Today CalDigit took the wraps off its first Thunderbolt 5-enabled device, the nine port, and aptly-titled Element 5 Hub. The follow up to the company’s original eight-port Element hub, the $249 Element 5 features four Thunderbolt 5 ports supporting 80Gb/s, plus a whole host of additional features and tidbits to consider. Let’s take a closer look.
Ports and charging
- The Element 5 hub has nine ports total, while the original sported eight ports.
- 4 x TB5 (80Gb/s) ports
- 2 x USB-C (10Gb/s) ports
- 3 x USB-A (10Gb/s) ports
- Host power delivery of 90W
Displays
- The max resolution for Macs that support 8K is 8K 60Hz
- The max resolution on macOS for dual displays is 6K 60Hz. The M4 Max supports Dual 8K 60Hz
- The max high-refresh rate on macOS for dual displays is Dual 4K 240Hz
The Element 5 Hub supports the new Bandwidth Boost feature of Thunderbolt 5, which allocates up to 120Gb/s to displays when needed, such as when connecting multiple high refresh rate displays.
On compatible Windows machines with Thunderbolt 5, the Element 5 supports up to Triple 4K 60Hz displays via a single port. It’s worth noting that the Mac, including the latest M4s, do not support triple displays via a single Thunderbolt 5 connection. This is a limitation of macOS computers, and no dock or hub at this time can natively support triple displays on macOS via a single TB5 connection.
Other tidbits
CalDigit notes that host charging consistently delivers up to 90W and never drops regardless of how many devices are connected. Included with the Element 5 is a new 180W power supply that is 42% smaller than its predecessor while offering 30W of additional power.
The Element 5 Hub features 64Gb/s PCIe, double the bandwidth of its predecessor, to accommodate fast storage devices.
9to5Mac’s Take
Slowly but surely, the Thunderbolt 5 landscape is beginning to take shape, and the Element 5 has the makings of a solid hub for those who need the expansion. In terms of compatibility, of course the Element 5 is best paired with new M4 Pro and M4 Max Macs featuring Thunderbolt 5 ports, but it’s also compatible with TB4, TB3, and USB-C Macs and iPads as well.
What do you think? Sound off in the comments with your thoughts.
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