The TS3 Plus is the ideal solution for Thunderbolt™ 3 Mac & PC users who need to connect multiple devices to their laptops such as SD Card Readers, USB hard drives, dual monitors, digital audio devices, Thunderbolt™ 3 components, and more.
All the ports you need
Connect & Charge
In addition to all this, the TS3 Plus is the best option for both Mac and PC laptop charging. While other Thunderbolt™ 3 docks on the market can only charge one platform, CalDigit’s Thunderbolt™ 3 docks will provide up to 87W power delivery for both Mac and PC users.
Thunderbolt™ 3 Workflow Solution
With the TS3 Plus, a single Thunderbolt™ 3 port from your laptop expands to 15 ports! Power users need as many ports as they can get hold of and the TS3 Plus delivers on this promise. Whether you need multiple USB ports, dual 4K display connectivity, Digital Optical Audio out, or an SD Card Reader, the TS3 Plus packs everything into an incredibly compact unit. Don’t compromise on connectivity with the TS3 Plus!
7 USB Ports
With five USB-A 3.0 ** ports and two USB-C ports, users have a total of seven ports to connect multiple USB devices to their ultra slim laptops. Featuring both front and rear USB ports, the TS3 Plus packs a large amount of connectivity into such a compact device. The rear USB-C port features USB 3.1 Gen. 2 (10Gb/s) which allows users to connect their ultra-fast SSD drives for incredible performance.
15 Ports of Extreme Connectivity
When it comes to port connectivity, more is definitely more! The Thunderbolt Station 3 Plus offers ultimate connectivity by adding a staggering 15 ports for any application. The options go beyond the conventional, helping Thunderbolt 3 users to not only expand their connectivity but also charge their laptops. The power of Thunderbolt 3 combined with CalDigit’s long history designing docking solutions has resulted in the most powerful Thunderbolt 3 dock available.
USB 3.1 Gen.2
Why would someone need USB 3.1 Gen.2? To put it simply, devices like high-performance SSDs require the full bandwidth of USB 3.1 Gen.2 in order to get full performance. While USB 3.1 Gen.1 ports can provide great performance, a Gen.2 port will get the maximum transfer speeds out of your high-speed storage devices.
SD Card Reader
With the advent of digital media, transferring data from SD cards to computers has become an integral part of any project, especially digital photography and 4K videography. TS3 Plus’ SD card reader supports SD 4.0 and UHS-II speeds with a maximum theoretical throughput of 312MB/s, which means that transferring data from SD, SDHC or SDXC cards will be done in no time.
Digital Optical Audio (S/PDIF)
When it comes to high-quality audio playback, every audio enthusiast knows the benefits of using the best equipment to retain optimal audio signals in its purest state. The Digital Audio port allows users to connect directly to their amplifier, speakers, or home theatre receiver for a pure digital signal.
Digital Optical Audio (S/PDIF)
When it comes to high-quality audio playback, every audio enthusiast knows the benefits of using the best equipment to retain optimal audio signals in its purest state. The Digital Audio port allows users to connect directly to their amplifier, speakers, or home theatre receiver for a pure digital signal.
Laptop Charging
Thunderbolt™ 3 incorporates power delivery, allowing the TS3 Plus to charge Thunderbolt™ 3 laptops. Mac and PC users can put their laptop charger away and power their laptop through a single Thunderbolt™ 3 cable. The 87W power delivery will charge laptops in no time.
5K or Dual 4K Displays
The TS3 Plus’ extreme connectivity is not just confined to data as it can also achieve extreme visual fidelity. Users have the option to connect dual extended 4K 60Hz monitors or a single 5K 60Hz monitor. The versatile DisplayPort connector can be used to connect to any monitor through the use of an active DisplayPort cable/adapter.
If you needed to convert DisplayPort (DP) from the Dock to HDMI, DVI, or VGA output to your existing monitors without a DisplayPort Input, please make sure you are using an ACTIVE DisplayPort adapter. Regular Passive adapter will not work. An ACTIVE DisplayPort adapters has a chipset inside the adapter to properly convert to DP++ signal.
MONITOR RESOLUTIONS
*Some Windows PC manufacturers have decided to restrict functionality on their Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C ports such as charging and monitor compatibility. Check to see if your PC supports external monitors.
**Some refresh rates require DP 1.4 HBR3 and DSC 1.2 support from host GPU and monitor.
Some Thunderbolt 3 hosts that only support DP 1.2 will be capped at a lower resolutions & refresh rates. The bit/color depth may vary in order to support higher refresh rates. The support of higher refresh rates may vary due to OS updates.
