I’ve been closely watching CalDigit’s Thunderbolt dock lineup evolve, and their latest release just raised the bar. After showcasing a compact Thunderbolt 5 dock at CES 2025, CalDigit is now rolling out two powerful, full-sized docking stations: the TS5 and the TS5 Plus. Whether you're a creative professional, a power user, or someone who just wants more ports and speed, these docks are built to impress.
TS5 Plus: 20 Ports and Unmatched Bandwidth
The CalDigit TS5 Plus is the flagship of the two and packs a serious punch with 20 ports, priced at $499.99. I’m talking about full-speed Thunderbolt 5, five USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, five USB-A, an SD/microSD card reader, 10Gb Ethernet, and even a headphone jack.
What makes the TS5 Plus stand out is its dual 10Gb/s USB controllers, a first for any Thunderbolt dock, according to DigiCalc. This translates to significantly improved USB bandwidth, making it perfect for workflows involving large media transfers or running multiple peripherals at once.
Power Delivery and Display Support That Stands Out
I was impressed to see that three of the TS5 Plus’ ports can charge devices at up to 36W, and the dock can supply 140W of power to your primary host – enough for a MacBook Pro or any demanding laptop.
Each of its three Thunderbolt 5 ports supports up to 80Gbps data transfer speeds with Bandwidth Boost up to 120Gbps. As a Mac user, I love that I can run dual 8K displays at 60Hz or 4K monitors at 240Hz. If you're on Windows, you can connect up to three external 4K displays. That kind of flexibility is rare in docks even in 2025.
TS5: Affordable, Feature-Rich, and Still Lightning Fast
If you’re looking for a slightly cheaper option, the TS5 arrives in May 2025 for $369.99. Despite costing less, it’s still a beast. You get 15 ports, including four Thunderbolt 5 ports, three USB-C, two USB-A, 2.5Gb Ethernet, SD card slots, and a headphone jack.
The performance here is nearly identical to the TS5 Plus: 80Gbps standard speeds, 120Gbps boost, and 140W host charging. The only major difference? The power delivery through USB-C drops slightly to 20W and 15W.
What About Tariffs?
There’s been talk about how President Trump’s tariffs could affect electronics pricing. When I reached out to CalDigit’s marketing executive, Kosta Panagos, he told me they’re monitoring the situation but sticking to their announced prices for now. That’s reassuring if you're planning to buy soon – and trust me, these docks are worth jumping on early.
A Must-Have for Creatives and Power Users
Both the TS5 and TS5 Plus are packed with cutting-edge Thunderbolt 5 performance, extensive port selection, and smart power delivery – something I always look for in a dock. Whether you're video editing, coding, gaming, or managing multiple high-res displays, these docks are built to handle it all.
As someone who works with external displays and high-bandwidth devices daily, I can confidently say CalDigit just made two of the best docks of 2025. If you're upgrading your workspace, these deserve to be at the top of your list.
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