Expert’s Rating
Pros
Cons
Our Verdict
More of a mini sorrel than a hub , the CalDigit Element 5 tamp nine degraded ports admit four of the late 80/120Gbps Thunderbolt 5 .
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Best Prices Today: CalDigit Thunderbolt 5 Element 5 Hub
The CalDigit Element 5 Hub is the successor to the troupe ’s accolade - winning Thunderbolt 4 Element Hub , supercede the Thunderbolt 4 ( TB4 ) embrasure with the double - speed Thunderbolt 5 ( TB5 ) and even wring in an extra USB port for secure bar .
Just as theCalDigit constituent 4 Hubwas our recommended Thunderbolt 4 hub , the Element 5 film over its position at the top of the Mac hub power structure .
Specs and features
The Element 5 Hub boasts five Thunderbolt 5 port wine , each offer blisteringly fast 80Gbps data - transportation and when utilizing Bandwidth Boost can provide up to 120Gbps bandwidth for show purposes .
CalDigit
The upstream TB5 embrasure that connects to your computing machine can also deliver up to 90W of power to a laptop . That ’s enough to fast - charge the majority of Apple ’s MacBooks , although it wo n’t fast - excite the top - end 14- or 16 - inch Pro / Max MacBook Pro . For that you ’ll involve a loading dock that can provide 140W. But 90W is still generous and enough for most laptop computer setups .
The downstream TB5 ports can each supply 15W of power , and the USB - coke and USB - A ports have potentiality for 7.5W each . The external top executive provision provides a decent 180W — up from 150W with the Element 4 — which is the same extend by even a full - scale docking place such as the Sonnet Echo 13 Thunderbolt 5 Dock .
All the USB ports — two USB - C and three USB - A — are rated at a fast 10Gbps .
Thunderbolt 5 is much more of an upgrade than Thunderbolt 4 was from Thunderbolt 3 . It can provide up to 6,200MBps functioning for outside storage machine , for example , which is double that of Thunderbolt 4 .
With nine ports in total , the Element 5 Hub offer more than any other Thunderbolt hub we ’ve learn or tested , including even the eight - embrasure Element 4 Hub . TheOWC Thunderbolt 5 Huboffers four TB5 ports and one 10Gbps USB - A porthole .
While three USB - A ports should be plenty for bequest twist , most accessories are now steadfastly in the USB - C pack so you might have one or two leave empty , and OWC ’s one USB - A port is believably all that ’s required . It does , of course , lack the Element 5 Hub ’s extra two Type C interface .
The Thunderbolt 5 port can be used to link USB - speed of light devices , of course , so up to five can be accommodated using this hub .
A full moorage station will have many more ports of different type , such as fast Ethernet for pumped internet access , card readers , display connection and audio ports , but with a few inexpensive transcriber the Element 5 ’s nine porthole may be all you need .
Because it sport so many port , the Element 5 Hub is a serious consideration for desktop substance abuser as well as laptop owners and will be a match for dockage stations depending on your needs .
Display options
While it does n’t host a DisplayPort or HDMI embrasure , the Element 5 Hub can link to twofold 6 K or 8 K 60Hz extended display on Macs . These require no video display adapter when the monitors support a USB - C or Thunderbolt connexion but will if your video display demands a DisplayPort or HDMI connexion .
( When connected to Windows Thunderbolt 5 microcomputer , the Element 5 Hub supports up to three outside prolonged displays with Bandwidth Boost in use . Note that when Bandwidth Boost is in surgical procedure , the rest of the hub spend to 40Gbps . Unless tie to a DisplayLink docking facility , macOS does n’t tolerate triple monitors via a Thunderbolt Dock or Hub . )
For the Mac , the Element 5 Hub can indorse two 6 K displays at 60Hz or 4 jet display at 144Hz .
Note that Apple ’s plain ( non - Pro or Max ) M1- and M2 - based computers back just one external admonisher . Although it is potential to join two or more displays to M1 and M2 Macs through function of DisplayLink adaptor , the Element 5 Hub does not support DisplayLink .
However , we expect most people concerned in a powerful Thunderbolt hub will own a MacBook with a Pro or Max processor .
The Element 5 Hub is compatible not just with Macs but with USB - C or Thunderbolt iPads and iPhones , as well as Windows tablets .
Design and build
If used as a dock , the Element 5 Hub is one of the smallest you ’ll discover with its own power provision , measuring 4.5 x 2.75 x 1 inch ( 11.4 x 7 x 2.5 cm ) and press just 200 g ( 0.44lbs ) . That ’s about the same size of it as a fat pack of cards and short than an iPhone , and only marginally larger than the older Element 4 Hub .
You might even lose track of it sat neatly on your desk , unless , of course , it has nine cable sticking out it alongside the power cable .
The power brick is about the same size , and so is much reduced from that of the Element 4 Hub , which was pretty chunky . It ’s not impossible that you could practice the Element 5 as a portable hub . It ’s built with aluminium and feels uncompromising than cheaper USB - ascorbic acid hub .
The hub is reversible so you could station either the three downstream TB5 ports and one USB - A port wine at the front or the other side with two USB - 100 and two USB - A. This is made potential by CalDigit being smart enough to position the upstream TB5 interface on one side of the hub , which is a much better emplacement than on the front as some hub and dock maker do .
It ships with a 0.8 m Thunderbolt 5 cable .
Price
The Element 5 Hub cost US$ 299.99 , £ 249.99 , or € 249.99 . That ’s a piffling more than theElement 4 Hub , and about $ 100 more than the less - portedOWC Thunderbolt 5 Hub .
It ’s more expensive than standard TB4 or USB - atomic number 6 hub but it ’s load down with the latest and most advanced technology and far more futurity - proof . For a nine - port Thunderbolt 5 hub , that excess spend is warrant , and if used instead of a full - stocked dock will save you money .
There are many types of hubs available to Mac users plus multifunction adapters and docking facility . Check out our roundup of thebest USB - C hub and adapters for Macandbest Thunderbolt bobtail for MacBook .
Verdict
You wo n’t find any more modern USB and Thunderbolt port on a hub than you get with CalDigit ’s heavyset and well - price Thunderbolt 5 Element 5 Hub , and they are all rated at top hurrying . The 90W mogul delivery is enough for most laptops , and other equipment should be fully power too .
Although not quite as convenient as a large docking station , it can even be used as a fully functional laptop Thunderbolt 5 dock with the right adapters .
smartly design , compact enough to be relatively portable and stocked with top - remainder ports , the Element 5 Hub is easily our top - rate Thunderbolt 5 hub / miniskirt sorrel .
