Best Docking Stations · head-to-head

CalDigit TS4 vs OWC Thunderbolt 4 Dock

A sourced, side-by-side comparison. OWC Thunderbolt 4 Dock is cheaper at $249. Every spec and price links to its source.

Which is better: the CalDigit TS4 or OWC Thunderbolt 4 Dock?

On the specs we track, they're closely matched. The OWC Thunderbolt 4 Dock is the cheaper at $249.

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Full spec sheet

marks the stronger figure where "more" — or "less", for price and weight — is unambiguously better.

Spec CalDigit TS4 OWC Thunderbolt 4 Dock
US price $379.99 $249
BrandCalDigitOWC
Released20222021
Host connection Thunderbolt 4 Thunderbolt 4
Total ports 18 11
Power delivery (W) 98 96
Max external displays 2 2
Ethernet 2.5 GbE GbE
Sd card reader Yes Yes
Release 2022 2021

Sources — CalDigit TS4: us.caldigit.com (verified 2026-06-15). OWC Thunderbolt 4 Dock: eshop.macsales.com (verified 2026-06-15).

What's the difference between the CalDigit TS4 and OWC Thunderbolt 4 Dock?

Where the two actually differ on the specs we track (3 of 6). Matching specs are omitted.

  • Total ports: CalDigit TS4 18 vs OWC Thunderbolt 4 Dock 11
  • Power delivery (W): CalDigit TS4 98 vs OWC Thunderbolt 4 Dock 96
  • Ethernet: CalDigit TS4 2.5 GbE vs OWC Thunderbolt 4 Dock GbE

What reviewers say

Sourced tester consensus for each — the "what people who used it think" layer, not just specs.

CalDigit TS4

Two whitelisted hands-on testers — The Verge and TechRadar — rate the CalDigit TS4 the best Thunderbolt 4 dock available (The Verge calls it the "king of Thunderbolt docks," TechRadar the "gold standard"), praising its 18 ports, build quality and 98W charging. Both flag the steep ~$380 price and lack of a dedicated HDMI port. The Verge scored it 8/10; TechRadar gave a full 5 stars / Editor's Choice. No RTINGS, PCMag or Notebookcheck TS4 review was included; other coverage was non-whitelisted. (2 sourced reviews, 2 lab-tested.)

Praised: Best-in-class connectivity — 18 ports spanning Thunderbolt 4, USB-C/USB-A, DisplayPort, Ethernet and SD/microSD; Sturdy metal build with reliable, plug-and-forget everyday operation; 98W laptop charging plus offline/passthrough charging of accessories when the host is unplugged.

Flagged: High price (~$380), among the most expensive Thunderbolt 4 docks; No dedicated HDMI port — video out is DisplayPort or USB-C/Thunderbolt only; Physically bulky and not very portable; The Verge notes a large 230W external power brick.

OWC Thunderbolt 4 Dock

Only one whitelisted tester, TechRadar, published a verifiable hands-on review of this exact 11-port OWC Thunderbolt 4 Dock. It praises the broad, flexible port selection, the understated build quality and the 90W laptop charging, while flagging the absence of dedicated HDMI/DisplayPort outputs. The review is qualitative with no benchmarked measurements. (1 sourced review.)

Praised: Broad, flexible port selection (Thunderbolt 4 downstream, USB-A, Gigabit Ethernet, SD reader); 90W laptop charging keeps even demanding laptops powered while docked; Understated, high-quality engineering and easy plug-and-play setup.

Flagged: No dedicated HDMI/DisplayPort video outputs — requires separate adapters that are not included; OWC stock availability can be inconsistent, so units may be hard to buy.

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