its own: It works with Windows, as well as Mac and Linux. It utilizes standard protocols that makes drivers not necessary, but they are helpful. The utility programs for Mac and Windows allow some control over the device via software and are worth review even if they are 'extra'.
On the price point whilst 300$ was a bit steep this was one of those cases where I feel the headaches i saved myself were well worth it, and in the end i spent far more than that on devices before i went this route.
If i had one complaint, the 'spin up' (detection, connection, actualization) of devices is a touch slow, but that is only upon initial connection... and is maybe 20secs slower than the other devices I've used. Overall however that is a very small complaint that is hardly worth mentioning, but if your use-case requires almost instant actualization when you plug the device in, you might have to evaluate if this will work for your needs.
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Product Description
15 Ports of Extreme Connectivity
With the TS3 Plus, a single Thunderbolt 3 port from your laptop expands to 15 ports! Power users need as many ports as they can get hold of and the TS3 Plus delivers on this promise. Whether you need multiple USB ports, dual 4K display connectivity, Digital Optical Audio out, or an SD Card Reader, the TS3 Plus packs everything into an incredibly compact unit. Don’t compromise on connectivity with the TS3 Plus!
5K or Dual 4K Displays
The TS3 Plus' extreme connectivity is not just confined to data as it can also achieve extreme visual fidelity. Users have the option to connect dual extended 4K 60Hz monitors or a single 5K 60Hz monitor. The versatile DisplayPort connector can be used to connect to any monitor through the use of an active DisplayPort cable/adapter.
Laptop Charging
Thunderbolt 3 incorporates power delivery, allowing the TS3 Plus to charge Thunderbolt 3 laptops. Mac and PC users can put their laptop charger away and power their laptop through a single Thunderbolt 3 cable. The improved 87W power delivery will charge laptops in no time. The secondary Thunderbolt port can deliver 15W of power to charge other devices. **Firmware update required to boost charging capabilities from 85W to 87W
Fast SD Card Reader
With the advent of digital media, transferring data from SD cards to computers has become an integral part of any project, especially digital photography and 4K videography. TS3 Plus’ SD card reaper supports SD 4.0 and UHS-II speeds with a maximum theoretical throughput of 312MB/s, which means that transferring data from SD, SDHC or SDXC cards will be done in no time. Why use a USB card reader when you can connect through the most powerful interface available, Thunderbolt 3!
- 7 USB Ports
- Thunderbolt 3 Ports
- Horizontal or Vertical Orientation
Digital Optical Audio
When it comes to high-quality audio playback, every audio enthusiast knows the benefits of using the best equipment to retain optimal audio signals in its purest state. The Digital Audio port allows users to connect directly to their amplifier, speakers, or home theatre receiver for a pure digital signal. You can playback high bit-rate audio files from the TS3 Plus on your stereo amplifier or hear every detail on your TV’s surround sound speakers. Audio from an external docking solution never sounded this good!
Technical Specifications
System Requirements
- Thunderbolt 3 Computer | MacOS 10.12 or later | Windows 8, 8.1, 10 or later
Dimensions and Weight
- Height: 5.15 inches (131.0 mm) | Width: 1.57 inches (40.0 mm) | Depth: 3.87 inches (98.44 mm) | Weight: 1.04 lbs (0.47 kgs)
Interface
- 2 x Thunderbolt 3
- 1 x DisplayPort 1.2