SuperDrive Compatible
Whilst most other docks on the market do not support Apple’s SuperDrive CD/DVD player, we went above and beyond to designed a driver that allows the SuperDrive to operate when connected to the TS3 Plus. It is these small details, in addition to our expertise of the macOS ecosystem, that sets CalDigit apart.
iPad Pro 2021 Compatible
Interface
2 x Thunderbolt™ 3
1 x DisplayPort 1.2
5 x USB-A 3.1 Gen 1 (5Gb/s, 1.5A, 7.5W)
2 x USB-C
1 x USB-C 3.1 Gen 2 (10Gb/s, 1.5A, 7.5W) Rear
1 x USB-C 3.1 Gen 1 ( 5Gb/s, 1.5A, 7.5W) Front
1 x SD Card Reader (SD 4.0 UHS-II)
1 x Digital Optical Audio (S/PDIF)
1 x Gigabit Ethernet
1 x Analog Audio In (Stereo)
1 x Analog Audio Out (Stereo)
System Requirements
Thunderbolt™ 3 Computers
MacOS 10.12 or later
Windows 10 or later
Dimensions and Weight
Height : 5.15 inches (131.0 mm)
Width : 1.57 inches (40.0 mm)
Depth : 3.87 inches (98.44 mm)
Weight: 1.04 lbs (0.47 kgs)
In the Box
1 x CalDigit TS3 Plus
1 x Power Adapter (180W) – View detailed spec.
1 x Power Cord
1 x Thunderbolt 3 Cable (Certified 40Gb/s, up to 100W)
Yes, the TS3 Plus is an ideal dock for any M2, M1, M1 Pro, or M1 Max computer.
M1/M2 based Macs only support a single display through the Thunderbolt connection.
This is a limitation of the M1/M2 Macs at this time.
M1 Pro and M1 Max users can connect dual displays to the TS3 Plus when connected to those computers.
The TS3 should be used with a 40Gb/s Thunderbolt 3 cable, or a Thunderbolt 4 40Gb/s cable.
Make sure to either use the included Thunderbolt 3 cable or a certified 40Gb/s Thunderbolt 3 cable. Not all Thunderbolt 3 cables are 40Gb/s and some only offer 20Gb/s. Check your cable manufacturer’s specifications.
Yes, the TS3 Plus provides up to 87W of power for both Mac and Windows Thunderbolt 3 and Thunderbolt 4 laptops.
Some Windows PC manufacturers have decided to restrict charging through their Thunderbolt 3 ports. Check with your PC manufacturer for more information.
If you laptop requires less than 87W, the TS3 Plus will only provide the amount of power required by your laptop.
If your laptop has a factory charger above 87W, the TS3 Plus will charge your laptop at a slightly slower speed, and if you are using CPU/GPU intensive applications we recommend to connect your factory charger to the laptop.
In order to charge a laptop the TS3 Plus needs to be directly connected to the laptop’s Thunderbolt 3 port.
No drivers are required for Mac users.
Windows users must have the latest Intel Thunderbolt 3 firmware and drivers installed. Check your laptop manufacturer’s website for the latest firmware, BIOS and drivers. See the download page for more info.
The TS3 Plus supports a maximum of two monitors in either a mirrored or extended mode. When connecting one monitor though DisplayPort the maximum resolution is 4K 60Hz. If you are connecting dual monitors the maximum resolution for each monitor is 4K 60Hz. If you connect a monitor to the Thunderbolt 3 port the maximum resolution is 5K 60Hz.
Some Windows PC manufacturers have limited the amount of monitors that can be connected through their Thunderbolt 3 ports to 1 external monitor only. Check to see if your PC’s Thunderbolt 3 port supports dual monitors.
M1 based Mac laptops only support 1 external monitor through their Thunderbolt 3 port. Intel based Macs support 2 external monitors through their Thunderbolt 3 ports.
To connect dual monitors connect one monitor to the DisplayPort connector and one monitor to the spare Thunderbolt 3 Type-C port using a USB-C Video Adapter.
You can connect a DisplayPort monitor directly to the DisplayPort connector on the TS3 Plus. Alternatively you can convert from DisplayPort to another connector type such as HDMI, VGA, DVI or mDP. If you are converting from DisplayPort to another video connector type you must use an Active Adapter, such as an Active DisplayPort to HDMI Adapter.
Yes, you can directly connect a Thunderbolt or USB-C Type-C monitor to the spare Thunderbolt 3 ports on the TS3 Plus.
Please note that the USB-C ports on the TS3 Plus are for data only.
Yes.
Six of the seven USB 3.1 ports are Gen.1 and offer up to 5Gb/s throughput. The rear USB-C port is Gen.2 and offers up to 10Gb/s throughout. We recommend using the Gen.2 port for high-performance storage devices such as SSDs.
Yes, if you use a USB-A to C cable you can connect your USB-A devices.
The two USB-C ports are for data only. If you need to connect a second monitor you can connect it to the spare Thunderbolt 3 Type-C port.
The TS3 Plus SD Card Reader is SD 4.0 (UHS-II) with a theoretical throughput of 312Mb/s.
SD, SD HC and SD XC.
Yes you can connect to both at the same time.
*The TS3 Plus provides up to 87W charging for Mac & Windows Thunderbolt 3 laptops. Firmware update is required. For more information, please visit our KB article here.
The charging feature may vary depending on the design of your Windows Thunderbolt 3 laptop. Check with the system manufacturer for more information.
