Okay, so I’ve been needing a solid docking station for my setup for a while now. I do a lot of video editing and photo work, so I need something that can handle multiple displays, transfer data quickly, and keep all my devices charged. I’d heard good things about Caldigit, so I decided to check out their TS3 Plus. But then I saw they also had the older TS3, and I was like, “Wait, what’s the actual difference?” So, I got my hands on both to see what’s up.
First Impressions
I unboxed both of these bad boys, and honestly, they look pretty similar. Solid aluminum build, feel really sturdy, you know, the kind of thing you’d expect for the price. They both have a bunch of ports on the front and back, which is exactly what I need.
Port Rundown
Alright, let’s talk about the ports, because that’s where things start to get interesting. Here’s what I found when I started plugging things in:
- TS3 Plus: This thing is loaded. We’re talking five USB-A 3.0 ports, two USB-C ports (one is 3.1 Gen 1, the other is Gen 2 with 10Gbps speed – awesome!), a DisplayPort 1.2, Gigabit Ethernet, an SD card reader (UHS-II, super fast!), and even separate audio in and out jacks. Plus, it delivers 87W of power to charge my laptop. That’s huge.
- TS3: This one’s got a bit less going on. You get three USB-A 3.0 ports, two eSATA 6Gbps ports (which, let’s be real, I don’t really use anymore), a DisplayPort 1.2, Gigabit Ethernet, and audio in/out. It only charges at 85W, which is not a deal-breaker but still. The biggest thing is the Thunderbolt 2 ports, no Thunderbolt 3, so it is an older model!
Putting them to the Test
I used both docks for a few weeks, doing my usual workflow. I connected two 4K monitors, one through DisplayPort and the other using a USB-C to DisplayPort adapter. I had my external SSDs plugged in, my SD cards, my headphones, the whole shebang.
Here’s what I experienced:
- TS3 Plus: This thing handled everything like a champ. No lag, no dropped connections, smooth data transfers. The 87W charging kept my 16-inch MacBook Pro topped up without any issues. The extra USB-C port with the 10Gbps speed was really noticeable when I was moving large video files.
- TS3: It worked, but I did notice a few hiccups, but most noticeably, it couldn’t keep up with my workload since it runs on Thunderbolt 2. When I had both monitors and multiple drives running, I saw some slight slowdowns. It’s definitely showing its age now, even though it was solid back in the day.
My Verdict
After using both, it became pretty clear to me. If you’re looking for a solid docking experience right now, I mean go with the TS3 Plus. It’s more powerful, has more relevant ports, and handles multiple high-resolution displays and devices without breaking a sweat. The TS3 is not a bad product, it is a solid dock, but it’s just old. The Thunderbolt 2 is just outdated, so I think it’s clear to go with the TS3 Plus.