- 5 x USB 3.1 Type-A (Gen1-5Gbps/5V 1.5A) | 2 x USB 3.1 Type-C (5V 1.5A)(1 x Gen1-5Gbps) (1 x Gen2-10Gbps)
- 1 x SD Card Reader (SD 4.0 UHS-II)
- 1 x Digital Optical Audio (S/PDIF)
- 1 x Gigabit Ethernet
- 1 x Analog Audio In (Stereo) | 1 x Analog Audio Out (Stereo)
Max. Video Resolution
- Thunderbolt 3: 5120 x 2880 60Hz | DisplayPort : 4096 x 2160 60Hz
In the Box: 1 x CalDigit TS3 Plus | 1 x Power Adapter | 1 x Power Cord | 1 x Thunderbolt 3 Cable
Compare with similar items
This Item  CalDigit TS3 Plus Thunderbolt 3 Dock - 87W Charging, 7X USB 3.1 Ports, USB-C Gen 2, DisplayPort, UHS-II SD Card Slot, Gigabit Ethernet for Mac & PC, Thunderbolt 4 Compatible (0.8m/2.62ft Cable) |  |  |  |  |  | |
| Price | — | -20% $439.99 List: $549.99 | $229.99 | -8% $229.99 List: $249.99 | $179.99 | -20% $119.99 List: $149.99 |
| Delivery | — | Get it as soon as Thursday, May 2 | Get it as soon as Thursday, May 2 | Get it as soon as Thursday, May 2 | Get it as soon as Thursday, May 2 | Get it as soon as Friday, May 3 |
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| Sold By | — | NEVE NA | Tobenone Official | OWC (Other World Computing) | AnkerDirect | UtechSmart |
| hardware interface | usb, thunderbolt, displayport | thunderbolt 4 | displayport, hdmi, usb c, ethernet, usb3.2 gen 2, microsd, 3 5 mm audio | thunderbolt 4, usb, usb c, usb3.0, usb2.0, ethernet | usb c | usb c |
| number of ports | 2 | 20 | 18 | 11 | 5 | 15 |
| number of usb ports | 7 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 4 | 4 |
| HDMI ports | — | 2 | 3 | 11 | — | 3 |
| compatible devices | MacBook Pro | MacBook Pro | Apple M1/M2/M3 and Intel Macs (MacBook Pro, MacBook Air with macOS 10.14 or later), such as MacBook Air Retina 12" (2016, Intel chip), MacBook Air Retina 13" (2018/2019/2020, Intel chip), MacBook Pro 13" (2016/2017/2018/2019/2020, Intel chip), MacBook Pro 14" (2021, M1 Pro or M1 Max chip), MacBook Pro 14" (2023, M2 Pro or M2 Max chip), MacBook Pro 14" (2023, M3 Pro or M3 Max chip), MacBook Pro 15" (2016/2017/2018/2019, Intel chip), MacBook Pro 16" (2019, Intel chip), MacBook Pro 16" (2021, M1 Pro or M1 Max chip), MacBook Pro 16" (2023, M2 Pro or M2 Max chip), MacBook Pro 16" (2023, M3 Pro or M3 Max chip), MacBook Air 13" (2020/2021, M1 chip), MacBook Pro 13" (2020, M1 chip), MacBook Air 13" (2022/2023, M2 chip), MacBook Pro 13" (2022, M2 chip), MacBook Pro 14" (2023, M3 chip), MacBook Air 15" (2023, M2 chip), Windows 10 / 11 & macOS 10.15.x and later, ChromeOS 100.x. Thunderbolt 3/ Thunderbolt 4/ full-featured USB-C Microsoft Surface line/HP Spectre x360 series, Dell XPS 13 / XPS 15 / Latitude series, Lenovo Thinkpad T series. Such as Microsoft Surface Book 2, Surface Go, Surface Laptop 3, Surface Pro 7; Dell XPS 13/XPS 15 9300/ 9310/ 9350/ 9360/ 9370/ 9380/ 9550/ 9560/ 9570/ 7390 +more) / Latitude 5310/ 5580/ 7490 +more); HP Spectre x360 13t, Specter x369, Elitebook 840 G5 series, Elitebook X2, Elitebook x360 1030 G3, Elitebook 745 G6, Elitebook 830 G6, 2018 HP Elite 800 G4, Envy x360 Laptop (15z-ds100), Zbook 17 G4; Lenovo Yoga 730/ Yoga 910/ Yoga 920/ Yoga 930, Yoga15 Thinkpad Ultrabook Pro, Thinkpad E590/ Thinkpad P72, Thinkpad T470/ T480/ T490; Thinkpad X1 Carbon; Legion Y530, Lenovo C930/ T480s; Huawei Macbook Mate10 or later; Google Slate (2019); Pixel book go 2019/2020, LG Gram, Samsung Galaxy TabPro S | Laptop/Personal Computer, Tablets, Chromebooks | Laptop | Windows USB C/A Laptops, MacBook Pro/Air M1 Chip |
| wattage | 85 watts | 180 watts | 120 watts | — | 100 watts | — |
Videos
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3:40
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WHY This Is The MOST USEFUL Dock Ever! Watch To Find Out!
