r/CalDigit

Good afternoon all - hoping I can get some help and I'm far from an expert on this stuff.

I bought a TS4 after reading ranting and raving reviews with the intention of having a semi-seamless transition from my work device to my personal device.

Work Device - Dell Latitude 5450, use this device 90% of the time.
Personal Device - Macbook Air w/ m5, brand new device.

The main goal of purchasing the ts4 was to bump up to 3 full size monitors for my work PC. I understand that the macbook will only ever have the ability to run two through this dock, but honestly I haven't even gotten to that point yet.

I'm running three LG 27" 1080 monitors. SKU is 27MR400-B.AUSQ. Now unfortunately these only have HDMI or VGA outputs so I know I'm already at a disadvantage.

I am utilizing two hdmi -> usb-c adapters (https://www.bestbuy.com/product/insignia-usb-c-to-hdmi-adapter-black/J2FPJKSPV4/sku/6473497?utm\_source=feed&extStoreId=20) as well as a single hdmi -> DP adapter (https://www.bestbuy.com/product/insignia-8k-displayport-to-hdmi-adapter-black/J2FPJK9PL9/sku/6638572?utm\_source=feed&extStoreId=20)

now here's my problem - on my dell, I'm only getting two of the three monitors to light up. When I unplug one of the monitors that's working, the third monitor fires up no issues but when I plug back in, the third monitor dies and the one that was just plugged in comes to life.

When I open my laptop, third monitor (laptop screen) fires up no issues.

I've tried flipping back and forth between the two usb-c ports on my laptop, no real changes there. I tried plugging in my OEM charge + TS4 cable (I read somewhere the laptop itself may not be getting enough power) to no avail.

Please help... I've tried everything I can think of, all the peripherals seem to work well and the ts4 really is a slick box but I really wanted this three monitor solution to work.

Anyone have any ideas? Thank you in advance for your help.

Have anyone encountered similar issue where the SD and Mini SD card slot does not work after connecting to the mac for a long period of time?

Whenever I disconnect and reconnect TS5 to the mac, the slot works again. After a short while, it stops working. I'm running a Macbook M1 Max. I end up using the SD card reader on my Mac directly because it is a hassle to reconnect every time.

I experienced similar issue with external drive as well. After connecting one drive to the front usb slots, then switching to another drive shortly after. It fails to recognize the device.

Anyone ran into similar issue? I have been up to date with the software all times hoping this could be fixed.

Is CalDigit planning any firmware updates and any ETA to resolve some of the stability issues?

Hi, I upgraded from TS4 where configuration was working. After change to TS5+ USBC display (UColor M1) connected to dock to TB port does not work, simply says 'no signal'. Disconnection of other devices, restarts and power cycles does not help. Any idea? What I can do to help fix the issue?

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for some real-world feedback before pulling the trigger on a new adapter.

My current setup is a MacBook Air M4 connected to a TCL C7L TV (which natively supports 4K, 120Hz/144Hz, and VRR/FreeSync perfectly with my Xbox).

Right now, I'm using a Belkin USB-C to HDMI 2.1 adapter, but due to the usual macOS limitations with the FRL protocol over HDMI, I am heavily capped. I can only get 2K @ 120Hz, and VRR is completely missing in macOS display settings.

I've been reading here on Reddit that the CalDigit USB-C to HDMI 2.1 adapter is one of the few that can actually handle 4K/120Hz on Apple Silicon, but I’ve seen highly conflicting reports regarding VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) over HDMI on macOS.

Before I buy it, I would love to know:

1. Is anyone using this specific CalDigit adapter with an M4 Mac and a TV, and successfully getting both 4K/120Hz AND active VRR?
2. Does it require a specific firmware version to unlock VRR on Mac?
3. Should I avoid buying it from Amazon due to old stock/older firmware issues, and buy it directly from CalDigit instead?

I really want to avoid wasting money on another adapter that will just cap my refresh rate or disable VRR. Any input or experience with similar TV setups (especially TCL) would be highly appreciated!

Thanks!

I'm upgrading from a cheap 40 dollar dock and can't decide between the Anker Prime TB5 and the CalDigit TS5. My current setup is an M3 MacBook Air connected to a Samsung Odyssey G8 via DisplayPort with external SSDs, peripherals, and occasional video editing. I also occasionally use a 2020 16" Intel MacBook Pro. My current dock has annoying wake-from-sleep issues in clamshell mode and some faint buzzing with USB-C EarPods, although the EarPods thing isn't a huge deal since I mostly use AirPods.

What I'm really thinking about is future-proofing. I plan on keeping this dock for a long time and will likely upgrade to an M7 Pro MacBook in a few years, where I could actually take advantage of Thunderbolt 5 bandwidth for faster external SSDs, editing workflows, and potentially more demanding setups.

The Anker's power button and built-in HDMI are appealing, but the CalDigit seems to have a better reputation among Mac users and is fanless. Since they're only about $10 apart on Prime Day, which one would you buy and why?

Hello,

I recently purchased a CalDigit TS5 Plus. I connected all the necessary ports and tested it with my laptop.
Unfortunately, it turns out that the dock won't pass my Ethernet connection.

During troubleshooting, I noted the following:

• The green light on the Ethernet port is flashing.

• The Ethernet cable is confirmed to be working. I tested it by connecting through a different RJ45 dongle, and the internet connection worked perfectly.

• Tested on Windows and Macbook. Same results. Different dongle + Ethernet working, with TS5 Plus is not

• The docking station was manufactured in March 2026, so I assume it has the latest firmware, as the newest version listed on the website is from 2025.

Do you have any thoughts or suggestions?

Pretty disappointing experience with my TS5 plus.

Received it today, pulled out my old TB4 dock and got all of my cables routed. Turned it on and nothing. It was definitely powering devices but no white light, tried with two different laptops (One TB4 and one TB5).

Went through all the troubleshooting steps, making sure my TB5 drivers were all good, power cycling, etc. Ultimately tried my TB4 cable from the old dock and got the white light on with both laptops.

Been a bit since I’ve received something this spendy not working out of the box, pretty disappointed.

Anyone have any suggestions? Feel like I’ve ran through all the troubleshooting steps I can think of. Seems like the next step is to return it to B&H.

Curious if I could use the cuktech ultra 30 dc port to replace any of the Caldigit dock/element power supplies (other than the ts 5 plus which exceeds the max 300w of the cuktech ultra 30)

I’d love to clean up some of my cabling and since I’m in the market for a fan desktop charger this seemed like a possibly novel idea.

Also curious if I could use the charge 300 powerbank DC port for the same usecase- but mostly for a Thunderbolt element 4 or 5 hub as that would be where I could turn the hub into something a little more portable and compact.