Thunderbolt 5 hub with numerous interfaces from CalDigit
The accessory specialist, which is particularly popular with Apple customers, is quickly adopting new Thunderbolt standards. A new TB5 hub is now available.
Element Hub 5 (in the center): Ports can also be retrofitted with TB5.
(Image: CalDigit)
Hubs for Thunderbolt 5 are still a fairly rare species. However, more and more Apple computers are being equipped with the faster transfer standard: it is standard on MacBook Pro M4 Pro, MacBook Pro M4 Max and Mac mini M4 Pro and the technology is also spreading in the Windows world. CalDigit, which is particularly well-known among Mac and iPad owners for its accessories, now offers the first multi-port distributor specifically for TB5 in the form of the Element 5 Hub. The device provides plenty of connection options, but also has a premium price of 300 euros including VAT (delivery from the UK).
Port carousel with fast interface
The Element 5 hub has a total of nine ports, and the large number of USB-C ports is useful. Four of them come with TB5 or USB4 v2 (one of them for the host) and two others with a maximum of 10 Gb/s. There are also three USB-A ports with a maximum of 10 Gb/s. Up to 90 watts of electrical energy for charging connected devices is output via Power Delivery – For 16-inch MacBook Pro computers, 140 watts would be required to charge at full speed. We would have liked a little more here, especially as the proprietary power supply unit of the Element 5 Hub delivers a maximum of 180 watts. The manufacturer explains this over-provisioning with the fact that many competitors do not deliver the promised wattage.
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The monitor configuration depends on the system. Under Windows, you can connect up to three monitors via Thunderbolt 5, but only two are possible on a Mac. This overview shows which resolutions you can expect. What the Element 5 hub lacks are additional interfaces for Ethernet, HDMI, a card reader or audio. Instead, CalDigit relies entirely on USB-C and USB-A.
Operation on both sides and also as a daisy chain
The hub can be operated on both sides, regardless of which side is “up”. Several of the devices can be operated as a daisy chain. CalDigit also provides a “Docking Station Utility” for macOS, which allows you to quickly eject connected hard disks and SSDs.
The proprietary power supply mentioned above is said to be significantly smaller than the version of the Element 4 hub with Thunderbolt 4, but it is still quite bulky, not wider, but longer than the hub itself. The Element 5 Hub will be delivered for the first time in the coming weeks. In addition to CalDigit's own store, which is located in the UK as mentioned above, it will also be distributed via Amazon.
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