Spencer J
Videos for this product
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CalDigit TS3 Plus Thunderbolt 3 Dock Review
Mike & Christy Hobbs
Reviews with images
Don't look at any other docks. You want THIS ONE!
*** IMPORTANT PRODUCT UPDATE AT THE CLOSE OF THIS REVIEW ***I am going to make an admission....I have done paid reviews for Caldigit in the past. They are a company I discovered a few years ago upon researching power docks for my various MacBooks which I have seemed to upgrade with every refresh. Since I run a website dedicated to computers, they were happy to send me their products to review on my site.This is not a paid review. I actually paid $300 for this TS3 Plus dock. However, the point I want to make is that I did so based on my experiences with their other docks I have used (that are still going strong today).I also continue to use their products because their support is second to none. One of my older CalDigit docks failed well over a year ago. It was a problem with the power supply. CalDigit immediately sent me a new power supply at no charge. Then, over the past few months, I was having issues with the dock not powering on. After back-and-forth discussion with their customer support team via email, we discovered the problem was the Thunderbolt cable I was using and not the device itself.Over the years I have had many conversations with their customer support team and I find them to be exceptional. I want you to know this because you need to be assured by someone that when you buy a CalDigit product you are going to also be getting first-rate customer support that will honor the warranty behind your product.In the case of the TS3 Plus.....I wanted to get rid of my iMac and use my 2017 MacBook Pro instead. Why pay to have a desktop AND a laptop when you can use the MacBook Pro as both?Now I simply take the laptop off my lap, and with a single cable connection, I plug it into the TS3 and I have my laptop displayed across my 54" 4k television. With a multitude of USB inputs, I have a keyboard, trackpad, and scanner at my disposal. An optical wire goes directly from the dock to my Logitech surround system. In the front, I have a slot for my camera's memory card as well as an additional USB plug in case I want to quickly insert a flash drive.Yes, this is an expensive dock. And, this was oddly not my first choice. I like the form factor of the OWC Thunderbolt 3 dock similarly priced as this one. However, have you read the reviews on the OWC dock? They are horrific. Once I read those less-than-stellar reviews I had no issue going with CalDigit. I was already aware of the superior quality of their docks and judging from the positive reviews I have read on Amazon, I see I am not alone in my raves about this dock. It just works!If you need to find a really good display port to HDMI adapter for this particular dock, I have a really good recommendation. Do click on my name to find my reviews.UPDATE (7/2018): I had a hardware issue with this dock. I contacted CalDigit Support and they arranged to have it sent back to them. They kept in constant touch with me regarding the repair. According to CalDigit, there was nothing wrong with the unit and it was working fine on their end. Nevertheless, at my request, they sent me a new unit without question. I am continually amazed at my interactions with CalDigit support and it certainly seems they go out of their way to make certain the customer is happy.
Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.
Reviewed in the United States on April 16, 2019
Size: 0.8 Meter CableColor: TS3 Plus - Space GrayVerified Purchase
I have been through (easily) 6 USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 hubs and docs in the past year. I swap every morning and evning between two computers one provided by my employer and my own. They are both Thunderbolt 3 MacBook Pros. Nothing has stacked up to meet my needs. Ive tried 'Side Car' style devices like HyperDrive and they cant handle a hard shell computer case like my personal laptop has not to mention the fact that the soldier joints on the connectors wear out over time. Ive tried unpowered dongle style devices like the devices branded by Lenovo, StarTech and Belkin but Some over heated after about 7hrs use (a work day is 8, then add any overtime or side project stuff), some had bad connectivity or detection problems, others had too few ports and eventually wore out their connectors. I realized quickly that HDMI output seemed to be what was causing my monitor detection/connection issues... So it became clear my needs were best thought of as follows:
1. Needs its own power (connection/detection should be faster + better drain for USB peripherals).
2. Needs a detachable Cable (replacing the cable as it gets worn is better than the whole device, both from a cost and waste perspective).
3. Needs to not overheat.
4. Should have TB Daisy chain capability.
5. Must work on Windows.
Nice to have:
1. 'Silent' fan.
2. Visual Indicator (power light).
3. Audio In/Out.
4. SD Card Slot.
This device meets every one of those requirements.
