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Best Thunderbolt 4 Docks for Mac Compared!

16:18 video

Searching for a Thunderbolt dock on Amazon blasts you with options, but you’ve probably run across three: the CalDigit TS4, the OWC Thunderbolt Dock and the Anker 777 Apex. A disclaimer: I’ve worked with CalDigit before and it has sponsored some videos, but this video isn’t sponsored by or collaborated on with CalDigit or any of these companies. The opinions are mine. This video’s sponsor is Casekoo.

All three are Thunderbolt 4 docks, the most compatible kind: they work with Thunderbolt 4, Thunderbolt 3, USB4, USB 3 and all variations, even computers with only USB4 or USB 3.

Build and ports

  • CalDigit TS4: 18 ports, solid aluminum all the way around, sits horizontally or vertically (a rubber pad on the bottom, and rubber tabs for the side).
  • OWC Thunderbolt Dock: 11 ports, an aluminum band around the edge with plastic top and bottom, horizontal only.
  • Anker 777 Apex: 12 ports, an aluminum band with plastic top and bottom; standing it up needs an extra ~$30 stand.

Thunderbolt ports

The host port goes from the dock to your computer. On the OWC and the Anker, it’s on the front, which in my opinion makes a messier setup: you’re unlikely to use all the front ports at once, but a cable always comes out the front and wraps around to your computer. On the TS4, the host port is on the back, so all cables can route out the back and hide behind your computer.

Downstream Thunderbolt ports (for SSDs, displays, audio interfaces, high-speed networking): the TS4 has two, the OWC three (it has no dedicated video ports, so nothing takes away from Thunderbolt), and the Anker one.

Speed test

I copied a Final Cut Pro library of just over 200 GB to a Thunderbolt 3 SSD through each dock, using my iPhone 14 Pro Max in a Casekoo Magic Stand case as the timer, and Casekoo sponsored this video: its Magic Stand case (also in a new frosted clear) has a built-in stand that folds out, 48 magnets for MagSafe, and a clean design with front glass and camera protection.

  • TS4: 2 minutes 45 seconds (about 9.7 Gb/s).
  • OWC: 2 minutes 36 seconds (about 10 Gb/s).
  • Anker: 2 minutes 36 seconds (about 10 Gb/s).

That’s within a margin of error from heat and other factors, so I’d call them basically the same. Disk benchmarks gave similar results: about 1,200 MB/s write and 2,800 MB/s read. You can connect two SSDs and get similar speeds on both, though a connected display can reduce the maximum, since displays take priority.

Video

  • Anker: two built-in HDMI ports. TS4: a built-in DisplayPort. OWC: no video ports, so you need a Thunderbolt display, a USB-C display with DisplayPort, or an adapter.
  • Each can output up to 8K to a single display, but the TS4 and OWC reach 8K at 60 Hz, while the Anker only does 8K at 30 Hz.
  • For 4K high refresh, the Anker and OWC do up to 120 Hz, and the TS4 up to 144 Hz. A higher refresh rate means things happen faster, like ProMotion: less blur when moving the mouse or scrolling, and smoother gaming.
  • Each can do two 4K displays at 60 Hz, through adapters or the built-in ports.

Ethernet

All three have an Ethernet port, which matters a lot to some people and not at all to others. I have a 10 Gb network at home, so it matters to me for moving files between my NAS and computer. One gigabit has been the standard for a long time, and most of your devices are probably 1 Gb, but 2.5 Gb Ethernet, two and a half times faster, is becoming common on consumer routers, so check which speed each dock has before you buy.

USB

  • TS4: eight USB ports (five on the back, three on the front), a mix of USB-A and USB-C, all at 10 Gb/s, which means you can use a fast USB-C 10 Gb/s SSD without paying for a Thunderbolt one.
  • OWC: three USB-A on the back at 10 Gb/s, and one USB-A on the front at USB 2 speed (480 Mb/s).
  • Anker: four USB-A on the back (two at 10 Gb/s and two USB 2.0, fine for a keyboard, mouse dongle or an old thumb drive) and one USB-C on the front.

The front USB-C ports on the Anker and TS4 put out up to 20 W, which can quickly charge an iPhone, iPad, or even a MacBook Air. The TS4 also charges from that port when no host is connected, so you can leave a device charging while you take your MacBook elsewhere.

SD cards

The TS4 has two slots (SD and microSD), usable at once, so you can pull video from a camera and audio from a recorder at the same time. The OWC and Anker have one. The TS4 and Anker are spring-loaded, while the OWC’s isn’t (like the MacBook Pro’s built-in slot, which I don’t like using). I prefer the springy action of the CalDigit and Anker. Speeds were all the same: about 100 MB/s write and 260 MB/s read, the limit of my cards.

Audio

All three have a front combo headphone/microphone jack. Only the TS4 has rear audio out and in, handy for desktop speakers and an external microphone without routing cables to the front.

Power

  • Anker: up to 90 W to the host, with a 120 W adapter.
  • OWC: up to 96 W, with a 135 W adapter.
  • TS4: up to 98 W, with a 230 W adapter.

That isn’t the whole story. With a couple of devices like iPads and SSDs connected, the Anker drops from 90 W to about 62 W, and the OWC from 96 W to about 62 W. The TS4 keeps a constant 98 W with the same devices, which is why it comes with the bigger power supply. (The Anker also has a power button, and I’m not sure why.)

Which one?

  • Anker Apex: if you use dual 4K HDMI-type monitors and just need a couple of extra ports, with its two HDMI ports, a couple of USB-A ports and a front USB-C.
  • OWC: if you don’t use external displays (or use few) and want to connect lots of fast storage through three downstream Thunderbolt ports, plus a couple of USB-A ports for Macs that lack them, though no extra USB-C ports.
  • CalDigit TS4: for a real professional workload or if you need the most: 18 ports, a rear host port, two downstream Thunderbolt ports, far more USB-C, the fastest 4K 144 Hz through DisplayPort (leaving the Thunderbolt ports free), rear audio, dual SD slots, and a fast-charging front USB-C port.

Prices at the time: TS4 $449, Anker Apex $299, OWC from $249, all frequently on sale. They’re all really good Thunderbolt 4 docks, and the right one depends on your needs.

In this video

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