CalDigit Element 5 Hub

The CalDigit Element 5 Hub (E5) is the most port-dense compact Thunderbolt 5 hub available, delivering 9 ports in the same footprint as its Thunderbolt 4 predecessor. Designed for professionals who demand maximum connectivity without bulk, it offers four Thunderbolt 5 ports (one host + three downstream), three USB-A and two USB-C ports all at 10Gb/s, and an unwavering 90W of host charging regardless of how many USB devices are attached. With up to 120Gb/s Bandwidth Boost mode, external storage performance reaches 6,200 MB/s — 17x faster than a typical USB-C hub. Compatible with Thunderbolt 5, Thunderbolt 4, Thunderbolt 3 Macs, USB4 v2, iPads, iPhones, and Windows tablets, it scales from a single-cable laptop setup to a quad-display workstation on supported M5 Max hardware.

120Gb/s Bandwidth Boost — Genuine TB5 Throughput

Thunderbolt 5 doubles the bidirectional bandwidth of TB4, operating at 80Gb/s in both directions simultaneously and switching to a 120Gb/s Bandwidth Boost mode when a high-resolution display demands it. For users running ultra-fast NVMe external storage, this translates to sustained transfer speeds up to 6,200 MB/s — 17× faster than a standard USB-C 5Gb/s hub and roughly double what Thunderbolt 4 could achieve. The transition between modes is fully automatic: the hub responds to workload in real time, so users editing 8K footage from an external RAID while driving a 6K display will never need to manually manage bandwidth allocation. This is the single biggest differentiator between the Element 5 Hub and any TB4 or USB4 hub on the market today.

Consistent 90W Host Charging — Never Throttled

Most hubs and docks that advertise 'up to 100W' power delivery quietly reduce that figure when USB devices are actively connected — a practice known as dynamic charging. The Element 5 Hub's included 180W power supply is large enough to guarantee a fixed 90W to the host computer at all times, regardless of how many peripherals are attached and drawing power simultaneously. In practice this means a 14-inch MacBook Pro with M4 (which requires 90W for fast charging) charges at full speed even while a USB-C SSD, external display, and iPhone are all plugged in. For corporate deployments or creative studios where laptops must stay charged through long working sessions, this removes an entire category of support calls about slow-charging or discharging laptops.

9 ports. 120Gb/s. Palm-sized.

NDAA Compliant · 2-year warranty · Includes 180W compact power supply

Up to 4 External Displays on Supported Hardware

The Element 5 Hub's three downstream Thunderbolt 5 ports use DisplayPort 2.1, enabling display configurations that were impossible with TB4's DisplayPort 1.4. On an M5 Pro Mac or a Thunderbolt 5 Windows PC, triple 4K 60Hz monitors are supported from a single cable connection. On an M5 Max, a fourth display can be added via Thunderbolt daisy-chain. Dual 4K 240Hz or dual 6K 60Hz setups are also supported, covering high-refresh-rate gaming and colour-accurate professional workflows from the same hub. Compatibility is host-dependent — M1–M4 base Macs remain limited to two displays — so it is important to match the hub's capability against the end user's specific Mac or PC model before recommending a multi-display configuration.

Broad Compatibility: TB5, TB4, TB3, USB4, iPads and More

The Element 5 Hub is not exclusively a Thunderbolt 5 device — it works with Thunderbolt 4, Thunderbolt 3 Intel Macs, USB4 v2, USB4, USB-C laptops, Thunderbolt-equipped iPads and iPhones, and USB-C Windows tablets. Users on older TB4 hardware get a perfectly functional 40Gb/s hub today and benefit from full TB5 performance when they upgrade their computer later, protecting the investment. The one notable exception is Thunderbolt 3 Windows PCs, which are not supported. This broad compatibility is a practical sales point for mixed Mac/PC environments or for users who rotate between devices.

Reversible Design and Offline Charging

The Element 5 Hub's symmetrical form factor means it can be placed on either side of a laptop without any reconfiguration — a small but meaningful detail in tidy desk setups and in studio environments where the laptop's Thunderbolt port location varies between models. When the hub is disconnected from the host computer entirely, all 9 ports remain live for charging: USB-A and USB-C devices draw up to 7.5W each, and Thunderbolt downstream ports provide up to 15W each. This makes the Element 5 Hub a capable overnight charging station for an entire device ecosystem — phones, tablets, headphones, mice — without needing the host laptop to be on or present.

Apple SuperDrive Support via Custom Driver

Apple's SuperDrive optical drive requires more USB power than the USB specification formally permits, which is why Apple itself advises connecting it directly to a computer — most hubs and docks simply cannot power it. CalDigit has engineered a proprietary driver that overrides this limitation, allowing the SuperDrive to operate correctly through any downstream USB port on the Element 5 Hub. For media production environments, archiving workflows, or organisations still receiving physical media, this removes a frustrating peripheral incompatibility that no other competing Thunderbolt hub addresses with a software solution.

macOS Docking Station Utility — One-Click Safe Eject

When multiple external drives are connected through the hub, safely ejecting each one individually before disconnecting the laptop is a routine but tedious step that users frequently skip — risking data corruption. CalDigit's macOS Docking Station Utility adds a single-click 'eject all storage' function to the menu bar, ensuring every connected volume is properly unmounted in one action. This is particularly valuable in shared workspaces or edit suites where a second person may disconnect the hub without going through the standard macOS eject process. The utility is a free download from CalDigit's support portal.