It has its own AC/DC Input for Power, The cable is replaceable (though you MUST use a super high quality (not cheap) cable the MFG sells them but i found the normal Apple one from my AC/DC power brick worked just fine), It gets hot, but doesnt overheat and has a thunderbolt out on the back that seems to work full speed. While it doesn't have a 'silent fan' it surpasses that requirement by simply not needing one, the whole of the aluminum body is itself a heat guide and sync. It has a blue LED Power light as well as front audio ports and SD card slot.
Last 'Must Have' that i took to highlight on its own: It works with Windows, as well as Mac and Linux. It utilizes standard protocols that makes drivers not necessary, but they are helpful. The utility programs for Mac and Windows allow some control over the device via software and are worth review even if they are 'extra'.
On the price point whilst 300$ was a bit steep this was one of those cases where I feel the headaches i saved myself were well worth it, and in the end i spent far more than that on devices before i went this route.
If i had one complaint, the 'spin up' (detection, connection, actualization) of devices is a touch slow, but that is only upon initial connection... and is maybe 20secs slower than the other devices I've used. Overall however that is a very small complaint that is hardly worth mentioning, but if your use-case requires almost instant actualization when you plug the device in, you might have to evaluate if this will work for your needs.
1. Needs its own power (connection/detection should be faster + better drain for USB peripherals).
2. Needs a detachable Cable (replacing the cable as it gets worn is better than the whole device, both from a cost and waste perspective).
3. Needs to not overheat.
4. Should have TB Daisy chain capability.
5. Must work on Windows.
Nice to have:
1. 'Silent' fan.
2. Visual Indicator (power light).
3. Audio In/Out.
4. SD Card Slot.
This device meets every one of those requirements.
It has its own AC/DC Input for Power, The cable is replaceable (though you MUST use a super high quality (not cheap) cable the MFG sells them but i found the normal Apple one from my AC/DC power brick worked just fine), It gets hot, but doesnt overheat and has a thunderbolt out on the back that seems to work full speed. While it doesn't have a 'silent fan' it surpasses that requirement by simply not needing one, the whole of the aluminum body is itself a heat guide and sync. It has a blue LED Power light as well as front audio ports and SD card slot.
Last 'Must Have' that i took to highlight on its own: It works with Windows, as well as Mac and Linux. It utilizes standard protocols that makes drivers not necessary, but they are helpful. The utility programs for Mac and Windows allow some control over the device via software and are worth review even if they are 'extra'.
On the price point whilst 300$ was a bit steep this was one of those cases where I feel the headaches i saved myself were well worth it, and in the end i spent far more than that on devices before i went this route.
If i had one complaint, the 'spin up' (detection, connection, actualization) of devices is a touch slow, but that is only upon initial connection... and is maybe 20secs slower than the other devices I've used. Overall however that is a very small complaint that is hardly worth mentioning, but if your use-case requires almost instant actualization when you plug the device in, you might have to evaluate if this will work for your needs.
Images in this review
Reviewed in the United States on January 1, 2024
Size: 0.8 Meter CableColor: TS3 Plus - Space GrayVerified Purchase
Reviewed in the United States on July 17, 2021
Size: 0.8 Meter CableColor: TS3 Plus - Space GrayVerified Purchase
Top reviews from other countries
Angel Kronk
El mejor adaptador del mercado
Reviewed in Mexico on January 21, 2022Size: 0.8 Meter CableColor: TS3 Plus - Space GrayVerified Purchase
Angel Kronk
Reviewed in Mexico on January 21, 2022
Images in this review
Chaitanya
Built like a tank
Reviewed in Canada on September 1, 2021Size: 0.8 Meter CableColor: TS3 Plus - Space GrayVerified Purchase
Ben and Kate
Excellent dock. High quality overall
Reviewed in Canada on December 15, 2018
Shayan rahimi
Arrived on time with great package
Reviewed in Australia on April 21, 2024Size: 0.8 Meter CableColor: TS3 Plus - Space GrayVerified Purchase
Isaac
Excelente para centralizar dispositivos.
Reviewed in Mexico on December 23, 2020Size: 0.8 Meter CableColor: TS3 Plus - Space GrayVerified Purchase
